Honeywell International Inc.

Erik De Groot

Jeffrey B Scott

Juergen Rudnick

A user-defined development life cycle component is part of a qualification and version control system that is an integral part of a configuration toolset in a process automation system. The user enables and defines a development life cycle to be used by defining qualification states and their attributes, including the authorized state transitions and security and requirements for each transition, such as electronic signatures. Attributes define how each control object is treated in the system. For example, a 'load to controller' flag defines if the control object is loadable to a controller when it is in a particular qualification state. A fallback state defines a qualification state in which the control object continues its life cycle when it is modified and checked-back-into the system. Through a restricted state definition, the user implements the 'four-eye principle' so that two consecutive state changes are made by two different users.

Ensure a consistent control system configuration methodology through an enforceable user defined development life cycle

Configurable levels of source control for the configuration of a process automation system are enabled through a preference selection or license. A user that starts with a certain level of source control may later change the level. Manually entered version information is overwritten if the user starts with a basic source control system after using a manual source control system. In the basic source control system, the increment of the version number is based on the significance of the change, where a parameter change in an existing function block is minor. When the user upgrades to full source control, the existing version numbers are maintained and the automated increment is based on the significance of the change determined by the user.

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Huizen, Netherlands

Erik De Groot