Creation and display of indices within a process plant

• US 20050033466A1
• Filed: 09/20/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Schleiss, Trevor D., Eryurek, Evren
• Granted Patent: US 7,221,988 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/108
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/0275 using fuzzy logic only
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/028 using expert systems only
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41875 characterised by quality surveillance of production
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31288 Archive collected data into history file
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32015 Optimize, process management, optimize production line
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32018 Adapt process as function of results of quality measuring until maximum quality
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32235 Sharing of data between process control and maintenance management computers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32371 Predict failure time by analysing history fault logs of same machines in databases
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0243 model based detection method, e.g. first-principles knowledge model
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0294 Optimizing process, e.g. process efficiency, product quality
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/40 Minimising material used in manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/965 for process control and configuration

Abstract

A process control system uses an asset utilization expert to collect data or information pertaining to the assets of a process plant from various sources or functional areas of the plant including, for example, the process control functional areas, the maintenance functional areas and the business systems functional areas. This data and information is manipulated in a coordinated manner by tools, such as optimization and modeling tools and is redistributed to other areas or tools where it is used to perform overall better or more optimal control, maintenance and business activities. Information or data may be collected by maintenance functions pertaining to the health, variability, performance or utilization of a device, loop, unit, etc. and this information may then be sent to and displayed to a process operator or maintenance person to inform that person of a current or future problem.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring an entity within a process plant comprising:

collecting data pertaining to the operation of the entity while the entity is in operation;

transmitting the collected data to an index computation device;

creating a use index from the collected data, wherein the use index represents status information regarding an entity performance; and

storing the use index in a database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected data includes maintenance and process data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected data includes diagnostic data pertaining to the entity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected data includes on-line monitoring data pertaining to the entity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the process plant includes a process control system having a control strategy, the method further comprising the steps of:

providing the use index to the process control system; and

changing the control strategy based on the use index.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing the use index to a process control application; and

changing a process control parameter based on the use index.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the process plant includes a maintenance system having a maintenance function, the method further comprising the steps of:

providing the use index to the maintenance system; and

changing the maintenance function based on the use index.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of executing a decision within the process plant based on the use index.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of executing a decision comprises analyzing the entity.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of executing a decision comprises analyzing an aspect of the process plant other than the entity.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of executing a decision comprises initiating an automated process.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of executing a decision comprises initiating corrective measures.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of executing a decision comprises optimizing control of the entity.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of executing a decision comprises adjusting a parameter of the entity.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of creating a representation of the entity on a display.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of displaying the representation of the entity with the use index on the display.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying a description corresponding to the use index, wherein the description is indicative of the status information regarding the entity.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of analyzing the use index to provide the description.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the use index is a performance index indicating the relative performance of the entity.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the use index is a performance index and the step of creating the performance index comprises:

modeling the entity based on the collected data to provide one or more estimated parameters of the entity;

comparing the one or more measured parameters to a threshold; and

producing a performance index value based on the step of comparing.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of performing a regression analysis using the one or more measured parameters to determine an unknown parameter associated with the entity.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of modeling the entity based on predetermined data to produce the threshold, wherein the threshold comprises a baseline performance of the entity.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the performance index is an efficiency measurement of the entity.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein creating a use index comprises predicting the use index from the collected data, wherein the use index represents predicted status information regarding the entity.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the entity includes a plurality of lower level entities each having an associated lower level use index, and wherein the step of creating a use index comprises:

assigning a weighting value to each of the lower level entities;

combining the lower level use indices and weighting values assigned to each of the lower level entities; and

producing at least one of a weighted average and a weighted combination of the lower level entities from the step of combining.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of assigning a weighting value comprises modifying an existing weighting value.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of displaying one or more representations of the weighting values with the corresponding lower level entities to a user on a display.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the entity includes a plurality of lower level entities, the method further comprising the steps of:

creating a lower level model for at least one of the lower level entities; and

simulating the operation of the at least one lower level entity based on the lower level model to provide data pertaining to the operation of the at least one lower level entity.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of creating a lower level use index for each of the plurality of lower level entities based on the data pertaining to the operation of the at least one lower level entity, and wherein the step of creating a use index for the entity comprises combining the lower level use indices.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the at least one lower level entity includes at least two lower level entities each having an associated lower level model, the method further comprising the steps of:

interconnecting the lower level models of the at least two lower level entities to create a model of the entity; and

simulating the operation of the entity based on the model of the entity to provide the data pertaining to the operation of the entity.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of creating a use index comprises creating the use index within a device, wherein the device is one of a field device and field equipment.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising the step of automatically reporting the use index to a centralized database.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein creating a use index comprises creating a use index a first time and creating a use index a second time, the method further comprising the steps of:

recognizing a change in the use index between the first and second time; and

automatically reporting the change to a centralized database.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the process plant comprises a system hierarchy having a plurality of levels and a plurality of devices, the method further comprising the steps of:

periodically acquiring the use index from each device;

creating an aggregated use index at each level of the system hierarchy from the use indices; and

displaying the aggregated use index for each level.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the device is one of a two-wire device, a three-wire device, a four-wire device, a wireless device, a device having a processor, a variable speed driver, a controller, a multiplexer, rotating equipment, an actuator, power generation equipment, power distribution equipment, a transmitter, a sensor, a control system, a transceiver, a valve, a positioner, a switch, electrical equipment, a server, a hand held device, a pump, an I/O system, a smart field device, a non-smart field device, a HART protocol device, a Fieldbus protocol device, a PROFIBUS®

protocol device, a WORLDFIP®

protocol device, a Device-Net®

protocol device, a AS-Interface protocol device, a CAN protocol device, a TCP/IP protocol device, an Ethernet device, an internet-based device, and a network communication device.

36. A method of monitoring a plurality of entities within a process plant, comprising the steps of:

collecting data pertaining to the operation of each of the plurality of entities while each entity is in operation;

transmitting the collected data to an index computation device;

creating a use index for each of the plurality of entities based upon the collected data wherein the use index represents status information regarding an entity performance; and

storing the use indices for each of the plurality of entities in one or more databases.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the plurality of entities together comprise a higher level entity, the method further comprising the step of combining the use indices of the plurality of entities to provide a higher level use index for the higher level entity.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of combining the use indices comprises utilizing a weighted sum of the use indices of the plurality of entities.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein at least one of the plurality of entities includes a plurality of lower level entities, the step of collecting data includes collecting data pertaining to the operation of each of the plurality of lower level entities while each of the lower level entities is in operation, and the step of creating a use index for each of the plurality of entities includes:

creating a lower level use index for each of the plurality of lower level entities based upon the collected data; and

combining the lower level use indices to provide the use index for the at least one of the plurality of entities.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the step of combining the use indices comprises utilizing a weighted average of the lower level use indices.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the lower level use index is a performance index indicating the relative performance of the lower level entity.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of creating a use index comprises creating the use index within a device, wherein the device is one of a field device and field equipment.

43. A system for displaying use indices for a process plant having a plurality of entities, the system comprising:

a processor;

a display;

a database adapted to store use indices for each of the plurality of entities, each use index created from data pertaining to the operation of the entity and representing status information regarding an entity performance;

a first routine adapted to be executed by the processor which stores a representation of each of the plurality of entities in the database; and

a second routine adapted to be executed by the processor which displays a set of the representations and which displays the use indices proximately to each corresponding representation in the set.

44. The system of claim 43, further comprising a third routine adapted to be executed by the processor which displays a description corresponding to at least one use index, wherein the description is indicative of status information regarding one of the plurality of entities.

45. The system of claim 44, further comprising a fourth routine adapted to be executed by the processor which analyzes the at least one use index to provide the description.

46. The system of claim 43, further comprising:

a third routine adapted to be executed by the processor which combines the use indices of the representations in the set to provide a higher level use index for a higher level entity; and

a fourth routine adapted to be executed by the processor which displays a representation of the higher level entity and which displays the higher level use index displayed proximately to the higher level entity.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the representation of the higher level entity comprises the display of the set of the representations.

48. The system of claim 46, wherein the higher level use index is a performance index indicating the relative performance of the higher level entity.

49. The system of claim 46, further comprising a fifth routine adapted to be executed by the processor which displays a description corresponding to the higher level use index, wherein the description is indicative of status information of the higher level entity.

50. The system of claim 49, further comprising a sixth routine adapted to be executed by the processor which performs a data analysis of the higher level use index to provide the description.

51. The system of claim 46, further comprising a fifth routine adapted to be executed by the processor which switches between displaying the representation of the higher level entity and displaying a representation of one of the plurality of entities that comprise the higher level entity in response to a user action.

52. The system of claim 46, wherein the representation of the higher level entity is a representation of the process plant.