Field measuring instrument and its abnormality managing method
First Claim
1. A field measuring instrument disposed in a field location in an industrial plant and connected to a communication device at a central location in the industrial plant via a communication line, wherein the field measuring instrument transmits data to the communication device via the communication line, and wherein the communication device modifies an operational parameter of the field measuring instrument via the communication line, the field measuring instrument comprising:
- a sensor for measuring a parameter to be measured and for outputting a detection signal representing the measured parameter;
a processing unit for receiving the detection signal from the sensor and processing the received detection signal, and for executing a self-diagnosis program for detecting an abnormality in the field measuring instrument, the processing unit outputting an abnormality flag when an abnormality is detected;
a counter for counting a predetermined interval of time and for outputting an interruption signal to the processing unit each time the predetermined interval of time is counted;
a work memory connected to the processing unit for temporarily storing a total number of interruption signals output by the counter; and
an EEPROM connected to the processing unit for permanently storing the total number of interruption signals output by the counter, and the abnormality flag output by the processing unit together with the total number of interruption signals output by the counter at the time the abnormality is detected by the processing unit, the EEPROM being initialized by the processing unit before being used for the first time;
wherein the processing unit sets the total number of interruption signals stored in the work memory and the total number of interruption signals stored in the EEPROM to zero when power is applied to the field measuring instrument and the EEPROM has not yet been initialized, and copies the total number of interruption signals stored in the EEPROM into the work memory when power is applied to the field measuring instrument and the EEPROM has already been initialized;
wherein the processing unit increments the total number of interruption signals stored in the work memory and stores the incremented total number of interruption signals in the EEPROM each time the counter outputs an interruption signal to the processing unit; and
wherein the processing unit stores the abnormality flag output by the processing unit in the EEPROM together with the total number of interruption signals stored in the work memory at the time the abnormality is detected by the processing unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A field measuring instrument such as a differential pressure/pressure transmitter, an electromagnetic flow meter, a temperature transmitter, or the like which is used for industrial measurement includes a counter which is periodically counted up at a predetermined interval and outputs an interruption signal; a work memory which can temporarily store data; an EEPROM which can store a total operating time of the field measuring instrument and a flag indicative of an abnormality; and a processing unit for receiving the interruption signal of the counter, for incrementing the total time operating times in the work memory, for storing the incremented total operating time into the EEPROM, for self-diagnosing apparatuses in the field measuring instrument and data in accordance with self-diagnosis programs provided in the processing unit, for producing a flag indicative of a state of an abnormality when the abnormality is detected, and for storing the flag into the EEPROM together with the total operating time stored in the work memory.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A field measuring instrument disposed in a field location in an industrial plant and connected to a communication device at a central location in the industrial plant via a communication line, wherein the field measuring instrument transmits data to the communication device via the communication line, and wherein the communication device modifies an operational parameter of the field measuring instrument via the communication line, the field measuring instrument comprising:
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a sensor for measuring a parameter to be measured and for outputting a detection signal representing the measured parameter; a processing unit for receiving the detection signal from the sensor and processing the received detection signal, and for executing a self-diagnosis program for detecting an abnormality in the field measuring instrument, the processing unit outputting an abnormality flag when an abnormality is detected; a counter for counting a predetermined interval of time and for outputting an interruption signal to the processing unit each time the predetermined interval of time is counted; a work memory connected to the processing unit for temporarily storing a total number of interruption signals output by the counter; and an EEPROM connected to the processing unit for permanently storing the total number of interruption signals output by the counter, and the abnormality flag output by the processing unit together with the total number of interruption signals output by the counter at the time the abnormality is detected by the processing unit, the EEPROM being initialized by the processing unit before being used for the first time; wherein the processing unit sets the total number of interruption signals stored in the work memory and the total number of interruption signals stored in the EEPROM to zero when power is applied to the field measuring instrument and the EEPROM has not yet been initialized, and copies the total number of interruption signals stored in the EEPROM into the work memory when power is applied to the field measuring instrument and the EEPROM has already been initialized; wherein the processing unit increments the total number of interruption signals stored in the work memory and stores the incremented total number of interruption signals in the EEPROM each time the counter outputs an interruption signal to the processing unit; and wherein the processing unit stores the abnormality flag output by the processing unit in the EEPROM together with the total number of interruption signals stored in the work memory at the time the abnormality is detected by the processing unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An abnormality managing method for a field measuring instrument disposed in a field location in an industrial plant and connected to a communication device at a central location in the industrial plant via a communication line, wherein the field measuring instrument transmits data to the communication device via the communication line, and wherein the communication device modifies an operational parameter of the field measuring instrument via the communication line, the field measuring instrument including a work memory for temporarily storing data, and an EEPROM for permanently storing data, the abnormality managing method comprising the steps of:
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periodically producing an interruption signal at a predetermined interval of time; incrementing a total number of interruption signals stored in the work memory and storing the incremented total number of interruption signals in the EEPROM each time an interruption signal is produced; executing a self-diagnosis program for detecting an abnormality in the field measuring instrument and outputting an abnormality flag when an abnormality is detected; storing the abnormality flag in the EEPROM together with the total number of interruption signals stored in the work memory at the time the abnormality is detected. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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Specification