A handheld field maintenance tool includes a training mode. The handheld field maintenance tool has a process communication module operably coupleable to a field device, a user interface, and a controller coupled to the process communication module and the user interface. The controller is configured to interact with a user through the user interface, and is configured to provide a simulation function where at least one characteristic of the field device, indicated through the user interface, is generated by the controller instead of the field device.

Methods and systems to update information of a device description of a field instrument are described. In one example, a method involves comparing a host revision of the device description executed via a host application to an instrument revision of the device description of the field instrument, generating a character string of update information based on the comparison, the character string containing the update information, and displaying the character string via the host application.

A method for implementing at least one additional function of a field device in automation technology, wherein the field device is parametered and/or configured via a servicing device using a device description, wherein the method has the following method steps: the original device description, which comprehensively describes the field device, is made available; the original device description is expanded by a script or a supplemental device description fragment; wherein the script or the device description fragment comprehensively describes the additional function; and the field device is serviced from the servicing device by means of the expanded device description and is able to execute the additional function.

A method and system configures a Device Description Language (DDL) interface on a DDL-based host system in a process plant. Using a device description identification, the system and method updates the host system with the device description for a selected process control device. The device description includes menus for the selected process control device. The method and system expose the DDL menu constructs from the device description to the host system, such that the host system is able to present the DDL constructs as user-selectable elements in a configuration interface, where DDL constructs may be added, deleted and/or modified to create a DDL interface independent of the menu for the process control device as provided in the device description.

An intrinsically-safe handheld field maintenance tool is provided. The tool includes a process communication module configured to communicate with a field device in accordance with a process industry communication protocol. A controller is coupled to the process communication module and is configured to provide at least one function related to maintenance of the field device. Program instructions embodied on a computer readable medium coupled to the controller, the program instructions causing the controller, when executed by the controller, to provide operator rounds functionality, CMMS/EAM functionality and/or ERP functionality.

A handheld field maintenance tool with improved diagnostic functions is provided. The tool includes a process communication module configured to interact with a field device. A controller is coupled to the process communication module. The controller is configured to execute a number of improved diagnostic functions relative to the field device. The controller may obtain contextual information relative to a current field maintenance operation and preload at least one resource relative to a next field operation step. The controller may obtain process alarm information through a wireless communication module, and field device alert information through the process communication module and provide an indication on a display relative to both process alarm information and field device alert information. The controller may execute a sequence of field device maintenance operations on the field device in response to a signal from a user input device. The controller may obtain snapshot information in response to a signal from a user input device.

A handheld field maintenance tool is provided. The handheld field maintenance tool includes a process communication module configured to communicate with a field device. The handheld field maintenance tool also includes a display and a user input device. A controller is coupled to the process communication module, the user input device and the display and is configured to generate a listing of task-based field maintenance operations on the display and receive a user input selecting a task-based field maintenance operation. The controller is configured to automatically traverse a menu of the field device using a fast-key sequence relative to the selected task. A method of creating a task-based field maintenance operation is provided. A method of interacting with a field device menu is also provided.

An intrinsically-safe handheld field maintenance tool includes a controller, a process communication module, and a display. The process communication module is configured to communicate with a field device using a process communication protocol. The display is coupled to the controller. A user interface module is also coupled to the controller and is configured to receive user input. The controller is configured to detect a user input help request and provide a video output on the display in response to the user input help request.

A system for defining information for multi-option devices connected to an industrial network is disclosed. Each device has a single electronic data sheet (EDS) defining options associated with the device as well as each of the choices associated with those options. An option data sheet (ODS) is included for each option defining the device information corresponding to that option. A programmer interface may allow a programmer to select devices as well as the options for each of those devices associated with a control system. Each device is also configured to store the EDS and each ODS corresponding to that device within memory in the device. The programmer interface generates a controller configuration file defining the connections between each device and the controller.

A method for managing and configuring field devices of an automation system, wherein (1) a list of the texts contained in the field device-specific information package is generated in the predefined standard language using a configuration tool of the field device; (2) a text in a new language option is generated for each text in this list and assigned to the list; (3) queries regarding the execution time are made to the EDD in the standard language; (4) the responses to the queries are scanned for known texts in the predefined standard language and these texts are swapped for the texts in the new language option; and (5) the texts in the new language variant regarding the execution time of the field devices are displayed on a user interface of the configuration tool.