CN101387882A - Location dependent control access in a process control system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a location dependent control access in a process control system. A method of accessing an element in a process control environment using a portable communicator includes defining a plurality of control areas within the process control environment, determining a position of a user operating a portable communicator with respect to one or more of the control areas, establishing an identity of the user, and selectively allowing the user to access an element within the process control environment via the portable communicator depending on the determined position of the user with respect to the one or more control areas and on the identity of the user.

Description

Position in the Process Control System relies on the control visit

The cross reference of related application

The application requires to be called in the name that on September 10th, 2007 submitted the U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.60/971 of " Location DependentControl Access in a Process Control System (position in the Process Control System relies on the control visit) ", 171 rights and interests, the disclosure with this application all is herein incorporated by reference hereby.

Technical field

The present invention relates generally to Process Control System, more particularly, relate to the use of portable set in process control plant.

Background technology

Process Control System, the Process Control System that for example is used for chemistry, oil or other process plant, generally include centralized process controller, but this process controller is connected at least one main frame or operator workstation and one or more field apparatus by simulation, numeral or hybrid analog-digital simulation/number bus with communication mode.Field apparatus can be for example valve, valve positioner, switch, sensor (for example, temperature, pressure and flow sensor) or the like, and the control function in their implementations for example opens or closes valve and measurement process parameters.Generally speaking, process controller receives the process measurement result's that expression produces by field apparatus signal and/or about the out of Memory of field apparatus, utilize this information and executing control routine, produce control signal then, these control signals are sent to field apparatus by bus, thus the operation of control procedure.Information from field apparatus and controller can be used for one or more application programs of being carried out by operator workstation usually, so that the operator can carry out any required function relevant with process, for example operation of the current state of view procedure, modification process, carry out diagnostic activities, process is optimized, process alarm or alarm are managed, implement batch processing activity etc.

Although operator or technician can use main frame or operator workstation to visit the various types of information relevant with individual equipment wherein with Process Control System (for example help, diagnose, foundation and configuration information), but also have a lot of process control action need technician to walk out, enter the actual environment of plant, in this environment, do not have main frame or operator workstation to exist.Such activity comprises and for example utilizes visual inspection process control equipment or zone, process control loop domestic equipment or bus are connected, carry out manual measurement, trouble hunting, reparation and replacement field apparatus etc.In these cases, operator or technician can be carried to the handbook about pending function in the factory, and on-the-spot information of searching any needs.This process may be pretty troublesome.More likely be, the technician understands one or many and turns back to operator workstation and search between the active stage of carry out desired any information that he or she needs, this is very time-consuming and make mistakes easily.In other period, the technician can be carried to radio device or walkie-talkie in the factory, and communicates with the operator who is positioned at operator workstation by this radio device, to obtain such as the current set point of equipment or any procedural information of operating value.Yet, very time-consuming and limited by the quantity of information that radio device provides, and because this talk that provides based on the people, so make mistakes easily.In addition, because the technician utilizes his or her hand to carry and the operate wireless electric installation usually, so the use of radio device makes the execution of some function such as prosthetic appliance for example bother more and difficulty.

Along with the more appearance of small electronic appliances, with the easier acquisition that become of the portable computer that can wear and/or the form of handheld computer exists.Can wear and/or handheld computer generally includes standard CPU (central processing unit) (CPU) and storer, CPU and storer are encapsulated in the small container, this container can be placed in the waistband of being worn by user's (being also referred to as " wearer " here) or the sack on the braces, and such design makes that can wear computing machine is convenient for carrying as much as possible.In some cases, for example, can hand, can be contained in waistband (belt) or sack (pouch) lining such as the handheld computer of PDA(Personal Digital Assistant), or opposite, when needs or expectation, put on by the user.As an example, in the leather sheath of during ad-hoc location that the user can be in going to process plant PDA being packed into (putting on), and after arriving this position, be about to PDA and in leather sheath, take out, begin to use PDA as handheld computer.Such as disk drive, hard drive, PCMCIA slot, microphone, barcode reader and keyboard equipment (communicating by letter) by wired or bluetooth but peripherals can be connected to CPU with communication mode by suitable lead or bus, and if desired, one or more can being placed in the braces in these peripherals, or be connected to braces.Alternately or additionally, if desired, one or more in these peripherals can be integrated in the portable computer (be hand-held and/or can wear computing machine).Thereby can wear computing machine and provide portable computing power supply and storer to the user, and owing to can wear computing machine and put on, rather than take, so user's hand only need be handled keyboard or other input equipment by user's hand by the user.Certainly, for example, the handheld computer such as PDA can be carried to a certain position in the factory easily in sack that the user wore etc., or if desired, can be carried to a certain position in the factory by hand.The user can also pack handheld computer in the leather sheath, allow to make bimanual handheld computer if perhaps provide to the user, but the user can also use the monoblock type support to place handheld computer.

The use that the portable computer of increase supporting is provided in Process Control System Nixon etc., name is called among the U.S. Patent Application Publication text No.2005-006277 of " Portable Computer Device in a Process Control Environment (portable computer device that process control loop is domestic) " that general the description arranged, the whole disclosures with this application are incorporated herein by reference hereby.Generally speaking, portable set can provide the radio communication visit to equipment in Process Control System or the process plant or control loop, thereby or replace the steady job station arrange away from these equipment, perhaps provide with process plant in the addition method that communicates such as equipment, database.Similar with the steady job station, portable set also can be supported with the monitoring of process or dispose one group of relevant application.Therefore, except moving through such as factory or the makers' process area, the operator can carry out before only obtainable some or all of tasks on the steady job station location by portable computer.

Although portable set provides many advantage for the operator and the maintainer of process control plant, possibility near the specific part of the factory of working for example is provided, so that watch problem or confirm to put on change in the system in person or by vision by vision, but operator or maintainer may not can always correctly use portable set to obtain these advantage, and this can cause problem in some cases.For example, the operator can use portable communication device to visit and change not near the configuration of field apparatus, control loop or other process equipment his or her.In a kind of scene of easier understanding, the operator can the part to system be configured when watching affected equipment, and leaves this zone, and finding then also needs the same part of this system is carried out some extra changes.Be understandable that the operator may not want to return the same area so that confirm remaining change by vision, and may when this operator is not in by this part of the process plant that this change influenced, use portable set to realize changing.Be appreciated that when this operator be not when watching this change or problem in person, in configuration, produce wrong possibility and can become higher undoubtedly.

Another shortcoming that the use of portable set in Process Control System may run into is, because indeterminate and/or chaotic when handling the similar devices (or equipment of similar name) in the same system, the use of these equipment has increased the possibility that makes a mistake.For example, refinery can have several similar jar and several control loops of storage of liquids, and each control loop is maintained until certain predetermined liquid level with the pressure of the liquid in the corresponding jar.Under the situation of fault, maybe in the time need regulating to the set point in one of control loop or configuration parameter, obviously, the jar that is associated of for the operator, importantly correctly discerning specific control loop and need arousing attention.Although Control System Design person manage usually to various device, loop and with software that Process Control System is associated in the signal allocation descriptive name, but it is extremely difficult distributing the title that can eliminate potential confusion fully, especially true in integrated mill.When use had the portable communication device of the little and more difficult display screen that reads usually, such confusion may increase.Therefore, in some cases, the operator can be personal near the entity that should be noted that so that obtain visual confirmation to problem or the change that applied, but owing to chaotic similar title and device label, the little and display screen that is difficult to read, on portable communication device, be difficult to use input equipment etc., still can be inadvertently other zone or the part of process plant be applied change.

And the use of portable set in Process Control System further caused novel safety problem.The steady job station resides in the Be Controlled zone that provides certain level of security of factory usually, or be positioned at some the single purpose building place that provides certain level of security, yet portable set then may go adrift, or simply from the specific border of factory or zone errors take out of.Therefore, might attempt the operation of factory is changed from the factory outside or from the unauthorized user of portable set.

Another problem is, the attention of human operator who is guided to the message of automatic generation, for example process event and alarm (alarm).In recent years, along with notifying real-time event to catch on by a plurality of different communication facilitiess, human operator who has been got used to the message that machine generates, and is well known that these operators ignore or postpones processing to these message under scene usually.Therefore the operator can't make response to event notice in time, or even forgets fully event notice is made response.In a kind of scene of easier understanding, when alarm or incident were pushed to workstation, the operator may carry out some important things on his or her workstation.This workstation can be by the label (tab) of flicker on the taskbar, sound, show on display foreground that new window indicates the arrival of new information.Yet the operator can send to the backstage by minimized window, with this window or label or close window fully or label is postponed processing to incident.When the operator remote location work and these operators must interrupt their current work so as walking or even the arrival event of driving send regional the time situation under, this scene especially can take place.And the use of portable set provide other means that send notice can for operator or maintainer, if what difference is arranged, this seldom can be when needed guiding to their attention on the problem.In some aspects, when operator or maintainer all received notice on steady job station and their portable set, portable set effect up to now only was to have increased " noise " level that occurs when event report.

Summary of the invention

The user of the information that the each side that portable wireless (for example hand-held or the Wearable) communication facilities that operation is used for Process Control System is operated with transmission or reception and factory is relevant, based on user's current physical location, be allowed access process full-scale plant and the data relevant with the process plant device.In certain embodiments, user's position is determined by the electronic tag with radio-frequency identification (RFID) ability.In other embodiments, user's position is associated with the position of the logical equipment of portable wireless.In one embodiment, access controller or server are disposed in the process plant, with the relative position of the absolute geographic position of determining portable set or portable set or orientation or about the label of miscellaneous equipment in one or more signal sources or the process plant, and use portable radio communication device or label to set up and implement the access rights that the user of portable communication device can have.This access control system can, for example, the user who limits described portable portable communication device can visit in the zone of the factory at the current place of user only full-scale plant or about the information of full-scale plant.On the other hand, access control system can be permitted the different access rights of user based on user's authentication rank and based on user's geographic position.This access control system therefore can stop the user of portable set to check or configuration and access control zone that the position of portable set is associated outside entity, so that stop the user inadvertently the device of mistake to be changed, guaranteeing the user, and provide certain safe class to about portable set that mislay, stolen or that lose near the full-scale plant that is being configured.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is divided into several geographic areas and comprises orientator and the block scheme of the Process Control System of several WAPs.

Fig. 2 be divided into several geographic areas and comprise related with individual equipment or with the block scheme of the Process Control System of the related transceiver of burst device.

Fig. 3 is the block scheme that comprises the transceiver and the portable communication device of the expansion slot that is used for additional communications modules.

Fig. 4 is the process flow diagram that the program of being carried out by portable communications is shown, and is used for the accurate relatively geographic position of obtaining communication equipment or label and depends on the geographic position that is obtained permitting visit to the part of Process Control System.

Fig. 5 is the process flow diagram that the program of being carried out by the main frame on the network is shown, this network is associated with Process Control System, and this main frame is handled the one group of measured value that receives from the access point that communicates with portable communication device or RFID label and regional customizing messages is sent to this portable communication device.

Fig. 6-8 illustrates several example screen display, these screen displays can carry out operating period at portable set and be shown on this portable set in one of group access zone, use the user of this portable communication device suitably to be authorized at this access region.

Fig. 9 is Process Control System the schematically showing of employed sample data structure of communicating by letter with portable set.

Figure 10 illustrates the program flow diagram that time that current location and these operators based on the operator enter the zone that is associated with the element that sends incident will the incident relevant with the various elements of Process Control System routes to the operator.

Embodiment

Fig. 1 schematically shows for the Process Control System in the process plant, wherein portable set is used to check, dispose the retaining element of factory, portable set is used for communicating with the retaining element of factory under other situation, and wherein based on the user's who operates particular portable device the position or the position of portable set itself visit of the various elements of Process Control System is controlled.More specifically, the Process Control System 100 in the process plant 101 is divided into several control areas and/or unit 102-104.But process plant 101 comprises the one or more process controllers 110 that are connected to one or more host works station or computing machine 120 (it can be personal computer, workstation of any type etc.) with communication mode, and some in host work station or the computing machine 120 have display screen.In addition, but access server 121 can be connected to one or more process controllers 110 with communication mode.Alternately, one of workstation1 20 can be implemented as integrated unit with access server 121.Maintenance relevant with system component and system user working time data registry 125 can reside in access server 121 or arbitrarily in other desired data storehouse.As shown in Figure 1, controller 110 was communicated with I/O (I/O) card 140 and was connected to field apparatus 130 and 131.Data historian (data historian) 135 can be the data acquisition unit of any desired type, it has storer and software any desired or known, hardware or the firmware of any type that is used to store data, and can be independent of one of workstation1 20, maybe can be the part of one of workstation1 20.Controller 110 can be, as an example, and the DeltaV that is sold by the Ai Mosheng process management ^TMController, but it connects by for example Ethernet or the communication network 150 of other expectation arbitrarily is connected to host computer 120 with communication mode.Communication network 150 can be the form of Local Area Network, wide area network (WAN), communication network etc., and can use hard wire or wireless technology to realize.And, the hardware and software that controller 110 can use any desired, be associated with for example standard 4-20ma equipment and/or any intelligence communication agreement such as FOUNDATION field bus protocol (Fieldbus), HART agreement.

Field apparatus 130 and 131 can be the equipment of any type, for example sensor, valve, transmitter, steady arm etc., and I/O card 140 can be the I/O equipment of any type of the communication of accordance with any desired or control protocol.In the embodiment show in figure 1, field apparatus 130 is the standard 4-20ma equipment or the HART equipment of communicating by letter with I/O card 140 by artificial line, and the smart machine that field apparatus 131 is to use the Fieldbus protocol communication to communicate by letter with I/O card 140 by number bus, for example Fieldbus field apparatus.Certainly, field apparatus 130 and 131 can meet the standard or the agreement of other expectation arbitrarily, comprises the arbitrary standards or the agreement of following exploitation.

Controller 110 shown in Figure 1 can only be several in a plurality of distributed directors that are arranged in the factory 101, controller 110 has at least one processor therein, and enforcement or managed storage are therein or the one or more process control routine that is associated with it under other situation, and these routines can comprise control loop.Each controller 110 also communicates with field apparatus 130-131, principal computer 120 and data historian 135, thereby comes process is controlled in any desired or known mode.Should be noted that any control routine as described herein or element have the part that can be implemented or be carried out by different controllers or miscellaneous equipment in when expectation.Similarly, the control routine of enforcement in Process Control System 100 or the arbitrary form that element can take to comprise software, firmware, hardware etc. of being about to as described herein.For the purpose of discussing, process controling element can be the arbitrary portion or the portion of Process Control System, comprising the routine, piece or the module that for example are stored in any computer-readable medium, perhaps can be the section or the set of equipment (for example field apparatus, controller, I/O equipment etc.), unit or other process device.Control routine can be formed by the arbitrary portion of one or more modules or control program, for example form by part (for example code line) of subroutine, subroutine etc., control routine can realize with the form of software of any desired, for example uses ladder logic, order function chard, FBD (function block diagram), Object oriented programming or other software programming language or design example arbitrarily.Similarly, control routine can be hard-coded into for example one or more EPROM, EEPROM, special IC (ASIC) or arbitrarily in other the hardware or firmware components.Further, control routine can use any apparatus instrument, comprises graphic design tool or the software/hardware/firmware programming or the design tool of other type design arbitrarily.Therefore, controller 110 can be configured to realize control strategy or control routine in the mode of any desired.

But Process Control System 100 can also comprise the one or more radio communication point 160-162 that are connected to communication network 163 with mode of operation.In 101 operating periods of factory, operator 170-172 can carry portable workstation or portable communication device 180 (it is Wireless Telecom Equipment preferably) runs through the different piece or the portion of process plant 101, and uses these equipment to supervise, dispose, overhaul or otherwise equipment, unit, control loop and the other parts of maintenance process factory 101.The operator can use portable set 180 to utilize in for example a plurality of ieee standards 802.11 (x) agreement one to communicate by letter with the various system elements such as server 131 by WAP 160-162.These communications can be relevant with the various aspects that factory operates, but these communications are relevant with the concrete system element such as field apparatus or control loop usually.Under many circumstances, the target of the program implemented of portable set 180 is the operation relevant with the specific region of process plant 101.

The operator can also carry electronic tag 182, so that Process Control System 100 positions of automatic detecting operation person in factory 101.Electronic tag 182 can be the active RFID tag that the low-power wireless electric signal of unique substantially identification information is carried in emission.When electronic tag 182 arrives one of predetermined zone, can periodically launch or emission in needs from the signal of electronic tag 182.Signal by electronic tag 182 emissions can be detected by the one or more reader (not shown) that are arranged in factory 101 each positions.It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that active RFID tag can use one of available real-time positioning system (RTLS) technology to operate.Active electronic label 182 can be equipped with minimum battery, although the size of this battery is little, depends on the time interval that transmits that electronic tag 182 is configured, and it can continue to use the several years.

In another embodiment, all electronic tag 182 or wherein some can be and trigger the fixed equipment of the circuit in the electronic tag 182 or the passive RFID tags of " chokes point (choke points) " (not shown) associated working.In case " wake up ", the circuit in the passive electronic label 182 just can use the portion of energy of detected signal to launch the label identity.Because passive electronic label 182 do not need battery, therefore the feature of the process of being implemented in the configuration of those factories 101 or by factory 101 can tolerate under the situation of less relatively robust positioning service that the passive way of RFID mark is preferred.

Further, passive or active electronic label 182 can with current or in the future obtainable other technology use.For example, electronic tag 182 can depend on WiFi or ViMax RTLS.Need under the situation of pinpoint accuracy at those, electronic tag 182 can use ultra broadband (UWB) RTLS.In any one of these embodiment, the operator can be carried at electronic tag 182 in their clothes or kit, and perhaps alternately, electronic tag 182 can be attached on the portable radio machine 180.Certainly, firmware that is associated with electronic tag 182 and software also can be embedded in the portable set 180, alternately, also may be provided in the compatible card of one of expansion slot with portable set 180.

In another embodiment, operator and their personal portable device 180 can be by means of one or a pair of electronic tags 182 " connection ".Specifically, specific portable set 180 only can be configured to when operator and this portable set 180 remain within the predefined distance, just keeps related with corresponding operating person.The operator can be with this method as security feature or preventive measure, so that for example avoid the misuse of non-administration equipment.Those skilled in the art be also to be understood that the association of operator/portable set can also realize by means of bluetooth, infrared ray or other small-signal technology.

In Fig. 1, process plant 101 can be divided into the different control areas of the arbitrary number that is expressed as control area 102-104.This division can be provided with corresponding or relevant with the physics of factory 101, so each control area can be based on independent room, floor, zone of factory 101 etc., and is perhaps relevant with the independent room of factory 101, floor, zone etc.Alternately, the border between the control area can be actual, also can be can be not perceptible physically, or not based on the physical barrier in the factory 101.Therefore, the single floor of process plant, zone, room etc. can have a plurality of control areas therein.In one embodiment, factory 101 is based on the setting of process apparatus or equipment in each corresponding geographical zone and be divided into several control areas.For example, the less relatively geographic area that comprises large number quipments of factory 101 can be divided into a plurality of control areas, can be corresponding to single control area and have the relatively large address area of small number of devices or process apparatus.Yet, generally speaking, the control area is set up as corresponding with some the predetermined physics control visit example that defines concrete device, wherein concrete device is the equipment that the operator will control based on its position, therefore the control area does not need to be subject to physical size, does not need the quantity of the number and the process apparatus of the equipment in the control area that is subject to yet.In addition, as shown in Figure 1, the different control area of single factory can have different two dimensions or 3D shape, and can cover different physical space amounts.In addition, should be appreciated that dispose although Fig. 1 has described the two dimension of control area, the control area can also be corresponding with three physical dimensions.For example, single control area can comprise some floors of factory.

Go out as shown above, the control area does not need to meet the geometric configuration of any specific.For example, it is rectangles that Fig. 1 illustrates control area 103, and control area 102 and 104 is polygons of different shape.The border of each control area can be by one group of coordinate at each summit of corresponding polygon, and for example two dimension or three-dimensional coordinate are circumscribed.Alternately, the control area can be defined as the central circular that has radius and be associated with coordinate, or is defined as other shape arbitrarily.Geographic coordinate can be the absolute coordinates that is associated with for example global location service (GPS), or defined related with factory and based on the device of for example factory or the relative coordinate of physics aspect by the technician.Therefore, for example relative coordinate can be with near the particular segment of full-scale plant, define near the form in other zone of buildings, floor or factory etc.

Should be appreciated that the control area also can not use coordinate system to define.For example, the control area can be defined as such area of space, and the intensity of measured given signal is higher than specific predetermined threshold in this area of space, for example carries the radio signal of unique id signal for factory area.In another embodiment, the control area one or more chokes spot correlations connection that can be contacted with the RFID label.Yet, preferably, do not consider to be used for the concrete technology on posting field border, the control area is corresponding to some possibility at least of vision contact.Although this is impossible in some cases, but can expect to define the control area, thereby make human viewer when he or she is in the zone that is associated, to see relevant entity physically in other mode.And although the control area of Fig. 1 is not overlapping, the control area can be spatially overlapping, makes can be in a plurality of control areas some physical locations user.

In one embodiment, the definition of estimating the control area takes place with the form of plane tissue, thereby feasiblely comes whole effects of method that the access process device is controlled all to be used based on customer location.For example, the deviser can at first consult the factory at implementation process control system place or the layout of factory building, and the various schematic diagrams relevant with the operation of Process Control System.Then, the deviser can walking pass through factory building, and by using portable set 180 their gps coordinates of record or record to come marked region from the sampled measurement of WAP.Depend on the desired accuracy of selected embodiment, the deviser can be alternatively only be attached to transceiver or other signal projector and detector on each target in the factory 101.These signal sources and/or position of detector and corresponding association can be entered in the database map with each different control areas of creating factory 101.Can also use any gps receiver, comprise commercially available gps receiver, come the relative mapping accurately between establishment equipment, control loop and other unit and the one or more control areas.Alternately, also can use a kind of in the known local positioning technology.In this stage of design process, the deviser can depend on or and not rely on any specific infrastructure elements of Process Control System or factory 101.

In addition, it is static that the control area needs not be, and can change according to the situation such as fault that access server 121 is surveyed.For example, the software routines of operation can be expanded specific control area in response to some unusual condition on the server 121.Thus, the relative positioning of expectation storage control area, for example tabulation of adjacent area.In some cases, know " control area 1 " for example adjacent and " control area 10 " and control area 4 and 6 adjacent being good with " control area 2,3 and 7 ".When needed, this information can be stored by form any desired or known successively, and can be used for expanding every now and then or changing the control area.

What further note is that the control area can overlap each other.For example, particular field device can be reasonably be associated with control area more than one.Alternately, in factory or in the factory outside, can have the physical location that is not associated, and these physical locations can comprise or not comprise process apparatus with any control area.In Fig. 1, for example, control area 103 can be corresponding to process plant 101 inner or outside zones, the operator who uses portable set 180 here can not be allowed the visit of Process Control System arbitrary portion.

Can be based on one of above-described possibility method or based on any control area of other expectation method distributing or define that can be entered into or to be stored in for example can be in sql server/wide area information server 123.Although shown in Figure 1ly one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that for physically being independent of access server 121 and workstation1 20, database 123 can reside in or the storer of server 121 or workstation1 20 in.In addition, those of ordinary skills will appreciate that server 121 and workstation1 20 can be embodied as the individual server with keyboard and display unit.Except the relevant data of possible method of storage and at least one definition geographic area, database 123 can also store the relevant out of Memory of the operation of the Process Control System 100 with software routines on operating in controller 110 or 110 and with each I/O equipment 140 and field apparatus 130 and 131 data of being correlated with, be used for the configuration data of these equipment etc.

Orientator 185 can be definition other or come storage area 102-104 as the alternative of database 123.Orientator 185 can store or manage such as field apparatus 130 and 131 full-scale plant coordinate tabulation, chokes point coordinate, process plant 101 map and other relevant geography information of resident factory building.But orientator 185 can be connected to one or more WAP 160-162 with communication mode by the network of for example process plant 101.Orientator can be assisted 100 pairs of electronic tags 182 of Process Control System or is equipped with the firmware relevant with electronic tag 182 and/or the portable set 180 of software to position.Specifically, can be with the electronic tag 182 of the chokes point of one or more WAP 160-162 or process plant 101 cooperation to orientator 185 report signal measured values.Orientator 185 can be to the measured value applied mathematics algorithm of being reported, generate one group of coordinate, and the definition of this coordinate with the control area 102-104 that stored compared, to obtain user or portable set 180 position with respect to defined control area.From then on the meaning, orientator 185 can serve as the central server of being responsible for realizing the calculating relevant with the location.As discussed below, orientator 185 can be further adapted for based on the user's who is obtained relative position and determine the access level of special delegated authority user about the equipment of process plant 101.

One or more WAPs (WAP) 160-162 can be installed in the diverse location of factory 101, perhaps is installed in the outside of factory 101 when expectation.In one embodiment, have at least three WAP to be arranged to the optional position of fully approaching in the process plant 101.Although Fig. 1 illustrates WAP160 in zone 104, the mapping between control area on the number or on the position and WAP is not that strictness is necessary.And, although a WAP can be provided in defined each control area for factory, not that strictness must be done so in all embodiments.In any case, but WAP160-162 can be connected to network 163 with mode of operation, and network 163 can be Local Area Network or wide area network (WAN).In addition, but network 163 can be that the individual addressable secure network that only is associated with factory maybe can be the wide area network that is connected to communication network 150 with mode of operation.The network that being connected between each WAP160-162 and the network 163 can use any type such as Ethernet known in the art connect or arbitrarily the network of other type connect and form or realize.

Generally speaking, WAP 160-162 is operating as between operator 170-172 that carries portable set 180 and/or electronic tag 182 and Process Control System 100 radio communication is provided.As discussed in detail below, portable set 180 can be equipped with transceiver, and can be provided with corresponding software and support one of multiple wireless protocols.By means of with the communicating by letter of one of WAP 160-162, portable set 180 is set up and is connected with the network of Process Control System 100, so that one or more elements of permission operator 170-172 and Process Control System communicate.For example, the operator can communicate with server 121, workstation1 20 or database 123.In addition, the operator can carry out direct communication with one of controller 110, or communicates with one of field apparatus 130 or 131 by corresponding controller 110 and I/O card 140.In one embodiment, the operator who carries portable set 180 can visit obtainable one or more application at workstation1 20 places, maybe can move this application and visit workstation1 20 obtainable same data.

According to embodiment shown in Figure 1, WAP 160-162 can be used for allowing communicating by letter between portable set 180 and the network 150, and is used to find out the physical location of portable set 180.In a possible embodiment, the search signal from one or more WAP 160-162 can be measured or receive to portable set 180, and send measurement report to orientator 185.Then on orientator 185 operation software can based on, for example, the triangulation of signal, the intensity of signal wait to determine the position of portable set 180, and can be in the storer of server 121, the determined position of registration in the database 123 or in any other desired locations.The position that calculates also can be reported to the portable set 180 of carrying out measurement report.Preferably, near the place of carrying the operator of portable set 180, has at least three WAP 160-162 fully so that allow correct triangulation, and therefore generation to the better calculating of position.Yet, if the number of WAP that is used for determining the position less than three, the position still may be determined approx.For example, portable set 180 may send with two or or even the measurement report that signal source is associated, and work independently or with orientator 185 that server 121 is cooperated in the position determination system implemented, may wait based on the relative intensity of for example signal and handle the report that received to obtain the estimation of position.

Particularly, orientator 185 can perhaps under the situation of using passive RFID tags, based on the reading of one or more chokes points, be determined the coordinate of particular portable device 180 or electronic tag 182 based on the reading of equipment or label.Orientator 185 can be particular device or label generates one group of coordinate, and to server 121 these coordinates of report.According to this exemplary embodiment, orientator 185 can be a general device, and may need configuration seldom or not need configuration, so that can correctly work in Process Control System 100.On the other hand, server 121 can comprise the system-specific information such as the definition of level of security.People's configuration server 121 extraly come from registry 125 and database 123 solicit operation person's customizing messages and control area definition.In operation, server 121 can be handled the coordinate by orientator 185 reports, and these coordinates are translated as one or several control area, and based on operator's customizing messages, refusal or allowance operator (wholly or in part) visit these control areas.

As indicated above, also be contemplated to other configurations of orientator 185 or other configurations of server 123.As to the substituting of said method, orientator also can identify one or more control areas except the coordinate of computing equipment or label.Can in server 121 or portable 180, determine subsequently specific operation person's access level.Those skilled in the art arrive further cognition, the step of estimated position is mapped to the step of control area tabulation with location estimation and permits based on operator's privilege or his or her position or the step of denied access also can be distributed in the fixing or moving assembly of Process Control System 100 in some kinds of modes.

May be provided in this effective solution although find out the position of portable set in the facilities available of using wireless network, other embodiment also can be anticipated.For example, portable set 180 can be equipped with global location service (GPS) unit, and this global location service unit can be communicated by letter with the satellite (not shown) to obtain and the corresponding one group of coordinate of the physical location of this portable set 180.As mentioned above, for the WAP method, data can be handled by server 121 or by portable set 180 or by the two, determine its present control area that is positioned at GPS position or coordinate based on portable set 180.

As another selection, portable set 180 can rely on external unit and obtain gps data.As known in the art, cell phone is equipped with usually with gps receiver, and mainly due to the dirigibility that the portable development language such as Java is provided, can be arranged with custom application at an easy rate.Therefore, can use not only as data modem unit but also as the cell phone of GPS unit.May be not easy to change or expand under the situation that comprises WAP in existing infrastructure, this embodiment may be rational selection.In these cases, Process Control System 100 does not need access of radio network, and unique regulation is that the factory building that is equipped with Process Control System is positioned at the zone that can obtain the honeycomb covering.In this case, the cell phone that can in factory building, carry conventional portable computer or other portable equipments simply and be connected thereto by USB, bluetooth or any other port, and the position of portable computer can be based on determining from cellular gps signal.

Fig. 2 illustrates the method that another kind obtains the relevant information in the relatively accurate position with portable set 180, in described position, portable set 180 and transceiver or be arranged in process device originally or other devices communicatings in the place of close process device itself on one's body.Similar to Process Control System 100, the Process Control System 200 of Fig. 2 can be divided into the control area that is expressed as control area 240-243 any amount.Process Control System 200 further comprises several Control device 210,211, I/O equipment and field apparatus 220,221.Portable set 180 can rely on the WAP that belongs to LAN (Local Area Network) or non-local net similarly and communicate by letter with control system 200.Yet portable set 180 can rely on other signal sources that are positioned at factory and find out the position with relative accurate way.For example, field apparatus 221 can be operatively connected to one of wireless launcher of a lot of types known in the art.Therefore, one or more field apparatuss 221 can be connected to equipment 230, and this equipment 230 can be bluetooth equipment, infrared equipment, bar code scanner, wireless launcher or can detected any other signal source in rational small distance.Some equipment may not be directly connected to signal projector.For example, field apparatus 220 can all be connected to controller 210 by I/O equipment, and this controller 210 is connected to transceiver 231 successively.In this embodiment, portable set 180 is equipped with the wireless device with similar or compatible type, so as can with equipment that is connected to transceiver 231 or equipment group communication.For example, if the transceiver that is associated with Process Control System is a bluetooth equipment, then portable set 180 should be supported Bluetooth technology.

Indicate in more than discussing, it is relevant with the relative intensity (strength or intensity) of received signal that the position of portable set 180 does not need.Under many circumstances, only detect whether equipment exists just enough in the specific geographical area.Therefore, the zone of coming test example such as particular portable device 180 whether to enter may to have connected by bluetooth equipment just may be enough.Therefore, in this case, may not need to establish a communications link truly or measure this potential quality that communicates to connect.On the contrary, portable set 180 can be registered simply and enter the incident that can be set up the zone of wireless connections in system by uniquely identified, bluetooth equipment, and can determine the position of portable set 180 based on this incident.

The method that should be noted that the sign radio signal source is known in the field.For example, bluetooth equipment can be launched the home block of the information of carrying the title of being distributed by the operator of equipment, for example BLUETOOTH_DEVICE_001.The another kind of known technology in this area is " labeing RF ", and referring to target provides with the given frequency method of the module of transmit its identification periodically.Those skilled in the art will further recognize, a kind of method of multiple known method that can be by comprising bar code scanning utilizes any wireless technology to realize unique relatively sign.

Certainly, under the situation of the asymmetric communication scheme such as bar code scanning, if plant facilities depends on bar code scanner, then portable set 180 must be equipped with bar code.As an alternative, portable set 180 can be equipped with bar code scanner as an alternative, and the plant facilities such as field apparatus 220 or controller 210,211 can carry the bar code sign.In general, will be appreciated that signal source can be associated with portable set or fixed equipment, and signal detector can be associated with portable set or fixed equipment.Certainly, position detecting system described herein also can use the combination of these two kinds of technology.

Can come the relative exact position of the portable set 180 that obtains by above any method of the discussing data with definition control area group are compared by for example access control software then.This step can be carried out by the software of operation on portable set 180, can be carried out by server 121, also can carry out by both concerted efforts.As discussed above, the control area can define with a lot of available means, and the combination of various definition can be used in the same system.Return referring to Fig. 1, control area 102 is the polygons with relatively accurate summit definition.Whether be positioned at control area 102 in order to find out particular portable device, must obtain the absolute or relative coordinate of portable set 180, and will be described definitely or relative coordinate and set of vertices compare.Simultaneously, another operator 170 can hold and be arranged in the portable set 180 that is defined as rectangular control area 103.Although in isomorphism not in shape, control area 102 and 103 meets identical definition format, and the portable set that therefore can be used for determining having specific current coordinate with a kind of algorithm to be positioned at the inside of control area 102 or 103 still outside.

On the other hand, Process Control System 200 shown in Figure 2 can be defined as the control area portable set and detect the zone that is in particular level or is in the given signal such as search signal on the particular level.As discussed above, also can put upside down the detection scheme between mobile device and the fixed equipment, in this case, portable set 180 can serve as radio signal source, and the control area can be confirmed as portable set 180 fully detects the signal of being launched for the receiver on the process device near process devices or transceiver zone.In Fig. 2, control area 240 is associated with equipment 221, and is depicted as ellipse or border circular areas.Under the straightway relatively environment of the signalling channel such as radiowave, the user who carries portable set 180 will enter zone 140 when he or she is within the specific range of signal source.Another control area 241 may be defined as owing to specific obstacle in more weak signal or the signal path has the more circle of minor radius.Importantly, control area 240 and 241 can be overlapping in some place.According to the selected configuration of the keeper of Process Control System 200, the user can be considered within two control areas 240 and 241, neither in control area 240 also not within control area 241, perhaps according in the control area that defined some precedence scheme is selected at system (for example, if in the scope of two control areas, then the user can be assigned to the control area 240 that has higher priority than control area 241).

Fig. 2 further illustrates the control area 242 that is associated with the controller 210 that is connected to several field apparatuss 220, position determination system can be configured to include all these field apparatuss in zone 242 in this case, and does not consider their true physical location.In another example of control area definition, control area 243 is shown as two zones that circle covered that comprise by corresponding to two signal sources.As discussed above, each signal source in these signal sources can be associated with other subsystem of any level, for example field apparatus, control loop, be connected to the controller of a plurality of field apparatuss etc.In addition, should be noted that the method that system 200 is enumerated more than employed also can be with doing replenishing system's 100 employed methods.

Access control system can be distributed in a plurality of fixed host computers, computing machine or the controller that communication network 150 is connected that pass through such as access server 121 and controller 110, and in the portable communicator 180.Be understandable that, some function of access control system, for example the measurements and calculations of being carried out by software routines can distribute according to the whole bag of tricks.For example, whether the particular element of deterministic process control system 100 can be utilized portable set 180 can move on access server 121 or portable set 180 in the software routines of given position visit by user 170.As an alternative, the function of this routine can be implemented by access server 121, orientator 185 and portable set 180 cooperations.Further, access control system can be dependent on the data that receive from the equipment such as global location service satellite that is arranged in process device 101 outsides.Be understandable that, but access control system can comprise Process Control System 100 or 200 fixation kit, such as the moving assembly of portable communicator 180, be distributed in these fix and moving assembly on software routines and the possible element of the external infrastructure of the internet that is connected to mode of operation such as network 163.In one embodiment, access control system can comprise portable communicator 180 and radio communication point, portable communicator 180 is equipped with transceiver and storage and is used for the software routines of communicating by letter with orientator 185, the radio communication point is connected to some equipment in the Process Control System 100, so that portable communicator 180 can communicate with Process Control System 100; Also comprise: be stored in the control area tabulation in the portable set 180 and be stored in another routine in portable set 180 or the main frame (for example access server 121), this routine is determined the access level that can use at current position portable set 180.

Referring now to Fig. 3,, portable set 180 can comprise that processor 281, transceiver 282, display device 283, input equipment 284 and several are connected to the peripherals (not shown) of this portable set 180.Preferably, but not necessarily, processor 281 is mounted in Pentium on the motherboard that has video, sound, RAM (for example 64MB) and ROM or more high-grade CPU, but with communication mode be connected to be depicted as storage unit 285 hard disk (for example, 4.3G), all these are positioned at wear-resisting and/or the hand-held housing (not shown).As an alternative or supplement, some or all peripherals can be integrated in the shell of equipment 180.Portable set 180 can comprise the communications slot or the port of any amount, PCMCIA groove for example, one or more communications slots or port can be used to receiving remote transceiver 282, GPS unit 283, bluetooth unit 284, infrared communication device unit 285, bar code scanner 286 or any can wireless transmission or the module of received signal.For example, expansion slot 288 can be temporarily or is for good and all held electronic tag 182.But the peripherals that is connected to computing machine 180 with communication mode also can comprise user input device 184, user input device 184 can be, for example common keyboard, mouse, trace ball or have the slewing of the easy-to-use key (for example function key) of limited quantity, the function of the key of this slewing can be variously defined at different application.Storer 285 can be the storer of any type, comprises for example disc driver (for example hard disk, disk or optical disc memory apparatus), RAM, ROM, EEPROM, EPROM etc.Processor 281 utilizes to any input of portable set 180 and 285 canned datas of storer and/or by transceiver 282 or by the information that any equipment 283-286 receives and carries out one or more software applications 300 (being stored in the storer 285).

As discussed above, portable set 180 is cooperated separately or with network element, use the combination of one of above method of discussing or these methods, gather the information of indication position of portable set 180 for equipment in Process Control System 100 or 200 or equipment group.Process Control System 100 or 200 is cooperated separately or with portable set 180, determines the control area that corresponding measurement result or measurement result group are mapped to.In addition, portable set 180 also can be required to carry out the additional authentication routine that is associated with the lower level of the protocol stack that uses usually in radio communication.

In certain embodiments, portable set 180 and/or Process Control System 100 and 200 do not start the program of the position that obtains portable set 180, unless detect specified conditions.Particularly, portable set 180 may not need always or with the measurement result of predetermined space to Process Control System 100 or 200 report signal readings or orientator 185.On the contrary, when the operator attempts the special domain of access process control system 100 or 200 or detects unusual or emergency and when attempting immediate operator positioned when process control system 100 or 200, the station location marker program can be triggered.

Further, Process Control System 100 or 200 registry 125 of each operator in the updated stored Process Control System 100 or 200 or user's up-to-date known location preferably.Registry 125 shown in Figure 1 is stored in the database 123, but also can be stored in main process equipment 121 or 120 or one of any other expected data library facilities in.Registry 125 can comprise name such as each operator, his information with related and this operator's of particular subsystem or groups of subsystems current location.For example, the operator of a manufacturing building can mainly be responsible for electromagnetic assembly, and another operator can mainly be responsible for the assembly relevant with chemical process.The control access system is this information of storage in registry correspondingly, so that each operator is mapped to his or her control domain.Registry 125 also can comprise the timestamp of up-to-date or several latest position renewals of operator.This information can be used for a lot of different purposes, for example statistical study, personnel management and tracking, urgent support that sign is possible etc.

Further, registry 125 can with one or more database communications such as database 123, to obtain user ID and authentication information.Preferably, lasting relatively data, for example operator's role, access level, authentication information etc. are stored in the database such as database 123, and registry 125 is safeguarded ofer short duration data, for example operator's up-to-date known location, the time of position renewal etc.In addition, registry 125 also can with reside at database 123 or system in other local data historian communicate by letter, with incident, alarm, suggestion and the action that obtains or store the action of taking by the operator.

Before other assemblies of permitting operator access means 130-131 or Process Control System 100, Process Control System is preferably asked for example log-on message and encrypted message by the prompt window that is presented on the portable set 180, thereby the operator is carried out authentication.The operator can be during he or she in shifts login system, and access control system no matter the operator physical location how and think that the operator logins.Yet in certain embodiments, may expect increases the security of system by implementing inactivity timer.In case inactivity timer expires, the user may nullify immediately automatically, and may must login once more when attempting element of access process control system 100.Expect that any known authentication techniques can be used to verification operation person's identity, and preferably, from database 123 or registry 125 search operaqtion persons' personal information.In a word, access control system can be considered operator's physical location and operator's Permission Levels and permit operator's access means or equipment group.Because for different equipment, the operator may have different access privilegess, so access control system preferably defines several access levels, and each equipment, device type or control area are associated with one of defined access level.Database 123 can be stored the access level identifier at each operator that is associated with Process Control System 100, so that access control system determines effectively whether specific operation person has been authorized to carry out alternately with particular device.

It is also contemplated that at each equipment, access control system can define one group of permission, for example reads and read/write.Certain operator can have read-only permission at certain equipment then, and the result can check the configuration of equipment or operation details and can not revise any aspect of operation of equipment.Simultaneously, another operator can have the read/write permission, and not only can check equipment disposition but also can change this configuration when needed.

Those of ordinary skills also will understand, several other Permission Levels distribution methods known in the art be equal to Process Control System 100 compatibilities.As another example, access control system can be by allowing anonymous access equipment at the general login of the operator's type definition such as " keeper " or " technician ".On the other hand, in another embodiment, access control system can be the personalized authority information of each device storage height.For example, access control system can carry out surname among the row user who is authorized to and name related, visits certain highly sensitive or important equipment.

In case the position of having set up portable set 180 and/or having used the operator of this portable set 180, and this position has been mapped to the one or more predetermined control zone in the process device, then the definite access level that can permit this operator of access control system.Refer again to Fig. 1, access control system can determine that operator 171 is in the control area 104, and therefore relatively near controller 110 and the equipment that is connected to this controller 110.Access control system then can be only with through the operator of correct verification to the restrict access of system to zone 104.Yet, in fact whether existing access control system can at first be consulted registry 125 or other databases such as database 123, determine specific operation person's qualification and the information that is authorized to dispose or check the control area that is positioned at particular subsystem or this system.As discussed above, access control system can check speciality field, access level or qualifications and record of service such as the operator, in shifts distribute or data that any other is relevant with this function of execution information.As another example of using registry and/or database data, the control area that is associated with the different technologies field can be overlapping, make that in a certain position the operator can be in the control area of one group of chemical device, and in the control area of another dynamo-electric assembly.Clearly, in general filtering out the data that have nothing to do with specific operation person may be useful for operator and Process Control System.

Fig. 4 illustrates and can move the block scheme of determining and carrying out based on determined position the software routines 300 of equipment or module selection with enforcing location on portable set 180.As discussed above, portable set 180 can comprise the active or passive electronic label 182 that is arranged in one of expansion slot.In another embodiment, portable set 180 can be communicated by letter with the autonomous device that is suitable for carrying out local location service function by bluetooth, infrared ray or similar wireless (or wired) link.In certain embodiments, program 300 can be moved on this autonomous device.Yet, in some cases, be desirably in the software that installation and operation on the portable set 180 comprises program 300, if particularly portable set 180 has higher processing power.At any special time, portable set 180 may be positioned within the scope of several signal sources such as transmitting set.Yet preferably, program 300 is triggered when one of one group of predetermined condition such as user's operation takes place.Trigger condition will be discussed in more detail following.In piece 301, the intensity that program 300 is measured from the signal in one of some sources.As mentioned above, each signal source can clearly be identified by one of a lot of methods known in the art, for example broadcasts the number of unique relatively order on dedicated channel, or other data of expression particular source are provided in search message.At piece 302 places, program 300 can check whether have other signals can be measured.For example, if portable set 180 detects four signal sources, then program 300 can be carried out repetition by piece 301 and 302, uses up or only is made as up to arriving some predetermined limit up to tabulation.In other embodiments, portable set 180 can utilize WiFi or WiMax RTLS technology or UWB RTLS technology to come the acquired signal measurement result.Like this, be understandable that, only provide step 301 and 302 here in the mode of example.

Next, piece 303 is some main frame in being arranged in Process Control System 100 by wireless connections and network 163, and for example server 121 sends the measurement result of being gathered.Certainly, also provide the identity of portable set 180 sometimes, or in piece 303, provide, or when equipment 180 utilizes wireless network 163 registrations, just providing under the situation more generally with measurement result.Server 121 can further diffuse information successively, also can carry out the program of determining portable set 180 positions.In this exemplary embodiment, program 300 is waited for the network pair information relevant with the operation of determined position permission in the above step of enumerating then or about what asked by portable set 180 response is made in the reception of data or the information of visit.Be shown in further detail as following, main frame, for example access server 121 executable programs or the package on the network 150 identifies the control area that portable set 180 is currently located at, if any, and to portable set 180 provide with allow this zone in the relevant information of scope of the operation carried out of specific user, and/or can control the scope that allows the operation (method that comprises the data of visit such as configuration data) that this specific user carries out based on the control area that the user is currently located at.

Refer again to Fig. 4, in piece 304, program 300 can be to should be in the previous measurement report of being gathered that sends in piece 303 and from network 150 reception information.In one embodiment, this information can comprise the tabulation of nearest module, field apparatus or the control loop of distributing to the control area that is identified, although these data may be dispensable.This information can comprise that also the operator may confirm or unacknowledged (outstanding) alarm of otherwise processing and the tabulation of alarm.Certainly, check and confirm that the ability of the part (for example equipment, module etc.) of alarm and alarm and/or visit data and layoutprocedure control system 100 or 200 also is subjected to the restriction of operator's Permission Levels.The access controller of communicate by letter in network host 121 or other equipment with portable set 180 can by consult database 123 or by with same server 121 on the Another application interprogram communication, came before sending data definite for example at specific operation person's constraint to portable set 180.In certain embodiments, the equipment complete list in the control area is not considering to be sent to equipment 180 under other situation of confinement level, and indicates the additional information of the constraint condition of each module to be sent to portable set 180 simultaneously.By this way, when indication some equipment and/or alarm may not be configured or confirm, can present all available informations in the corresponding application program of operation on the portable set 180 to the operator.Presenting data to the operator will discuss in more detail following.

Next, the operator can use routine or program 300 to select module, equipment or an equipment section to be used to check or dispose.In piece 305, program 300 receives the selection data from the user, and according to the authentication information of verifying from the constraint information of network 150 receptions such as login and password.In general, can control visit to be similar to the available mode in steady job station place to the equipment in the process device 101.Yet as above represented, the operator may not check or dispose not the equipment at his or her place, approximated position, promptly be not in control area that the operator is currently located at or not with this control area associated device.As an alternative, the control area that is currently located at for him or she of operator and can check the equipment that he or she can not visit or control with being tied.If desired, generally include the interface of the portable set 180 of graphic user interface (GUI), can " ash goes out (grey-out) " form, different fonts or color, utilization present the equipment of inaccessible near its special icon or with any alternate manner, come visually and/or the text indication to user's constraint.Return Fig. 4, if the user did not before register to access control system, then piece 306 sends the authentication information of users' input to network 150.In most of the cases, registry 125 or the database 123 of access control system by checking working time verified authentication to the user simply, and if required authentication do not have expired, program 300 skips steps 306 and 307 simply then.Otherwise program 300 is waited for network 150 acceptance or refusal in piece 307.In particular, one or more software routines can adopt stand alone type or distributed operation on access server 121 and/or workstation1 20, with handle self-controller 110 or 210, various such as equipment 130 field apparatus, portable set 180, database 123 and be arranged in the information of other assemblies on the network 150.If be rejected, program 300 can be returned presenting of available modules.Yet if authentication is accepted, program 300 can be converted to and check or dispose relevant screen/menu/option groups such as selected module, equipment.

When program 300 was shown as expectation to the independent authentication of each equipment, for all devices, but network 150 simple request authentications once.In one embodiment, piece 306 and 307 be integrated in when the operator from factory 101 that any access region is associated the initial wireless authentication procedure (not shown) carried out when signing in to workstation such as portable set 180 of any position in.

In piece 308, the position of the operator in any factory building of equipment, factory or implementation process control system is established, and he is for the correct authentication of specific control area quilt that is associated with the zone on every side of operator's current location.The operator can send order by the wireless connections that provided by an immediate WAP 160-162 (can be included in the access point of field apparatus self), perhaps in another embodiment, directly send order by the local communication port such as wireless communication port to equipment, thus in the control area or with control area that this control area is associated in continue to utilize work such as module, field apparatus, controller, control loop, unit.In the latter case, after network 150 can and be verified his/her authentication information in the position of finding out the operator, connect 150 by Ethernet and communicate by letter with portable set 180.In some cases, it is possible directly communicating by letter with portable set 180, network 150 must stop field apparatus or controller or full-scale plant to be communicated by letter with portable set 180 in this case, and processed and approval is till given process device uses up to the position of portable set 180.

At least some information, for example tabulation of the position of the layout of the factory building of implementation process control system, module, control area or at each regional module list for example also can be stored in the storer of portable set 180 itself.These data are replaceable, replenish or duplicate the data that are stored on the network 150.In one embodiment, this data were both can also can be stored by the form of the retaining element of Process Control System 100 or 200 identification by the portable element of Process Control System 100 or 200, make portable set 180 when going offline or being rejected the visit particular subsystem, still can check information owing to the current location of portable set 180, specific operation person's the authority that lacks use information or other reasons.

Do not rely on again among the embodiment of absolute coordinates neither relying on relative coordinate, for example among the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the position of portable set 180 does not need to be confirmed as one group of overall situation or the local coordinate in plane or the three dimensions.Usually desired is that the geographic area can be come roughly to determine by the peak signal that picks up simply in the scheduled frequency range.Certainly, this method can only produce coarse station location marker.But, can limit the control area by simply the signal correction of sending under each zone and a certain frequency being joined and carries unique substantially sign.When utilizing GPS or utilizing high surprising of a kind of cost of local positioning technology, present embodiment may be preferred.

Although can carry out the routine corresponding with embodiment shown in Figure 4 at portable set 180, the main frame on the network of realizing in Process Control System 100 or 200 150 can be carried out routine shown in Figure 5 500.At piece 502 places, main frame 121 can receive one group of measurement result of certain predetermined format.At piece 503, main frame 121 can be determined the position of portable set 180 based on that group measurement result that is received.Then, main frame 121 is consulted database 123, thereby the current location of portable set 180 is mapped to one or more predetermined control zone, and the details in this predetermined control zone is stored in the database 123.Certainly, the current location of portable set 180 can also be positioned at the outside in all predetermined control zones.

Piece 506 upgrades the registry of the relevant up-to-date information in the position (perhaps more particularly, the position of portable set 180) that is used for maintenance and operation person.Specifically, routine 500 can the record controls zone, perhaps or even the sign of the physical location in this control area, operator's identity and position and control area time of taking place.Though this step can be omitted in many cases, it should be understood that the Last Known Location of record portable set can be used in many purposes.For example, desiredly be, be positioned at the operator of another workstation, for example be positioned at the operator of workstation1 20, can monitor the operator's who carries portable set position.Further, registry can periodically " be changed over to " in permanent data base, perhaps can carry out synchronously with data historian.In this way, operator's position can be used for problem investigation or simulation emergency situation after a while.Further, registry can also use by following the trail of the work application program of hourage or other action of operator.At that rate, desired operation person its be assigned with in shifts during be under those common situations in certain zone, Fig. 1-6 system of roughly describing can finish the additional function of record " working is checked card " and " next checking card " time.

With further reference to Fig. 5, piece 508 can check the user of portable set 180 whether to need the authentication of adding, and in piece 509, routine 500 can be asked conditionally for the additional authentication of this specific region and verification operation person's authority.But, routine 500 can be directly to piece 510, and piece 510 is asked the tabulation of field apparatus, control loop or other modules or distributed to the data of this specific control area.At this moment, routine 500 can also be any additional relevant informations of retrieval such as each module, field apparatus, control loop, process device.Then, when being applied to each module, field apparatus, control loop, process device etc., the constraint information that routine 500 is handled at the operator.For example, routine 500 can be checked and comprise special knowledge, operator's posting field of distribution, qualifications and record of service grade etc. in shifts.After the check authentication, the piece 514 of routine 500 is consulted another or same registry or any other database any unacknowledged alarm or the incident about the operator of giving to be sent in piece 512.For example, Process Control System may before detect the low alarm of seriousness, and because the operator obviously is in the position near this module now, so may determine this alarm is pushed to this operator this moment.

At last, at piece 516, routine 500 sends to portable set 180 with information, perhaps can allow current location visit or change with the one or more elements of Process Control System relevant data, for example configuration data of portable set 180 based on the operator.The routine of moving on portable set 180 as above reference was described, information can be sent out with multiple different form.Particularly, access control system can only send to portable set 180 with current constraint information, as long as this device storage has the words of the synchronous version of the layout, region allocation of factory etc.When the data volume that makes between the network element to be transmitted in expectation minimizes, network 150 can be notified the information of the relevant one or more control areas of portable set 180 simply, will take orders or visit to the data or the function of portable set 180 is provided from portable set 180 at this control area network 150.The software of operation is incited somebody to action correspondingly the more storer of new user interface and portable set 180 on portable set 180.Alternately, access control system can send to portable set 180 with more details.Those of ordinary skill in the art with cognition to be that various other implementation methods also are fine.

Fig. 6-8 illustrates some exemplary screen, because expectation is information to be presented to the operator and from operator's Information Monitoring with certain graphical and wieldy form, so when the operator worked in a certain control area, portable set 180 can produce described exemplary screen for the operator.Screen 600 among Fig. 6 presents the operator has been authorized to those control areas of permitting based on his or her current location drop-down list.It is " immediate zone (PROXIMATE AREA) " that the identification (RFID) tag of this menu is illustrated as herein.In one embodiment, the operator had before inspected or the following zone that may inspect still is exactly visible in this drop-down list, was inaccessible but clearly be labeled as in some way.Preferably, for being " grey " or those zones that otherwise are marked as inaccessible in " immediate zone ", other drop-down menu of some on the screen 600 is not presented at all.The operator can also press the radio button 602 that is labeled as " details (DETAIL) " in each immediate zone.In response to clicking " details " button 602, portable set 180 can show description to the control area with certain text or graphical form.Portable set 180 can also provide additional information, for example is authorized to any information that the user is confirmed and/or helps in historical record, configuration variation, alarm that other operator's of working in this zone tabulation, previous visit attempt.Certainly, portable set 180 may be not with this data storage in its storer, but may be from network 150 these information of request that Process Control System, realize.

Further, screen 600 (for example illustrates the tabulation of module or equipment or other data relevant with selected control area or function, can be by portable set 180 operation or the application program that realizes or from the application program of portable set 180), suppose only to allow words that current those control areas that are positioned at of operator are selected.The operator can this tabulation of upper and lower rolling and is selected single or module in groups, equipment, application program etc.Preferably, the operator can click " configuration (CONFIGURE) " button 605 or operation to select to be fit to of " checking (VIEW) " button 607.Certainly, other activity can be similarly be present on the screen with the form of graphical, textization or certain short key mark (short-key).In this example embodiment, the operator can click " checking " button 607, thus check described module state, check the historical record of its concrete incident, or the like.

In addition, the drop-down list of incident and alert list or can be presented near list of devices perhaps can select specific field apparatus, control loop or other module or equipment to be drawn out from " equipment (DEVICE) tabulation " in response to the user.In one embodiment, " incident/alarm (EVENT/ALARM) " always on screen 600 as seen, make operator even selecting just can to see alarm or incident immediately before particular module or the equipment.And, user interface can be designed by this way, make the seriousness of alarm and the relative importance of incident be associated, perhaps utilize the visual difference of some other forms, for example make the critical event flicker or show arrow near these incidents with different colours.Further, the selection of " configuration " button 605 can trigger new screen or new screen family.

In certain embodiments, also expectation is, when the effective factory building of operator's process location-based access control system described herein, real-time informing is offered the operator.Particularly, at portable set 180 its position is carried out under those situations of cycle renewal screen 620 and 630 shown pop-up boxs in the portable set 180 possibility displayed map 7 and 8.At screen 620, notify the user he or she left the given area, and can't visit again relevant device or device.Simultaneously, screen 630 notification operator portable sets 180 are in the new control area now.These eject notifications can be turned off on particular portable device selectively, with those situations of considering that the operator walks about between the zone through being everlasting and do not wish to be flooded by non-important information.

According to other embodiment, portable set 180 can provide the little notice of invasive than the ejection shown in Fig. 7 and 8.For example, each access privileges that access control system limited can be associated with different color visually, for example be used for complete (read/write) access type green, be used for the yellow of read-only access type and be used to the redness of having no right to visit.For example, the drop-down list of the flow meter of using in process plant 101 can comprise the color indicator near each flowmeter, and each color indicator shows a kind of in three kinds of colors according to user's physical location and user's authority levels.Alternately, the textual identifier of each flowmeter can be utilized a kind of coding the in these three kinds of colors.According to present embodiment, when the user goes to or leaves this equipment, the user can see and equipment variations color corresponding symbol or text, this symbol or text representation are at a some place, owing to no longer allow visit apart from the unallowable distance of this equipment to particular device, perhaps opposite is that the user is in the band of position that is associated with this equipment now.The personnel that know standard GUI solution also with cognition to be that some indicator can glimmer or beat in addition, so that cause operator's attention.

As mentioned above, color indicator can be constrained in location-based access constraints with permanent authentication and combines.For example, first operator can not be allowed to visit a certain control loop, and regardless of his or she distance apart from this control loop.Simultaneously, second operator can visit this control loop, but access control system may require the operator when control loop is carried out any variation, and he or she stands within ten feet of control loop.Therefore, desiredly be, some embodiment can comprise a plurality of indicators, separating based on the constraint information of operator's brief introduction configuration and temporary transient constraint information based on operator's current location.

In other embodiments, access constraints can be by making invalid or known in the art other method of " submission " button in equipment disposition or the editor, and utilize ash to go out or the text of deleting (crossed-out) is illustrated.And, be used to show that the visual indicator of location-based constraint (independent or combine with constraint based on authentication) is compatible with other form that presents the environment of process plant 101.For example, the equipment of process plant and control loop can be illustrated schematically on the display of portable set 180.When mobile, the user can see identical static demonstration of representing process plant 101 in the various control areas of process plant 101.But, when the user entered or leave the control corresponding zone, equipment or equipment particular color indicator can changes colours.

Further, access control system can be configured to or be hard coded into (hard-coded) indication of only will reporting to the police and offers other element of outside, current control area of user access device, control loop or system, rather than the disable access control system is checked or seen and revise these elements.For example, access control system still can allow the operator of proper authorization to revise a certain element, but can be at the bottom display operation person of the screen warning message of close enough equipment not.In scene more generally, the operator can be near a certain equipment, and read a certain procedure parameter via portable communicator 180 requests from this equipment.In the present embodiment, access control system will allow the operator to obtain the reading of being asked, but the software of operation will show described reading with the color (for example yellow) that hash frame (hashed box) or hint are reported to the police on portable set 180; Perhaps show described reading, but will show the Pop-up message of the described reading of hint user error request in addition with normal mode.

Generally speaking, access control system can be configured to, when showing the warning indication and/or in daily record, writing down this visit situation, for the operator who is currently located at outside, suitable control area, with the part constraint (for example perhaps stop the visit of these elements from the element of the external reference process plant 101 of suitable control area, restriction read/write privilege is read-only), perhaps make access privileges keep intact.Certainly, access control system can also utilize the combination of above also listed method, and in the constraint on discharging other control area, for example implements one access rule on a certain Critical Control zone.

Preferably, relevant with user, incident and control area information is organized in the mode that allows effectively control and select.For example, registry 125 or all as shown in Figure 9 the relevant database of database and so on or their combination, can safeguard some forms, for example utilize " user record (the USER RECORD) " shown in the Reference numeral 701, utilize " module records (MODULERECORD) " shown in the Reference numeral 702 and utilize " location records (LOCATIONRECORD) " shown in the Reference numeral 703.Form 701-703 can provide the record in other form of sign or the field of record group to be joined together by giving corresponding record.Herein in the context of described location-based access control system, expectation be, with the data relevant with other element of field apparatus, control loop and Process Control System be connected to and keep in repair, the relevant data of operator of use or layoutprocedure control system.And, also be connected to the information relevant with equipment-region allocation with regional layout by data with these kinds, access control system can be further Resources allocation and the stability of height more is provided and safety in operation aspect realize higher efficient.What will be further understood that is, data framework described below is to be used for organizing a kind of that the information relevant with location-based access control system multiple may implementation method, and intention is only as example.

" user record (USER RECORD) " table 710 preferably comprise be used for such as user ID or login 711, the user the role 712 of structure, user distribute 713 in shifts, the row of user specific information time 716 that user's rearmost position 714, control area 715, user are in this position.If necessary, same record can comprise additional personal information, for example password or cipher code set.User ID, for example log-on message should guarantee it is unique, to point out the specific operation person in Process Control System 100 or 200 clearly.Role's field 712 can be enumerated the possible position of the tissue of maintenance process control system 100 or 200.This role's field 712 can further be subdivided into additional kind.For example, " technician " can also have specific concentrated area, for example " chemical assembly " or " electromechanics " assembly.Further, information can be relevant with operator's availability in shifts, but also can imply additional access level.For example, access control system can be configured to allow be in addition the operator's of different operating equal qualification in shifts visit more or less.Certainly, this information can also be stored as the tabulation of specific hourage or be stored with any alternate manner.

Importantly, as implied above, " user record " table 710 can comprise the identifier that operator's latest position " is seen " or detected to access control system.Specifically, when the operator entered the control area, " latest position (LAST LOCATION) " field 714 or " zone (AREA) " field 715 of being used for user record can utilize this information to upgrade.Access control system may not need storage operation person's precalculated position, but may store the control area under this position.But, access control system can be stored in these message segments one section or two sections.Preferably, this renewal has been coupled with timestamp, makes this system or use the operator of this system can visit this information of relative populations after a while.As mentioned above, the information in the table 710 can periodically be offered data historian, and the data historian among Fig. 1 135 for example is to be used for record or supervisory role.

Refer again to Figure 11, the sample data structure of Process Control System element is illustrated as " module records (MODULE RECORD) " 720.Can comprise each module of unit, process control module, loop etc. in this case, preferably utilize numeral or alpha-numeric string to identify.Type of module, for example " value (VALUE) " or " air pressure control loop (AIR PRESSURE CONTROLLOOP) " also preferably is identified as in this table with certain and enumerates the corresponding numeral of scheme.The position that also is stored in the module in " module records " 720 can be accurate relatively position, and the gps coordinate of the approximate center of module for example perhaps can help to discern any data in the geographic position of the one or more physical objecies relevant with this module.Alternately, the accurate relatively position of this module is not stored at all, but has only the control area under this position to go on record.But, in certain embodiments, what may expect is, not only the position of memory module but also store the control area that this module is positioned at.

The position of each control area is described in the form of separation successively.For operator and Process Control System element, be assigned with unique reference numbers the optimum seeking site of each control area.The record of each position, process control zone can comprise the one group of coordinate that limits the control area, the center of one group of qualification control area and the combination of radius, perhaps limits the area in the space relevant with the control area and any other data of volume.Therefore, if necessary, location records 730 can be stored the difference except set of coordinates of each control area and describe.For example, the description of control area can only be the identification information of respective signal transmitter, equipment in the bar code information relevant with the control area, the specific control area or transmitter group, perhaps any other identifier.In this case, may be unnecessary with geographical terms sign control area purely, as long as having some, each control area limits characteristic, for example frequency of the center emitted radio signal from the control area." location records " 730 can further be stored the current tabulation that is detected the user who is arranged in the control area.

As shown in figure 11, distributing to user, module and regional unique identifier helps the logic between the establishment database mark 710,720 and 730 to connect.For example, " latest position " field 714 in " user record " 710 can be stored as the identifier that enters the index in " location records " table 730.Similarly, " user (USER) " field 733 can be indicated the one or more records in " user record " table 730 in " location records " table 730.This sample data storage architecture allows access control system to carry out this operation fast, for example retrieval is arranged in the user's of concrete control area tabulation, the tabulation of the equipment that retrieval is relevant with concrete control area, module, device etc., obtain specified operator's latest position or most probable current location, or the like.

The above data organizational structure that proposes can further permit target alarm and the event notice to the operator.Particularly, the problem of incident and alert notification being selected suitable operator solves by in the optimal time corresponding message being pushed to the operator who is configured to receive message, for example enters when requiring operator's action regional as these operators.On the other hand, when these message occurred, these message can be sent to the optimal operator in residing geographic position, for example current operator who is in the control area that described message occurs or described message belongs to.Therefore, utilize location-based access control described herein to make that Process Control System can be when the personnel most probable relevant with the maintenance of equipment or supervision be handled described message, in the time of for example in the control area of the process plant under these personnel are in described message, will send to and the maintenance of factory building or these relevant personnel of supervision with message or other message the alarm such as alarm.

Figure 10 illustrates routine 800, and this routine 800 can for example be carried out on the server 121 of Fig. 1 on network host, and the operation of monitor procedure control system 100 or 200, reception, record and routing-events and alert notification.Particularly, the suitable recipient of the notice in the routine 800 deterministic process control system 100 or 200, for example the personnel 170-172 that generally illustrates among Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 makes these notices can be sent to operator or other personnel with the when and where that is properly handled at the notice most probable.Particularly, the piece 801 of routine 800 is from one of the assembly of Process Control System 100 (Fig. 1) reception incident.As those skilled in the art with cognition to be, incident can be a large amount of information, for example the period measurement result from temperature sensor reports, or alert event, the border reading of pressure transducer for example, or alarm, for example do not expect or unusual condition by the control loop that liquid level is maintained a certain predetermined set-points is detected.With further cognition to be, but be specific implementation according to the importance and the seriousness of incident and alarm to these incidents and alarm divided rank, and can carry out in several ways.

At piece 803, routine 800 is determined the control area that event source is assigned to.As mentioned above, routine 800 can be consulted database 123 to determine the control area.Particularly, sign that routine 800 can receive based on the part preferably as event information and position-based field 723 find the assembly of procedures system 100 or 200 in " module records " table 720, find the description of corresponding control area in " location records " table 730.In another embodiment, routine 800 can receive the part of this information as message header or message body from assembly itself.For example, the agreement of message propagation can be defined for the zone or an or even field of exact position of unique identification transmitter in the supporting process control system.But, present embodiment needs a large amount of expenses, and this is can support a plurality of field apparatuss owing to be connected to the single controller of Ethernet connection 150, and each field apparatus belongs to a separated region.In this case, each controller 110 with must service equipment to the zone and/or the mapping of position.Because normally this situation, so centralized solution for example are stored in the single position all positions and control area more simple on program.

Piece 804 is consulted registry 125 or is used any other method to determine the current piece 803 determined control areas that whether are arranged in of any operator.Herein, expection has some solutions.According to a kind of realization selection scheme, routine 804 can perhaps start independent routine and come the executing location check in the check of network side executing location.For example, according to the embodiment that Fig. 1 proposed, each portable set 180 is kept the bi-directional communication links with network 150 usually.Network 150 can send to the signal of message or any kind portable set 180 then, obtains its geographic position to utilize software or hardware requests portable set 180 in the portable set 180.Alternately, network 150 can be based on one in portable set 180 or Process Control System or data that multiple devices sent, carry out triangulation or other any technology position, described one or multiple devices one or more in the transceiver 230 on WAP160-162, the process apparatus (Fig. 2) etc. for example with the identification user.As another selection scheme, access control system can think simply that the message of storing for each control area is fully accurately.For example, just appearing in the given area if registry 125 is listed the user with login tall (JOE-DOE) by name and John-Smith (JOHN-SMITH), then routine 800 can suppose that this information is accurately on certain degree of probability.For further this probability of visit, the timestamp that this system can relatively write down for each operator's renewal, and this timestamp and current time compared, still just be in possibility in this control area with definite operator or personnel.

If at least one operator (it has the access right to notice in addition) is considered to be in the relevant control area, then access control system is pushed to this operator with this notice.Importantly, routine 800 can be avoided non-emergent message sent to and be in outside or not relevant with this specific function operator in relevant range.But, if necessary, can be by determining whether to come dynamic expansion operator's region of search in the current control area adjacent areas that is considered to be in initiated event of any titular operator.

Refer again to Figure 10, the piece 805 of routine 800 will be ranked to the message corresponding with incident or alarm.Queuing can further be subjected to the influence of subsidiary condition, for example is subjected to the maximum number of the message that queuing time expires, each is regional, or the like influence.For example, may be essential be, from message queue, take out message often, and if the operator be not in yet in the suitable zone, then directly call this operator.But, in common scene, routine 800 will be waited at piece 805, enter this zone up to an Authorized operation person, perhaps position renewal by the situation of manual triggers under, login in this zone.As mentioned above, what possibility was essential is further to check operator's at this moment authentication and constraint information.

At last, piece 807 is pushed to the operator with message.At this moment, the operator be considered to be in that incident is therefrom initiated or with the most closely-related control area of incident in.Utilize this technology, increased the probability of operator with timely mode processing events, this be since this technology the operator be in the most closely-related zone of incident in the time provide event notice to this operator, perhaps provide event notice to current be in the most closely-related zone of incident in the operator.In addition, because the operator can preferably set up with the visual of source of potential or practical problems and contact, so operator's processing events better more likely.

Can also be used to provide the more noise filtering of height with reference to the described location-based access control technology of Fig. 1-10.As those skilled in the art can cognitive arrive immediately, complication system was often reported a large amount of less important especially incidents.Therefore, as shown in Figure 10, except calculating Best Times event notice is reported to mobile operator that this event notice should be sent to or optimum operation person, location-based access control system described herein can reduce noise by the incident that filtering does not need to be transmitted to all mobile operators.For example, if some operators receive the similar alarm of same module through be everlasting its workstation or non-moving position, then location-based access control system provides can not omit the ability of notice in preset time in response to those mobile operators of incident owing to its present position.In this case, incident can be based on the current location of mobile operator and is not issued specific mobile operator.

What further will appreciate that is, only be arranged in specific or specified control when regional the user who carries portable set 180, when just normal authorization conducts interviews to the element of Process Control System 100 or 200, may exist this user need carry out the situation of additional access to other system element.For example, such emergency may occur, this user who for example is subject near the access means of user usually may only need emergency access remote equipment, for example shut-off valve.In one embodiment, Process Control System may detect these situations automatically, and be specific user or all user's extended access zones of system, with comprise relevant with system additional, remote zone or or even All Ranges, thereby allow these users to handle emergency.In another embodiment, the user can have urgent or override key (override key), to allow the element of inaccessible under the normal condition of user capture in their current present control area.Certainly, the use of urgent key should be subjected to monitor closely in this case, thereby prevents abuse.For example, each use of urgent override key and the message relevant with the specific user who uses this key can be recorded in the database 123 or by data historian 135 logs, to be used for analysis after a while.

For log, what also be appreciated that is that above-described technology provides some added benefit, for example incident is associated with position and user, to be used in real time or delay Analysis particularly.For example, Process Control System 100 for example be logined or be left to data historian 135 can to such action record daily record, adds or renewal set point or another runtime value, removes alarm, or the like.For every Log Directory, data historian 135 can write down the sign of respective operations person 170-172, the position of operator 170-172 (for example absolute or relative coordinate, the sign of WAP, near equipment mark, or the like), the time that incident takes place, the description of incident, and other relevant information.

Though present invention is described with reference to concrete example, but this description intention only is example, be not limited to the present invention, and those of ordinary skills be it is evident that, can increase and/or delete and without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention the disclosed embodiments.

Claims (67)

1. method of utilizing the element of portable communicator access process in controling environment comprises:

Definition is positioned at the domestic a plurality of control areas of described process control loop;

Determine the position of the user of operation portable communicator with respect to the one or more control areas in the described control area;

Set up described user's identity; And

Depend on determined described user with respect to the position of described one or more control areas and depend on described user's identity, allow described user to visit the domestic element of described process control loop selectively by described portable communicator.

2, method according to claim 1, the position of wherein determining the user of operation portable communicator comprise that the position with described user is associated with the position of described portable communicator and the position of definite described portable communicator.

3, method according to claim 1, the position of wherein determining the user of operation portable communicator comprise that the position with described user is associated with the position of the electronic tag that is carried by described user and the position of definite described electronic tag.

4, method according to claim 3 determines that wherein the position of described electronic tag comprises that application meets the real time position that the real-time positioning system standard techniques is determined described electronic tag.

5, method according to claim 3 determines that wherein the position of described electronic tag comprises that utilization is by the circuit in the described electronic tag of signal activation of retaining element emission.

6, method according to claim 1, wherein allow the domestic element of the described process control loop of described user capture to comprise selectively and depend on the position of determined user, allow described user capture to belong to the data that described element still is stored in described element-external selectively with respect to described one or more control areas.

7, method according to claim 1, wherein allow the domestic element of the described process control loop of described user capture to comprise selectively and depend on the position of determined user, allow described user capture to belong to the access configuration data of described element selectively with respect to described one or more control areas.

8, method according to claim 7, the access configuration data that wherein allow described user capture to belong to described element selectively comprise that the described user of permission changes described configuration data.

9, method according to claim 1 wherein allows the domestic element of the described process control loop of described user capture to comprise the data that allow the described element of user capture when described user is confirmed as being positioned at identical control area with described element selectively.

10, method according to claim 1 wherein defines a plurality of control areas and comprises each control area is associated with geographic area by the definition of a plurality of geographic coordinates.

11, method according to claim 10, wherein said geographic coordinate are global location service coordinate.

12, method according to claim 1, wherein defining a plurality of control areas comprises each control area in described a plurality of control areas is associated with at least one area communication device, and defining each control area is the geographic area, in described geographic area, portable communicator can be set up the radio communication with described at least one the area communication device that is associated with described control area.

13, method according to claim 12, wherein define each control area and comprise that each control area of definition is the geographic area, in described geographic area, portable communicator can be in the prearranged signals level or be in search signal on the prearranged signals level by detection sets up radio communication with described at least one area communication device, and the communicator of wherein said search signal from described portable communicator or described area communication device sent and detected by another communicator in described portable communicator and the described area communication device.

14, method according to claim 12, wherein each control area in described a plurality of control areas being associated with described at least one area communication device comprises the radio-frequency identification label distribution to described at least one area communication device.

15, method according to claim 12, wherein each control area in described a plurality of control areas being associated with at least one area communication device comprises use in wireless launcher, wireless receiver or the wireless transceiver one as described area communication device.

16, method according to claim 1, the user of wherein definite operation portable communicator comprises that with respect to the position of the one or more control areas in the described control area position with described user is associated with the position of described portable communicator, obtain the coordinate that is associated with the current location of described portable set, and determine whether that the coordinate that obtained is associated with a control area in described a plurality of control areas.

17, method according to claim 1, determine wherein that described user comprises with respect to the position of the one or more control areas in the described control area that position with described user is associated with the position of described portable communicator and by described portable communicator detection from the search signal of each transceiver in one or more transceivers and measure the intensity of each search signal in the received search signal.

18, method according to claim 1, wherein definition is arranged in the domestic a plurality of control areas of described process control loop and comprises each control area that at least one bar coded sticker is placed on described a plurality of control areas, and determine that wherein described user comprises that with respect to the position of the one or more control areas in the described control area position with described user is associated with the position of described portable communicator, and scan described bar coded sticker by described portable communicator.

19, method according to claim 1 wherein allows the domestic element of the described process control loop of described user capture to include selectively to allow described user capture about the data one of in the field apparatus in the Process Control System of described process control environment, controller or the control loop selectively.

20, method according to claim 1 wherein allows the domestic element of the described process control loop of described user capture to comprise the DCL of setting up between described portable communicator and the described element.

21, method according to claim 1, but wherein allow the domestic element of the described process control loop of described user capture to comprise by setting up communication link between described portable communicator and the described element with the wireless network that described Process Control System is connected with mode of operation.

22, method according to claim 1, the identity of wherein setting up described user comprises utilizes described portable communicator to obtain identification information from described user, retrieval has the record of the data that are associated with the clearance level to the user of described user's identification information and the one or more elements in the described process environment, and based on the visit of the described portable communicator of being retrieved of intrarecord described data limit to described element.

23, method according to claim 1, further comprise: rely on the position of determined described user with respect to described one or more control areas, the event notice that will be associated with the domestic described element of described process control loop by described portable communicator is given described user selectively.

24, method according to claim 21, wherein said incident comprise that expression is used to report the data of the element of one of abnormal function, abnormal measurement or emergency.

25, method according to claim 1, further comprise when described user's position is determined to be at least one control area in the described control area relevant with described incident, the notice of the incident that will be associated with described element by described portable communicator offers described user, and when the position of determining described user with described control area that described incident is associated in a control area outside the time, the notice of the incident that will be associated with described element does not offer the user.

26, method according to claim 25, wherein said incident comprise the data of the element of expression report one of abnormal function, abnormal measurement or emergency.

27, method according to claim 1, the identity of wherein setting up described user comprises via described portable set by obtaining from described user's person identifier and shared secret information to come the user is authorized.

28, method according to claim 1, the identity of wherein setting up described user comprises utilizes described portable set to obtain personal identification data from described user, and the main frame in being arranged in the network that is associated with described process control environment is reported described user's position and described personal identification data, and wherein said main frame is configured to show the position of described portable communicator and described user's identity.

29, method according to claim 1, wherein allowing the domestic element of the described process control loop of described user capture further to comprise selectively utilizes described portable communicator to obtain the override key from described user, determine whether that described override key is effective in described process control loop within the border, if and described override key is effective, no matter then determined described user's position how, all permit visit to described element.

30, method according to claim 1 comprises further that conditionally the position with described user is associated with the position of described portable set, comprising:

The position of the electronic tag that described user's position and described user are carried is associated;

Set up described electronic tag and have Radio Link between the described portable set of signal intensity;

If described signal intensity is reduced to below the threshold value, described user's the position and the position of described portable set are separated.

31, method according to claim 1 further comprises:

The log record of the determined at least described user's of generation expression position and described user's identity; And

The described log record of storage in permanent memory.

32, method according to claim 31, wherein allow the domestic element of the described process control loop of described user capture to comprise selectively and depend on the position of determined described user, allow described user to upgrade the configuration data that belongs to described element selectively with respect to described one or more control areas; And

Wherein, generate described log record and comprise that generation also represents the described log record of described renewal.

33, a kind of access control system is used to have the process environment by a plurality of equipment of interconnection of telecommunication network, and described access control system comprises:

First wireless transceiver is arranged in the described process environment, but and be connected to described communication network with communication mode;

The hand communication device, have processing unit, computer-readable memory, pattern displaying unit, input equipment and second wireless transceiver, wherein said hand communication device communicates by described first wireless transceiver and described second wireless transceiver and described communication network;

First database, the control area data of a plurality of control areas that storage representation is associated with how described process environment;

Second database, storage and one or more user-dependent authorization datas; With

Access controller, according to the described user's relevant position with one or more control areas of described control area and with the corresponding described authorization data of described user, provide data or the function that is associated with one or more equipment of described a plurality of equipment to the user of the described portable communicator of operation.

34, system according to claim 33, wherein said access controller comprises steady arm, in order to determining position, and described user's position is associated with the position of described portable communicator with respect to the described portable communicator of the one or more control areas in the described control area.

35, system according to claim 34, wherein said first wireless transceiver is disposed at least one equipment in described a plurality of equipment.

36, system according to claim 34, wherein said first wireless transceiver is arranged to away from least one equipment in described a plurality of equipment, is connected but communicate to connect with at least one equipment in described a plurality of equipment by hard wire.

37, system according to claim 34, wherein said handheld communicator further comprises the global location service unit.

38, system according to claim 33, further comprise: portable electric appts, have the circuit of the position that is used to set up described electronic equipment, the position that wherein said access controller will carry the described user of described portable electric appts is associated with the position of described electronic equipment.

39, according to the described system of claim 38, wherein said portable electric appts is for supporting at least a electronic tag in WiFi standard, the technology that meets WiMax real time position system standard, ultra broadband or the global location service system.

40, system according to claim 33 further comprises fixed wireless device, when described portable electric appts is positioned at certain scope of described fixed equipment, activates the circuit in the described portable electric appts.

41, system according to claim 33, wherein said second wireless transceiver is in radio transceiver, infrared transceiver or the bluetooth transceiver.

42, system according to claim 33, wherein said access controller comprises software routines, when described software routines is moved on processor, determines described user's physical location.

43, system according to claim 33, further comprise orientator, but be connected to described communication network with communication mode, wherein said access controller comprises the software routines that is stored on the main frame, when this software routines is moved, determine physical location with respect to the described hand communication device of at least one control area in the described control area on handling.

44, system according to claim 33, further comprise computer workstation, have processing unit, computer-readable memory, pattern displaying unit and input equipment, but wherein said computer workstation is connected to described communication network with communication mode, and wherein said computer workstation shows the information of the described user's of expression position.

45, system according to claim 33, wherein when described user's geographic position is arranged in one or more control area of the described control area that is associated with an equipment of described a plurality of equipment, described access controller is permitted the data that equipment is associated in described user capture and the described a plurality of equipment.

46, system according to claim 33, wherein said access controller depends on the position of determined described hand communication device with respect to described one or more control areas, by allowing described user capture to belong to data one or more equipment, that be stored in the outside of the one or more equipment in described a plurality of equipment in described a plurality of equipment selectively, coming provides the data that are associated with one or more equipment in described a plurality of equipment or the visit of function to described user.

47, according to the described system of claim 46, further comprise at least one in controller, data historian or the configuration database, belong to the data of the one or more device external one or more equipment, that be stored in described a plurality of equipment in described a plurality of equipment with storage.

48, system according to claim 33, wherein said access controller depends on determined described user's with respect to described one or more control areas position, by allowing described user capture to belong to the configuration data of the one or more equipment in described a plurality of equipment selectively, provide the data that are associated with one or more equipment in described a plurality of equipment or the visit of function.

49, according to the described system of claim 47, wherein said access controller depends on the position of determined described user with respect to the one or more control areas in the described control area, allows described user to change the described configuration data that belongs to the one or more equipment in described a plurality of equipment.

50, system according to claim 33, the geographic entity of each geographic area of wherein said database storing.

51, system according to claim 33 further comprises orientator, but is connected to the position that is used for estimating with respect to the described user of one or more control areas of described control area with communication mode.

52, a kind of control system is used in the process control environment of process plant, and described control system comprises:

A plurality of opertaing devices are distributed in the described process control environment, to carry out one or more controls or measurement activity within the border in described process control loop;

First wireless transceiver is arranged in the described process control environment, but and be connected to communication mode at least one opertaing device of described a plurality of opertaing devices;

Main frame, but be connected at least one opertaing device in described a plurality of opertaing device with communication mode, and described main frame has processing unit and computer-readable memory;

The hand communication device, have processing unit, computer-readable memory, pattern displaying unit, input equipment and second wireless transceiver, wherein said hand communication device is operating as by at least one opertaing device in described first wireless transceiver and described second wireless transceiver and the described a plurality of opertaing device and communicates;

Database is stored related between each opertaing device and the one or more control areas in described a plurality of opertaing device, and wherein each control area is associated with at least one geographic area; With

Access control system, determine the physical location of the user of the described hand communication device of operation with respect to described control area, if and the physical location of described hand communication device is arranged in the outside of each control area of the described control area that is associated with at least one equipment of described a plurality of equipment, then stop described user capture to belong to the data of at least one equipment in described a plurality of equipment.

53, according to the described control system of claim 52, if the physical location of wherein described hand communication device is arranged at least one control area of the described control area that is associated with at least one equipment of described a plurality of equipment, then described access control system allows described user capture to belong to the data of at least a equipment in described a plurality of equipment selectively.

54, according to the described control system of claim 53, wherein said main frame receives the data of the operation of representing at least one equipment in described a plurality of equipment and described at least one user who described data is guided into a control area that is arranged in the described a plurality of control areas that are associated with at least one equipment of described a plurality of equipment.

55, according to the described control system of claim 54, wherein said main frame determines based on the data recording that is associated with described user whether the user who is associated with described hand communication device is authorized to visit described data.

56, according to the described control system of claim 54, wherein said main frame determines that among many users which is arranged in a control area of the described control area that is associated with at least one equipment of described a plurality of equipment, and, select one or more users among described many users with the data of the operation that sends at least one equipment in the described a plurality of equipment of expression to it based on the physical proximity of at least one equipment in the one or more users among described many users and the described a plurality of equipment.

57, according to the described control system of claim 52, wherein said main frame determines that the user is determined the time that is positioned at one or more control areas.

58, according to the described control system of claim 57, if wherein be determined the one or more control areas that are arranged in described control area before the user, then described main frame determines that the user leaves the time of described one or more control areas.

59, a kind of access control system that is used for process environment, described access control system comprises:

Computer-readable medium; With

First routine, be stored in the described computer-readable medium, when described first routine is moved by processor, based on data of receiving described portable communicator that carries from described authorized user or the electronic positioning instrument, determine the geographic position of authorized user in described process environment of operation portable communicator; With

Second routine, be stored in the described computer-readable medium, when described second routine is moved by processor,, limit of the visit of described authorized user to the data in the described process environment based on the geographic position of determined described portable communicator with respect to described a plurality of control areas.

60, according to the described access control system of claim 59, further comprise: the 3rd routine, be stored in the described computer-readable medium, when described the 3rd routine is moved by processor, the data of a plurality of control areas of storage representation.

61, according to the described access control system of claim 60, wherein said the 3rd routine stores in portable communicator, but and described the 3rd routine be stored in communication mode and be connected on the main frame of the cordless communication network in the described process environment.

62, according to the described access control system of claim 60, but wherein said second routine and described the 3rd routine stores are being connected in the main frame of the cordless communication network in the described process environment with communication mode.

63, according to the described access control system of claim 59, further comprise: the 4th routine, be stored in the described computer-readable medium, when described the 4th routine is moved by processor, based on the described position of described portable set, notify portable communicator and the described process environment incident that interior element is associated selectively with respect to described a plurality of control areas.

64, according to the described access control system of claim 59, further comprise: the 5th routine, be stored in the described computer-readable medium, when described the 5th routine is moved by processor, receive the data of the described user's of expression authorization message from the user of portable communicator.

65, according to the described access control system of claim 64, wherein said the 3rd routine limits described authorized user from database retrieval user record and the described data that further receive according to described user record and the 5th routine and visits data in the described process environment, and wherein said user record comprises the data that are associated with described user's authorization message and the described element in the Process Control System clearance level to the user.

66, according to the described access control system of claim 59, wherein the data set that receives from described portable communicator comprises the data of the search signal of one group of global location service coordinate or the expression transceiver emission in the described process environment.

67, according to the described access control system of claim 59, further comprise: the 4th routine, be stored in the described computer-readable storage medium, when described the 4th routine was moved by processor, described second routine of record was determined described user's time of position and determined described user's position in registry.

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