Methods and apparatus to display information via a process control device

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to display information via a process control device are disclosed herein. An example method includes acquiring first information via a first sensor of a first output device. The first information is related to an industrial process. The example method also includes communicating the first information from the first output device to a controller and receiving second information in the first output device from the controller. The second information is based on the first information. The example method also includes displaying the second information via a display of the first output device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An output device, comprising:
 a first sensor to acquire first information related to an industrial process at a first location in a process control environment;   a processor to communicate the first information to a controller and to receive second information from the controller, the second information generated at a separate device external to the output device at a second location in the process control environment different than the first location; and   a display to display the first information and the second information to enable monitoring of the industrial process at the first location.   
     
     
         2 . The output device of  claim 1 , wherein the output device is a first output device and the separate device is a second output device, the second output device providing the second information to the controller for communication to the first output device. 
     
     
         3 . The output device of  claim 2 , wherein the display is to display tags indicating the first information is associated with the first output device and the second information is associated with the second output device. 
     
     
         4 . The output device of  claim 1 , wherein the separate device is a portable field device. 
     
     
         5 . The output device of  claim 1 , wherein the separate device is the controller. 
     
     
         6 . The output device of  claim 5 , wherein the second information is calculated by the controller based on the first information. 
     
     
         7 . The output device of  claim 5 , wherein the second information is calculated by the controller based on third information received from a different output device in a third location in the process control environment. 
     
     
         8 . The output device of  claim 1 , wherein the display is to display the first information alongside the second information. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 acquiring, via a sensor of an output device, first information related to an industrial process at a first location in a process control environment;   communicating, via a processor of the output device, the first information to a controller;   receiving, via the processor, second information from the controller, the second information generated at a separate device external to the output device at a second location in the process control environment different than the first location; and   displaying the first information and the second information via a display of the output device to enable monitoring of the industrial process at the first location.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the output device is a first output device and the separate device is a second output device, the second output device providing the second information to the controller for communication to the first output device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further including displaying tags indicating the first information is associated with the first output device and the second information is associated with the second output device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the separate device is the controller. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the second information is calculated by the controller based on the first information. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the second information is calculated by the controller based on third information received from a different output device in a third location in the process control environment. 
     
     
         15 . A tangible computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause an output device to at least:
 communicate first information to a controller, the first information acquired via a sensor of the output device, the first information related to the industrial process at the first location in the process control environment;   receive second information from the controller, the second information generated at a separate device external to the output device at a second location in the process control environment different than the first location; and   display the first information and the second information to enable monitoring of the industrial process at the first location.   
     
     
         16 . The tangible computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the output device is a first output device and the separate device is a second output device, the second output device providing the second information to the controller for communication to the first output device. 
     
     
         17 . The tangible computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the separate device is the controller. 
     
     
         18 . The tangible computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the second information is tangible computer readable medium by the controller based on the first information. 
     
     
         19 . The tangible computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the second information is calculated by the controller based on third information received from a different output device in a third location in the process control environment. 
     
     
         20 . The tangible computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the instructions further cause the output device to display tags indicating the first information is associated with the output device and the second information is associated with the different output device.