Process control configuration system with connection validation and configuration

US7089530B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Invensys Systems, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Steven Dardinski · Westford, US
• Keith Eldridge · Easton, US
• Robert Hall · South Easton, US
• Mark Johnson · Attleboro, US
• Brian McKay · Coppell, US
• Paul Meskonis · Norwood, US
• Scott Volk · North Easton, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 23, 1999
• Grant date: Aug 8, 2006
• Expiry date: Nov 23, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P90/02
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Connection objects or other such data structures facilitate establishing and configuring connections between objects that model components in a process control system. A first set of data structures (e.g. the object connection type structures) identify valid types for component-to-component pairings and the respective roles of each component in the pairing (e.g., parent or child, source or sink). A second set of data structures (e.g., the parameter connection type structures) supply similar information for parameter-to-parameter connections. Together, these data structures can be used, for example, to validate component-to-component connections suggested by the user and to automatically configure parameter-to-parameter connections. Actual connections, both at the component or parameter level, are reflected using parameter overrides within the parameterized object model—with which the connection objects are constructed.