Control system simulation, testing, and operator training

• US 6,823,280 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2003
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fluor Enterprises Incorporated (Fluor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fluor Corporation
• Inventors: Johnson, Eric D., Ghormley, Christopher S., Addleman, Shane R., Scharold, Paul G., Brayton, D. Dwight, Romero, Stephen G., Dallas, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Raymond, Edward
• Application Number:
  US10/129,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20040064253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 702/108, 702/120, 702/121, 712/226
• US Class Current: 702/108
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/05 Programmable logic controllers, e.g. simulating logic interconnections of signals according to ladder diagrams or function charts
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13174 Pc, computer connected to plc to simulate machine
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24058 Remote testing, monitoring independent from normal control by pc
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24061 Simulator, generates input signals, shows output signals of logic
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/261 by simulating additional hardware, e.g. fault simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 25/02 of industrial processes; of machinery

Abstract

A requirements database and test generator generates tests for functional and field testing and generates requirements documentation, user manuals, operational procedures, instrument data sheets, instrument indices, instrument loop diagrams, validation reports, and test reports, including exception and passing reports. A portable process control simulator (120) system which provides control system (900) users with scenarios that mirror field operation as defined.

Claims

1. A test system for testing a control system comprising:

a configurator having a set of tags, each tag being a label which corresponds to a component of the control system to be tested;

the configurator having a set of requirements wherein each requirement comprises at least one tag and at least one Boolean operator;

an I/O simulator; and

a mechanism for automatically generating at least one set of instructions for the I/O simulator from each requirement, and a mechanism for transmitting the at least one set of instructions for the I/O simulator to the I/O simulator.

2. The test system of claim 1 wherein each tag has a corresponding component type, and the configurator includes a set of parameter values wherein each parameter value corresponds to a component type and at least some of the parameter values are used in generating the at least one set of instructions for the 110 simulator.

3. The test system of claim 2 further comprising a set of questions with the test system prompting an operator for responses to the questions and recording any operator response to the questions.

4. The test system of claim 3 further comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) providing a mechanism for an authorized operator to maintain the set of tags, the set of requirements, the set of subsets of parameter values, and/or the set of questions.