A method for online licensing of field devices using an enterprise server with a processor and a data storage, which communicate via a network to the field devices optionally through at least one intelligent cryptographic module. The method receives a request for a license online from a client device for bidirectional communication between field devices and the enterprise server. The method generates a license and a symmetric encryption key. The method generates an object with a communication protocol of the field devices, and a primary communication path. The object contains a schedule configuration and time synchronization configuration and settings. The method then initiates communication, provides a secondary communication path if the primary communication paths fails, and simultaneously collects data by type and value from the field devices and publishes a report.

A method for configuring a data analyzer is provided. The method comprises displaying to a user, on a presentation interface coupled to a processor, a graphical representation of at least a portion of the data analyzer. A data analyzer configuration for the data analyzer is then generated using a user input interface, which is coupled to the presentation interface and the processor. The presentation interface then displays to the user a plurality of selectable machine train components. The method also comprises generating, using the user input interface, an interactive graphical representation of a machine train including at least one of the selectable machine train components. Using the processor, a configuration file is generated based on the data analyzer configuration and the graphical representation of the machine train. The configuration file facilitates diagnosing operation of the machine train using the data analyzer.

When a general-purpose operation part (22, 23) is hidden by a window part (24), it becomes hard for an operator to visually check an association state between a field device (10A, 10B) and a hardware switch (3). If such a display state has occurred, an HMI server (5) stops a health check signal which is being output to a PLC (6). The PLC (6) detects the stop of the health check signal and forcibly cancels the association state between the field device (10A, 10B) and the hardware switch (3). Thus, a human error can be prevented.

A control system for a technical plant, particularly a process or manufacturing plant, includes an operator station server and an operator station client, wherein the operator station server transmits, for operation and monitoring, an image of the technical plant to the operator station client, the operator station client visually displays the image with a plurality of image elements to an operator of the technical plant and the control system includes a visualization service implemented on the operator station server for a first part and implemented on the operator station client for a second part, where the visualization service is configured to determine information about an accumulated transmission status of the plurality of image elements from the operation station server to the operator station client and to visually display them to the operator of the control system, and where the accumulated transmission status is a logical Boolean value.

A programmable discrete input module is described. In one or more implementations, the programmable discrete input module comprises a pulse width modulation module configured to generate a pulse width modulated signal based upon an input signal and a pulse width modulation module configured to generate a demodulated pulse width signal. An isolator is configured to isolate the pulse width modulation module and the pulse width demodulation module and to generate isolated modulated pulse width signal based upon the pulse width modulated signal for the pulse width demodulation module to generate the demodulated pulse width signal. The programmable discrete input module also includes first comparator and a second comparator for comparing the demodulated pulse width signal with a respective programmable reference and a digital filter configured to filter a comparison signal output by the first comparator or the second comparator to generate a discrete input signal.

Real-time data and event management (RDEM) is implemented on a separate component in supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA). To assist in upgrades or changes to the SCADA system without compromising RDEM, the RDEM function is performed on a separate card or physical component. When the computer running the SCADA system is upgraded, the RDEM on the separate card and corresponding persistence store is maintained.

Embodiments of a method for providing user authority information management service are provided. In some embodiments, the method includes a client server sending a request for authority information to an authority service server, the client server receiving the authority information from the authority service server and comparing the received authority information with authority information maintained in a client server memory, determining whether or not to download the authority information based on a result of the comparison between the received authority information and the maintained authority information, updating the client server memory according to whether the authority information is downloaded, and the client server performing user authority certification for each process operation to be performed by the client server.

A method of monitoring hierarchical asset groups includes the operations of: receiving a plurality of asset group configuration parameters comprising one or more association specifications, each association specification defining an association between an asset and a corresponding asset group of a plurality of asset groups of an asset hierarchy; receiving definitions of one or more asset group metrics, wherein each asset group metric of the one or more asset group metrics is derived from a search of machine data associated with a corresponding asset group; associating, with each asset group of the plurality of asset groups, a corresponding asset group metric of the one or more asset group metrics; generating one or more alert definitions associated with an asset group of the plurality of asset groups; monitoring, using the one or more asset group metrics, the asset hierarchy; and generating an alert based on the one or more alert definitions.

There is provided an HMI screen creation device that enables creation of an HMI screen in which a plurality of operation elements are exclusively arrangeable with high flexibility, without deteriorating quality of the HMI screen. An HMI screen designing device according to the present disclosure includes: a drafting processing unit including a stencil area where a plurality of operation elements to be arranged in the HMI screen are arranged to be selectable, and a drafting area where a drawing is drawn by arranging the operation elements selected in the stencil area; and a drawing data generation processing unit configured to generate drawing data as data of the drawing in which the plurality of operation elements are arranged. The drafting processing unit includes exclusive grouping means for mutually exclusively grouping the plurality of operation elements arranged on the drawing.

A data transfer system for transferring data from one or more instruments to one or more applications is provided. The data transfer system includes a data transfer computing device including at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device. The at least one processor is programmed to receive an action of obtaining an optical code corresponding to an application among one or more applications, retrieve, from one or more instruments, data requested by the application, and encode the data into the optical code. The data include data of the one or more instruments at an instant of the action. The one or more applications are disconnected from the one or more instruments.