User-viewable relative diagnostic output

• US 7,222,049 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2005
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Schumacher, Mark Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui; Bryan
• Application Number:
  US11/077,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20060217928A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 702/183, 702/185, 702/186, 702/188, 706/52, 706/903, 700/28, 700/32, 700/54
• US Class Current: 702/183
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0235 based on a comparison with predetermined threshold or range, e.g. "classical methods", carried out during normal operation; threshold adaptation or choice; when or how to compare with the threshold

Abstract

A transmitter provides a transmitter output representative of a process variable associated with a process. The transmitter receives a sensor signal representative of a process variable from a sensor. The transmitter output based on the sensor signal is provided. The transmitter also provides a user-viewable relative diagnostic output as a function of one or more inputs representative of conditions related to the operation of the transmitter.

Claims

1. A transmitter for providing a transmitter output representative of a process variable associated with a process, the transmitter comprising:

a sensor input for receiving a sensor signal from a sensor, the sensor signal representative of the process variable;

means for providing the transmitter output based upon the sensor signal representative of the process variable; and

means for providing a user-viewable relative diagnostic output as a function of one or more inputs representative of conditions related to operation of the transmitter;

wherein the relative diagnostic output represents a relative level of operation with respect to a scale comprising a first relative limit and a second relative limit, wherein the first relative limit is representative of a degraded level of operation and the second relative limit is representative of an optimal level of operation.

2. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein the relative diagnostic output is provided as a function of a plurality of inputs representative of conditions related to operation of the transmitter.

3. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein the means for providing a transmitter output comprises a data processor.

4. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein the means for providing the relative diagnostic output comprises a data processor using an algorithm for deriving the relative diagnostic output.

5. The transmitter of claim 4, wherein the algorithm is selected from the group of algorithms consisting of neural networks, fuzzy logic, wavelets, Fourier transforms, and polynomial curve fits.

6. The transmitter of claim 1 further comprising a display for communicating the relative diagnostic output, the display in communication with the means for providing the relative diagnostic output.

13. The transmitter of claim 1 further comprising:

output circuitry in communication with the means for providing the user-viewable relative diagnostic output, the output circuitry for communicating the diagnostic output to a system in communication with the transmitter.

14. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein the sensor is located in the transmitter.

15. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein the user-viewable relative diagnostic output is a function of an input representative of the operation of an impulse line.

16. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein the user-viewable relative diagnostic output is a function of an input representative of process variation.

17. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein the user-viewable relative diagnostic output is a function of an input representative of the operation of transmitter electronics.

18. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein the user-viewable relative diagnostic output is a function of an input representative of the operation of a process control loop.

7. A transmitter for providing a transmitter output representative of a process variable associated with a process, the transmitter comprising:

a sensor input for receiving a sensor signal from a sensor, the sensor signal representative of the process variable;

means for providing the transmitter output based upon the sensor signal representative of the process variable;

means for providing a user-viewable relative diagnostic output as a function of one or more inputs representative of conditions related to operation of the transmitter;

a display for communicating the relative diagnostic output, the display in communication with the means for providing the relative diagnostic output wherein the display comprises;

a scale comprising a first relative limit and a second relative limit, wherein the first relative limit is representative of a degraded level of operation and the second relative limit is representative of an optimal level of operation; and

a diagnostic indicator for communicating the relative diagnostic output in relation to the first and second relative limits of the scale, wherein the relative diagnostic output represents a relative level of operation.

8. The display of claim 7, wherein the diagnostic indicator comprises an indicating element positionable relative to the scale to indicate the relative diagnostic output.

9. The transmitter of claim 7, wherein the indicating element comprises a pointer.

10. The transmitter of claim 7, wherein the indicating element comprises a graphical member displayed on a liquid crystal display.

11. The transmitter of claim 7, wherein the indicating element comprises an array of light-emitting diodes.

12. The transmitter of claim 7, wherein the scale comprises a user-viewable scale displayed on the display.

19. A transmitter for generating a transmitter output representative of a process variable associated with a process, the transmitter comprising:

a sensor input for receiving a sensor signal representative of the process variable;

a data processor configured to monitor a plurality of inputs representative of the operation of the transmitter and execute an algorithm to derive a scaled diagnostic output as a function of the plurality of inputs, the data processor in communication with the sensor input, and

a display in communication with the data processor to communicate the scaled diagnostic output to a user, the display comprising;

a scale comprising a first relative limit and a second relative limit, wherein the first relative limit is representative of a degraded level of transmitter operation and the second relative limit is representative of an optimal level of transmitter operation; and

a diagnostic indicator for communicating the scaled diagnostic output in relation to the first and second relative limits.

20. The transmitter of claim 19, wherein the scaled diagnostic output is a function of an input representative of the operation of an impulse line.

21. The transmitter of claim 19, wherein the scaled diagnostic output is a function of an input representative of process variation.

22. The transmitter of claim 19, wherein the scaled diagnostic output is a function of an input representative of the operation of transmitter electronics.

23. The transmitter of claim 19, wherein the scaled diagnostic output is a function of an input representative of the operation of a process control loop.

24. A method for generating a signal representative of conditions related to the operation of a transmitter that produces a transmitter output representative of a sensed parameter, the method comprising:

providing diagnostic inputs to the transmitter, wherein the diagnostic inputs are based on sensor signals and are representative of conditions related to the operation of the transmitter;

processing the diagnostic inputs to produce a transmitter-derived scaled diagnostic output as a function of the diagnostic inputs;

transmitting the scaled diagnostic output to a user-viewable display; and

wherein the scaled diagnostic output is displayed relative to a scale comprising a first relative limit and a second relative limit, wherein the first relative limit is representative of a degraded level of transmitter operation and the second relative limit is representative of an optimal level of transmitter operation.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein one or more of the diagnostic inputs comprises a transmitter-derived diagnostic input based on one or more sensor signals.

26. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

displaying the scaled diagnostic output on a user-viewable display.

27. The transmitter of claim 24, wherein the scaled diagnostic output is a function of a diagnostic input representative of the operation of an impulse line.

28. The transmitter of claim 24, wherein the scaled diagnostic output is a function of a diagnostic input representative of process variation.

29. The transmitter of claim 24, wherein the scaled diagnostic output is a function of a diagnostic input representative of the operation of transmitter electronics.

30. The transmitter of claim 24, wherein the scaled diagnostic output is a function of a diagnostic input representative of the operation of a process control loop.

31. A display for displaying a relative diagnostic output received from a transmitter, the transmitter for producing a transmitter output representative of a process variable associated with an industrial process, the display comprising:

a scale comprising a first relative limit and a second relative limit, wherein the first relative limit is representative of a degraded level of transmitter operation and the second relative limit is representative of an optimal level of transmitter operation; and

a diagnostic indicator for communicating the relative diagnostic output in relation to the first and second relative limits of the scale, wherein the relative diagnostic output comprises a transmitter-derived output and represents a relative level of transmitter operation.

32. The display of claim 31 further comprising:

a process variable indicator for indicating a magnitude of the process variable.

33. The display of claim 31, wherein the diagnostic indicator comprises an indicating element positionable relative to the scale to indicate the relative diagnostic output.

34. The display of claim 33, wherein the indicating element comprises a pointer.

35. The display of claim 33, wherein the indicating element comprises a graphical member.

36. The display of claim 35, wherein the display includes a liquid-crystal display for displaying the graphical member.

37. The display of claim 33, wherein the indicating element comprises an anayof light-emitting elements.

38. The display of claim 37, wherein the light-emitting elements comprise light-emitting diodes.

39. The display of claim 31, wherein the scale comprises a user-viewable scale displayed on the display.