초록 ▼

A field device management system includes an interface which provides communication between a software application implemented on the system and a set of smart field devices coupled to the system. The interface accesses information from and/or writes information to the smart field devices, a databas

A field device management system includes an interface which provides communication between a software application implemented on the system and a set of smart field devices coupled to the system. The interface accesses information from and/or writes information to the smart field devices, a database and device descriptions associated with the smart field devices to provide a consistent communication connection with such devices, database and device descriptions, irrespective of the types of smart field devices connected to the system. The interface is based on a predefined hierarchy of categories of information defining the device data associated with the smart field devices, and is implemented using an OLE object for each of the predefined categories of information. In particular, each OLE object stores device data associated with one of the predefined categories of information and includes instructions for communicating with one of the smart field devices, one of the device descriptions and/or the database to effect a command related to the stored device data.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A field device management system adapted for communicating with a field device having device data associated therewith and with a device description storing a subset of the device data therein, the system comprising:means for communicating with the field device;means for interpreti

[ We claim:] [1.] A field device management system adapted for communicating with a field device having device data associated therewith and with a device description storing a subset of the device data therein, the system comprising:means for communicating with the field device;means for interpreting the device description to obtain the subset of the device data stored therein; means for storing a hierarchy of categories of information associated with the device data, including means associated with each of the categories for defining communication procedures related to the device data associated with that category;means for initiating a command related to a portion of the device data;means for categorizing the command as related to one of the categories of the predetermined hierarchy of categories of information; andmeans responsive to the categorizing means for controlling the communicating means and the interpreting means in accordance with the communication procedures associated with the one of the categories.