Various embodiments include a method for managing a production process for fabricating a component comprising: storing fabrication data for fabricating the component in a first file container; storing reproduction data relating to the component in the first file container, wherein said reproduction data includes a permission relating to the fabrication of the component; storing production data indicating a state of a production machine during the production process in a second file container; storing character data indicating a property of the component in a third file container; receiving a request; and providing at least one datum in response to the request, the at least one datum selected from the group of data consisting of: the stored fabrication data, the reproduction data, the production data, and/or the character data.

Operator actions and/or other commands or requests are secured via an authentication path from an action originator to a communications/control module or any other industrial element/controller. In implementations, an industrial control system includes an action authenticator configured to sign an action request generated by the action originator. The destination communications/control module or any other industrial element/controller is configured to receive the signed action request, verify the authenticity of the signed action request, and perform a requested action when the authenticity of the signed action request is verified.

A control device can modify a first user program and first setting information in the storage unit executed by a control engine respectively using a second user program and second setting information received by the control device. A security engine of the control device verifies identity between the first user program and the second user program, evaluates the validity of setting indicated by the second setting information, and permits or prohibits performance of the above modification based on such a verification result and the evaluation.

Techniques for biometric authentication using a voice accelerometer and an acoustic transducer includes receiving a first signal representing an output by a voice accelerometer of a device and a second signal representing an output by an acoustic transducer of the device. Characteristics of each of the first signal and the second signal are compared with stored biometric characteristics for a user of the device. The user of the device is then authenticated based on the comparison.

An approach for control of users relative to access to controllers of a site in a hierarchy of controllers and building equipment. When a user of a customer has established a read write connection to a site controller, the customer does not necessarily want any subsequent user to establish a read write connection to the site controller or another controller within the same site and also make changes, for example, to settings of building equipment. Thus, a subsequent user may be allowed a read only connection and just be able to view building equipment information. When the first user has disconnected either intentionally or by inactivity, the site controller may be cleared allowing a subsequent user to obtain a read write connection. If the first user is inactive but fails to disconnect from the controller, an auto log-off provision may disconnect the user after a specified period of inactivity.

A span of responsibility access control system for use in plant process management and similar applications. The system leverages span-of-responsibility enabled user accounts and corresponding resource properties to assign, verify, and control access to assets and other resources in the plant process management system on a per user basis. Aspects of the system include configuration of properties for each monitored or controlled asset and association of a span of responsibility based on asset properties, such as asset type and location, with a user account. An access control module compares asset properties to the span of responsibility associated with the user account to determine whether the user is entitled to access any given asset, independent of determining permissions to act on such asset.

An implementation of an interlock system disclosed herein provides an interlock system for remotely tracking and controlling usage of a number of equipment. The interlock system disclosed herein includes an interlock module communicatively connected to the equipment and is configured to control the status and monitor usage of such equipment. The interlock system further includes a web-based platform including a rule-based engine controlling usage of the equipment based in part on the status and usage of the equipment.

An access-level control apparatus includes an NC machine tool, an RFID that is held by an operator and stores an ID given to the operator, a reader unit that reads out the ID in the RFID, an authenticating unit that determines operator processing limitation information including an operable range by the operator associated with the ID or display information provided to the operator, and an operation/display limiting unit that limits processing by the operator for the NC machine tool on the basis of the operator processing limitation information. The reader unit includes a transmission antenna that calls the RFID. The transmission antenna is disposed in parallel to a rotation axis of a motor unit of the NC machine tool.

A method for identifying a field device for automation technology includes providing an operator unit, which includes at least one order ticket with an access authorization for at least one of the field devices. The method also includes searching for accessible field devices with the operator unit using a wireless communications protocol. For each of the field devices accessible from the operator unit, a temporary communication connection between the operator unit and the relevant field deices is established using a wireless communications protocol, the order ticket is transmitted to the relevant field device, the access authorization for validity is checked by the field device, and the field devices that were able to successfully carry out the check for the validity of the access authorization are signaled.

Methods and apparatus to display shift change notes generated via natural language processing models are disclosed. An example apparatus comprises interface circuitry, machine-readable instructions, and at least one processor circuit to be programmed by the machine-readable instructions to access input data from a workstation in a process control system, the input data associated with a first user account, transmit the input data to a natural language processing (NLP) model, the NLP model to generate a representation of the input data based on stored data associated with the process control system, and display the representation of the input data on a user interface of the workstation after detecting an access of a second user account different from the first user account.