Invensys Systems, Inc.

Other

Bruce S Canna

Richard L Thibault

Gerald S Couper

William J Collins

A system for process control comprises a server digital data processor and a client digital data processor that are coupled by a network, such as the Internet or an Intranet. The server digital data processor, which is additionally coupled to a control/sensing device and any associated interface equipment (collectively, referred to as 'process control apparatus'), includes a command processor that transfers information between the network and the process control apparatus. The client digital data processor includes an information client (e.g., a so-called Internet web browser) capable of requesting and receiving an applet from the server digital data processor. The information client, further, defines a hardware-independent and operating system-independent virtual machine environment within the client digital data processor. The client digital data processor executes, within that virtual machine environment, an applet for configuring the client digital data processor as a 'process controller' that establishes communications over the network with the command processor and that monitors and/or controls the process control apparatus via those communications.

Control system apparatus and systems using value-based transfers

Methods for process control with change updates

Control system methods using value-based transfers

Control system apparatus with change updates

Control system methods that transfer control apparatus information over IP networks in web page-less transfers

Methods for remote process control with networked digital data processors and a virtual machine environment

Process control system with networked digital data processors and a virtual machine environment

Methods and apparatus for remote process control

A system for process control comprises a server digital data processor and a client digital data processor that are coupled by a network, such as the Internet or an Intranet. The server digital data processor, which is additionally coupled to a control/sensing device and any associated interface equipment (collectively, referred to as &ldquo;process control apparatus&rdquo;), includes a command processor that transfers information between the network and the process control apparatus. The client digital data processor includes an information client (e.g., a so-called Internet web browser) capable of requesting and receiving an applet from the server digital data processor. The information client, further, defines a hardware-independent and operating system-independent virtual machine environment within the client digital data processor. The client digital data processor executes, within that virtual machine environment, an applet for configuring the client digital data processor as a &ldquo;process controller&rdquo; that establishes communications over the network with the command processor and that monitors and/or controls the process control apparatus via those communications.

Method and apparatus for remote process control using applets

The invention provides improved digital data processing systems with distributed object management for use, e.g., in process control. These systems are of the type having servers and, more particularly, object request brokers (ORB's) that route requests generated by one or more clients to implementation objects maintained by a server application. Routing is based on a binding table (or other such store) that identifies dispatching procedures, or &ldquo;skeletons,&rdquo; that invoke requested services on implementation objects specified in the requests. Such systems may be CORBA-compatible, though the improvements provided by o the invention are applicable to distributed object management systems having other architectures, as well. The improvements are characterized by the utilization of a single entry in the binding table (or other such store) to route requests to a plurality of different implementation objects, e.g., representing process control blocks and parameters, maintained by the server. In a related aspect, the improvements can be characterized as providing an CORBA-compatible ORB or, more particularly, (basic) object adapter (OA), that permits requests to be routed to implementations that are not listed in the binding table.

Process control methods and apparatus with distributed object management

Growing community of inventors

Mansfield, MA, United States of America

Bruce S Canna