A process control management method in a computer system for configuring and supervising a process plant includes providing an interactive user interface to manage a plurality of objects in the process plant, where each of the plurality of objects corresponds to a physical or logical entity in the process plant, including generating a navigation pane to display a set of selectable items, each in the set of selectable items corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of objects, and generating a command pane to display a set of selectable controls, each in the set of selectable controls corresponding to a task to be performed on at least one of the plurality of objects in the process plant; receiving a selection of one of an item in the set of selectable items via the navigation panel and a control in the set of selectable controls via the command panel; determining an operational context based on the received selection, wherein the operational context corresponds to one of a range of actions applicable to the selection if the selection is an item selection, or a range of items to which the selection is applicable if the selection is a control selection; and adjusting one of the navigation pane or the command pane according to the operational context, including displaying a subset of selectable items in the navigational pane, wherein each in the subset of selectable items is within the range applicable to the selection, if the selection is a control selection, and displaying a subset of selectable controls in the command pane, wherein each in the subset of selectable controls is within the range applicable to the selection, if the selection is an item selection.

Dynamic user interface for configuring and managing a process control system

A process control configuration method in a user interface of a computer system for developing control strategies of a process plant, where the user interface defines a screen area to display a plurality of independent panes therein, includes generating a first edit pane, including displaying a graphical representation of a first set of logical or physical entities for carrying out respective process control operations in the process plant; generating a second edit pane, including displaying a graphical representation of a second set of logical or physical entities for carrying out respective process control operations in the process plant, wherein each in the first set and the second set of logical or physical entities includes at least one input and at least one output, and wherein each of the first edit pane and the second edit pane defines an independent user interface screen within the screen area; receiving a first selection of an output of a first entity in the first set of logical or physical entities; receiving a second selection of an input to a second entity in the first second of logical or physical entities; and automatically generating respective visual indicators in each of the first edit pane and the second edit pane in response to receiving the first selection and the second selection, wherein the visual indicators depict respective endpoints of a connection between the first entity and the second entity.

Efficient Design and Configuration of Elements in a Process Control System

Methods, apparatus, and systems are provided for a web browser accessible data file system on a programmable logic controller (PLC). The invention includes a PLC which includes a controller module; a file system module coupled to the controller module and adapted to persistently store archive data files; a memory module that stores binary data coupled to the controller module; and a user program module that stores instructions adapted to be executed by the controller module. The instructions may include creating an archive file in a user application format in the file system module; storing binary data in the memory module; converting the binary data to the user application format of the archive file; and storing the converted binary data as an entry in the archive file in the file system module. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.

Methods and apparatus for a file system on a programmable logic controller

A method for offline servicing of a field device (FD) of automation technology by means of a service unit (SU), wherein a web server is associated with the field device (FD) and a web browser is associated with the service unit (SU), wherein the method has the following steps: the service unit (SU) connects via the web browser with the web server of the field device (FD) to be serviced; a control logic (CL) made available by the web server is loaded into the web browser; the control logic (CL) starts the download of offline web pages, which are present in the web server or are produced by it, and loads the web pages and the configuration data of the field device (FD) into the service unit (SU); and the current configuration data are, with involvement of the web pages and the loaded configuration data, edited or created offline in the service unit (SU).

Method for offline servicing of a field device of automation technology

The present invention proposes a method for accessing a functional module ( 118, 128, 138 ) of an automation system, wherein the automation system comprises a device in the form of higher-level device ( 200 ) and at least one lower-level device ( 110, 120, 130 ) arranged under this higher-level device and wherein the functional module ( 118, 128, 138 ) is in the form of part of the one or more lower-level devices ( 110, 120, 130 ) and for executing at least one device function. In addition, a device in the form of the higher-level device ( 200 ) for performing the method in an automation system is also proposed, wherein at least one device ( 110, 120, 130 ) comprising a functional module ( 118, 128, 138 ) for executing at least one device function is arranged under the higher-level device.

Method and device for accessing a functional module of automation system

Methods for accessing a control module that can be executed in a control device of an automating system are provided. The method includes the steps of providing the control module in the control device; providing a first interface module in the control device; providing a second interface module in the control device; connecting the control device with an operating device via a network; transferring the second interface module from the control device to the operating device, whereby the operating device comprises input and output devices for operation by a user; executing the second interface module by the operating device; and transferring data between the first and the second interface modules.

Method and control device for controlling an automating system

Die vorliegende Erfindung schlagt ein Verfahren zum Zugreifen auf ein Funktionsmodul (118, 128, 138) eines Automatisierungssystems vor, wobei das Automatisierungssystem eine als ubergelagertes Gerat (200) ausgebildete Vorrichtung und wenigstens ein diesem untergelagertes Gerat (110, 120, 130) umfasst und wobei das Funktionsmodul (118, 128, 138) als Teil des wenigstens einen untergelagerten Gerats (110, 120, 130) und zum Ausfuhren wenigstens einer Geratefunktion ausgebildet ist Des weiteren wird auch eine zur Durchfuhrung des Verfahrens als ubergelagertes Gerat (200) ausgebildete Vorrichtung eines Automatisierungssystems vorgeschlagen, wobei dem ubergelagerten Gerat wenigstens ein Gerat (110, 120, 130), umfassend ein Funktionsmodul (118, 128, 138) zum Ausfuhren wenigstens einer Geratefunktion, untergelagert ist

Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Zugreifen auf ein Funktionsmodul eines Automatiersierungssystems

Um die Handhabung und Benutzung von Automatisierungssystemen, insbesondere von speicherprogrammierbaren Steuerungen (SPS) zu verbessern und zu vereinfachen, sieht die Erfindung ein Verfahren zum Zugreifen auf ein in einem Steuergerat (400) zur Steuerung eines Automatisierungssystems ausfuhrbares Steuermodul (410) vor, wobei das Steuermodul (410) dazu ausgebildet ist, eine Funktion (600) auf dem Steuergerat (400) auszufuhren, wobei das Verfahren vorsieht, dass in dem Steuergerat (400) das Steuermodul (410) sowie ein erstes (420) und ein zweites (310) Schnittstellenmodul bereitgestellt, das Steuergerat (400) mit einem Bediengerat (300) uber ein Netzwerk (500) verbunden, das zweite Schnittstellenmodul (310) von dem Steuergerat (400) zu dem Bediengerat (300) ubertragen, das zweite Schnittstellenmodul (310) durch das Bediengerat (300) ausgefuhrt, und Daten zwischen dem ersten (420) und dem zweiten (310) Schnittstellenmodul ubertragen werden. Ferner sieht die Erfindung ein zur Ausfuhrung des Verfahrens ausgebildetes Steuergerat vor.

Verfahren und steuergerät zur steuerung eines automatisierungssystems

The invention relates to an input/output channel control block that comprises a number of successive input/output modules. The first is a control master module and the subsequent ones are expansion slave modules. Each expansion slave module comprises a processing logic unit as well as respective first signal port and a respective equal number of second signal ports and an equal number of third signal ports which are arranged at identical positions of each expansion slave module. The first signal port is connected to the processing logic unit, to which at least one fourth signal port for connecting an input/output bus terminal subscriber belongs, and a respective second signal port is connected to a third signal port. The control master module likewise possesses a number of third signal ports and a control logic unit for data exchange with a data bus and for targeted driving of the signal ports.

Dietmar Krumsiek

Papers

Method and device for accessing a functional module of automation system

Method and control device for controlling an automating system

Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Zugreifen auf ein Funktionsmodul eines Automatiersierungssystems

Verfahren und steuergerät zur steuerung eines automatisierungssystems

Control block with a point-to-point communication link between a control master module to be connected to a data bus and expansion slave modules