Equipment inspection and evaluation system, equipment management system, and computer-readable record medium with equipment management program stored therein

• US 6,850,848 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2001
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TLV Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: TLV Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Emoto, Hiroshi, Nguyen, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barbee, Manuel L.
• Application Number:
  US09/768,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20010002460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: 702 33- 35, 702/50, 702113-115, 702/121, 702/122, 73/40, 73/46, 700/108, 707/104
• US Class Current: 702/34
• CPC Class Codes: F16T 1/48 Monitoring arrangements for inspecting, e.g. flow of steam and steam condensate
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0421 Multiprocessor system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/409 characterised by using manual data input [MDI] or by using control panel, e.g. controlling functions with the panel; characterised by control panel details or by setting parameters G05B19/408, G05B19/4093 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23136 Display all subsystems, select one and display screen corresponding to subsystem
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23178 Display status of currently selected controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24048 Remote test, monitoring, diagnostic
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24056 Portable, detachable module to input test signals, read test results
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24093 Display, show place of error, fault
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25294 Part, workpiece, code, tool identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2604 Test of external equipment
• 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: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance

Abstract

An equipment inspecting and evaluating system can be used to inspect and evaluate steam traps by detecting a level of vibrations of each trap and the surface temperature of the housing of that trap. The detected vibration level and temperature are used to determine whether or not steam is leaking through that trap and to what extent steam leakage is. An equipment management system is connected to the inspection and evaluation system by a data transmission cable and receives inspection data of the traps from the inspection and evaluation system. The management system analyzes the received inspection data for computing the number of defective traps, the ratio of defective traps to the entire traps, the loss caused by steam leakage, etc.

Claims

1. An equipment management system comprising:

a detailed data memory section having stored therein detailed data for a plurality of devices forming equipment, the detailed data including indexes for the respective devices;

a data retrieval condition setting section for setting at least one data retrieval condition for retrieving detailed data for a device to be inspected and evaluated, the data retrieval condition setting section providing to a user a plurality of predetermined data retrieval conditions from which the user selects the at least one data retrieval condition, each of the plurality of predetermined data retrieval conditions relating to determination of the order in which the devices are to be inspected;

a data retrieving section retrieving detailed data of a device meeting the at least one data retrieval condition; and

a data output section outputting at least part of the retrieved detailed data, the part including the index.

2. The equipment management system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a data re-arranging section for re-arranging the detailed data retrieved by the data retrieval section;

the data output section outputting at least part of the re-arranged detailed data, including the indexes.

3. The equipment management system according to claim 1 wherein the equipment is a piping system, and the devices are traps of different types disposed the piping system.

4. The equipment management system according to claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of predetermined data retrieval conditions is provided to the user via the data output section.

5. The equipment management system according to claim 4, wherein:

the data output section provides the plurality of predetermined data retrieval conditions via a graphical user interface, in which each predetermined data retrieval condition is represented visually.

6. The equipment management system according to claim 1, wherein:

the user-selected at least one data retrieval condition is stored in the detailed data memory section for use in more than one data retrieving operation.

7. The equipment management system according to claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of predetermined data retrieval conditions includes at least one default data retrieval condition for use in a data retrieving operation as one of an alternative to and in the absence of the user-selected at least one data retrieval condition.

8. A computer-readable record medium having recorded therein an equipment management program which is executed by a computer for managing a plurality of devices forming equipment, the equipment management program causing the computer to execute:

a data retrieval condition setting sequence for setting at least one data retrieval condition for retrieving detailed data for a device to be inspected and evaluated, the data retrieval condition setting sequence permitting a user to select the at least one data retrieval condition from a plurality of predetermined data retrieval conditions, each of the plurality of predetermined data retrieval conditions relating to determination of the order in which the devices are to be inspected;

a data retrieving sequence for retrieving detailed data of a device meeting the at least one data retrieval condition; and

a data outputting sequence for outputting at least part of the retrieved detailed data, the part including the index.

9. The computer-readable record medium according to claim 8 wherein the equipment management program causes the computer to execute further:

a data re-arranging sequence for re-arranging the detailed data retrieved in the data retrieving sequence;

the data outputting sequence outputting at least part of the re-arranged detailed data including the indexes.

10. The computer-readable record medium according to claim 8 wherein the equipment is a piping system, and the devices are traps of different types disposed the piping system.

11. An equipment inspection and evaluation system including a device inspecting and evaluation section for inspecting and evaluating a plurality of devices forming equipment in accordance with a predetermined inspection and evaluation sequence, the system comprising:

an index memory section having stored therein indexes for the respective devices, the indexes being arranged in a predetermined order;

an index calling section which first calls the foremost index and, then, calls succeeding indexes one by one in the predetermined order each time an external index output command is applied;

an index output section outputting indexes called by the index calling section;

a data receiving section receiving at least a part of the detailed data output from an equipment management system that produces the at least part of the detailed data by permitting a user to select from a plurality of predetermined data retrieval conditions at least one data retrieval condition according to which the detailed data output from the equipment management system is retrieved, each of the plurality of predetermined data retrieval conditions relating to determination of the order in which the devices are to be inspected; and

an index storage control section storing the indexes contained in the received detailed data in the index memory section.

12. An equipment inspection and evaluation system including a device inspecting and evaluation section for inspecting and evaluating a plurality of devices forming equipment in accordance with a predetermined inspection and evaluation sequence, the system comprising:

an index memory section having stored therein indexes for the respective devices, the indexes being arranged in a predetermined order;

an index calling section which first calls the foremost index and, then, calls succeeding indexes one by one in the predetermined order each time an external index output command is applied;

an index output section outputting indexes called by the index calling section;

a data receiving section receiving at least a part of the detailed data output from a computer which executes an equipment management program recorded in a record medium in order to produce the at least part of the detailed data by permitting a user to select from a plurality of predetermined data retrieval conditions at least one data retrieval condition according to which the detailed data output from the computer is retrieved, each of the plurality of predetermined data retrieval conditions relating to determination of the order in which the devices are to be inspected; and

an index storage control section storing the indexes contained in the received detailed data in the index memory section.

13. An equipment management method comprising:

storing detailed data for a plurality of devices forming equipment, the detailed data including indexes for the respective devices;

setting at least one data retrieval condition for retrieving detailed data for a device to be inspected and evaluated by permitting a user to select the at least one data retrieval condition from a plurality of predetermined data retrieval conditions, each of the plurality of predetermined data retrieval conditions relating to determination of the order in which the devices are to be inspected;

retrieving detailed data of a device meeting the at least one data retrieval condition; and

outputting at least part of the retrieved detailed data, the part including the index.

14. The equipment management method according to claim 13 further comprising:

re-arranging the detailed data retrieved by the data retrieval section;

outputting at least part of the re-arranged detailed data including the indexes.

15. An equipment management method for managing equipment including a plurality of devices, comprising:

setting at least one data retrieval condition for retrieving detailed data for a device to be inspected and evaluated by permitting a user to select the at least one data retrieval condition from a plurality of predetermined data retrieval conditions, each of the plurality of predetermined data retrieval conditions relating to determination of the order in which the devices are to be inspected;

retrieving detailed data of a device meeting the at least one data retrieval condition; and

outputting at least part of the retrieved detailed data, the part including an index.

16. The method according to claim 15 further comprising:

re-arranging the detailed data retrieved in the data retrieving sequence;

outputting at least part of the re-arranged detailed data including the indexes.