Fisher Controls International LLC

Fisher-rosemount Systems, Inc

Mitchell Stephen Panther

Kurtis K Jensen

Davin Scott Nicholas

Matthew J Kemp

Carter Bill Cartwright

Mark J Nixon

Terrence L Blevins

Eric Darrell Rotvold

Deji Chen

Brian Joseph Burlage

Scott Richard Kratzer

Jordan E Mandernach

Tom W Kirner

Rickey Lee Osborn

Michael Anthony Conger

Melissa R Niesen

Kurtis Kevin Jensen

Brian J Burlage

Melissa Renee Niesen

A control technique controls a process in a manner that reduces the number of controller changes provided to a controlled device, and so reduces the power consumption of the controlled device along with the loading of a process control communications network disposed between the controller and the controlled device. This technique is very useful in a control system having wirelessly connected field devices, such as sensors and valves which, in many cases, operate off of battery power. Moreover, the control technique is useful in implementing a control system in which control signals are subject to intermittent, non-synchronized or significantly delayed communications and/or in a control system that receives intermittent, non-synchronized or significantly delayed process variable measurements to be used as feedback signals in the performance of closed-loop control.

Reducing controller updates in a control loop

An accelerometer wireless position transducer or sensor is physically coupled to a control device in a process control system and includes an accelerometer that generates a signal based on a position of the control device or its actuator. The transducer converts the accelerometer signal into a wireless signal that includes a value indicative of the actuator position, and causes the wireless position feedback signal to be transmitted over a wireless channel to a valve controller, e.g., by using a short-range wireless protocol. The controller controls the valve based on the value included in the wireless signal. In some configurations, the feedback signal is received at a device paired with the transducer, and the paired device transmits the feedback signal to the controller. The paired device may be paired with multiple transducers and/or sensors, and may transmit various feedback signals to multiple recipient controllers and other devices.

Control device position feedback with accelerometer

An apparatus includes a housing, a touch sensor, a display, and a control module. The housing has a body defining a volume to accommodate a process control device and is adapted to withstand a threshold internal pressure greater than an external pressure. The housing further has a transparent portion having first and second surfaces. The touch sensor is disposed adjacent to the second surface of the transparent portion and senses an input received within a minimum distance from the first surface of the transparent portion. The display is disposed adjacent to the touch sensor and displays at least one adjustable variable corresponding to the process control device.

Local user interface for explosion resistant field instruments using capacitive touch sensing

A liquid level control loop optimizer receives a selection of a vessel configuration and a variety of parameters specifying the vessel dimensions, the fluid type(s), and the flow parameters of the liquid level control loop. The optimizer also receives a selection of various valve and actuator options and determines a variety of available configurations based on the selected options. The optimizer simulates each of the available configurations under the conditions specified by the parameters, and determines control loop characteristics and/or properties based on the simulations. The optimizer may display and/or rank the various configurations to assist a user in selecting a configuration that best meets the requirements of the control loop.

Liquid level control loop optimizer

A system and method for controlling a remote valve includes temporarily driving or activating a battery-powered pilot valve assembly to place an operatively coupled output valve in a switch position. One or more processors receives a temperature measurement associated with an operating environment of the battery-powered pilot valve assembly, compares the received temperature measurement to a temperature threshold level, and continuously drives the battery-powered pilot valve assembly to maintain the output valve in the switch position if the temperature measurement is below the temperature threshold level.

System and method for controlling a valve

Methods and systems to update information of a device description of a field instrument are described. In one example, a method involves comparing a host revision of the device description executed via a host application to an instrument revision of the device description of the field instrument, generating a character string of update information based on the comparison, the character string containing the update information, and displaying the character string via the host application.

Methods and systems to provide update information of a device description of a field instrument

A diagnostic device is physically coupled to a control device in a process control system, and includes an accelerometer that determines when a motion or vibration of the control device is greater than a predetermined threshold. When this condition is detected, one or more other components of the diagnostic device (e.g., processor, communication module, etc.) are activated, and a distress signal is transmitted from the diagnostic device using the activated components. Consequently, the duty cycles of components of the diagnostic device are decreased and optimized, leading to significant power savings. Indeed, in some embodiments, energy harvesting may be sufficient to power the diagnostic device. Further, in some embodiments, the diagnostic device may not require a component processor.

Control device diagnostic using accelerometer

A continuously powered field device for use in a process control system includes a field device housing, a primary power port disposed within or connected to the field device housing, and a power source switching module comprising a first power terminal, a second power terminal, and a third power terminal. The first power terminal is coupled to the primary power port, and the third power terminal is configured to deliver power applied to the third power terminal to at least a portion of the field device. The power source switching module is operable in a first state of operation to couple the first power terminal to the third power terminal, and the power source switching module is operable in a second state of operation to couple the second power terminal to the third power terminal.

Continuously powered field device

Example methods and apparatus to interface with a control a loop are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a loop controller to control a control loop, a sensor to provide a measurement value to the loop controller, a device controller to adjust a control device based on an output from the loop controller, and a loop interface to receive a set point value and send the set point value to the loop controller, wherein the loop interface is different from a host device communicatively coupled to the loop controller.

Methods and apparatus to interface with a digital control loop

The claimed method and system provide a process control device monitoring system and a process control valve assembly with a process control device monitoring system to measure one or more operating states of a process control device. The process control device monitoring system may also associate a time-stamp with the one or more measured operating states of the process control device in response to a trigger generated based on the one or more measured operating states. The process control device monitoring system may also transmit the time-stamp and an indication of the one or more operating states to a monitoring device.

Time-stamped emissions data collection for process control devices

A system and method for controlling a remote valve includes temporarily driving or activating a battery-powered pilot valve assembly to place an operatively coupled output valve assembly in a switch position. A processor energizes a bistable valve of the pilot valve assembly to enable a fluid supply to drive the output valve assembly to a desired switch position, whereupon the pilot valve assembly may be de-energized and the switch position of the output valve assembly maintained.

System and method for controlling a remote valve

A field device for use in a process control system includes a scheduling module configured to receive a time input which specifies a scheduled time for performing a scheduled action or a scheduled sequence of actions and to receive an action input which specifies the scheduled action or the scheduled sequence of actions. At the scheduled time, the scheduling module automatically initiates the scheduled action or the scheduled sequence of actions. After initiating the action or the sequence of actions, the scheduling module causes an initiation status indicating that the action or the sequence of actions has been initiated to be sent to a host and/or causes the initiation status to be stored in a local memory of the field device.

Scheduling function in a wireless control device

Example methods and apparatus to a controller of a local control loop having a field device and a sensor configured in a closed-loop control system are disclosed. The controller is wirelessly coupled to a control system wherein the controller and the control system execute complementary control over the field device.

Method and apparatus for local or remote control of an instrument in a process system

A method of monitoring and controlling a target operating device of a process control system. The method comprises: detecting activation of one or more parts of the target operating device with a sensor of a wireless latching unit; latching a switch of the wireless latching unit from an active state to an inactive state upon detecting the activation of the one or more parts; transmitting one or more active signals from the wireless latching unit to abuse station upon latching the switch to the active state; detecting deactivation of the one or more parts of the target operating device with the sensor of the wireless latching unit; ignoring the detected deactivation at the wireless latching unit; and continuing to transmit the one or more active signals from the wireless latching unit to the base station. A wireless monitoring and control system is also disclosed.

System and method for monitoring and controlling a target operating device of a process control system

Techniques for delaying the publication of data to a network by a device in a process control system or plant include obtaining, at the device, data to be published to the network; storing the obtained data and a corresponding timestamp in a cache; triggering a publication of cached data; and, based on the trigger, publishing the oldest cached data to the network during the publishing timeslot assigned to the device. The cached data may correspond to a sample rate of the device and may include multiple instances of data obtained over time. The device includes a network interface, a cache, and a publisher, and the device may be configured to operate in the delayed publishing mode, or to operate in an immediate publishing mode in which currently obtained data that has not been cached is published to the network during the publishing time slot assigned to the device.

Growing community of inventors

Marshalltown, IA, United States of America

Mitchell Stephen Panther