The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 19, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 12, 1996
Mark Nixon, Round Rock, TX (US);
Robert B Havekost, Austin, TX (US);
Larry O Jundt, Round Rock, TX (US);
Michael G Ott, Austin, TX (US);
Arthur Webb, Loughborough, GB;
Dennis Stevenson, Round Rock, TX (US);
Mike Lucas, Broughton Astley, GB;
Ken J Beoughter, Round Rock, TX (US);
Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc., Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
A process controller implements an overall, user-developed control strategy in a process control network that includes distributed controller and field devices. A user defines a module control strategy by specifying function blocks that make up control modules and determine the control strategy. The user modifies or debugs a module control strategy by adding, modifying and deleting function blocks, configuring parameters associated with the function blocks and creating a view to new attributes. By defining function blocks and control modules, a user-defined control strategy, application program or diagnostic program is represented as a set of layers of interconnected control objects identified as modules. A layer of the control strategy includes a set of modules which are interconnected in a user-specified manner. A module typically includes an algorithm for performing a specific function and display components which are used to display information to a user. A module is optionally represented to include a set of input and output connections for connecting to other modules. A module may be considered to be a 'black box' which performs a specified function and is connected to other modules via specified input and output connections.