SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC SYSTEMS USA, INC.

Event-based execution of proportional integral derivative (PID) control function blocks. An event delay generator associated with the PID control function block receives an output event from the PID control function block and generates an event request in response to receiving the output event. The event delay generator provides the event request to the PID control function block and the PID control function block is configured to execute a PID control loop feedback process in response to event request. The PID control function block drives a process value toward a setpoint using an adaptive threshold that is a function of a moving average of the error between the two values.

An Ethernet Advanced Physical Layer (Ethernet-APL) bridge system between an edge field device and an industrial network. The bridge system includes at least one Ethernet-APL switch and a plurality of redundant physical Ethernet-APL 10BaseT1L ports coupled to the at least one switch providing improved load distribution and high availability.

A method of tinting liquids in an industrial mixing system. A color measurement unit receives a liquid batch sample and measures the sample to generate a color measurement value. A color digitization processor receives the color measurement value and executes an artificial intelligence (AI) tinting prediction engine. The AI tinting prediction engine stores the color measurement value in a database, which contains a plurality of historical batch sample color information, a plurality of target standard sample color measurement values, and a plurality of colorant information. The AI tinting prediction engine then defines delta errors between the color measurement value and a target standard sample measurement value. The AI tinting prediction engine then generates predicted colorants and colorant masses based on the delta errors and information stored within the database. The predicted colorants are then transmitted to the mixing system and mixed into the liquid batch.

A smart controller continuously monitors data for determining in real time if there is a likelihood that an asset will be shut down and, if so, recommends a new setpoint at which the asset will continue to operate but will not lead to tripping of the system. The smart controller executes a simulation engine to test the new setpoint before implementation to optimize performance while avoiding a shutdown. In this manner, the smart controller provides early warning of possible shutdowns and ensures that key assets are less likely to be shut down.

A viscometer for measuring viscosity of a fluid uses one or more ultrasound transducers to conduct an ultrasound-based time-of-flight measurement process in which an ultrasound pulse is transmitted into the fluid at a first time and received by a transducer at a second time. A viscometer has at least one transducer receptacle configured for being immersed in the fluid. The at least one transducer receptacle receives one or more ultrasound transducers and fluidly isolates the transducer(s) from the fluid. The viscometer enclosure is shaped and arranged so that, when the ultrasound-based time-of-flight measurement process is conducted, the ultrasound pulse travels a predefined distance through the fluid from where the ultrasound pulse is transmitted to where the ultrasound pulse is received, whereby a time of flight of the ultrasound pulse from when the ultrasound pulse is transmitted to when the ultrasound pulse is received indicates the viscosity of the fluid.

Methods of heating a reactor system by providing electrical energy are described. A reactor system comprising at least one reactor tube having a catalyst disposed therein and comprises at least one electrically conductive surface is heated by providing electrical energy to the at least one electrically conductive surface on the reactor tube and adjusting the frequency of the electrical energy provided to the at least one electrically conductive surface to control the temperature of the reactor tube and the catalyst disposed therein. The reactor tube may be electrically isolated from other electrically conductive components of the reactor system.

A method and system of performing behavior based access control in an industrial automation system. A first device requests access to a second device within the industrial automation system. The second device requests a certificate from the first device. The first device transmits a certificate, which contains a device risk level. A risk assessment engine determines the device risk score by evaluating device security information. After validating the certificate, by a certificate authority processor, the device risk level is compared to a predetermined risk threshold. In response to the device risk level exceeding the risk threshold, a multi-factor authentication request is transmitted to the first device. Upon completion of the multi-factor authentication, the first device is granted access and connects to the second device. In response to the device risk level falling below the predetermined threshold, the first device is granted access and a connection opens.

A multi-factor authentication method and system enabling secure access to an industrial asset. A higher level of authentication to access a selected privileged operation of the industrial asset requires verification of two or more multi-factor access credentials.

A method implemented by a computer system is provided. The method includes providing a platform that provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for controlling execution of one or more industrial software programs, detecting user input device (UID) usage data that indicates usage of how a user uses a UID when controlling execution of a software program of the one or more software programs via the GU, detecting user frustration based on the UID usage data, and providing a prompt to the user using the UID when controlling execution of the software program, wherein the prompt offers help to the user in response to the detection of user frustration.

A high availability controller for combining and unifying aspects of a process controller and an electrical controller. A unified namespace combines a process domain namespace and a power domain namespace in a common database of the controller without altering either. The unified namespace maps source device names of the power domain and unique process control names of the process domain. A common record set of sequence of events (SOEs) for the process domain and the power domain is generated and SOEs arising from the power domain are incorporated into the common record set. The controller performs process control and monitoring along with electrical control signaling and monitoring within a single control strategy directly from the controller.