Steven L Dienstbier

US Patent:

6711629, Mar 23, 2004

Filed:

Oct 18, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/420356

Inventors:

Daniel D. Christensen - Austin TX
Steven L. Dienstbier - Round Rock TX

Assignee:

Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G06F 300

US Classification:

710 8, 710 10, 710 11, 709225, 709227, 709228

Abstract:

A system and method configures a communication link in a process control system having a controller connected to an I/O device via a remote I/O communication link, which has a local and a remote I/O interface communicatively coupled via a remote I/O communication bus. The system and method specifies a remote connection between the controller and the I/O device, recognizes that the remote connection requires communications over the remote I/O communication link, and automatically generates communication objects to route communications between the controller and the I/O device via the remote I/O communication link.

US Patent:

7185083, Feb 27, 2007

Filed:

Jan 17, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/761922

Inventors:

Dan Dean Christensen - Austin TX, US
Steven Lee Dienstbier - Round Rock TX, US

Assignee:

Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G06F 15/173
G06F 11/00

US Classification:

709224, 709223, 370245, 714 31

Abstract:

A network identification system for use in a process control system creates and stores a unique network identification tag for input/output networks in the process control system. During the configuration process, each process controller is assigned a unique controller identification tag. In addition, each input/output device installed on each process controller is assigned a device identification tag. The network identification system creates a network identification tag for an input/output network by concatenating and combining the unique controller identification tag and the device identification tag. The network identification system may be configured to periodically transmit the network identification tag or to provide the network identification tag is response to a request for identification.

US Patent:

7660915, Feb 9, 2010

Filed:

Mar 19, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/051548

Inventors:

Michael D. Apel - Austin TX, US
Steven L. Dienstbier - Round Rock TX, US

Assignee:

Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G06F 11/00
G06F 15/177

US Classification:

710 18, 710 8, 710 15, 710 19, 710 62, 710 63, 710 64, 710 72, 710 73, 710 74, 710100, 714 1, 714 2, 714 3, 714 5, 714 7, 714 8, 714 10, 714 11, 714 12, 714 13, 714 42, 714 43, 714 44, 714 48, 714100, 714798, 714799, 370216, 370420, 370421, 709220, 709221, 709223, 709224

Abstract:

A process control system is provided having a plurality of I/O devices in communication using a bus. A primary redundant I/O device and a secondary redundant I/O device are coupled to the bus, where the secondary redundant I/O device is programmed to detect a primary redundant I/O device fault. The secondary redundant I/O device, upon detecting the primary redundant I/O device fault, publishes a primary redundant I/O device fault message on the bus. The controller may deactivate the primary redundant I/O device and activate the secondary redundant I/O device responsive to the primary redundant I/O device fault message.

US Patent:

8015573, Sep 6, 2011

Filed:

Mar 19, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/051563

Inventors:

Michael D. Apel - Austin TX, US
Steven L. Dienstbier - Round Rock TX, US

Assignee:

Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G06F 3/00
G06F 13/00

US Classification:

719327, 717168, 717169, 717170, 717171, 717172, 717173, 717174, 719321, 719322, 719323, 719324, 719325, 719326

Abstract:

An I/O device is provided for use in a process control system having a controller operating under a particular version of communication software. The I/O device has a storage device for storing a plurality of potential versions of I/O communication software. An I/O device processor determines the particular version of I/O communication software utilized by the controller and configures the I/O device to operate using a compatible version of I/O communication software stored in the storage device. Further, an I/O device is provided for use in a process control system including a plurality of I/O devices and a controller in communication using a bus. The I/O device has an interface for communicatively linking the I/O device with the bus, where a device processor, upon detection of a potential I/O device fault, severs the communication link provided by the interface with the bus. Additionally, a process control system is provided having a plurality of I/O devices in communication using a bus. A primary redundant device and a secondary redundant device are coupled to the bus, where the secondary redundant device is programmed to detect a primary redundant device fault.

US Patent:

8051220, Nov 1, 2011

Filed:

Dec 23, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/646398

Inventors:

Michael D. Apel - Austin TX, US
Steven L. Dienstbier - Round Rock TX, US

Assignee:

Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G06F 11/00
G06F 15/177
G06F 13/38

US Classification:

710 18, 710 8, 710 15, 710 19, 710 62, 710 63, 710 64, 710 72, 710 73, 710 74, 710100, 714 1, 714 2, 714 3, 714 10, 714 11, 714 12, 714 13, 714 42, 714 43, 714 44, 714 48, 714100, 714798, 714799, 370216, 370420, 370421, 709220, 709221, 709223, 709224

Abstract:

A process control system is provided having a plurality of I/O devices in communication using a bus. A primary redundant I/O device and a secondary redundant I/O device are coupled to the bus, where the secondary redundant I/O device is programmed to detect a primary redundant I/O device fault. The secondary redundant I/O device, upon detecting the primary redundant I/O device fault, publishes a primary redundant I/O device fault message on the bus. The controller may deactivate the primary redundant I/O device and activate the secondary redundant I/O device responsive to the primary redundant I/O device fault message.

US Patent:

20030014536, Jan 16, 2003

Filed:

Sep 10, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/393474

Inventors:

DANIEL D. CHRISTENSEN - AUSTIN TX, US
STEVEN L. DIENSTBIER - ROUND ROCK TX, US

Assignee:

FISHER ROSEMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC.

International Classification:

G06F015/16
G06F015/173

US Classification:

709/238000, 709/200000

Abstract:

A system and method for interfacing a plurality of field devices which are communicatively coupled on a communication network via a standard communication protocol with a process control system uses a linking device to seamlessly integrate communications between the field devices and a controller within the process control system. The system and method uses the linking device to emulate the communication characteristics of the field devices to link information in field devices with information in a controller of the control system, thereby allowing control loops to include combinations of function blocks from both the field devices and the controller. The linking device uses a link active schedule to monitor substantially all communications on the communication network connecting the field devices and selectively processes and analyzes the monitored communications. The information processed by the linking device, which may include function block information, is automatically routed from a field device to the controller or from the controller to a field device. Other information, such as field device identification information and/or communications diagnostic information, may be collected by the linking device and sent to a user.

US Patent:

20120017122, Jan 19, 2012

Filed:

Sep 23, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/243203

Inventors:

Michael D. Apel - Austin TX, US
Steven Dienstbier - Round Rock TX, US

Assignee:

FISHER-ROSEMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G06F 11/16

US Classification:

714 43, 714E11054

Abstract:

A process control system is provided having a plurality of I/O devices in communication using a bus. A primary redundant I/O device and a secondary redundant I/O device are coupled to the bus, where the secondary redundant I/O device is programmed to detect a primary redundant I/O device fault. The secondary redundant I/O device, upon detecting the primary redundant I/O device fault, publishes a primary redundant I/O device fault message on the bus. The controller may deactivate the primary redundant I/O device and activate the secondary redundant I/O device responsive to the primary redundant I/O device fault message.

US Patent:

20160328954, Nov 10, 2016

Filed:

May 4, 2015

Appl. No.:

14/703544

Inventors:

- Round Rock TX, US
Brandon Hieb - Cedar Park TX, US
David R. Denison - Austin TX, US
Kim O. Van Camp - Georgetown TX, US
Paul K. Daly - Cedar Park TX, US
Deeann Gates DelGuzzi - Pflugerville TX, US
Gary Keith Law - Georgetown TX, US
Steven Lee Dienstbier - Round Rock TX, US
Rajaraman Ramachandran - Austin TX, US
Bruce Hubert Campney - Pflugerville TX, US

International Classification:

G08B 29/02

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus to detect root causes of alarm patterns in process control systems are disclosed. An example method includes retrieving process control data generated in a process control system during a historical period of time. The process control data includes alarm data associated with alarms activated during the historical period of time. The example method also includes generating an alarm activation timeline for the historical period of time. The alarm activation timeline includes icons representative of the alarms to visually represent a temporal relationship of activation of the alarms, where one of the icons is representative of an alarm that is no longer active. The example method further includes storing the alarm activation timeline in a database.