Status tree monitoring and display system

• US 4,902,469 A
• Filed: 07/07/1988
• Issued: 02/20/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC (Brookfield Asset Management Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC (Brookfield Asset Management Incorporated)
• Inventors: Easter, James R., Lipner, Melvin H., Woods, David D., Elm, William C., Mundy, A. Dean, Watson, Craig D., Eastman, Mary C., Carrera, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): CANGIALOSI, SALVATORE A
• Application Number:
  US07/217,117
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 364/188, 364/521, 364/522, 364/525, 376/216, 376/217, 376/245, 376/248, 376/259
• US Class Current: 376/259
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0213 Modular or universal configuration of the monitoring system, e.g. monitoring system having modules that may be combined to build monitoring program; monitoring system that can be applied to legacy systems; adaptable monitoring system; using different communication protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0227 Qualitative history assessment, whereby the type of data acted upon, e.g. waveforms, images or patterns, is not relevant, e.g. rule based assessment; if-then decisions
• 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: G21C 17/00 Monitoring; Testing measuring in general G01; Maintaining
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/30 Nuclear fission reactors

Abstract

A display, a display method and an apparatus are disclosed which produce a summary display depicting function states using discrete state bars centered in one window of a two-window display. The status bars represent the states of functions in a process as determined by status decision trees. The discrete states are emphasized by reference lines which indicate the state of each function. Priority among functions is indicated by vertically ranking the bars with the most important function bar appearing at the top. Each bar includes the name of the function, the state of the function and a procedure name for a procedure which can be used to solve the problem identified. The discrete function state is also indicated by the width of the bar and the bar color. On both sides of each bar, a data quality indicator can appear when the quality of the data is less than the best. The other window on the summary display includes meters for the parameters along the active path of the status tree for the most relevant function as determined by the operator.

Claims

1. A method of producing a discrete state status display for a process control system monitoring process control data, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) sampling the process control data and determining discrete process control parameters;

(b) producing a status display, indicating values of the discrete process control parameters, having a reference scale providing a plurality of parallel reference lines indicating the possible discrete values of the parameters, and at least two simultaneously displayed horizontal status bars transverse to the parallel lines, the bars centered in the scale, and each status bar representing the value of a respective discrete parameter and having a plurality of predetermined fixed sizes, each of the sizes dependent on the value of the parameter, a status bar name identifying the process represented by the status bar and a priority indicated vertically.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each status bar includes status wording in dependence on the parameter value.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said status display further comprises a data quality indicator spatially associated with each status bar indicating the quality of the process control data used to determine the parameter.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each status bar includes a bar color and a procedure name in dependence on the parameter value, the procedure name indicating a procedure performed by an operator in dependence on the parameter value.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said status display further comprises:

a meter image spatially associated with said status bars and including an actual value indicator indicating an actual value of an item of the process control data and the quality of the item; and

variable range brackets spatially associated with said meter image indicating ranges for the item actual value, the brackets having a color in dependence on the parameter value and including variable value range change threshold markers.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

(c) producing an operator accessible status tree display comprising;

a status tree for the process represented by said status bars and having a highlighted active path; and

a miniature of said status display spatially associated with said status tree; and

(d) producing an operator accessible parameter display comprising;

a status tree node equation representation and sensor values; and

a miniature of said status display spatially associated with said representation and said sensor values.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each bar has a color dependent on the parameter value.

8. A method of producing a discrete state status display for a pressurized water nuclear reactor control process, comprising the steps of:

(a) sampling process control data and determining a discrete process parameter;

(b) producing a status display indicating the discrete process parameter, the status display comprising;

a status bar display, comprising

a reference scale providing a plurality of parallel reference lines indicating the discrete values of the parameter;

at least two simultaneously displayed horizontal status bars transverse to the parallel lines, the bars centered in said reference scale, each bar representing the value of a respective discrete parameter and having a plurality of fixed sizes, each of the sizes dependent on the value of the parameter, each bar each having a color, status wording and a procedure name in dependence upon the parameter value, the procedure name indicating a procedure performed by an operator in dependence on the parameter value, and having a status bar name identifying the process represented by the status bar and a priority indicated vertically; and

a data quality indicator spatially associated with each status bar indicating the quality of the process control data; and

an item meter display, comprising;

a meter image spatially associated with said status bar display and including an actual value indicator indicating an actual value of an item of the process control data and the quality of the item; and

variable range brackets spatially associated with said meter image indicating ranges for the actual value, the brackets having a color in dependence on the parameter value and including variable value range change threshold markers;

(c) producing an operator accessible status tree display, comprising;

a status tree for the process represented by said status bar and having a highlighted active path; and

a miniature of said status bar display spatially associated with said status tree; and

(d) producing an operator accessible parameter display, comprising;

a status tree node equation representation and sensor values; and

a miniature of said status bar display spatially associated with said representation and said sensor values.

9. An apparatus for producing a discrete state display for a process control system monitoring process control data, said apparatus comprising:

data acquisition and status tree computation means for sampling the process control data, determining discrete process control parameters and creating a first display in dependence on the parameters;

display means for displaying the first display, said first display comprising a reference scale providing a plurality of parallel reference lines indicating the possible discrete values of the parameters, and at least two simultaneously displayed horizontal status bars transverse to the parallel lines, the bars centered in the reference scale, and each status bar representing the value of a respective discrete parameter and having a plurality of fixed sizes, each of the sizes dependent on the value of the parameter, a status bar name identifying the process represented by the status bar and a priority indicated vertically.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein each status bar includes status wording in dependence on the parameter value.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said first display further comprises a data quality indicator spatially associated with each status bar indicating the quality of the process control data used to determine the parameter.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein each status bar includes a bar color and a procedure name in dependence on the parameter value, the procedure name indicating a procedure performed by an operator in dependence on the parameter value.

13. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said first display further comprises:

a meter image spatially associated with said status bar and including an actual value indicator indicating an actual value of an item of the process control data and the quality of the item; and

variable range brackets spatially associated with said meter image indicating ranges for the actual value, the brackets having a color in dependence on the parameter value indicated and including variable value range change threshold markers.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said data acquisition and status tree computation means creates a second display and said display means displays the second display comprising:

a status tree for the process represented by said status bar and having a highlighted active path; and

a miniature of said first display spatially associated with said status tree.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein said data acquisition and status tree computation means creates a third display and said display means displays the third display comprising:

a status tree node equation representation and sensor values; and

a miniature of said first display spatially associated with said representation and said sensor values.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein each bar has a color dependent on the parameter value.

17. An apparatus for producing a discrete state display for a pressurized water nuclear reactor process, comprising:

data acquisition and status tree computation means for sampling process control data, determining a value of a discrete process parameter and creating first through third accessible displays in dependence on the parameter value; and

display means for displaying the first through third displays independence upon the parameter and an operator request, said first display comprising;

a reference scale providing a plurality of parallel reference lines indicating the discrete values of the parameters;

at least two simultaneously displayed horizontal status bars transverse to the parallel lines, the bars centered in said reference scale, each bar representing the value of a respective discrete parameter and having a plurality of fixed sizes, each of the sizes dependent on the value of the parameter, each bar having a color, status wording and a procedure name in dependence upon the parameter value, the procedure name indicating a procedure performed by the operator in dependence on the parameter value, and having a status bar name identifying the process represented by the status bar and a priority indicated vertically;

a data quality indicator spatially associated with each status bar indicating the quality of the process control data;

a meter image spatially associated with status bars and including an actual value indicator indicating an actual value of an item of the process control data and the quality of the item; and

variable range brackets spatially associated with said meter image indicating ranges for the actual value, the brackets having a color in dependence on the parameter value indicated thereby and including variable value range change threshold markers;

said second display comprising;

a status tree for said status bars and having a highlighted active path;

a miniature of said first display spatially associated with said status tree; and

said third display comprising;

a status tree node equation representation and sensor values; and

a miniature of said first display spatially associated with said representation and said sensor values.

18. A display group for a process control system monitoring process control data which determines discrete process parameters, said display group comprising:

a first display comprising a reference scale providing a plurality of parallel reference lines indicating the possible discrete values of the parameters, and at least two simultaneously displayed horizontal status bars transverse to the parallel lines, the bars centered in the reference scale, and each status bar representing value of a respective discrete parameter and having a plurality of fixed sizes, each size dependent on the value of the parameter, a status bar name identifying the process represented by the status bar and a priority indicated vertically; and

second and third displays accessible from said first display.

19. A display group as recited in claim 18, wherein each bar has a color dependent on the parameter value.

20. A display group as recited in claim 18, wherein each status bar includes status wording in dependence on the parameter value.

21. A display group as recited in claim 18, wherein said first display further comprises a data quality indicator spatially associated with each status bar indicating the quality of the process control data used to determine the parameter value.

22. A display group as recited in claim 18, wherein each status bar includes a bar color and a procedure name in dependence on the parameter value, the procedure name indicating a procedure performed by an operator in dependence on the parameter value.

23. A display group as recited in claim 18, wherein said first display further comprises:

a meter image spatially associated with said status bars and including an actual value indicator indicating an actual value of an item of the process control data and the quality of the item; and

variable range brackets spatially associated with said meter image indicating ranges for the actual value, the brackets having a color in dependence on the parameter value and including variable value range change threshold markers.

24. A display group as recited in claim 18, wherein said second display comprises:

a status tree for said status bar and having a highlighted active path; and

a miniature of said first display spatially associated with said status tree.

25. A display group as recited in claim 18, wherein said third display comprises:

a status tree node equation representation and sensor values; and

a miniature of said first display spatially associated with said representation and said sensor values.

26. A display group for a pressurized water nuclear reactor control system monitoring process control data and which determines discrete process parameters, said display group comprising:

a first display, comprising;

a reference scale providing a plurality of parallel reference lines indicating the discrete values of the parameters;

at least two simultaneously displayed horizontal status bars transverse to the parallel lines, the bars centered in said reference scale, each bar representing the value of a respective discrete parameter and having a plurality of predetermined fixed sizes, each size dependent in the value of the parameter, each bar having a color, status wording and a procedure name in dependence upon the parameter value, the procedure name indicating a procedure performed by an operator in dependence on the parameter value, and having a status bar name identifying the process represented by the status bar and a priority indicated vertically; and

a data quality indicator spatially associated with each status bar indicating the quality of the process control data;

a meter image spatially associated with said status bars and including an actual value indicator indicating an actual value of a portion of the process control data and data quality; and

variable range brackets spatially associated with said meter image indicating ranges for the actual value, the brackets having a color in dependence on the parameter value and including variable value range change threshold markers;

a second display comprising;

a status tree for said status bar and having a highlighted active path; and

a miniature of said first display spatially associated with said status tree; and

a third display comprising

a status tree node equation representation and sensor values; and

a miniature of said first display spatially associated with said representation and said values.