Process control systems for operating process plants are disclosed herein. The process control systems include control modules that are decoupled from the I/O architecture of the process plants using signal objects or generic shadow blocks. This decoupling is effected by using the signal objects or generic shadow blocks to manage at least part of the communication between the control modules and the field devices. Signal objects may convert between protocols used by control modules and field devices, thus decoupling the control modules from the I/O architecture. Generic shadow blocks may be automatically configured to mimic the operation of field devices within a controller executing the control modules, thus partially decoupling the control modules from the I/O architecture by using the shadow blocks to manage communication between the control modules and the field devices.

A device driver comprises a device controller and a first encoder provides encoder data according to a first encoder protocol capable of being converted to an associated first controller protocol. In the device driver, encoder data conforming to a first encoder protocol is received, wherein: the first encoder protocol is not the same as a second encoder protocol, the second encoder protocol is capable of being converted to an associated second controller protocol that is not the same as a first controller protocol associated with the first encoder protocol, and the device controller is configured according to the second controller protocol. The encoder data is converted, according to at least one controller protocol conversion rule, into converted controller data conforming to the second controller protocol that is thereafter provided to the device controller.

Provided is a technique enables programming, including that for database operations, without describing a SQL used to operate the database. A PLC (30) that can access a DBMS (22) stores a user program (38) and definition information (32), the user program (38) including a structure type of variable, the definition information (32) indicating a definition of the structure type. The sequence command program (34) sequentially executes instructions in the user program (38) and invokes a DB access process program (35) in order to access the DBMS (22). The DB access process program (35) reads the definition information (32) and, on the basis of the read definition information (32), generates a SQL statement to be used when access to the DBMS (22) is made by execution of the user program (38). The DB access process program (35) executes the generated SQL statement by transmitting the SQL statement to the DB server (20).

Systems and methods for generating models of control systems based on the data emitted by the PLCs of the control system are disclosed. It is initially determined if the data of a PLC is structured data or unstructured data. If the data emitted by the PLC is structured data, a model of the control system is automatically generated based on the structured data from the PLC. If the data is unstructured data, information regarding the assets in the control system is obtained from another data source other than the PLC and a model of the control system is generated based on the received information and the data.

Provided is a process, including: receiving, via the network interface, from a remote user device, a command to change a state of the fluid-handling device to a target state; translating the received command into a translated command operative to cause a local controller of the fluid-handling device to drive the fluid-handling equipment to the target state, the local controller being responsive to the command and feedback from the fluid-handling device indicative of whether the fluid-handling device is in the target state; and sending the translated command to the local controller

Provided is a process, including: receiving, via the network interface, from a remote user device, a command to change a state of the fluid-handling device to a target state; translating the received command into a translated command operative to cause a local controller of the fluid-handling device to drive the fluid-handling equipment to the target state, the local controller being responsive to the command and feedback from the fluid-handling device indicative of whether the fluid-handling device is in the target state; and sending the translated command to the local controller.

Process control systems for operating process plants are disclosed herein. The process control systems include control modules that are decoupled from the I/O architecture of the process plants using signal objects or generic shadow blocks. This decoupling is effected by using the signal objects or generic shadow blocks to manage at least part of the communication between the control modules and the field devices. Signal objects may convert between protocols used by control modules and field devices, thus decoupling the control modules from the I/O architecture. Generic shadow blocks may be automatically configured to mimic the operation of field devices within a controller executing the control modules, thus partially decoupling the control modules from the I/O architecture by using the shadow blocks to manage communication between the control modules and the field devices.

Provided is a process, including: receiving, via the network interface, from a remote user device, a command to change a state of the fluid-handling device to a target state; translating the received command into a translated command operative to cause a local controller of the fluid-handling device to drive the fluid-handling equipment to the target state, the local controller being responsive to the command and feedback from the fluid-handling device indicative of whether the fluid-handling device is in the target state; and sending the translated command to the local controller

An apparatus includes a first interface configured to communicate over a first industrial process control network using a first protocol. The apparatus also includes a second interface configured to communicate over a second industrial process control network using a second protocol. The apparatus further includes a third interface configured to communicate with at least one supervisory device over a third network. In addition, the apparatus includes at least one processing device configured to provide concurrent access for the at least one supervisory device to process control devices coupled to the first and second industrial process control networks during a migration of process control devices that use the first protocol to process control devices that use the second protocol.

Systems and methods for generating models of control systems based on the data emitted by the PLCs of the control system are disclosed. It is initially determined if the data of a PLC is structured data or unstructured data. If the data emitted by the PLC is structured data, a model of the control system is automatically generated based on the structured data from the PLC. If the data is unstructured data, information regarding the assets in the control system is obtained from another data source other than the PLC and a model of the control system is generated based on the received information and the data.