US 12,093,009 B2
Onboarding distributed control node using secondary channel
Patrick Clay, Frisco, TX (US); Vien Nguyen, Frisco, TX (US); David Emerson, Coppell, TX (US); Hidenori Sawahara, Spring, TX (US); Andrew Keller, Lewisville, TX (US); and Joseph Malm, Plano, TX (US)
Assigned to YOKOGAWA ELECTRIC CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Yokogawa Electric Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Mar. 24, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/211,445.
Prior Publication US 2022/0308542 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G05B 19/042 (2006.01); H04W 4/80 (2018.01); H04W 76/10 (2018.01)
CPC G05B 19/0423 (2013.01) [G05B 2219/25174 (2013.01); G05B 2219/25186 (2013.01); H04W 4/80 (2018.02); H04W 76/10 (2018.02)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for provisioning a first distributed control node (DCN) for operation as part of a process automation system, the method implemented using one or more processors and comprising:
establishing a temporary out-of-band communication channel between the first DCN and a second DCN, wherein the temporary out-of-band communication channel is distinct from a process automation network through which the first DCN is to be communicatively coupled with other process automation nodes of the process automation system;
transmitting provisioning data from the second DCN to the first DCN over the temporary out-of-band communication channel, wherein the provisioning data includes:
information technology (IT) configuration data that is usable by the first DCN to join the process automation network, and
operational technology (OT) configuration data that is usable by the first DCN to cooperate with one or more of the other process automation nodes of the process automation system to implement an at least partially automated process; and
subsequent to the transmitting, closing the temporary out-of-band communication channel, wherein the transmitting includes cloning one or both of the IT and OT configuration data from the second DCN to the first DCN, and
in response to the cloning, transitioning the second DCN into a disabled state in which the second DCN is prevented from cloning IT or OT configuration data to any additional DCNs.