Methods, systems and devices for managing a plurality of alarms

• US 20150379864A1
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Published: 12/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thai Oil Public Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Thai Oil Public Company Limited
• Inventors: Janchookiat, Mongkol
• Granted Patent: US 9,633,552 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0272 Presentation of monitored results, e.g. selection of status reports to be displayed; Filtering information to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/327 Alarm or error message display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3419 by assessing time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/81 Threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/86 Event-based monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/001 Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/02 Monitoring continuously signalling or alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/185 Signal analysis techniques for reducing or preventing false alarms or for enhancing the reliability of the system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0609 based on severity or priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0631 using root cause analysis; using analysis of correlation between notifications, alarms or events based on decision criteria, e.g. hierarchy, tree or time analysis

Abstract

Present example embodiments relate generally to methods, systems, computing devices, and logic for managing a plurality of alarms initiated by a plurality of alarm sensors. The method comprises the steps of: receiving the plurality of initiated alarm, prioritizing the initiated alarms, creating an initiated alarm being a condition-based alarm when an initiated alarm satisfies an event condition, reprioritizing an initiated alarm when said initiated alarm satisfies a reprioritization condition, suppressing an initiated alarm, reporting an unsuppressed initiated alarm based on the prioritizing of said alarm, and providing information comprising an operator action for the unsuppressed initiated alarm and an initiated alarm suppressed based on the unsuppressed initiated alarm.

Claims

1. A method for managing a plurality of alarms initiated by a plurality of alarm sensors, the method comprising:

receiving the plurality of initiated alarm;

prioritizing the initiated alarms;

creating an initiated alarm being a condition-based alarm when an initiated alarm satisfies an event condition;

reprioritizing an initiated alarm when said initiated alarm satisfies a reprioritization condition;

suppressing an initiated alarm;

reporting an unsuppressed initiated alarm based on the prioritizing of said alarm; and

providing information comprising an operator action for the unsuppressed initiated alarm and an initiated alarm suppressed based on the unsuppressed initiated alarm.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the prioritizing is based on an alarm prioritization matrix.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising reconfiguring a dead band value for an initiated alarm based on a measurement response time associated with said initiated alarm.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating an initiated alarm being a group alarm when two or more related initiated alarms are received, wherein the related initiated alarms comprise the same priority and a same initial operator response.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the event condition is an operating condition that is not monitored by an alarm sensor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the reprioritizing comprises dynamically changing a limit setting for said initiated alarm based on the reprioritization condition being an operating condition, and the reprioritizing further comprises prioritizing said initiated alarm based on the dynamically changed limit setting.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing alarm performance measurements, the alarm performance measurements comprising average alarm rate, maximum alarm rate, and percentage of time alarm rates exceed a threshold value.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the suppressing comprises suppressing an alarm initiated by a shutdown activity.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the suppressing comprises:

identifying a trigger alarm from among initiated alarms, wherein the trigger alarm is an alarm associated with a subsequently initiated alarm;

retrieving a set of expected alarms, the set of expected alarms comprising an alarm expected to be initiated subsequent to the trigger alarm;

identifying a set of triggered alarms, the set of triggered alarms comprising an alarm occurring subsequent to the trigger alarm and matching an alarm in the set of expected alarms;

identifying a set of untriggered alarms, the set of untriggered alarms comprising an alarm matching an alarm in the set of expected alarms and not received subsequent to the trigger alarm;

suppressing an initiated alarm when said alarm matches an alarm identified in the set of triggered alarms;

reporting the trigger alarm; and

reporting a fault alarm when an initiated alarm matches an alarm identified in the set of untriggered alarms.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the suppressing comprises suppressing a transient alarm, the transient alarm being an alarm initiated during a transitory event.

15. The method of claim 5, wherein the group alarm comprises a reprioritized alarm.

18. The method of claim 5, wherein the reprioritized alarm comprises a group alarm.

20. The method of claim 5, wherein the suppressed alarm comprises a group alarm.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the suppressed alarm comprises a reprioritized alarm.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the suppressed alarm comprises a fleeting alarm.

24. The method of claim 5, wherein the unsuppressed alarm comprises a group alarm.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the unsuppressed alarm comprises a reprioritized alarm.

27. The method of claim 11, wherein the unsuppressed alarm comprises a trigger alarm.

3. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

16-17. -17. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

29. A system for managing a plurality of alarms initiated by a plurality of alarm sensors, the system comprising:

a network;

a graphical display;

an interface operable to receive signals representing initiated alarms;

a storage device comprising a database, the database configurable to store information comprising alarm information, an alarm prioritization matrix, and an initiated alarm received by the interface;

a processor in communication with the graphical display, the interface, the storage device, and the network, the processor operable to;

receive the plurality of initiated alarm;

prioritize the initiated alarms;

create an initiated alarm being a condition-based alarm when an initiated alarm satisfies an event condition;

reprioritize an initiated alarm when said initiated alarm satisfies a reprioritization condition;

suppress an initiated alarm;

display, on the graphical display, an unsuppressed initiated alarm based on the prioritizing of said alarm; and

provide information comprising an operator action for the unsuppressed initiated alarm and an initiated alarm suppressed based on the unsuppressed initiated alarm.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising a computing device in communication with the processor through the network, the computing device comprising logic operable to receive and display initiated alarms received at the processor.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the prioritizing is based on the alarm prioritization matrix.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein the processor is further operable to reconfigure a dead band value for an initiated alarm based on a measurement response time associated with the initiated alarm.

34. The system of claim 29, further comprising creating an initiated alarm being a group alarm when two or more related initiated alarms are received, wherein the related initiated alarms comprise the same priority and a same initial operator response.

35. The system of claim 29, wherein the event condition is an operating condition that is not monitored by an alarm sensor.

36. The system of claim 29, wherein the reprioritizing comprises dynamically changing a limit setting for said initiated alarm based on the reprioritization being an operating condition, and the reprioritizing further comprises prioritizing said initiated alarm based on the dynamically changed limit setting.

37. The system of claim 29, wherein the processor is further operable to perform alarm performance measurements, the alarm performance measurements comprising average alarm rate, maximum alarm rate, and percentage of time alarm rates exceed a threshold value.

39. The system of claim 29, wherein the suppressing comprises suppressing an alarm initiated by a shutdown activity.

40. The system of claim 29, wherein the suppressing comprises:

identifying a trigger alarm, wherein the trigger alarm is an alarm associated with a subsequently initiated alarm;

retrieving a set of expected alarms, the set of expected alarms comprising an alarm expected to be initiated subsequent to the trigger alarm;

identifying a set of triggered alarms, the set of triggered alarms comprising an alarm occurring subsequent to the trigger alarm and matching an alarm in the set of expected alarms;

identifying a set of untriggered alarms, the set of untriggered alarms comprising an alarm matching an alarm in the set of expected alarms and not received subsequent to the trigger alarm;

suppressing an initiated alarm when said alarm matches an alarm identified in the set of triggered alarms;

reporting the trigger alarm; and

reporting a fault alarm when an initiated alarm matches an alarm identified in the set of untriggered alarms.

42. The system of claim 29, wherein the suppressing comprises suppressing a transient alarm, the transient alarm being an alarm initiated during a known transitory event.

44. The system of claim 34, wherein the group alarm comprises a reprioritized alarm.

47. The system of claim 34, wherein the reprioritized alarm is a group alarm.

49. The system of claim 34, wherein the suppressed alarm is a group alarm.

51. The system of claim 29, wherein the suppressed alarm is a fleeting alarm.

52. The system of claim 29, wherein the suppressed alarm is a reprioritized alarm.

53. The system of claim 34, wherein the unsuppressed alarm comprises a group alarm.

55. The system of claim 29, wherein the unsuppressed alarm comprises a reprioritized alarm.

56. The system of claim 40, wherein the unsuppressed alarm comprises a trigger alarm.

32. (canceled)

38. (canceled)

41. (canceled)

43. (canceled)

45-46. -46. (canceled)

48. (canceled)

50. (canceled)

54. (canceled)

57. (canceled)

58. A computing device for managing a plurality of alarms initiated by a plurality of alarm sensors, the computing device in communication with a network and a storage device comprising a database, wherein the database is configurable to store information comprising alarm information, an alarm prioritization matrix, and an initiated alarm, the computing device comprising:

a graphical display;

an interface operable to receive signals representing initiated alarms; and

a processor in communication with the graphical display and the interface, the processor operable to;

receive the plurality of initiated alarm;

prioritize the initiated alarms;

create an initiated alarm being a condition-based alarm when an initiated alarm satisfies an event condition;

reprioritize an initiated alarm when said initiated alarm satisfies a reprioritization condition;

suppress an initiated alarm;

display, on the graphical display, an unsuppressed initiated alarm based on the prioritizing of said alarm; and

provide information comprising an operator action for the unsuppressed initiated alarm and an initiated alarm suppressed based on the unsuppressed initiated alarm.

59. The computing device of claim 58, wherein the prioritizing is based on the alarm prioritization matrix.

61. The computing device of claim 58, wherein the processor is further operable to reconfigure a dead band value for an initiated alarm based on a measurement response time associated with said initiated alarm.

62. The computing device of claim 58, further comprising creating an initiated alarm being a group alarm when two or more related initiated alarms are received, wherein the related initiated alarms comprise the same priority and a same initial operator response.

63. The computing device of claim 58, wherein the event condition is an operating condition that is not monitored by an alarm sensor.

64. The computing device of claim 58, wherein the reprioritizing comprises dynamically changing a limit setting for said initiated alarm from among initiated alarms based on the reprioritization being an operating condition, and the reprioritizing further comprises prioritizing said initiated alarm based on the dynamically changed limit setting.

65. The computing device of claim 58, wherein the processor is further operable to perform alarm performance measurements, the alarm performance measurements comprising average alarm rate, maximum alarm rate, and percentage of time alarm rates exceed a threshold value.

67. The computing device of claim 58, wherein the suppressing comprises suppressing an alarm initiated by a known shutdown activity.

68. The computing device of claim 58, wherein the suppressing comprises:

identifying a trigger alarm, wherein the trigger alarm is an alarm associated with a subsequently initiated alarm;

retrieving a set of expected alarms, the set of expected alarms comprising an alarm expected to be initiated subsequent to the trigger alarm;

identifying a set of triggered alarms, the set of triggered alarms comprising an alarm occurring subsequent to the trigger alarm and matching an alarm in the set of expected alarms;

identifying a set of untriggered alarms, the set of untriggered alarms comprising an alarm matching an alarm in the set of expected alarms and not received subsequent to the trigger alarm;

suppressing an initiated alarm when said alarm matches an alarm identified in the set of triggered alarms;

reporting the trigger alarm; and

reporting a fault alarm when an initiated alarm matches an alarm identified in the set of untriggered alarms.

70. The computing device of claim 58, wherein the suppressing comprises suppressing a transient alarm, the transient alarm being an alarm initiated during a transitory event.

72. The computing device of claim 62, wherein the group alarm comprises a reprioritized alarm.

75. The computing device of claim 62, wherein the reprioritized alarm is a group alarm.

77. The computing device of claim 62, wherein the suppressed alarm is a group alarm.

79. The computing device of claim 58, wherein the suppressed alarm is a reprioritized alarm.

80. The computing device of claim 58, wherein the suppressed alarm comprises a fleeting alarm.

81. The computing device of claim 62, wherein the unsuppressed alarm comprises a group alarm.

83. The computing device of claim 58, wherein the unsuppressed alarm comprises a reprioritized alarm.

84. The computing device of claim 68, wherein the unsuppressed alarm comprises a trigger alarm.

60. (canceled)

66. (canceled)

69. (canceled)

71. (canceled)

73-74. -74. (canceled)

76. (canceled)

78. (canceled)

82. (canceled)

85-145. -145. (canceled)

146. A method for assessing an overall performance of a system comprising a plurality of alarms initiated by a plurality of alarm sensors, the method comprising:

determining a first performance level of the system based on a performance matrix and a first set of system measurements, the first set of system measurements comprising;

a first average alarm rate for a first time period;

a first threshold percentage for the first time period, the first threshold percentage being a percentage of time that an average alarm rate is greater than a predetermined threshold alarm rate; and

a first maximum alarm rate occurring within the first time period;

determining a second performance level of the system based on the performance matrix and a second set of system measurements, the second set of system measurements comprising;

a second average alarm rate for a second time period;

a second threshold percentage for the second time period, the second threshold percentage being a percentage of time that an average alarm rate is greater than the predetermined threshold alarm rate; and

a second maximum alarm rate occurring within the second time period;

comparing the first performance level to the second performance level.

147. The method of claim 146, wherein the first time period and the second time period are non-overlapping time periods.

149. The method of claim 146, wherein the first time period and the second time period are substantially the same time period.

152. The method of claim 146, wherein the overall performance assessing is performed to determine an overall performance of the system after a substantive event.

153. The method of claim 152, wherein the substantive event is any one of an upgrade or replacement of a new DCS, an upgrade or replacement of a new alarm management system, a new or revised alarm policy, a new or revised alarm prioritization matrix, and a new or revised industry standard.

154. The method of claim 146, wherein the performance matrix determines the overall performance level of the system based on a first parameter being the first or second average alarm rate, a second parameter being the first or second maximum alarm rate, and a third parameter being the first or second percentage of time that an average alarm rate is greater than a threshold rate.

155. The method of claim 154, wherein the performance matrix determines the overall performance level of the system as being a first level, a second level, a third level, a fourth level, or a fifth level, wherein the fifth level is indicative of a better overall performance of the system than the fourth level, wherein the fourth level is indicative of a better overall performance of the system than the third level, wherein the third level is indicative of a better overall performance of the system than the second level, and wherein the second level is indicative of a better overall performance of the system than the first level, and wherein:

the first level is achieved based on any one of;

the first parameter is greater or equal to a first parameter first value,

the second parameter is greater than or equal to a second parameter first value, or

the third parameter is greater than or equal to a third parameter first value;

the second level is achieved based on any one of;

the first parameter is between the first parameter first value and a first parameter second value, and the second parameter is less than or equal to a second parameter second value,

the first parameter is between the first parameter first value and the first parameter second value, and the third parameter is less than or equal to a third parameter second value,

the first parameter is less than the first parameter first value and the third parameter is between the third parameter first value and the third parameter second value, or

the first parameter is less than the first parameter first value and the second parameter is between the second parameter first value and the second parameter second value;

the third level is achieved based on any one of;

the first parameter is less than the first parameter second value and the third parameter is between the third parameter second value and a third parameter third value, or

the first parameter is less than the first parameter second value and the second parameter is between the second parameter second value and a second parameter third value;

the fourth level is achieved based on any one of;

the first parameter is between the first parameter second value and a first parameter third value and the second parameter is less than a second parameter fourth value,

the first parameter is between the first parameter second value and the first parameter third value and the third parameter is less than or equal to a third parameter fourth value,

the first parameter is less than the first parameter second value and the third parameter is between the third parameter third value and the third parameter fourth value, or

the first parameter is less than the first parameter second value and the second parameter is between the second parameter third value and the second parameter fourth value; and

the fifth level is achieved based on any one of;

the first parameter is less than the first parameter third value and the third parameter is less than the third parameter fourth value, or

the first parameter is less than the first parameter third value and the second parameter is less than the second parameter fourth value.

156. The method of claim 155, wherein the first parameter first value is configurable to be between 40 and 60, the first parameter second value is configurable to be between 8 and 12, the first parameter third value is configurable to be between 0.8 and 1.2, the second parameter first value is configurable to be between 800 and 1,200, the second parameter second value is configurable to be between 400 and 600, the second parameter third value is configurable to be between 80 and 120, the second parameter fourth value is configurable to be between 8 and 12, the third parameter first value is configurable to be between 40% and 60%, the third parameter second value is configurable to be between 20% and 30%, the third parameter third value is configurable to be between 4% and 6%, and the third parameter fourth value is configurable to be between 0.8% and 1.2%.

148. (canceled)

150-151. -151. (canceled)

157. (canceled)