Patent ID: 7917654

Claim:
A system for synchronizing data between a host client and a field device, said system comprising: a computer system; a virtual field device resident on said computer system, said virtual field device comprising a virtualized instantiation of a portion of a field device; a synchronization manager resident on said computer system, said synchronization manager configured for managing synchronization operations involving said virtual field device; a field client transceiver coupled with said synchronization manager, said field client transceiver configured for facilitating data exchange between said virtual field device and said field device during a field client to virtual field device synchronization operation; and a host client resident on said computer system, said host client configured for exchanging data with said virtual field device during a host client to virtual field device synchronization operation, wherein said exchanging includes sending a work order generated by the host client to the virtual field device, and said work order comprises collections of files that instruct a user of the field device to collect needed data from a work site.