Diagnostic expert in a process control system

• US 6,633,782 B1
• Filed: 02/07/2000
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Blevins, Terrence Lynn, Ganesamoorthi, Suresh, Brase, Todd B., Schleiss, Trevor D., Nixon, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, RAMESH B
• Application Number:
  US09/499,445
• Time in Patent Office: 1,345 Days
• Field of Search: 700/18-23, 700/17, 700/26-28, 700/48-53, 700/86-88, 700/83, 714/37, 714/38, 714/46, 714/47, 714/25, 702/183, 702/184, 702/185
• US Class Current: 700/26
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0229 knowledge based, e.g. expert systems; genetic algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06

Abstract

A diagnostic system for use in a process control system collects and stores in a database information pertaining to the operation of the process control system, and that uses an expert engine to apply rules for analysis to the information in the database to determine solutions to problems. The database stores various types of information such as event and alarm data, notices of scheduled maintenance and changes to operating parameters, and historical data related to previous changes to the process control system that are relevant to determining both the source of the problems detected in the process control system and the steps necessary to either further analyze or correct the detected problems. The diagnostic system identifies the source of the problem and identifies and runs the appropriate analytical tools or takes remedial measures based on the rules for analysis for the expert engine.

Claims

1. A process control system having a plurality of field devices communicatively linked to a bus, each field device having at least one process function module being adapted to perform process control functions and to transmit process control information on the bus, the process control system comprising:

a diagnostic tool communicatively linked to the bus, the diagnostic tool being adapted to receive the process control information from the process function module, to analyze the process control information, to determine an operational problem in the process control system based on the analysis of the process control information, and to transmit information relating to the operational problem; and

an expert engine communicatively linked to the bus and configured with analysis rules for determining corrective actions for the process control system based on information related to operational problems, the expert engine being adapted to receive the information relating to the operational problem transmitted by the diagnostic tool, to analyze the information relating to the operational problem using a corresponding one of the analysis rules, to determine a corrective action for the process control system based on the analysis of the information relating to the operational problem with the analysis rule, and to transmit information relating to the corrective action for implementation of the corrective action by the process control system.

2. The process control system of claim 1, comprising a database communicatively linked to the expert engine and being configured to store historical information for operational problems and corrective actions, the database being adapted to transmit historical information relating to the operational problem determined by the diagnostics tool to the expert engine for use by the expert engine analyzing the information relating to the operational problem and determining the corrective action.

3. The process control system of claim 2, wherein the historical information stored in the database includes event information.

4. The process control system of claim 3, wherein the event information includes information pertaining to the need to perform maintenance on at least one of the field devices.

5. The process control system of claim 3, wherein the event information includes information pertaining to changes to operating parameters for the process function modules.

6. The process control system of claim 2, wherein the historical information stored in the database includes alarm information.

7. The process control system of claim 2, wherein the database is configured to store values of process function module operating parameters for each of the process function modules.

8. The process control system of claim 2, wherein the database is configured to store information relating to changes to process control functions performed by process function modules of the process control system.

9. The process control system of claim 2, wherein the expert engine transmits the information relating to the corrective action to the database, and wherein the database is adapted to receive the information relating to the corrective action and to store the information relating to the corrective action therein.

10. The process control system of claim 1, comprising an analysis application communicatively linked to the expert engine, wherein the expert engine transmits the information relating to the corrective action to the analysis application, and wherein the analysis application analyzes the information relating to the corrective action and transmits information relating to the analysis of the analysis application to the expert engine.

11. The process control system of claim 10, wherein the analysis application is one of a tuner, a calibrator and a second diagnostic tool.

12. The process control system of claim 10, wherein the expert engine is adapted to receive the information relating to the analysis of the analysis application, to analyze the information relating to the analysis of the analysis application using the analysis rule, to determine a second corrective action for the process control system based on the analysis of the information relating to the analysis of the analysis application with the analysis rule, and to transmit information relating to the second corrective action.

13. The process control system of claim 1, wherein the process control system includes a user interface, and wherein the expert engine transmits the information relating to the corrective action to the user interface.

14. The process control system of claim 13, wherein the expert engine transmits information to the user interface relating to the probable source of the operational problem.

15. The process control system of claim 13, wherein the expert engine transmits information to the user interface relating to a recommended further tool to use to correct the operational problem.

16. The process control system of claim 15, wherein the expert engine transmits information to the user interface relating to operating the recommended further tool.

17. The process control system of claim 1, wherein the expert engine is adapted to determine the corrective action for the operational problem automatically.

18. The process control system of claim 1, wherein the expert engine is adapted to operate continuously during the execution of process control functions by the process control modules of the field devices of the process control system.

19. The process control system of claim 1, wherein the expert engine is adapted to determine the corrective action for the operational problem in response to a triggering event.

20. A diagnostic system for use in a process control system that includes a first processor, a second processor and a plurality of field devices communicatively linked to a bus, each field device having at least one process function module being adapted to perform process control functions and to transmit process control information on the bus, the diagnostic system comprising:

a first computer readable memory;

a first routine stored in the first computer readable memory and adapted to be implemented on the first processor, wherein the first routine;

receives the process control information from the process function module, analyzes the process control information,

determines an operational problem in the process control system based on the analysis of the process control information, and

transmits information relating to the operational problem;

a second computer readable memory; and

a second routine stored in the second computer readable memory and adapted to be implemented on the second processor, wherein the second routine;

receives the information relating to the operational problem transmitted by the first routine,

analyzes the information relating to the operational problem using a corresponding one of at least one analysis rules for determining corrective actions for the process control system based on information related to operational problems,

determines a corrective action for the process control system based on the analysis of the information relating to the operational problem with the analysis rule, and

transmits information relating to the corrective action for implementation of the corrective action by the process control system.

21. The diagnostic system of claim 20, wherein the process control system includes a third processor, the diagnostic system comprising:

a third computer readable memory; and

a third routine stored on the third computer readable memory and adapted to be implemented on the third processor, wherein the third routine;

stores historical information for operational problems and corrective action, and

transmits historical information relating to operational problem determined by the first routine to the second routine for use by the second routine in analyzing the information relating to the operational problem and determining the corrective action.

22. The diagnostic system of claim 21, wherein the historical information stored by the third routine includes event information.

23. The diagnostic system of claim 22, wherein the event information includes information pertaining to the need to perform maintenance on at least one of the field devices.

24. The diagnostic system of claim 22, wherein the event information includes information pertaining to changes to operating parameters for the process function modules.

25. The diagnostic system of claim 21, wherein the historical information stored by the third routine includes alarm information.

26. The diagnostic system of claim 21, wherein the third routine stores values of process function module operating parameters for each of the process function modules.

27. The diagnostic system of claim 21, wherein the third routine stores information relating to changes to process control functions performed by process function modules of the process control system.

28. The diagnostic system of claim 21, wherein the second routine transmits the information relating to the corrective action to the third routine, and wherein the third routine receives the information relating to the corrective action and stores the information relating to the corrective action.

29. The diagnostic system of claim 21, wherein the first processor, the second processor and the third processor are the same processor, and the first computer readable memory, the second computer readable memory and the third computer readable memory are the same memory.

30. The diagnostic system of claim 20, wherein the process control system includes a fourth processor, the diagnostic system comprising:

a fourth computer readable memory; and

a fourth routine stored on the fourth computer readable memory and adapted to be implemented on the fourth processor, wherein the second routine transmits the information relating to the corrective action to the fourth routine, and wherein the fourth routine;

analyzes the information relating to the corrective action, and

transmits information relating to the analysis of the fourth routine to the second routine.

31. The diagnostic system of claim 30, wherein the fourth routine is one of a tuner, a calibrator and a diagnostic tool.

32. The diagnostic system of claim 30, wherein the second routine receives the information relating to the analysis of the fourth routine, analyzes the information relating to the analysis of the fourth routine using the analysis rule, determines a second corrective action for the process control system based on the analysis of the information relating to the analysis of the fourth routine with the analysis rule, and transmits information relating to the second corrective action.

33. The diagnostic system of claim 30, wherein the first processor, the second processor and the fourth processor are the same processor, and the first computer readable memory, the second computer readable memory and the fourth computer readable memory are the same memory.

34. The diagnostic system of claim 20, wherein the process control system includes a fifth processor, the diagnostic system comprising:

a fifth computer readable memory; and

a fifth routine stored on the fifth computer readable memory and adapted to be implemented on the fifth processor, wherein the second routine transmits the information relating to the corrective action to the fifth routine, and wherein the fifth routine;

receives the information relating to the corrective action; and

displays the information relating to the corrective action.

35. The diagnostic system of claim 34, wherein the second routine transmits information to the fifth routine relating to the probable source of the operational problem.

36. The diagnostic system of claim 34, wherein the second routine transmits information to the fifth routine relating to a recommended diagnostic tool to use to correct t the operational problem.

37. The diagnostic system of claim 36, wherein the second routine transmits information to the fifth routine relating to operating of the recommended diagnostic tool.

38. The diagnostic system of claim 34, wherein the first processor, the second processor and the fifth processor are the same processor, and the first computer readable memory, the second computer readable memory and the fifth computer readable memory are the same memory.

39. The diagnostic system of claim 22, wherein the second routine determines the corrective action for the operational problem automatically.

40. The diagnostic system of claim 22, wherein the second routine executes continuously during the execution of process control functions by the process control modules of the field devices of the process control system.

41. The process control system of claim 22, wherein the second routine determines the corrective action for the operational problem in response to a triggering event.

42. A method of diagnosing and correcting operational problems in a process control system having a plurality of field devices communicatively linked to a bus, each field device having at least one process function module being adapted to perform process control functions and to transmit process control information on the bus, the diagnostic system comprising:

receiving the process control information from the process function modules at a diagnostic tool;

analyzing the process control information;

determining an operational problem in the process control system based on the analysis of the process control information;

transmitting information relating to the operational problem to an expert engine;

analyzing the information relating to the operational problem using a corresponding one of at least one analysis rules for determining corrective actions for the process control system based on information related to operational problems;

determining a corrective action for the process control system based on theanalysis of the information relating to the operational problem with the analysis rule; and

transmitting information relating to the corrective action for implementation by the process control system.

43. The method of claim 42, comprising:

storing historical information for operational problems and corrective action in a database; and

transmitting historical information relating to the determined operational problem to the expert engine for use by the expert engine in analyzing the information relating to the operational problem and determining the corrective action.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the historical information stored by the database includes event information.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the event information includes information pertaining to the need to perform maintenance on at least one of the field devices.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the event information includes information pertaining to changes to operating parameters for the process function modules.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein the historical information stored by the database includes alarm information.

48. The method of claim 43, comprising storing values of process function module operating parameters for each of the process function modules in the database.

49. The method of claim 43, comprising storing information relating to changes to process control functions performed by process function modules of the process control system in the database.

50. The method of claim 43, comprising storing the information relating to the corrective action in the database.

51. The method of claim 42, comprising:

transmitting the information relating to the corrective action to an analysis application;

analyzing the information relating to the corrective action; and

transmitting information relating to the analysis of the analysis application to the expert engine.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the analysis application is one of a tuner, a calibrator and a second diagnostic tool.

53. The method of claim 51, comprising:

receiving the information relating to the analysis of the analysis application at the expert engine;

analyzing the information relating to the analysis of the analysis application using the analysis rule;

determining a second corrective action for the process control system based on the analysis of the information relating to the analysis of the analysis application with the analysis rule; and

transmitting information relating to the second corrective action for implementation b the process control system.

54. The method of claim 42, comprising:

transmitting the information relating to the corrective action to a user interface; and

receiving the information relating to the corrective action at the user interface.

55. The method of claim 54, comprising transmitting information to the user interface relating to the probable source of the operational problem.

56. The method of claim 54, comprising transmitting information to the user interface relating to a recommended further diagnostic tool to use to correct the operational problem.

57. The method of claim 56, comprising transmitting information to the user interface relating to operating of the recommended further diagnostic tool.

58. The method of claim 42, comprising determining the corrective action for the operational problem automatically.

59. The method of claim 42, comprising operating the expert engine continuously during the execution of process control functions by the process control modules of the field devices of the process control system.

60. The method system of claim 42, comprising determining the corrective action for the operational problem in response to a triggering event.