Embedded Device Identification in Process Control Devices
A process control device for use in an industrial process control or automation system of an industrial process plant includes a sensor configured to measure a parameter of a process in the industrial process plant and to output to a controller in the industrial process plant the parameter measured. The process control device also or alternatively includes a control element configured to perform an action in the industrial process plant according to an input received from the controller in the industrial process plant. The process control device also includes an embedded device identifier, unique to the process control field device and associated with one or more of an owner of the process control field device, a plant location of the process control field device, a country or geographical or geopolitical region, and a device tag.
1 . A process control device for use in an industrial process control or automation system of an industrial process plant, the process control field device comprising:
(i) a sensor configured to measure a parameter of a process in the industrial process plant and to output to a controller in the industrial process plant the parameter measured, and/or (ii) a control element configured to perform an action in the industrial process plant according to an input received from the controller in the industrial process plant; and
an embedded device identifier, unique to the process control field device and associated with one or more of: an owner of the process control field device, a plant location of the process control field device, a country or geographical or geopolitical region, and a device tag.
2 . A process control device according to claim 1 , wherein the embedded device identifier is associated with an owner of the process control field device.
3 . A process control device according to claim 1 , wherein the embedded device identifier is associated with a specific process plant.
4 . A process control device according to claim 1 , wherein the embedded device identifier is associated with a country, geographical region, or geopolitical region in which the process control device is authorized to operate.
5 . A process control device according to claim 1 , wherein the embedded device identifier is associated with a device configuration corresponding to the process control device.
6 . A process control device according to claim 1 , wherein the process control device is communicatively connected to the industrial process control or automation system, and wherein the industrial process control or automation system comprises a compute fabric executing a plurality of microservices cooperating to control the industrial process control or automation system.
7 . A process control device according to claim 1 , wherein the process control device is communicatively connected to the industrial process control or automation system, and wherein the industrial process control or automation system comprises:
a compute fabric executing a first plurality of microservices cooperating to control the industrial process control or automation system; and
a second plurality of microservices cooperating to control one or more other industrial process control and/or automation systems.
8 . A process control device according to claim 1 , wherein the process control device is configured to, upon connection to a compute fabric, communicate the embedded device identifier to a microservice of the compute fabric.
9 . An industrial process control or automation system comprising:
a plurality of process control elements, each comprising an embedded device identifier, unique to the process control element;
a discovery service executing as a microservice on a compute fabric, the discovery service operable to discover each of the embedded device identifiers and to cross-reference each embedded device identifier with information about the respective process control element.
10 . An industrial process control or automation system according to claim 9 , further comprising an access control service executing as a microservice on the compute fabric and configured to enable or disable each of the plurality of process control elements, according to the information, received from discovery service, about the respective process control element.
11 . An industrial process control or automation system according to claim 10 , wherein the access control service enables or disables each process control element according to (i) the information, received from the discovery service, about the respective process control element and (ii) the process control or automation system in which the process element is operating.
12 . An industrial process control or automation system according to claim 11 , further comprising an access control service executing as a microservice on the compute fabric and configured to enable or disable an ability of each of the plurality of process control element to operate on the compute fabric, according to the information, received from discovery service, about the respective process control element.
13 . An industrial process control or automation system according to claim A+1 or claim A+2, wherein the access control service enables or disables each process control element according to (i) the information, received from the discovery service, about the respective process control element and (ii) the process control or automation system in which the process element is operating.
14 . An industrial process control or automation system according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of process control elements comprises a plurality process control field devices.
15 . An industrial process control or automation system according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of process control elements comprises a plurality process control microservices executing on the compute fabric.
16 . A method in an industrial process control or automation system, the method comprising:
receiving, at a first microservice executing in a compute fabric, from a process control element in the industrial process control or automation system, data indicative of a unique embedded device identifier corresponding to the process control element;
looking up in a data structure, by the first microservice, the unique embedded device identifier to determine information about the process control element;
determining, by the first microservice, from the information about the process control element, whether the process control element is authorized to operate in the process control or automation system.
17 . A method according to claim 16 , wherein the process control element is a process control field device.
18 . A method according to claim 16 , wherein the process control element is a second microservice executing in the compute fabric.
19 . A method according to claim 16 , wherein the information about the process control element comprises one or more of: an owner of the process control element, a specified process plant associated with the process control element, a country or geographical or geopolitical region in which the process control element is authorized to operate, and a device tag.
20 . A method according to claim 19 , wherein determining, from the information about the process control element, whether the process control element is authorized to operate in the process control or automation system comprises comparing the information about the process control element to information about the industrial process control or automation system, the information about the industrial process control or automation system comprising one or more of: an owner of the industrial process control or automation system, a location of the process control or automation system, and a plant identifier identifying the process control or automation system.