Integrated alert generation in a process plant

• US 7,557,702 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• 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: Llewellyn, Craig Thomas, Westbrock, Jon D., Eryurek, Evren, Hokeness, Scott N., Marschall, Lester David, Harris, Stuart A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope; Daryl C
• Application Number:
  US10/484,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20050007249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,321 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/511, 340/517, 340/521, 340/524, 340/525, 340/3.1, 340/825.36, 340/825.49
• US Class Current: 340/511
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/027 Alarm generation, e.g. communication protocol; Forms of alarm

Abstract

Operational status information associated with a process entity in a process plant is received. The operational status information is mapped into one of a plurality of status conditions. Then, an alert message associated with the process entity is generated, where the alert message is indicative of the one status condition of the plurality of status conditions.

Claims

1. A method of processing information related to operational status of process entities in a process plant, the method comprising:

receiving first operational status information associated with a first process entity in the process plant, wherein the first operational status information is indicative of an ability of the first process entity to operate properly, wherein the first operational status information is configured according to a first format, wherein the first process entity is from a first class of devices, wherein the first format is utilized by devices in the first class of devices;

mapping the first operational status information to a status condition associated with the ability of the first process entity to operate properly, wherein the status condition associated with the ability of the first process entity to operate properly is one status condition of a plurality of status conditions, wherein each status condition of the plurality of status conditions is indicative of a different level of severity, wherein the plurality of status conditions corresponds to a second format utilized by devices in a second class of devices to indicate operational status, wherein the second format is different than the first format, wherein the second class of devices is different than the first class of devices; and

generating a first alert message associated with the first process entity, the first alert message indicative of the status condition associated with the ability of the first process entity to operate properly.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving second operational status information associated with a second process entity in the process plant, wherein the second operational status information is indicative of an ability of the second process entity to operate properly, wherein the second operational status information is configured according to a third format, wherein the second process entity is from a third class of devices, wherein the third format is utilized by devices in the third class of devices;

mapping the second operational status information to a status condition associated with the ability of the second process entity to operate properly, wherein the status condition associated with the ability of the second process entity to operate properly is one status condition of the plurality of status conditions corresponding to the second format, wherein the second formal is different than the third format, wherein the second class of devices is different than the third class of devices; and

generating a second alert message associated with the second process entity, the second alert message indicative of the status condition associated with the ability of the second process entity to operate properly.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving operational status information associated with a plurality of other process entities in the process plant, wherein the operational status information associated with the plurality of other process entities is indicative of respective abilities of the plurality of other process entities to operate properly, wherein the operational status information associated with the plurality of other process entities is configured according to at least a fourth format, wherein the plurality of other process entities are from at least a fourth class of devices, wherein the at least the fourth format is utilized by devices in the at least the fourth class of devices;

mapping the operational status information associated with the plurality of other process entities to a plurality of respective status conditions associated with the respective abilities of the plurality of other process entities to operate properly, wherein each respective status condition associated with the respective operational status of the other process entity is one status condition of the plurality of status conditions corresponding to the second format, wherein the second format is different than the at least the fourth format, wherein the second class of devices is different than the at least the fourth class of devices; and

generating a plurality of respective alert messages associated with the plurality of other process entities, each of the plurality of respective alert messages indicative of the respective status condition associated with the respective ability of the other process entity to operate properly.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first operational status information is received according to a communication protocol chosen from the group of protocols consisting of Fieldbus, HART, PROFIBUS®

, WORLDFIP®

, DEVICE-NET®

, CAN, and Ethernet.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising displaying an indication of the first alert message on a user interface.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising communicating the first alert message to a business system.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising storing the first alert message in a database.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first process entity comprises a field device.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein receiving the first operational status information comprises receiving a message indicative of a device alarm associated with the field device.

10. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein generating the first alert message comprises generating the first alert message based on the device alarm.

11. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first process entity comprises a process control software module.

12. A method as defined in claim 11, wherein receiving the first operational status information comprises receiving a message indicative of a process alarm associated with the process control software module.

13. A method as defined in claim 12, wherein generating the first alert message comprises generating the first alert message based on the process alarm.

14. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first process entity comprises a hardware device from the group consisting of a process controller, an input/output device, an operator workstation, and a network device.

15. A method as defined in claim 14, wherein receiving the first operational status information comprises receiving a message associated a network object.

16. A method as defined in claim 14, wherein receiving the first operational status information comprises receiving a message according to the Simple Network Management Protocol.

17. A method as defined in claim 14, wherein receiving the first operational status information comprises receiving a message indicative of a hardware alarm associated with the hardware device.

18. A method as defined in claim 17, wherein generating the first alert message comprises generating the first alert message based on the hardware alarm.

19. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first process entity comprises rotating equipment.

20. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first process entity comprises power generating equipment.

21. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first process entity comprises power distribution equipment.

22. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein receiving the first operational status information comprises receiving operational status information from a monitoring system.

23. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein receiving the first operational status information comprises receiving operational status information from a diagnostic system.

24. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein receiving the first operational status information comprises receiving operational status information from a model.

25. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein receiving the first operational status information comprises receiving operational status information from an expert system.

26. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein receiving the first operational status information comprises receiving operational status information from an optimization system.

27. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein receiving the first operational status information comprises receiving operational status information from a maintenance system.

28. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the plurality of status conditions comprises an ADVISORY condition, a MAINTENANCE condition, and a FAILED condition.

29. A method as defined in claim 28, wherein the plurality of status conditions further comprises NO COMMUNICATION condition.

30. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first alert message includes an indication of a recommended action.

31. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first alert message includes an indication of a link to text related to detailed help.

32. A method as defined in claim 31, wherein the text includes at least one of a procedure for handling a problem associated with the first alert message, a diagram, a link to a document, and a link to diagram.

33. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first alert message includes an indication of a link to a document.

34. A method as defined in claim 33, wherein the document includes at least one of a procedure for handling a problem associated with the first alert message, a diagram, a link to another document, and a link to diagram.

35. An apparatus for processing information related to operational status of process entities in a process plant, the apparatus comprising:

a memory;

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, the processor programmed to

receive first operational status information associated with a first process entity in the process plant, wherein the first operational status information is indicative of an ability of the first process entity to operate properly, wherein the first operational status information is configured according to a first format, wherein the first process entity is from a first class of devices, wherein the first format is utilized by devices in the first class of devices;

map the first operational status information to a status condition associated with the ability of the first process entity to operate properly, wherein the status condition associated with the ability of the first process entity to operate properly is one status condition of a plurality of status conditions, wherein each status condition of the plurality of status conditions is indicative of a different level of severity, wherein the plurality of status conditions corresponds to a second format utilized by devices in a second class of devices to indicate operational status, wherein the second format is different than the first format, wherein the second class of devices is different than the first class of devices; and

generate a first alert message associated with the first process entity, the first alert message indicative of the status condition associated with the ability of the first process entity to operate properly.

36. An apparatus as defined in claim 35, wherein the processor is further programmed to

receive second operational status information associated with a second process entity in the process plant, wherein the second operational status information is indicative of an ability of the second process entity to operate properly, wherein the second operational status information is configured according to a third format, wherein the second process entity is from a third class of devices, wherein the third format is utilized by devices in the third class of devices;

map the second operational status information to a status condition associated with the ability of the second process entity to operate properly, wherein the status condition associated with the ability of the second process entity to operate properly is one status condition of the plurality of status conditions corresponding to the second format, wherein the second format is different than the third format, wherein the second class of devices is different than the third class of devices; and

generate a second alert message associated with the second process entity, the second alert message indicative of the status condition associated with the ability of the second process entity to operate properly.

37. An apparatus as defined in claim 35, wherein the processor is communicatively coupled to a database, and wherein the processor is further programmed to send the first alert message to the database for storage.

38. An apparatus as defined in claim 35, wherein the processor is communicatively coupled to a user interface, and wherein the processor is further programmed to display an indication of the first alert message via the user interface.

39. An apparatus as defined in claim 35, wherein the processor is communicatively coupled to a business system, and wherein the processor is further programmed to send the first alert message to the business system.

40. A tangible medium storing machine readable instructions capable of causing one or more machines to:

receive first operational status information associated with a first process entity in the process plant, wherein the first operational status information is indicative of an ability of the first process entity to operate properly, wherein the first operational status information is configured according to a first format, wherein the first process entity is from a first class of devices, wherein the first format is utilized by devices in the first class of devices;

map the first operational status information to a status condition associated with the ability of the first process entity to operate properly, wherein the status condition associated with the ability of the first process entity to operate properly is one status condition of a plurality of status conditions, wherein each status condition of the plurality of status conditions is indicative of a different level of severity, wherein the plurality of status conditions corresponds to a second format utilized by devices in a second class of devices to indicate operational status, wherein the second format is different than the first format, wherein the second class of devices is different than the first class of devices; and

generate a first alert message associated with the first process entity, the first alert message indicative of the status condition associated with the ability of the first process entity to operate properly.

41. A tangible medium storing machine readable instructions as defined in claim 40 capable of causing one or more machines to:

receive second operational status information associated with a second process entity in the process plant, wherein the second operational status information is indicative of an ability of the second process entity to operate properly, wherein the second operational status information is configured according to a third format, wherein the second process entity is from a third class of devices, wherein the third format is utilized by devices in the third class of devices;

map the second operational status information to a status condition associated with the ability of the second process entity to operate properly, wherein the status condition associated with the ability of the second process entity to operate properly is one status condition of the plurality of status conditions corresponding to the second format, wherein the second format is different than the third format, wherein the second class of devices is different than the third class of devices; and

generate a second alert message associated with the second process entity, the second alert message indicative of the status condition associated with the ability of the second process entity to operate properly.