Abstract:
An apparatus includes at least one process element and a first transceiver configured to communicate with the at least one process element. The apparatus also includes a second transceiver configured to communicate wirelessly with the first transceiver and to communicate with a process control system. The process control system may transmit data to the at least one process element via the first transceiver and the second transceiver. The process control system may also receive data from the at least one process element via the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     This disclosure relates generally to process control systems and more particularly to a system and method for process control using wireless devices.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Processing facilities are often managed using process control systems. Example processing facilities include manufacturing plants, chemical plants, crude oil refineries, and ore processing plants. Among other operations, process control systems typically manage the use of motors, valves, and other industrial equipment in the processing facilities.  
         [0003]     Advanced control and optimization techniques are typically limited by the amount and quality of information that can be provided to a control application. Often, more or higher quality information can be provided to the control application if additional instrumentation is added to a control system. However, tradeoffs in control fidelity versus cost are often made as a result of the high overhead associated with the addition of hardwired instrumentation. In turn, some critical economic aspects, not necessarily related to robustness of control, are left out of the control optimization problem, resulting in suboptimum economic situations.  
         [0004]     Additionally, in some typical cases, information must be inferred via complex calculations or otherwise because direct observation using typical instrumentation is impractical or impossible. In short, because of the lack of operational information, true process optimization often cannot be achieved even when advanced control strategies are employed.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0005]     This disclosure provides a system and method for process control using wireless devices.  
         [0006]     In a first embodiment, an apparatus includes at least one process element and a first transceiver configured to communicate with the at least one process element. The apparatus also includes a second transceiver configured to communicate wirelessly with the first transceiver and to communicate with a process control system.  
         [0007]     In particular embodiments, the process control system transmits data to the at least one process element via the first transceiver and the second transceiver. In other particular embodiments, the process control system receives data from the at least one process element via the first transceiver and the second transceiver.  
         [0008]     In yet other particular embodiments, the apparatus also includes at least one second process element and a third transceiver configured to communicate with the at least one second process element. The second transceiver is also configured to communicate wirelessly with the third transceiver.  
         [0009]     In a second embodiment, a process control system includes at least one controller and at least one process element capable of being controlled by the at least one controller. The system also includes a first transceiver configured to communicate with the at least one process element and a second transceiver configured to communicate wirelessly with the first transceiver. The second transceiver is also configured to communicate with the at least one controller.  
         [0010]     In a third embodiment, a method includes receiving data from at least one process element at a first transceiver, wirelessly communicating the data to a second transceiver, and communicating the data from the second transceiver to a process control system. The method may also include receiving second data from the process control system at the second transceiver, wirelessly communicating the second data to the first transceiver, and communicating the second data from the first transceiver to the at least one process element.  
         [0011]     Other technical features may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     For a more complete understanding of this disclosure, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example process control system according to one embodiment of this disclosure;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  illustrates an example process element including a wireless portion in a process control system according to one embodiment of this disclosure; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  illustrates an example method for process control using wireless devices according to one embodiment of this disclosure.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example process control system  100  according to one embodiment of this disclosure. The embodiment of the process control system  100  shown in  FIG. 1  is for illustration only. Other embodiments of the process control system  100  may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.  
         [0017]     In this example embodiment, the process control system  100  includes one or more process elements  102   a - 102   b . The process elements  102   a - 102   b  represent components in a process or production system that may perform any of a wide variety of functions. For example, the process elements  102   a - 102   b  could represent motors, catalytic crackers, valves, and other industrial equipment in a production environment. The process elements  102   a - 102   b  could represent any other or additional components in any suitable process or production system. Each of the process elements  102   a - 102   b  includes any hardware, software, firmware, or combination thereof for performing one or more functions in a process or production system. While only two process elements  102   a - 102   b  are shown in this example, any number of process elements may be included in a particular implementation of the process control system  100 .  
         [0018]     Two controllers  104   a - 104   b  are coupled to the process elements  102   a - 102   b . The controllers  104   a - 104   b  control the operation of the process elements  102   a - 102   b . For example, the controllers  104   a - 104   b  could be capable of monitoring the operation of the process elements  102   a - 102   b  and providing control signals to the process elements  102   a - 102   b . Each of the controllers  104   a - 104   b  includes any hardware, software, firmware, or combination thereof for controlling one or more of the process elements  102   a - 102   b . The controllers  104   a - 104   b  could, for example, include processors of the POWERPC processor family running the GREEN HILLS INTEGRITY operating system or processors of the X86 processor family running a MICROSOFT WINDOWS operating system.  
         [0019]     Two servers  106   a - 106   b  are coupled to the controllers  104   a - 104   b . The servers  106   a - 106   b  perform various functions to support the operation and control of the controllers  104   a - 104   b  and the process elements  102   a - 102   b . For example, the servers  106   a - 106   b  could log information collected or generated by the controllers  104   a - 104   b , such as status information related to the operation of the process elements  102   a - 102   b . The servers  106   a - 106   b  could also execute applications that control the operation of the controllers  104   a - 104   b , thereby controlling the operation of the process elements  102   a - 102   b . In addition, the servers  106   a - 106   b  could provide secure access to the controllers  104   a - 104   b . Each of the servers  106   a - 106   b  includes any hardware, software, firmware, or combination thereof for providing access to or control of the controllers  104   a - 104   b . The servers  106   a - 106   b  could, for example, represent personal computers (such as desktop computers) executing a MICROSOFT WINDOWS operating system. As another example, the servers  106   a - 106   b  could include processors of the POWERPC processor family running the GREEN HILLS INTEGRITY operating system or processors of the X86 processor family running a MICROSOFT WINDOWS operating system.  
         [0020]     One or more operator stations  108   a - 108   b  are coupled to the servers  106   a - 106   b , and one or more operator stations  108   c  are coupled to the controllers  104   a - 104   b . The operator stations  108   a - 108   b  represent computing or communication devices providing user access to the servers  106   a - 106   b , which could then provide user access to the controllers  104   a - 104   b  and the process elements  102   a - 102   b . The operator stations  108   c  represent computing or communication devices providing user access to the controllers  104   a - 104   b  (without using resources of the servers  106   a - 106   b ). As particular examples, the operator stations  108   a - 108   c  could allow users to review the operational history of the process elements  102   a - 102   b  using information collected by the controllers  104   a - 104   b  and/or the servers  106   a - 106   b . The operator stations  108   a - 108   c  could also allow the users to adjust the operation of the process elements  102   a - 102   b , controllers  104   a - 104   b , or servers  106   a - 106   b . Each of the operator stations  108   a - 108   c  includes any hardware, software, firmware, or combination thereof for supporting user access and control of the system  100 . The operator stations  108   a - 108   c  could, for example, represent personal computers having displays and processors executing a MICROSOFT WINDOWS operating system.  
         [0021]     In this example, at least one of the operator stations  108   b  is remote from the servers  106   a - 106   b . The remote station is coupled to the servers  106   a - 106   b  through a network  110 . The network  110  facilitates communication between various components in the system  100 . For example, the network  110  may communicate Internet Protocol (IP) packets, frame relay frames, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) cells, or other suitable information between network addresses. The network  110  may include one or more local area networks (LANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs), wide area networks (WANs), all or a portion of a global network such as the Internet, or any other communication system or systems at one or more locations.  
         [0022]     In this example, the system  100  also includes two additional servers  112   a - 112   b . The servers  112   a - 112   b  execute various applications to control the overall operation of the system  100 . For example, the system  100  could be used in a processing or production plant or other facility, and the servers  112   a - 112   b  could execute applications used to control the plant or other facility. As particular examples, the servers  112   a - 112   b  could execute applications such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), manufacturing execution system (MES), or any other or additional plant or process control applications. Each of the servers  112   a - 112   b  includes any hardware, software, firmware, or combination thereof for controlling the overall operation of the system  100 .  
         [0023]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the system  100  includes various redundant networks  114   a - 114   b  and single networks  116   a - 116   b  that support communication between components in the system  100 . Each of these networks  114   a - 114   b ,  116   a - 116   b  represents any suitable network or combination of networks facilitating communication between components in the system  100 . The networks  114   a - 114   b ,  116   a - 116   b  could, for example, represent Ethernet networks. The process control system  100  could have any other suitable network topology according to particular needs.  
         [0024]     In one aspect of operation, one or more of the process elements  102   a - 102   b  may each include a wireless portion, as described in more detail below with reference to  FIG. 2 . The wireless portion of the process element allows its placement and use in a location where a conventional wired process element would be impractical, cost prohibitive, or even unusable. While only process element  102   a  is described below as including a wireless portion, any number of process elements in the process control system  100  can include a wireless portion.  
         [0025]     Although  FIG. 1  illustrates one example of a process control system  100 , various changes may be made to  FIG. 1 . For example, a control system could include any number of process elements, controllers, servers, and operator stations.  
         [0026]      FIG. 2  illustrates an example process element  102   a  including a wireless portion in a process control system  100  according to one embodiment of this disclosure. The process element  102   a  illustrated in  FIG. 2  is for illustration only. Other process elements could be used in a process control system without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Also, for ease of explanation, the process element  102   a  shown in  FIG. 2  is described with respect to the process control system  100  of  FIG. 1 . The process element  102   a  shown in  FIG. 2  could be used with any other suitable device or system.  
         [0027]     In this example, the process element  102   a  includes one or more actual process elements  202  and a wireless portion formed by two transceivers  204  and  206 , which communicate by a wireless link  208 . The one or more process elements  202  could represent motors, catalytic crackers, valves, or other industrial equipment in a production environment. The process element  202  could represent any other or additional components in any suitable process or production system. Each process element  202  includes any hardware, software, firmware, or combination thereof for performing one or more functions in a process or production system.  
         [0028]     In particular embodiments, a process element  202  includes monitoring instrumentation specially configured to operate in hostile environments, such as in extreme temperatures or pressures or in the presence of toxic substances. In many cases, these environments make typical hardwired instrumentation impractical or impossible to use.  
         [0029]     The one or more process elements  202  are coupled to the transceiver  204 . In some embodiments, a process element  202  is directly connected to the transceiver  204 . In particular embodiments, the transceiver  204  is integrated with or into a process element  202 . The transceiver  204  communicates over the wireless link  208  with the transceiver  206 , which in turn communicates over the network  116   b  as described above. Depending on the implementation, the transceiver  204  may support uni-directional or bi-directional communication. For example, the transceiver  204  may be capable of transmission and not reception when no instructions or other data is to be sent to the process element  202 .  
         [0030]     The wireless link  208  can be implemented using any suitable wireless technology according to particular needs. Suitable wireless technologies may include, but are not limited to, analog and digital radio frequency (RF) signals, as well as particular protocols such as WiFi, Bluetooth, TDMA, CDMA, OFDMA, RFID, optical signaling, and others. The transceivers  204  and  206  can be implemented using any suitable transceiver technology consistent with the wireless technology required.  
         [0031]     While the transceiver  204  may typically be located very close to the process element  202  or integrated with the process element  202 , the transceiver  206  can be located as near or as far from the transceiver  204  as desired as long as the wireless link  208  is reliable. In many instances, the process element  202  and the transceiver  204  are battery-operated, and the transceiver  206  may be located as close as possible to the transceiver  204  in order to minimize transmission power consumption.  
         [0032]     In some embodiments, the transceiver  206  is directly connected to the network  116   b . In particular embodiments, the transceiver  206  is a dedicated transceiver or is implemented as part of a data processing system, a controller, or other device or system.  
         [0033]     Wireless technology, coupled with advanced process control and optimization techniques, enables additional information to be provided to a controller or other device. This may provide better control fidelity without the high cost of installation associated with hardwired devices. It also allows the acquisition of sensor data from hazardous areas, such as where a wired installation would require a unit shutdown or in hot works. A system in accordance with this disclosure can yield process information from previously unattainable areas, such as the interior of a catalyst bed, and reduce or eliminate the need for complex calculations to infer the same information. Other implementations could include placing a process element inside a reactor to measure reactor close or inside distillation columns. Other benefits may include the ability to directly control parameters linked to process economics.  
         [0034]     Although  FIG. 2  illustrates one example of a process element  102   a  including a wireless portion in a process control system  100 , various changes may be made to  FIG. 2 . For example, the transceiver  204  could be integrated into the process element  202 . Also, the transceiver  206  could be configured to connect with one or multiple transceivers  204 , where each transceiver  204  is associated with one or more process elements  202 .  
         [0035]      FIG. 3  illustrates an example method  300  for process control using wireless devices according to one embodiment of this disclosure.  
         [0036]     Data is received from process element  202  at a transceiver  204  at step  302 .  
         [0037]     The data is wirelessly communicated to transceiver  206  from transceiver  204  at step  304 .  
         [0038]     The data is communicating from transceiver  206  to process control system  100 , preferably by network  116   b , at step  306 .  
         [0039]     Second data is received from the process control system  100  at transceiver  206  at step  308 .  
         [0040]     The second data is wirelessly communicated to the transceiver  204  from transceiver  206  at step  310 .  
         [0041]     The second data is communicated from transceiver  204  to process element  202  at step  312 .  
         [0042]     Although  FIG. 3  illustrates one example of a method  300  for using wireless communications for process elements, various changes may be made to  FIG. 3 . For example, one, some, or all of the steps may occur as many times as needed. Also, while shown as a sequence of steps, various steps in  FIG. 3  could occur in parallel or in a different order.  
         [0043]     It may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document. The term “couple” and its derivatives refer to any direct or indirect communication between two or more elements, whether or not those elements are in physical contact with one another. The term “application” refers to one or more computer programs, sets of instructions, procedures, functions, objects, classes, instances, or related data adapted for implementation in a suitable computer language. The terms “include” and “comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation. The term “or” is inclusive, meaning and/or. The phrases “associated with” and “associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like. The term “controller” means any device, system, or part thereof that controls at least one operation. A controller may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or some combination of at least two of the same. The functionality associated with any particular controller may be centralized or distributed, whether locally or remotely.  
         [0044]     While this disclosure has described certain embodiments and generally associated methods, alterations and permutations of these embodiments and methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description of example embodiments does not define or constrain this disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and alterations are also possible without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure, as defined by the following claims.