Diagnostics method and apparatus for use with enterprise controls
First Claim
1. A diagnostics agent to be used with an execution code and an indicator, the code for controlling control mechanism sets which in turn control resources to perform an industrial process, the code controlling by providing sequential resource requests to the mechanism sets, at least a sub-set of requests including sequential events, the agent for providing a status based diagnostic output and comprising:
- for at least a subset of requests, status based diagnostic code interspersed among the execution code indicating request specific events;
a processor for monitoring events as they occur; and
a driver linked to the processor and the indicator for, as the execution code progresses, indicating the next event expected to occur, whereby upon an occurrence of an abnormal condition with respect to one of the sequential events, the indicating of the next event assists in a diagnosis relating to the abnormal condition.
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Abstract
A data construct set and method for use with an industrial process which is controlled according to execution code wherein a processor running the code generates requests to mechanical resources to cause the resources to perform the process, the construct enabling generation of diagnostic code interspersed within the execution code which, when an event is to occur, indicates the event to occur, the invention also including status based diagnostics generally and methods of using the data construct set for generating both execution code and status based diagnostics.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A diagnostics agent to be used with an execution code and an indicator, the code for controlling control mechanism sets which in turn control resources to perform an industrial process, the code controlling by providing sequential resource requests to the mechanism sets, at least a sub-set of requests including sequential events, the agent for providing a status based diagnostic output and comprising:
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for at least a subset of requests, status based diagnostic code interspersed among the execution code indicating request specific events;
a processor for monitoring events as they occur; and
a driver linked to the processor and the indicator for, as the execution code progresses, indicating the next event expected to occur, whereby upon an occurrence of an abnormal condition with respect to one of the sequential events, the indicating of the next event assists in a diagnosis relating to the abnormal condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for use with a processor and an editor, the processor for running execution code to generate requests provided to control mechanism sets thereby causing the mechanism sets to perform an industrial process, the method for providing execution code including diagnostic code for performing diagnostic functions for at least one mechanism set, the method comprising the steps of:
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for each mechanism set, encapsulating in a control assembly (CA);
(i) an execution logic specification specifying resource requests to the mechanism set; and
(ii) a diagnostic specification specifying at least one abnormal condition corresponding to the mechanism set and at least one function to be performed if the at least one abnormal condition occurs;
selecting at least one CA for the at least one mechanism set;
providing a diagnostic editor that allows a user to select diagnostic functions for the at least one mechanism set; and
after at least one diagnostic function is selected, updating the diagnostic specification to reflect the selected function. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for use with a processor and an editor, the processor for running execution code to generate requests provided to control mechanism sets thereby causing the mechanism sets to perform an industrial process, the method for providing execution code that supports diagnostic functions for at least one mechanism set, the method for use with at least one control assembly (CA) including an execution logic specification specifying resource requests for at least one mechanism set and a diagnostic specification specifying at least one abnormal condition corresponding to the at least one mechanism set and at least one function to be performed if the at least one abnormal condition occurs, the method comprising the steps of:
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selecting at least one CA for the at least one mechanism set;
providing a diagnostic editor that allows a user to select diagnostic functions for the at least one mechanism set; and
after at least one diagnostic function is selected, updating the diagnostic specification to reflect the selected function. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. An apparatus for use with a processor and an editor, the processor for running execution code to generate requests provided to control mechanism sets thereby causing the mechanism sets to perform an industrial process, the apparatus for providing execution code including diagnostic code for performing diagnostic functions for at least one mechanism set, the apparatus comprising:
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a database including a separate control assembly (CA) for each mechanism set type, each CA including;
(i) an execution logic specification specifying resource requests to the mechanism set; and
(ii) a diagnostic specification specifying at least one abnormal condition corresponding to the mechanism set and at least one function to be performed if the at least one abnormal condition occurs;
an interface for selecting at least one CA associated with at least one mechanism set;
a diagnostic editor that, after at least one CA is selected, provides a diagnostic function list and a selection tool for selecting functions from the list via the interface; and
a processor that, after diagnostic functions have been selected, updates the diagnostic specification to reflect the selected function. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A diagnostics agent to be used with an execution code and an indicator, the code for controlling control mechanism sets which in turn control resources to perform an industrial process, the code controlling by providing sequential resource requests to the mechanism sets, at least a sub-set of requests including sequential events, the agent for providing a status based diagnostic output and comprising:
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for at least the sub-set of requests to be provided to the mechanism sets to control the resources of the industrial process, status based diagnostic code interspersed among the execution code indicating request specific events;
a processor for monitoring events as they occur in relation to the performing of the industrial process; and
a driver linked to the processor and the indicator for, as the execution code progresses, indicating the next event expected to occur in relation to the performing of the industrial process.
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Specification