A diagnostic system is provided for diagnosing a process of a plant, using a computing device. A detection unit automatically detects a faulty condition of the process based on a plurality of readings of parameters or measurements associated with the faulty condition for alerting an operator. An analysis unit determines an operating status of the plant based on the plurality of readings of parameters or measurements. A display device graphically links the faulty condition with the plurality of readings of parameters or measurements. A visualization unit displays the operating status of the plant with the readings of parameters or measurements using an alert dashboard grouping related data based on a source of the data for meaningfully illustrating relationships of the displayed data. An alert unit automatically generates a warning message based on the plurality of readings of parameters or measurements to inform the operator of the faulty condition.

System(s) and method(s) are provided for peer-to-peer exchange of data in a control system. Decentralized storage and multi-access paths provide complete sets of data without dependence on a specific or pre-defined data source or access paths. Data is characterized as data resources with disparate granularity. The control system includes a plurality of layers that act as logic units communicatively coupled through access network(s). Server(s) resides in a service layer, whereas client(s) associated with respective visualization terminal(s) are part of a visualization layer. Peer-to-peer distribution of data resource(s) can be based on available access network(s) resources and optimization of response time(s) in the control system. When client requests a data resource, all the locations of the data resource and the quickest source to retrieve it are automatically determined. The client stores copy of data resource. Peer-to-peer distribution of data resource(s) can be implemented within the service layer or the visualization layer.

System(s) and method(s) are provided for peer-to-peer exchange of data in a control system. Decentralized storage and multi-access paths provide complete sets of data without dependence on a specific or pre-defined data source or access paths. Data is characterized as data resources with disparate granularity. The control system includes a plurality of layers that act as logic units communicatively coupled through access network(s). Server(s) resides in a service layer, whereas client(s) associated with respective visualization terminal(s) are part of a visualization layer. Peer-to-peer distribution of data resource(s) can be based on available access network(s) resources and optimization of response time(s) in the control system. When client requests a data resource, all the locations of the data resource and the quickest source to retrieve it are automatically determined. The client stores copy of data resource. Peer-to-peer distribution of data resource(s) can be implemented within the service layer or the visualization layer.

A process control arrangement (PKA), having a number of fieldbus systems (DP1, PA1, FH), especially different fieldbus systems (DP1, PA1, FH), and having a number of fieldbus interfaces (PAP1, PAP2, PAP3), wherein each of the fieldbus systems (DP1, PA1, FH) is connected to at least one of the fieldbus interfaces (PAP1, PAP2, PAP3), wherein the fieldbus interfaces (PAP1, PAP2, PAP3) serve for communication between the fieldbus systems (DP1, PA1, FH) and a communication plane (ET2) superordinated to the fieldbus systems, only a first of the fieldbus interfaces (PAP1) is directly connected to the superordinated communication plane (ET2), and wherein the fieldbus interfaces (PAP1, PAP2, PAP3) are connected in series with one another beginning with the first of the fieldbus interfaces (PAP1).

System(s) and method(s) are provided for peer-to-peer exchange of data in a control system. Decentralized storage and multi-access paths provide complete sets of data without dependence on a specific or pre-defined data source or access paths. Data is characterized as data resources with disparate granularity. The control system includes a plurality of layers that act as logic units communicatively coupled through access network(s). Server(s) resides in a service layer, whereas client(s) associated with respective visualization terminal(s) are part of a visualization layer. Peer-to-peer distribution of data resource(s) can be based on available access network(s) resources and optimization of response time(s) in the control system. When client requests a data resource, all the locations of the data resource and the quickest source to retrieve it are automatically determined. The client stores copy of data resource. Peer-to-peer distribution of data resource(s) can be implemented within the service layer or the visualization layer.

A system and method for operating a remote plant simulation system is disclosed. The system and method uses a light application at the plant to collect relevant data and communicate it to a remote plant simulation. The remote plant simulation uses the relevant data, including data from the actual process, to create a process simulation and communicate the display data to the light application operating at the plant where it is displayed to a user. The remote system offers the advantage of offering decreased cost and improved simulation as the equipment cost, operator cost and set up cost is shared by a plurality of users. Further, the data may be stored remotely and subject to data analytics which may identify additional areas for efficiency in the plant.

A control circuit for use with a network and a distributed control system. The control circuit incudes a switch module, a communication interface module coupled to the switch module and configured to convert data sampled from industrial field into a format suitable for being transmitted to the switch module via the network, and a controller module coupled to the switch module and configured to receive the converted data from the switch module and process the converted data. The switch module is configured to enable a communication between the communication interface module and external devices outside the control circuit and a communication between the controller module and the external devices.

An electronic operator interface based controller and device automatic downloads are provided. An electronic operator interface can determine if control logic or content used by an industrial controller has been updated, changed, or otherwise modified. If the content has been modified, then the electronic operator interface can automatically obtain the content and store a back-up copy in memory. Additionally or alternatively, the electronic operator interface can periodically update a backup copy of the content. Furthermore, the electronic operator interface can determine if the controller has lost its content, and restore the content from the most recent version saved in memory.

A system and method for collecting real time manufacturing data from a factory having multiple machines therein using internet-of-things (IoT) connectivity, comprising: at least one gateway comprising at least one server, the at least one gateway receiving data from the multiple machines; at least one machine communications module (MCM) that applies to the received data at least factory, enterprise, and analytics applications, and which outputs command and control information from the applications to the at least one gateway to directly control operations of the multiple machines; wherein the gateway provides security isolation on the machine side of the gateway, and encryption, authentication, and authorization security on the MCM side of the gateway; and wherein the applications process and normalize data from at least a plurality of types and generations of the multiple machines.

Automation windows for RPA for attended or unattended robots are disclosed. A child session is created and hosted as a window including the UIs of applications of a window associated with a parent session. Running multiple sessions allows a robot to operate in this child session while the user interacts with the parent session. The user may thus be able to interact with applications that the robot is not using or the user and the robot may be able to interact with the same application if that application is capable of this functionality. The user and the robot are both interacting with the same application instances and file system. Changes made via the robot and the user in an application will be made as if a single user made them, rather than having the user and the robot each work with separate versions of the applications and file systems.