Title of Invention

PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEM WITH REMOTE OPERATION AND PAYMENT FUNCTION

Abstract A system (5) for controlling a remote operation and payment function, characterized by a processor (10) which is able to ascertain a discount value (W) for operations (7) taking place in the process control system for creating and/or removing a control function, an operator control action and an automation function cycle.
Full Text The invention relates to a process control system.
Usually process control systems are developed by a manufacturer,
delivered to customers, installed in a technical system to be
controlled and put into operation. The process control system
consists in this case of hardware and software components which each
implement at least one technical control function of the process
control system. The sum of these functions provided the customers
with a multiplicity of operating, observation and regulation options
for the technical system.
Mostly the customer pays a price for the supply and if necessary the
installation of the process control system, for example an agreed
purchase price as a one-off payment, which includes the use of the
process control system over its lifetime with all its functions, in
which case the price given does not take into account to extent to
which customers actually use the functions provided and/or how often
and/or for what period specific functions are used. Furthermore
customers normally receive a project planning system as part of the
process control system/ with which they can implement new technical
control functions or can modify supplied control functions, so that
the process control can be adapted during its years of operation at
any time to the changing requirements of the technical system. This
aspect too is not taken into account in the pricing of the process
control system. Customers pay a - mostly very high - purchase price
and can use the supplied components of the process control system
practically as they wish, without greater or lesser use of the
functions of the process control system being reflected in a
subsequent payment or repayment of at least a part of the purchase
price.
With a known process control system the customer thus mostly pays at
the time of delivery the purchase price for the process control
system, which includes a proportion of the price in each case for
the hardware and the software supplied. So for the customer a
greater financial investment is needed, at the latest by the time of
delivery, to obtain an operable process control system with all
hardware and software components.
From this situation the object present's itself of specifying a
process control system which can be adapted flexibly to the
customer's requirements and which is especially designed to reduce
the given initial high investment costs, especially the investment
costs for the software components of the process control system and
the license payments to be made for them. A further object of the
invention is to specify a process control system that features an
architecture that is especially suited to overcoming the stated
disadvantages of the prior art.
In accordance with the invention the object is achieved by a process
control system which features a processing unit which is capable of
determining a payment figure from operations running in the process
control system.
The invention in this case stems from the idea of determining a
payment figure, for example license fees to be paid by a customer,
that depend on the actual use of the process control system. This is
a way of guaranteeing that the customer - apart from any fixed basic
price that may have been agreed, for example for the supplied
hardware components of the process control system - must in practice
only pay (extra) for those functions of process control system that
he is really using. When a customer accesses functions of the
process control system, the corresponding operations, triggered by
the access, run in the process control system, depending on the type
of function that was accessed.
Thus for example the type of operation, typically calling up a
graphical process diagram with current process measurement data
incorporated or executing a closed-loop control function for a unit
of the technical system can have an influence on determining the
payment figure. Likewise the frequency with which for example the
named functions are used can have an influence on the determination
of the payment figure. It is conceivable for example that each
access to a specific function delivers a fixed proportion of the
payment figure.
Advantageously the operations include creation and/or removal of a
technical function, an operating activity and execution of an
automation function.
The creation and/or removal of a process control function can for
example be undertaken by customers when they are project planning
the process control system and for example are creating a new
process control function which is to run on the process control
system by means of a project planning program. Further customers can
also create a new process control function by selecting one or more
functions from a set of prespecified process control functions and
connecting it to the new process control function by means of the
project planning program. The set of prespecified process control
functions can for example be held on a computer of the process
control system manufacturer, connected to the Internet by means of a
Web server, so that the customer can download such prefabricated
process control functions over the Internet and use them for a
process control system. These types of operations in the customer's
process control system can also influence how the payment figure is
determined.
An operator action can for example include calling a specific
process image in the process control system or operating a unit in
the technical system by means of the process control system or
requesting error logs, status reports, message lists etc. by means
of the process control system. Operator actions can further include
customer access to the process control system via the Internet,
provided the process control system is capable of being operated
over the Internet. In addition operator actions can also include
executions of control algorithms, that are executed in a
Programmable Logic Control (PLC) of the process control system for
example, to keep the speed of a motor of the technical system
constant during operation for example, even if the operating
conditions, such as the load to be managed by the motor, change.
Advantageously the process control system includes a process control
computer, a client computer and the Internet, and at least a part of
the operations running in the process control system run on the
process control computer.
The process control system can further include one or more field
devices which are advantageously installed in the technical system
and are used for automation of the system components.
In this embodiment of the invention the process control system is
capable of being operated via the Internet, in which case the
process control computer features at least a part of the functions
of the process control system which run as corresponding operations
on the process control computer.
If the process control system includes one or more field devices,
these can also feature a part of the functions of the process
control system which run as the appropriate operations on the field
device or devices.
The client computer can for example be installed at almost any
location with Internet access, for example in a maintenance center,
which under some circumstances is very far from the technical system
to be controlled. The client computer is connected to the Internet
and can operate the process control computer via the Internet and
thereby operate functions of the process control system, especially
those that relate to the operation of the technical system. With the
process control system in accordance with the invention those
operating activities of the process control system for determining
the payment figure can now also be incorporated which is undertaken
by a user over the Internet. It is conceivable for example for the
process control computer to be installed in a server farm of an
Application Service Provider belonging to the latter. The service
provider makes available to the user via the Internet the process
control system functions installed on the process control computer.
The payment figure can now be calculated depending on the operations
running on the process control computer, since the operations are
initiated by a user operating activity over the Internet. In the
case previously mentioned, where the process control computer does
not become the property of the customer, but remains with the
service provider, the customer's investments in his process control
system are particularly small since he must only pay in accordance
with the payment figure for the use of the functions that are
installed on the process control computer.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention the process
control computer includes a Web server and the client computer an
Internet browser, so that the operations running on the process
control computer can be influenced by means of the client computer
over the Internet, in which case the operations also include those
by which further operations can be initiated in further components
of the process control system.
This embodiment of the invention employs globally-available,
universally-applicable Internet technologies to give the process
control system Internet capabilities.
The process control computer has a Web server, which can transfer
over the Internet data processed and/or stored in the process
control computer. The client computer can use the Internet browser
to dial up the Web server of the process control computer over the
Internet and use familiar Internet technologies (for example URL
addressing or TCP/IP transmission protocol) to explicitly call up
data from the process control computer and/or transfer commands to
the latter.
In this embodiment of the invention the process control system
includes further components in which further operations run. These
further components can for example be PLCs installed close to a unit
of the technical system to be controlled and which receive from the
process control computer a command to process a program stored in
the PLC. To this extent operations which run in the process control
computer initiate further operations in one or more further
components of the process control computer, for example the
execution of a program in a PLC, for example by an operator activity
of a user who enters a command in the client computer that is
transferred over the Internet to the process control computer and
which causes the process control computer to initiate the execution
of a program in the PLC.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention the components
include field devices for monitoring and controlling components of a
technical system that are connected by means of radio communications
and/or by means of a fixed link to the process control computer and
the further operations also include such operations as are executed
in the field devices.
Field devices in this embodiment include at least setting and
measuring devices that are installed in a technical system and by
means of which settings can be made to units in the technical system
or measured values of components and/or units of the technical
system can be recorded. In this case the commands to initiate at
last one setting intervention are transmitted by radio from the
process control computer to at least one setting unit and the
measured values recorded by the measurement units are transferred by
radio to the process control computer. If the setting or measurement
units involve devices that are not assigned to any controller, by
which, for example a radio connection can be established by a radio
interface card installed in one of the controllers, at least one
radio device is to be provided to which the setting and/or
measurement devices are to be connected so that the data that arises
can be transmitted by radio.
The field devices also include what are known as "intelligent" field
devices which have at least one microprocessor, so that the further
operations, for example the execution cf a control program, can be
executed in the field devices. The field devices in such cases are
more or less powerful computers in their own right that can normally
easily be made capable, for example by means of a radio interface
card, of communicating over a radio link with the process control
computer. In these cases practically only those int.elli.gent field
devices which transmit setting commands to the setting units and
read in measured values from the measurement units need to be
installed in or near the location of the technical system. The field
devices which perform the further operations are activated by means
of the radio connection to the process control computer. The process
control computer can thus be installed at almost any location with a
radio connection and the client computer can be installed at almost
any location with Internet access. In this way the process control
system is particularly flexible with regard to the installation
sites of the components of the process control system; Practically
the entire functionality of the process control system can be
realized in the process control computer, whereby however a part of
the functionality can also be realized in the field devices and the
client computer need only have an access to the Internet by means of
a (widely-used) Internet browser. The client computer needs to have
practically no specific process control system software and is
therefore particularly cheap.
Furthermore the configuration of the process control system in
accordance with this embodiment offers the advantage that
diagnostics and/or maintenance and/or repair of the process control
system is made possible at least partly over the Internet.
Especially advantageously communication between the components of
the process control system is based on the TCP/IP transmission
protocol.
The most important components of the process control system are in
this case the process control computer, the client computer and the
field devices.
The use of said transmission protocol, which is widely used in the
Internet area, makes the development and/or the use of a specific
transmission protocol and/or the use of a particular medium for
communication, for example a bus system consisting of optical
fibers, superfluous. Furthermore, using said transmission protocol
makes it possible to exploit the known Internet technologies for
data transmission and program execution.
Advantageously the payment figure is a service fee to be paid by the
user of the process control system to an Application Service
Provider.
With this embodiment of the invention a service provider
(Application Service Provider) makes available the functionality of
the process control system, preferably in the process control
computer, and a user, for example a customer wishing to use the
process control system, uses the process control system, in which
case the payment figure determined as a service charge is to be paid
by the user mostly in the form of money to the service provider.
The user essentially pays only for those functions that he actually
uses. He pays only for the time and/or period, at or during which he
uses the functions.
To implement this type of user-dependent, dynamic determination of
the payment figure, a license server application is preferably to be
provided in the process control computer which has access to project
planning data and to current operating data arising and/or stored
archive data of the technical system.
Advantageously the customer can be equipped with a specific software
program which on the one hand allows him to execute particular
functions but on the other hand also obliges him to pay the
corresponding "dynamic" usage-dependent payment figure that arises.
Two exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in more
detail below.
The diagrams show:
Fig. 1 a process control system in accordance with the invention,
and
Fig. 2 a process control system in accordance with the invention
that can be operated over the Internet.
Figure 1 shows a process control system 5 that features a processing
unit 10.
Processing unit 10 determines from the operations 7 executed in the
process control system a payment figure W.
The operations 7 can for example be operations which are executed
after being initiated by an operating activity of process control
system 5. An example of this is the selection of for example a
graphical process image of the technical system into which current
measured values of the technical system and operator boxes for
operating the units of the technical system are incorporated. The
activation of the operator boxes, for example by means of a mouse
click by a user, or a key press on the keyboard to execute a
function, are also included in the operations 7. Furthermore the
operations 7 include control programs running in the process control
system, for example one or more automation functions, that are for
example implemented as a control algorithm. A further example: for
operations 7 are activities undertaken by a user for project
planning of the process control system 5, in which case for example
new control functions are created and/or new control functions are
assembled from prefabricated base functions that advantageously are
kept in a set of basic functions, by for example interfaces of such
basic functions being combined and the basic functions combined in
this way forming a new function.
Figure 2 shows a process control system 5 that includes a process
control computer 15, a client computer 25 and the Internet 20, so
that the process control system 5 can be operated by means of the
Internet 20.

The process control computer includes a Web server 30, by means of
which in particular the data produced in this computer which relates
to the operation of a technical system 50, can be transmitted over
the Internet 20. Operations 7 run in the process control computer
15, such as those already shown in conjunction with Figure 1 for
example.
The process control computer 15 further contains a processor unit 10
which determines a payment figure W from the operations 7 and/or
project planning data 55 and/or operating data 60.
The project planning data 55 includes all data connected with the
establishment of the process control system 5, especially in a
software context. This is for example the type and number of
control, regulation, operating and observation functions realized in
process control system 5. From the project planning data 50 it can
consequently be seen how the software system of the process control
system 5 is constructed. The operating data 60 include at least
current values of operating parameters, measured values and status
parameters which currently predominate in the technical system 50
and which are transferred to the process control computer 15. The
operating data 60 can also include the stored archive data of the
signals previously mentioned, from which a past operating state of
the technical system 50 can be determined.
The client computer 25 includes an Internet browser 35, by means of
which it is possible to dial into the Web-Server 30 of the process
control computer 15 via the Internet 20 so that the process control
computer 15 of the process control system 5 can be operated over the
Internet 20 Communication between the client computer and the
Internet 20 and between the Internet and the process control
computer 15 is preferably based on the TCP/IP-transmission protocol
which is known from Internet technology and is widely used there.
The process control computer 15 is further connected via a radio
link F with further components 40 of the process control system 5.
These further components 40 are for example designed as field
devices with their own microprocessor so that further operations 8,
e.g. execution of a control program or another automation functions
is made possible on the further component 40.
In their turn, the further components 40 control and/or regulate
components 45 of the technical system 50.
The architecture of this embodiment of the invention allows the
process control computer 15 to be operated by means of the client-
computer 25 over the Internet 20 and thereby operations 7 in the
process control computer 15 to be run. Running of operations 7 can
initiate running of further operations 8 in the further components
40 of the process control system, if for example a user uses the
client computer 25 to transfer via the Internet 20 to the process
control computer 15 a control command relating to the technical
system, where as a result operations 7 are executed which by means
of the radio link F cause further operations 8 to be executed in the
further components 40.
In this case the operations 7 can for example be execution of an
identification routine that identifies the control command entered
by the user and, after identification is completed, runs a control
algorithm as a further operation 8 in a further component, for
example in a field device, by means of which a component 45, for
example, a unit of the technical system, a motor or a pump is
regulated.
The payment figure W calculated by the processor unit 10 can for
example be a service and/or license fee that is to be paid by the
user of the process control system 5 to an Application Service
Provider.
We claim:
1. A system (5) for controlling a remote operation and payment function,
characterized by a processor (10) which is able to ascertain a discount
value (W) for operations (7) taking place in the process control system for
creating and/or removing a control function, an operator control action
and an automation function cycle.
2. The process control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the process
control system comprises a process control computer (15), a client
computer (25) and the Internet (20) and at least a part of the operations
(7) running in the process control system (5) runs on the process control
computer (15).
3. The process control system (5) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the system
comprises at least one field device for automation of at least one system
component and at least a part of the operations (7) running in the process
control system (5) runs on the field device.
4. The process control system (5) as claimed in claims 2 or 3, wherein the
process control computer (15) comprises a web server (30) and the client
computer (25) comprises an Internet browser (35) so that the client
computer (25) can influence the operations (7) running in the process
control computer via the Internet (20), wherein the operations (7)
selectively comprise operations by which further operations (8) are
initiated in further components (40) of the process control system (5).
5. The process control system (5) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the further
components (40) comprise field devices for monitoring and control of
components (45) of a technical installation that are connected by means
of radio communication (F) and/or by means of a fixed link to the process
control computer (15) and the further operations (8) also comprise those
operations that are executed in the field device.
6. The process control system (5) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the
communication between the components of the process control system
(5) is based on the TCP/IP transmission protocol (TCP/IP).
A system (5) for controlling a remote operation and payment function,
characterized by a processor (10) which is able to ascertain a discount value
(W) for operations (7) taking place in the process control system for creating
and/or removing a control function, an operator control action and an
automation function cycle.

Documents:

243-KOLNP-2004-(21-11-2012)-FORM-27.pdf

243-KOLNP-2004-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf

243-KOLNP-2004-FORM-27.pdf

243-kolnp-2004-granted-abstract.pdf

243-kolnp-2004-granted-claims.pdf

243-kolnp-2004-granted-correspondence.pdf

243-kolnp-2004-granted-description (complete).pdf

243-kolnp-2004-granted-drawings.pdf

243-kolnp-2004-granted-examination report.pdf

243-kolnp-2004-granted-form 1.pdf

243-kolnp-2004-granted-form 18.pdf

243-kolnp-2004-granted-form 2.pdf

243-kolnp-2004-granted-form 3.pdf

243-kolnp-2004-granted-form 5.pdf

243-kolnp-2004-granted-gpa.pdf

243-kolnp-2004-granted-reply to examination report.pdf

243-kolnp-2004-granted-specification.pdf

243-KOLNP-2004-PA.pdf


Patent Number 222905
Indian Patent Application Number 243/KOLNP/2004
PG Journal Number 35/2008
Publication Date 29-Aug-2008
Grant Date 27-Aug-2008
Date of Filing 20-Feb-2004
Name of Patentee SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Applicant Address WITTELSBACHERPLATZ 2, 80333 MUNCHEN
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 WAGNER, STEFFEN MAX-PLANK-STR. 1, 76297 STUTENSEE
2 FISCHER, DETLEF THURINGER STR. 35, 91325 ADELSDORF
3 GLASER, MARTIN HEBLSTR. 29, 76698 UBSTADT-WEIHER
4 KAISER, OLIVER JOHANN-STRASSE-STR. 6, 76744 WORTH
5 SAUER, HANS-JURGEN SCHLESIERSTR. 18, 91074 HERZOGENAURAACH
6 SCHOCH, THOMAS PANORAMAWEG 7, 76275 ETTLINGEN
7 SPEH, RAINER BRUHLSTR. 14, 64331 WEITERSTADT
8 UNKELBACH, MICHAEL GRAFENBERGER STR. 49 A 91054 BUCKENHOF
9 WALZ, HORST DENNACHER STR. 14, 75334 STRAUBENHARDT
PCT International Classification Number G05B 19/418
PCT International Application Number PCT/EP02/08352
PCT International Filing date 2002-07-26
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 01119041.0 2001-08-07 EUROPEAN UNION