| CPC G05B 19/41885 (2013.01) [G05B 19/4183 (2013.01); G05B 19/4185 (2013.01); G05B 19/41835 (2013.01); G05B 19/41845 (2013.01); G05B 19/41865 (2013.01); G06F 9/3017 (2013.01); G06F 13/4022 (2013.01); H04L 67/12 (2013.01); G05B 17/00 (2013.01); G05B 2219/13125 (2013.01); G05B 2219/13185 (2013.01); G05B 2219/2214 (2013.01); G05B 2219/31231 (2013.01); G05B 2219/32301 (2013.01); G05B 2219/32343 (2013.01); G05B 2219/32355 (2013.01); G05B 2219/32359 (2013.01); G05B 2219/32407 (2013.01); G05B 2219/40311 (2013.01)] | 21 Claims |
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1. A method of controlling a node of a process control system of an industrial process plant, the method comprising:
communicatively connecting a field device and a first virtual run-time node via an I/O switch disposed between the field device and the first virtual run-time node,
the field device disposed in a physical environment of the industrial process plant and performing a physical function,
the I/O switch being a subscriber to first data that is generated by the field device and that has been published, and the I/O switch being a publisher of second data indicative of the first data generated by the field device, and
the first virtual run-time node disposed in a virtual environment of the industrial process plant, and the first virtual run-time node being a subscriber to the second data corresponding to the field device and published by the I/O switch;
during run-time operations of the industrial process plant:
obtaining, by the I/O switch, the first data generated by the field device; and
publishing, by the I/O switch, the second data corresponding to the field device and subscribed to by the first virtual run-time node so that the first virtual run-time node operates, by utilizing a respective component behavior module of the first virtual run-time node, on the second data to generate a control signal based on the second data and to cause an indication of the control signal to be transmitted to a recipient node of the process control system, thereby modifying a behavior of the recipient node;
communicatively connecting the I/O switch and a simulated node, the simulated node disposed in the virtual environment of the industrial process plant and including a respective component behavior module utilized to simulate at least a portion of one or more physical devices or components that are deployable in the physical environment of the industrial process plant, the one or more physical devices or components including at least one of:
a process controller; a safety controller; a safety logic solver; an I/O node, card, or device; a wireless device; a Ethernet device; an operator workstation; a user interface device; a tool; a gateway; an electronic marshalling cabinet; a network connection; a MAC address; another type of physical device or component disposed within the physical environment of the industrial process plant; or
a portion of a particular physical device or component disposed within the physical environment of the industrial process plant, the portion of the particular physical device or component including at least one of: a module, a routine, a function or behavior, a MAC address, or a hardware sub-component of the particular physical device or component; and
executing a simulation run by utilizing the simulated node, the simulated node executing the respective component behavior module of the simulated node to generate third data and communicating, via the I/O switch, an indication of the third data to at least one of: a physical node disposed in the physical environment of the industrial process plant, the first virtual run-time node, a second virtual run-time node, or another simulated node operating during the run-time operations of the industrial process plant,
wherein subsequent to executing the simulation run, the simulated node is activated as a third virtual run-time node of the process control system, the first, second, and third virtual run-time nodes being different virtual run-time nodes.
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