Patent · US Active

Methods and apparatus for control configuration with enhanced change-tracking

US8463964B2 · kind B2 · utility

9Cited by
732References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 14, 2010
Grant dateJun 11, 2013
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 29, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG05B2219/25061
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The invention provides, in some aspects, a process, environmental, manufacturing, industrial or other such control system (hereinafter, “control system”) with enhanced, real-time change tracking. The system includes one or more configurable elements (e.g., field devices), a change tracking system that records of changes to those configurable elements (e.g., for compliance reporting, etc.) and a change detection system that responds to detected changes in configuration of those element(s) by inferring an identity of a person and/or device responsible for a change, the time of the change, and/or the reason for the change. This is unlike prior art systems, in which that such information must be specified, e.g., in a data entry form filled-in by the field engineer, operator or other who is making the change.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.