Patent ID: 6070250
Filing Date: 2000-05-30
Classification: G05B,Y02P

Abstract:
In a distributed process control system including a plurality of drops at distributed locations each performing a selected function and a data highway bus for carrying data and means for connecting said plurality of drops in parallel to said bus so that data representative of the selected function performed by each of said drops may be transmitted to and received by the remainder of said plurality of drops, at least one drop for controlling the operation of a continuous process, said one drop comprising:(a) I/O interface means connected with various points located throughout said continuous process and operable to receive input information from each of said points representative of the operation of said continuous process;(b) a first workstation running continuous process control software and connected with said I/O interface means to allow said continuous process control software to analyze said input information according to a predetermined set of rules and generate output information passed through said I/O interface means to said continuous process to control the operation thereof;(c) a second workstation normally running in a backup mode also running said continuous process control software and connected with said I/O interface means to allow said continuous process control software to analyze said input information according to said predetermined set of rules and generate backup output information;(d) monitoring means associated with said second workstation and connected with said first workstation to monitor the operation thereof, said monitoring means automatically causing said second workstation to operate in a controlling mode to pass said backup output information through said I/O interface means to said continuous process to control the operation thereof in the event said monitoring means detects a failure in the operation of said first workstation; and(e) a non-proprietary software suite loaded on said first workstation and including individual software packages each operable to permit personnel associated with said continuous process to interface with said continuous process in a selected manner through said first workstation.