| abstract |
System/method of integrating external (unsecure) data obtained preferably obtained from enterprise data sources 12, 14, 16 into a process control system controlling a process plant 18 such as chemical, petroleum or other batch, continuous processes, the plant including a process controller 76 coupled to control a plurality of field devices 80, 82, 84, 86, 88, the method comprises: Performing during run time of at least a portion of the process plant, a process control function that uses, via a network 20, a data item from an external data source outside a firewall of the process control system; Updating a current value and a current status of the said data item in a memory of an external data object communicatively coupled to the process control entity; Performing the process control function based on the current status and using the current value of the external data item. The external data source may be information relating to stock market data or data from an OPC server for a particular device. |