Remote Workstation Commissioning for Distributed Control Plants
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The commissioning of remote workstations in distributed control systems is a time-consuming and inefficient process, requiring physical presence and multiple trips to each workstation, especially in large and geographically dispersed process plants.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for remote commissioning of workstations, utilizing a configuration workstation with a graphical configuration system that allows users to create and download control modules, select and configure remote workstations over a communication network, enabling them to operate with process controllers and implement control functions without physical presence at the remote workstations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If physical presence at each remote workstation is required for commissioning, then configuration accuracy can be ensured through direct observation, but commissioning time and user effort increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the configuration workstation that runs remotely on the target workstation. This virtual machine replicates the configuration environment, allowing the configuration to be performed remotely while maintaining the same level of accuracy as physical presence would provide. The virtual workstation copy enables the user to interact with the remote system as if they were physically present, eliminating the need for travel while preserving configuration precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtual machine as an intermediary between the user and the remote workstation. This virtual machine acts as a mediator that runs the configuration software locally on the remote system while being controlled remotely, allowing configuration tasks to be performed accurately without requiring the user to physically travel to each location.
2Device complexity
If multiple workstations are commissioned sequentially with physical travel, then system complexity remains manageable, but productivity decreases due to repeated trips
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the configuration workstation that can be deployed to multiple remote workstations. This virtual machine replica enables the user to perform configuration tasks on multiple systems without physically traveling to each location, significantly improving productivity while keeping the overall system architecture manageable through standardized virtualization.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual workstation configuration enables a single configuration environment to serve multiple functions across different remote workstations. The same virtual machine image can be deployed to numerous systems, allowing the user to commission multiple workstations efficiently from a single location while maintaining consistent configuration standards across all systems.
3Reliability
If user must be physically present at each workstation for installation steps, then reliability of configuration process is maintained, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the configuration workstation that runs on the remote system, allowing the user to perform all configuration steps remotely. This virtual machine replica maintains the reliability of the configuration process by executing the same trusted configuration software locally, while simultaneously improving ease of operation by eliminating the need for physical travel to each workstation.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual machine is configured to run autonomously on the remote workstation, performing installation and configuration steps locally without requiring continuous user presence. The system essentially configures itself under remote control, maintaining reliability through automated local execution while greatly improving operational convenience by allowing the user to manage multiple systems from a single location.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a system facilitate remote commissioning of workstations for controlling, maintaining, and/or configuring process control field devices in a process control plant. Using a configuration workstation coupled to the workstation by a communication network, a user may specify a configuration for the workstation in software and, upon selecting the workstation for commissioning, can effect configuration of the workstation, according to the specified configuration, remotely from the configuration workstation. Effecting configuration of the workstation may include installing/updating an operating system, installing/updating an operator, maintenance, or configuration interface application, and/or installing/updating a process plant configuration. Upon completion of the configuration, the workstation is operable to communicate with a process controller to implement control, maintenance, and/or configuration of the process control plant.