Importance

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Abstract

A method is disclosed for altering in the field the operating instructions used by an industrial process transmitter to collect, manipulate and transmit output signals representing the state of an industrial process. The method is used with an industrial process transmitter that includes at least one alterable storage device that has a first set of operating instructions stored therein. A controller device is connected to the alterable storage device and a configuration device is connectable to the industrial process transmitter via a communication link. The method includes entering a user-defined second set of operating instructions in the configurations device and then translating the second set of operating instructions into a format readable by the controller device. A communications link between the configuration and controller device is next established. On establishment of the communications link, the second set of operating instructions is transferred from the configuration device to the industrial process transmitter where they are stored in the alterable storage device, replacing the first set of operating instructions. The controller device then uses the second set of operating instructions to collect, manipulate and transmit output signals representing the state of the industrial process. Alternatively, the method can be used to alter in the field functional process routines or instructions that are used in the calculation of a derived output signal from the collected process signals. The functional process routines that are programmed into the alterable storage device can either replace previously-stored routines or add new functional routines to a previously-stored set.

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First Claim