Daniel Joseph Christensen

US Patent:

6618745, Sep 9, 2003

Filed:

Sep 10, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/393474

Inventors:

Daniel D. Christensen - Austin TX
Steven L. Dienstbier - Round Rock TX

Assignee:

Fisher Rosemount Systems, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G06F 1516

US Classification:

709201, 709200, 709223, 709224, 709238, 702182, 702183, 702188

Abstract:

A system and method for interfacing a plurality of field devices which are communicatively coupled on a communication network via a standard communication protocol with a process control system uses a linking device to seamlessly integrate communications between the field devices and a controller within the process control system. The system and method uses the linking device to emulate the communication characteristics of the field devices to link information in field devices with information in a controller of the control system, thereby allowing control loops to include combinations of function blocks from both the field devices and the controller. The linking device uses a link active schedule to monitor substantially all communications on the communication network connecting the field devices and selectively processes and analyzes the monitored communications. The information processed by the linking device, which may include function block information, is automatically routed from a field device to the controller or from the controller to a field device. Other information, such as field device identification information and/or communications diagnostic information, may be collected by the linking device and sent to a user.

US Patent:

6711629, Mar 23, 2004

Filed:

Oct 18, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/420356

Inventors:

Daniel D. Christensen - Austin TX
Steven L. Dienstbier - Round Rock TX

Assignee:

Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G06F 300

US Classification:

710 8, 710 10, 710 11, 709225, 709227, 709228

Abstract:

A system and method configures a communication link in a process control system having a controller connected to an I/O device via a remote I/O communication link, which has a local and a remote I/O interface communicatively coupled via a remote I/O communication bus. The system and method specifies a remote connection between the controller and the I/O device, recognizes that the remote connection requires communications over the remote I/O communication link, and automatically generates communication objects to route communications between the controller and the I/O device via the remote I/O communication link.

US Patent:

6912671, Jun 28, 2005

Filed:

May 7, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/850300

Inventors:

Daniel D Christensen - Austin TX, US
Steven D. Bonwell - Austin TX, US
Michael L. Marshall - Georgetown TX, US

Assignee:

Bisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc - Austin TX

International Classification:

G06F011/00
G01R031/28

US Classification:

714 25, 714721

Abstract:

A wiring fault detection, diagnostic and reporting technique enables linking devices within a process control system to measure the electrical characteristics of a segment protocol bus and the electrical characteristics of the signals transmitted via the protocol bus. The technique connects a signal line of a segment protocol bus to one of a plurality of measurement blocks within a wiring fault detection unit. The one of the plurality of measurement blocks measures an electrical characteristic associated with the segment protocol bus and sends the measured electrical characteristic to a wiring fault diagnostic manager. The wiring fault diagnostic manager analyzes the measured electrical characteristic to determine a type of the wiring fault and reports the type of the wiring fault via a user interface.

US Patent:

6915364, Jul 5, 2005

Filed:

Jul 2, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/345809

Inventors:

Daniel D. Christensen - Austin TX, US
Kenneth D. Krivoshein - Elgin TX, US
Larry O. Jundt - Round Rock TX, US

Assignee:

Fisher Rosemount Systems, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G06F013/00
G06F019/00
G06F011/00

US Classification:

710104, 700 21, 700100, 714 7, 702188

Abstract:

A system and method for managing delivery of a link active schedule has a master link active scheduler and a backup link active scheduler communicatively coupled together via a databus. The system and method stores a link active schedule in a master link active scheduler and automatically transmits the most current link active schedule from the master link active scheduler over the databus to the backup link active scheduler upon receipt of the link active schedule in the master link active scheduler.

US Patent:

7181550, Feb 20, 2007

Filed:

Nov 10, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/272363

Inventors:

Rusty Shepard - Austin TX, US
Kenneth D. Krivoshein - Elgin TX, US
Daniel Dean Christensen - Austin TX, US
Gary K. Law - Georgetown TX, US
Kent A. Burr - Round Rock TX, US
Mark J. Nixon - Round Rock TX, US

Assignee:

Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G06F 3/00
G06F 13/00

US Classification:

710 8, 710 62, 710 72, 710104, 713100

Abstract:

A versatile controller that can be used as either a stand-alone controller in a relatively small process plant or as one of numerous controllers in a distributed process control system depending on the needs of the process plant includes a processor adapted to be programmed to execute one or more programming routines and a memory, such as a non-volatile memory, coupled to the processor and adapted to store the one or more programming routines to be executed on the processor. The versatile controller also includes a plurality of field device input/output ports communicatively connected to the processor, a configuration communication port connected to the processor and to the memory to enable the controller to be configured with the programming routines and a second communication port which enables a user interface to be intermittently connected to the controller to view information stored within the controller memory. When used in a distributed process control system, the controller platform may be used as a remote input/output device and the ports of this remote input/output device may be logically mapped to controllers within the distributed process control system in a manner that is different than the physical connection between such controllers and the remote input/output device.

US Patent:

8005553, Aug 23, 2011

Filed:

Dec 31, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/968087

Inventors:

Alper T. Enver - Austin TX, US
Kenneth D. Krivoshein - Austin TX, US
Daniel D. Christensen - Austin TX, US
Ram Ramachandran - Austin TX, US
John M. Lucas - Leicester, GB
Ebtesam S. Tanyous - Cedar Park TX, US

Assignee:

Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc. - Austin TX

International Classification:

G05B 11/01

US Classification:

700 19, 700 20

Abstract:

A method or apparatus automatically configures a control module for synchronous execution on a Fieldbus segment of a process control network by determining if all of the critical function blocks of a particular control module can be assigned to FOUNDATION Fieldbus field devices or to the I/O device associated with a particular Fieldbus segment. If so, the method or apparatus automatically assigns the function blocks of the control module, which would otherwise be scheduled to execute in a controller, to the I/O device for the Fieldbus segment. This technique enables all of the critical or necessary function blocks within the control module to execute in one macrocycle of the Fieldbus segment, thereby executing synchronously on a Fieldbus segment. This operation, in turn, increases the overall execution rate of the control module with respect to control modules that have function blocks split between a controller and field devices on a Fieldbus segment, which has been the traditional manner of configuring control modules implemented using devices on a Fieldbus segment.

US Patent:

20200326801, Oct 15, 2020

Filed:

May 20, 2020

Appl. No.:

16/879244

Inventors:

- Round Rock TX, US
Ken J. Beoughter - Round Rock TX, US
Daniel D. Christensen - Austin TX, US

International Classification:

G06F 3/048
H04W 4/02
H04L 29/08
G05B 11/01
G05B 15/02
G05B 13/02
H04L 29/06
G06F 3/0481
G06F 3/0484

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus for operating a process plant include multiple user interface devices operable to determine the location of the device in the process plant and to display data related to proximate devices. A processor in a mobile user interface device transmits a first request for data and receives the requested data in response to the request. The processor causes a display to display the received data. The processor receives an indication that the mobile user interface device is in proximity to an external device the processors transmits a second request for data according to the received indication. The processor then receives data in response to the second request.

US Patent:

20170199843, Jul 13, 2017

Filed:

Mar 27, 2017

Appl. No.:

15/470585

Inventors:

- Round Rock TX, US
Terrence L. Blevins - Round Rock TX, US
Daniel D. Christensen - Austin TX, US
Paul Richard Muston - Leicester, GB
Ken J. Beoughter - Round Rock TX, US

International Classification:

G06F 15/173
G05B 13/02
G06F 9/54
G05B 19/418

Abstract:

A device supporting big data in a process plant includes an interface to a communications network, a cache configured to store data observed by the device, and a multi-processing element processor to cause the data to be cached and transmitted (e.g., streamed) for historization at a unitary, logical centralized data storage area. The data storage area stores multiple types of process control or plant data using a common format. The device time-stamps the cached data, and, in some cases, all data that is generated or created by or received at the device may be cached and/or streamed. The device may be a field device, a controller, an input/output device, a network management device, a user interface device, or a historian device, and the device may be a node of a network supporting big data in the process plant. Multiple devices in the network may support layered or leveled caching of data.