RUN-TIME CONFIGURATION OF ALARMS AND EVENTS

• US 20080079559A1
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Baier, John J., Johnson, David K., Hall, Kenwood H., Sapach, Dale, Bezdicek, Jan, Tambascio, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 7,551,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/506
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31437 Monitoring, global and local alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0235 based on a comparison with predetermined threshold or range, e.g. "classical methods", carried out during normal operation; threshold adaptation or choice; when or how to compare with the threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/04 Monitoring of the detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

An alarm configuration system comprises a receiver component that receives parameters relating to an industrial process. An alarm generator component automatically configures an alarm during run-time based at least in part upon an analysis of the received parameters. Thus, the alarm generator component can alter alarm instructions during run-time within an industrial environment.

Claims

1. An alarm configuration system, comprising:

a receiver component that receives parameters relating to an industrial process; and

an alarm generator component that automatically configures an alarm during run-time based at least in part upon an analysis of the received parameters.

2. The system of claim 1, the alarm generator component alters alarm instructions in connection with configuring the alarm.

3. The system of claim 1, the alarm generator component access exposed data tables and modifies data therein in connection with configuring the alarm.

4. The system of claim 3, the alarm generator component modifies thresholds associated with backing tags within the exposed data tables in connection with configuring the alarm.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a writer component associated with the alarm generator component, the write component generates logic code at run-time in connection with automatically configuring the alarm.

6. The system of claim 5, the logic code is ladder logic, function block, structured text, and sequential function diagram.

7. The system of claim 6, the logic code is implemented to alter alarm instructions during run-time.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising an HMI generator component that creates a human-machine interface based at least in part upon the configured alarm.

9. The system of claim 8, the human-machine interface includes components that enable an operator to take corrective action with respect to the configured alarm.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a relationship analyzer component that analyzes hierarchical relationships associated with the industrial process, the alarm generator component configures the alarm based at least in part upon the analysis of the hierarchical relationships.

11. The system of claim 10, the hierarchical relationships include parent-child relationships amongst alarms.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising an editor component that enables user profiles to be one or more of created and updated, the alarm generator component configures the alarm based at least in part upon content of a user profile.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a subscriber component that subscribes to one or more events associated with an industrial controller, the alarm generator component configures the alarm based at least in part upon the one or more events.

14. The system of claim 1, the alarm generator component is configured to receive events that are pushed from the industrial controller.

15. The system of claim 1, an industrial field device comprises the receiver component and the alarm generator component.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a synchronization component that synchronizes a clock of the field device with at least one other clock associated with a second field device; and

a timestamp generator component that utilizes the clock to create a timestamp and associates the timestamp with the configured alarm.

17. A method for configuring an alarm, comprising:

receiving parameters relating to an industrial process;

accessing alarm information based at least in part upon the received parameters; and

configuring an alarm during run-time based at least in part upon a modification of the accessed alarm information.

18. The method of claim 17, configuring the alarm during run-time comprises modifying threshold values associated with backing tags within the accessed alarm information.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising writing logic code to alter alarm instructions during run-time.

20. The method of claim 19, the logic code is ladder logic, structured text, function block, and sequential function diagram.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising exposing data tables during run-time.

22. A system for configuring alarms, comprising:

means for analyzing parameters relating to an industrial process; and

means for altering alarm instructions during run-time based at least in part upon the analysis.