A field device management system include a plurality of field devices equipped in a plant, one or more host devices equipped at a place distant from the plant and configured to connect to the field devices via a first network, and a terminal apparatus configured to connect to the field devices via a second network and to connect to the host devices via a third network. The terminal apparatus includes a first communication interface module configured to perform field communication with the field devices via the second network, a second communication interface module configured to perform near field communication with the host devices via the third network, and a controller that, when updating data of any one of the field devices, performs communication with the host devices through the second communication interface module, and receives update permission information from the host device through the second communication interface module.

A POS system includes a plurality of electronic device, at least a specified one of which automatically generates and updates a history data at intervals, and an intelligent device installed in the specified electronic device for automatically updating and showing a life percentage information of the specified electronic device according to the history data. The intelligent device includes: a signal transmission module electrically connected to the specified electronic device for receiving the history data therethrough; a processing unit generating a life percentage value according to the history data of the specified electronic device, and issuing a life percentage status signal indicative of the life percentage value; a storage module for storing the history data; and a prompt displaying module visibly disposed for displaying the life percentage information in response to the life percentage status signal.

A method for operating a specific field device from a first group and a second group of field devices, wherein the first group exchanges data in an IP-based network, and the second group communicates at least via a non-IP-based connection, the method includes the following: transmitting multicast messages having an item of connection information via at least one portion of the field devices of the first group; integrating the operator device into the IP-based network; initiating a connection establishment with a field device of the second group; receiving the transmitted multicast messages by the operator unit so that the connection information is made available to the operator unit; generating a list of all field devices of the first group and the second group; selecting the specific field device using generated list; initiating a specific connection establishment with the specific selected field device; and operating of the specific selected field device with the mobile operator unit.

A method for providing galvanic isolation between an input or trunk interface (30) and multiple outputs or spur interfaces (38) for connecting field devices (14) to a trunk (20) of a two-wire (44a, 44b) process control network (10) includes connecting multiple sets of multiple spur interfaces to respective isolating elements (34). Each isolating element (34) connects a respective set of outputs or spur interfaces (38) to the trunk interface (30) and galvanically isolates (40, 42) the respective set of spur interfaces (38) from the trunk interface (30). Field devices (14) attached to different sets of spur interfaces are also galvanically isolated from one another.

The present disclosure relates to a framework application for device access software. The framework application can be installed on a host. At least one driver can be integrated into the framework application, said driver being designed for access to an associated field bus component of a field bus network. For each integrated driver, the framework application has a standard interface, via which data can be exchanged between the driver and the framework application. For at least some of the integrated drivers, the framework application has one or more proprietary interfaces in addition to the standard interface, via which proprietary interfaces data can be exchanged between the respective drivers and the framework application. Information regarding additional functionalities that are supported by the driver or by an associated field bus component can be transferred from the driver to the framework application via at least one of the proprietary interfaces.

An information processing system includes a field devices that output field information to be subjected to information processing, and an edge device that generates primary analysis information by performing primary analysis on the field information and extracts extraction field information from the field information. Further, the system includes a cloud server that generates second analysis information by performing secondary analysis on the primary analysis information and the extraction field information, and a client that generates tertiary analysis information for controlling the field devices or for the field devices to operate, based on the secondary analysis information, in which the edge device controls the field devices or causes the field devices to operate, by using the tertiary analysis information based on statuses of the field devices.

During commissioning activities of a process plant, a device placeholder object that stores an I/O-abstracted configuration of a particular field device within the plant is created and stored in a device in the back-end environment of the plant and a further configuration file is stored in or for the particular field device in the field equipment environment of the plant. The device placeholder object, which will eventually be associated with the particular field device, and the field device configuration file are used to perform separate commissioning activities in each of these plant environments before the field devices are configured to communicate with a process controller via a particular I/O network within the plant. Thereafter, a binding application performs a discovery process to detect the I/O communication path through which each field device is connected to the back-end environment. The discovery process traverses through the I/O network as built, and autosenses the devices within the I/O network until this process discovers a device placeholder object or a configuration file for a particular field device. The binding application then determines if the information within these two device configuration files match, and if so, binds the field device to the back-end by storing the detected communication path for the particular device in a configuration database, such as in the device placeholder object for the particular field device. If the configuration information in the device placeholder object does not match the configuration file for a discovered field device, the binding application may perform a reconciliation procedure to determine the correct configuration information for the particular field device.

An I/O-abstracted configuration is defined for a field device that has not yet been assigned or allocated to communicate via a particular I/O device, and the field device (and optionally portions of the process control loop of which the field device is a part) is commissioned based on contents of its I/O-abstracted configuration. The field device's I/O-abstracted configuration is stored in an instance of a device placeholder object, which may be common to multiple types of devices and multiple types of I/O. A property of the device placeholder object may be exposed based on the value entered for another property, and the device placeholder object may store abstracted values as well as explicit or discrete values that are descriptive of the field device and its behavior. Upon I/O-assignment or allocation, values held in the device's I/O-abstracted configuration may be transferred to or otherwise synchronized with the device's as-built configuration.

Techniques for automatically testing an entire process control loop, such as after components and portions of the loop have been commissioned separately, or after run-time operation begins, enable the process control loop to be tested without an operator in a back-end environment of a process plant coordinating with an operator in a field environment of the process plant to supply inputs and/or generate various conditions at the loop. Instead, a single operator performs a single operation to initiate an automatic loop test, or in some implementations, no user input is needed to initiate and/or perform the automatic loop test. Automatic loop testing includes automatically causing a field device to operate in a plurality of test states and determining whether resultant loop behaviors are expected behaviors. Multiple loops may be tested concurrently or distinct in time. An automatic loop test result is generated and may be presented via a user interface.

Described are systems, methods and computer-program product for replacing a prior input/output (I/O) module and terminal board with a universal I/O device by providing software based instructions and configuration settings for the installer. The method includes provisions for new wiring changes or harnesses as well as preset adapters, converting prior device configuration settings from an I/O module, pack, and/or terminal board to new configuration settings for a programmable I/O device, generating a wiring chart for any wiring changes based on the settings, and displaying the information for the installer and/or programmer's use. This allows a universal I/O device capable of each channel having different operating modes to replace one or more of a mixture of several types of dedicated I/O modules. The installation documentation and configurations are automatically generated, reducing the chance of errors due to misinterpretation of multiple product documents while allowing the automatic transfer of product settings.