Detecting and locating process control communication line faults from a handheld maintenance tool
First Claim
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1. A method of detecting a fault in a process control communication network of a process control system of a process plant, comprising:
- providing, from a handheld device, a power signal on a communication line that is included in the process control communication network and to which at least one of a process controller or a field device of the process control system is connected, the at least one of the process controller or the field device installed in the process plant, and the process controller and the field device, when fully operational and communicatively coupled via the communication line, operate to control a process within the process plant;
measuring, at the handheld device, at least one of voltage or current on the communication line in response to the power signal on the communication line;
analyzing, at a computer processor within the handheld device, the measured at least one of the voltage or the current to determine a high impedance fault in the communication line, including determining that the measured current on the communication line is less than a current draw expected for a particular number of devices on the communication line; and
indicating the existence of a detected high impedance fault to a user via a user display on the handheld device.
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Abstract
A handheld maintenance tool operates to detect the existence of a fault in a communication line or bus, including detecting short circuit or other low impedance faults, open circuit or other high impedance faults, etc. Additionally, the handheld maintenance tool may operate to detect an approximate location of a fault within the communication line with respect to the handheld device, to thereby enable an operator or maintenance person to more easily find and repair a detected fault.
85 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of detecting a fault in a process control communication network of a process control system of a process plant, comprising:
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providing, from a handheld device, a power signal on a communication line that is included in the process control communication network and to which at least one of a process controller or a field device of the process control system is connected, the at least one of the process controller or the field device installed in the process plant, and the process controller and the field device, when fully operational and communicatively coupled via the communication line, operate to control a process within the process plant; measuring, at the handheld device, at least one of voltage or current on the communication line in response to the power signal on the communication line; analyzing, at a computer processor within the handheld device, the measured at least one of the voltage or the current to determine a high impedance fault in the communication line, including determining that the measured current on the communication line is less than a current draw expected for a particular number of devices on the communication line; and indicating the existence of a detected high impedance fault to a user via a user display on the handheld device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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14. A handheld maintenance tool for use in detecting a fault in a process control communication network of a process control system of a process plant, comprising:
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an input/output interface configured to electronically connect to a communication line that is included in the process control communication network and to which at least one of a process controller or a field device of the process control system is connected, the at least one of the process controller or the field device installed in the process plant, and the process controller and the field device, when fully operational and communicatively coupled via the communication line, operate to control a process within the process plant; a power source for placing power and communication signals on the communication line; one or more electronic signal sensors; a user interface; a processor; and a computer readable memory that stores a program to be implemented on the processor to; measure, using the one or more electronic signal sensors, at least one of voltage or current on the communication line in response to a power signal being placed on the communication line by the power source; analyze the measured at least one of the voltage or the current to determine a high impedance fault in the communication line, including determine that the measured current on the communication line is less than a current draw expected for a particular number of devices on the communication line; and indicate the existence of a detected high impedance fault to a user via the user interface. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification