Emulated Device Manager for Field Device Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional process control systems face challenges in accessing and configuring field devices without available device DTMs, limiting the use of FDT/DTM technology and EDDL, especially when device DTMs are not provided by vendors or when EDDL is preferred.
Innovation Solution
The system employs an emulator to emulate device managers and communication managers, allowing requests to be sent to field devices using specified protocols, and provides a user interface based on device descriptions, enabling configuration even when device DTMs are not available, by converting requests into suitable formats and using emulated device DTMs to interact with communication DTMs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If FDT/DTM technology is used to access and configure field devices, then the system benefits from standardized plug-and-play capabilities and improved ease of operation, but the system requires device DTMs to be available from vendors, which limits adaptability when such DTMs are not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The emulator creates a virtual copy of the device DTM functionality, allowing the system to emulate device manager behaviors when actual device DTMs are unavailable. This copying approach enables FDT/DTM technology to work with field devices even when vendors do not provide official device DTMs, thus maintaining ease of operation while improving adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The emulator acts as an intermediary component between the host application and the field device, bridging the gap when direct DTM availability is problematic. This intermediary layer allows standardized FDT/DTM interfaces to communicate with non-standard or unavailable device DTMs, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and adaptability
2Reliability
If device DTMs are required for FDT/DTM technology to function, then communication with field devices follows standardized protocols, but the system becomes inflexible when vendors do not provide these device DTMs
Solution Approach 1:
By copying device manager functionality into the emulator, the system maintains reliable standardized communication protocols while adapting to field devices without official DTMs. The emulator replicates necessary DTM behaviors to ensure reliable interaction
Solution Approach 2:
The emulator provides universal device manager functionality that can work with multiple types of field devices regardless of vendor-specific DTM availability. This multi-functional approach maintains reliability across different device types while improving adaptability
3Adaptability or versatility
If the system uses emulated device DTMs to access field devices without available DTMs, then the system gains flexibility and extended adaptability, but the device complexity increases due to the emulator and converter components
Solution Approach 1:
While the emulator and converter do increase device complexity, they serve as necessary intermediaries that enable adaptability. The added complexity is localized to the communication layer, allowing the rest of the system to remain simple while gaining extended adaptability
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a client that presents a user interface to a user, where the user interface is associated with a field device in a process control system. The system also includes an interface component having (i) an emulator that emulates a device manager associated with at least the field device and (ii) a communication manager that communicates with the field device over a communication link using a specified protocol. The system further includes a server that provides a request to the emulator based on input from the user provided through the user interface, where the emulator provides the request to the communication manager for communication to the field device. The communication manager could include a communication DTM, and the emulator could emulate at least some functions of a device DTM. A device description (such as a DD/EDD file) could also be used to generate the user interface.