Glossary

AMS

Alarm Management System

AppA/AppE/AppH

Wonderware System Platform terms: Alarm Application Engine / Engineering Application Engine / History Application Engine

API

Application Programming Interface

aqPKG

File extension for a file exported from the ArchestrA® IDE that may contain control logic, graphics, or other templates.

AW/WSTA

Application Workstation / Workstation

Backtrack

A snapshot of the simulator process model, Foxboro controls, historian, and alarms. By default, this occurs automatically, every 60 seconds, while the simulation is running.

BPC

Basic Processing Cycle

CAD

Current Alarm Display

Checkpoint file

The control database that resides on the host workstation, which is downloaded to the FCP270 / FCP280 / ZCP270 / FDC280

Configurator

Consists of the ICC / IACC / Foxboro Evo

Control Block

Data structures in the operating system kernel containing information need to manage a particular process. Examples include AI, PLB, and CALCA. See Page for a list of supported Foxboro Evo control blocks and their definitions.

Control Database

The I/A Series control system database processed by the control software. This database consists of compounds and blocks, and is configured using the I/A Series control system database configurator, such as the ICC, IACC, or FCS

CP

The "Control Processor" performs any mix of integrated first-level automation functions such as continuous, sequential, or discreet logic functions.

CP Database

The "Control Processor Database" is a working copy of the Configurator database containing the current state of the controls (i.e., a block in automatic, actuator demand, motor status)

CP Host

The AW/WSTA configured with Foxboro System Definition software that hosts the CP configuration. This computer differs from the machine running the SCP software.

CSA

"Compound Summary Access" is a search utility, and the "doorway" to the Configurator that runs on the Foxboro system, which guarantees compound name uniqueness throughout the system. CSA updates with block names for each configured compound. The CSA utility displays the list of active compounds and returns the associated letterbug to the Configurator.

DCI

Distributed Control Interface

DSS

Dynamic Simulation Suite (Infrastructure for the simulator)

ECB

Equipment Control Block

Elapsed Simulation Time

See Simulation Time, Elapsed

FAIM

Simulation of Foxboro AIM* HistorianTM

FBM

Fieldbus Module

FCP

Field Control Processor

FCS

Foxboro Control Software, superseded by Foxboro Evo

FDSI

Field Device System Integrator Module

FECN

Foxboro Evo Control Network (formerly known as MESH network). The network between every machine with Foxboro Evo software installed.

FT

Fault Tolerant Controller Type. SCP does not support the fault tolerant controller type (consisting of a primary and a backup controller and switching between the two during a fault condition).

GUI

Graphical User Interface

HB thread

Heart Beat thread

HMI

Human Machine Interface

I/A Series

Intelligent Automation Series

IACC

I/A Series Configuration Component

IC

The "Initial Condition" is a snapshot of the simulator process model, Foxboro controls, historian, and alarms. Click the "IC Save" button in the DYNSIM Graphical User Interface to save an IC.

ICC

Integrated Control Configurator

ICC Database

Static Database

ICC Driver Task

A set of useful scripts to generate reports, load/save controls, or modify controls in the ICC using API calls. Uses a library to interpret commands from a user-specified input file.

IDE

(ArchestrA) Integrated Development Environment

I/O

Input / Output represents the physical communication to and from the Control System and plant thermocouples, pressure transmitters, actuators, etc. that control plant operation.

IIF.prm

A configuration file located on each Foxboro installed computer that is read by the SCP application to determine the CP letterbug names.

Letterbug

A user-defined, alphanumeric string that identifies a station in a Foxboro Evo control system

LoadAll

An ICC Driver (iccdrvr) task command used to load controls to the ICC via an API call.

LR

Local/Remote

MA

Manual / Auto

MESH

The network between every I/A Series/Control Core Services software installed machine. Now called the Foxboro Evo Control Network (FECN).

NIC

Network Interface Card. These come in fiber or ethernet (copper) for physical machines.

OM

The "Object Manager" is a proprietary, Foxboro OS extension that supports data access to I/A Series/Control Core Services objects

OS

Operating System

OTS

Operator Training Simulator

PAS

Process Automation System

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Connection

The control block mechanism that uses OM lists to refresh its block inputs with data from a remote station. That data connects CIO, OM, or AO objects. For most control strategies, peer-to-peer connections exist between CIO objects. The "sink" block requests data from the "source" block. A block connection is normally local to another block that exists in the same CP. However, the full path name defined for a block parameter can connect to a CIO object that is in another CP. This remote type of connection is referred to as a peer-to-peer block connection.

RTP

Real-Time Point

Save All

ICC Driver Task (iccdrvr) command used to save controls from the ICC via an API call

SCP

Simulated Control Processor

Simulation Executive

The SimExec controls time, synchronizes engines, and sends data between engines in a simulator

Skewed Simulation Time

See Simulation Time, Skewed

Simulation Time, Elapsed

This is the amount of time the simulation has run since the simulation was started or since a snapshot was restored. The DYNSIM GUI displays the elapsed simulation time and the DYNSIM Snapshot Summary table stores the elapsed simulation time with each IC.

Running faster than real time (simulation speed > 100%) will result in the elapsed simulation time being greater than elapsed wall clock time.

Running slower than real time (simulation speed < 100%) will result in the elapsed simulation time being less than elapsed wall clock time.

Simulation Time, Skewed

The skewed simulation time differs from computer system time when the simulation is run either faster or slower than real time. In order to preserve the proper slope on a trend when running faster or slower than real time, the time must progress faster or slower than normal and thus is skewed.

This can create a situation in which the time displayed on a trend or alarm is "in the future" or "in the past" with respect to the computer system time.

Simulation Time Control

The ability to freeze or run the simulation and to save and restore snapshots to jump the simulation to a different condition.

SOE

Sequence of Events

Station (Control Station)

The ‘virtual’ controller which runs as one or two CP modules. For example, the station may exist on both fault-tolerant modules, but the station itself is considered a single entity.

The Configurator sends blocks and compounds, together with their configurable parameter values, to the memory in the control station.

Snapshot

An Initial Condition or Backtrack that contains a picture of the state of a simulation engine at a specific point in time.

Strategy

A term specific to Foxboro Evo that describes one or more interconnected I/A Series/Control Core Services blocks and I/O variables that enable the connection of the strategy to other elements. It can include other strategies connected to blocks or other embedded strategies via their I//O variables.

SysDef

System Definition

TSAA

Triconex System Access Application

XREF

Cross Reference (List)

ZCP

Z-Module control processor