Method for controlling data acquisition for a plurality of field devices

摘要

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.

主权项

1. A method for communication and configuration of online field devices comprising:
a. connecting an enterprise server to a network, the enterprise server comprising a processor in communication with the network and a data storage in communication with the processor; b. connecting a client device to the network, the client device having a client device processor in communication with a client device data storage; c. connecting a plurality of field devices to the network, each of the plurality of field devices having a communication protocol; d. receiving and storing a request for a license from the client device, wherein the request for the license identifies at least one field device of the plurality of field devices and the request comprises:
(i) an install ID;(ii) a HOSTNAME;(iii) a MAC; and(iv) a volume ID; e. generating the license for each of the plurality of field devices in the request for the license and storing the license in the data storage, the license including:
(i) an install value for the install ID;(ii) a hostname value for the HOSTNAME;(iii) a mac value for the MAC;(iv) a volume ID value for the volume ID;(v) a device count value;(vi) an indication of type of data from each of the plurality of field devices; and(vii) an indication of type of value for each of the plurality of field devices; f. generating a symmetric encryption key and storing the symmetric encryption key in the data storage; g. generating an object in the enterprise server for each of the plurality of field devices and storing the object in the data storage, the object comprising:
(i) a communication protocol of each of the plurality of field devices;(ii) an object name;(iii) a primary communication path;(iv) a schedule configuration for scheduling communication with each of the plurality of field devices; and(v) a communication status indicator; h. initiating communication with each of the plurality of field devices simultaneously through the object; i. identifying if communication between the enterprise server and each of the plurality of field devices succeeds or fails and then transmitting the success or the failure of communication to the client device and optionally switching connection from the primary communication path to a secondary communication path between the object and each of the plurality of field devices depending on a success or a failure of the communication; and j. providing licensing and de-licensing of each of the plurality of field devices while configuring and reconfiguring each of the plurality of field devices online as status and measurement data from each licensed field device is collected using the communication protocol of each of the plurality of field devices independently and without stopping operational functions of the enterprise server supporting the object while simultaneously providing types of data and types of values of data between each of the plurality of field devices and the enterprise server to the client device.