Dedicated process diagnostic device

• US 20070010968A1
• Filed: 05/25/2006
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Longsdorf, Randy, Davis, Dale, Nelson, Richard, Nelson, Scott, Johnson, Amy, Brown, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 7,630,861 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/183
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/50 Correcting or compensating means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/00 Details of, or accessories for, apparatus of groups G01F1/00 - G01F13/00 insofar as such details or appliances are not adapted to particular types of such apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24033 Failure, fault detection and isolation
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/02 in which the signal transmitted is magnitude of current or voltage G08C19/36, G08C19/38 take precedence

Abstract

A field mountable dedicated process diagnostic device is used for diagnosing operation of an industrial control or monitoring system. An input is configured to receive at least one process signal related to operation of the industrial process. A memory contains diagnostic program instructions configured to implement a diagnostic algorithm using the process signal. The diagnostic algorithm is specific to the industrial process. A microcontroller performs the diagnostic program instructions and responsively diagnoses operation of the process based upon the process signal.

Claims

1. A field mountable dedicated process diagnostic device coupled to a process control loop for use in diagnosing operation of an industrial control or monitoring system of an industrial process, comprising:

an input configured to receive at least one process signal related to operation of the industrial process from a diagnostic sensor;

a memory containing diagnostic program instructions configured to implement a diagnostic algorithm using the at least one process signal and wherein the diagnostic algorithm is specific to the industrial process; and

a microcontroller configured to perform the diagnostic program instructions and responsively diagnose operation of the industrial process based upon the at least one process signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dedicated process diagnostic device is completely powered with power received over a two wire process control loop.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the process control loop comprises a 4-20 mA current loop.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the process control loop operates in accordance with the HART®

Communication Standard.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the process control loop operates in accordance with the Fieldbus Communication Standard.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the input is configured to receive at least one input from a process variable sensor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the process signal is received from the two wire process control loop.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the input is configured to receive a process signal from a diagnostic sensor directly coupled to the field mountable dedicated process diagnostic device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 including a conversion circuit configured to convert the process signal to a format compatible with the microcontroller.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 including an output configured to provide a wireless output.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 including a visual output.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 including a Local Operator Interface.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 including an acoustic transducer.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the industrial process comprises a heat exchanger process and the diagnostic program instructions are specific to the heat exchanger process.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the diagnostic program instructions are configured to learn operation of the process.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the diagnostic sensor comprises a vibration sensor and wherein the diagnostic algorithm is specific to diagnosing operation of a heat exchanger.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the diagnostic program instructions are configured through a configuration input.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the configuration input comprises a local operator interface.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the configuration input comprises a wireless input.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the input is received through the process control loop.

21. A method of diagnosing operation of an industrial control or monitoring system of an industrial process performed in a field mountable dedicated process diagnostics device, comprising:

mounting the field device in a field of the industrial process;

receiving at least one process signal related to operation of the industrial process from a remote process device;

retrieving diagnostic program instructions configured to implement a diagnostic algorithm using the at least one process signal and wherein the diagnostic algorithm is specific to the industrial process;

diagnosing operation of the industrial process based upon the retrieved program instructions and the at least one process signal; and

completely powering the field mountable dedicated diagnostic device with power received from a two wire process control loop.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the two wire process control loop comprises a 4-20 mA current loop.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the two wire process control loop operates in accordance with the HART®

Communication Standard.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the two wire process control loop operates in accordance with the Fieldbus Communication Standard.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the at least one process signal comprises a process variable signal.

26. The method of claim 21 including converting the process signal to a format compatible with a microcontroller.

27. The method of claim 21 including providing a wireless output.

28. The method of claim 21 including providing a visual output.

29. The method of claim 21 including providing a Local Operator Interface.

30. The method of claim 21 including receiving the process signal from an acoustic transducer.

31. The method of claim 21 wherein the industrial process comprises a heat exchanger process and the diagnostic program instructions are specific to the heat exchanger process.

32. The method of claim 21 wherein the diagnostic program instructions are configured to learn operation of the process.

33. A field mountable diagnostic device for diagnosing operation of an industrial control or monitoring system of an industrial process, comprising:

means for receiving at least one process signal related to operation of the industrial process from a remote process device;

means retrieving diagnostic program instructions configured to implement a diagnostic algorithm using at least one process signal and wherein the diagnostic algorithm is specific to the industrial process;

means for diagnosing operation of the industrial process based upon the retrieved program instructions and at least one process signal; and

means for completely powering the field mountable dedicated diagnostic device with power received from a two wire process control loop.