Evaluation of alarm settings

• US 6,618,691 B1
• Filed: 08/28/2000
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alan J. Hugo
• Original Assignee: Alan J. Hugo
• Inventors: Hugo, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Assouad, Patrick
• Application Number:
  US09/649,227
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• Field of Search: 702/179, 702/181, 702/187, 702/130, 702/132, 700/30, 700/33, 700/1
• US Class Current: 702/181
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/027 Alarm generation, e.g. communication protocol; Forms of alarm

Abstract

A method for evaluating alarm settings for continuous or semi-continuous processes that gives an indication of the probability that an alarm will occur for values preceding the alarm value, and the probability that the process will continue on to a value following the alarm value. The technique requires only a history of alarm events and process measurements.

Claims

1. A novel method for evaluating the setting of an existing alarm applied to a continuous or semi-continuous process, the method comprising:

a. steps for retrieving a historical record of past alarm values and associated times and past process measurements and associated times;

b. steps for calculating two probability curves representing pre and post probabilities of the measurement in relation to the alarm from said historical record of past alarms and past process measurements;

c. steps for displaying the said probabilities, either in numerical or graphical form.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the said pre-probabilities comprise the probability that a given process value will continue moving in the same direction until a given alarm value occurs for a range of process values.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the said post-probabilities comprise the probability that a given process value following a given alarm value will be attained if the said alarm value has been reached by the measurement of the said process for a range of process values.