Enhanced fieldbus device alerts in a process control system
First Claim
1. A method of generating a Fieldbus alert message within a process control system, comprising the steps of:
- uniquely associating a plurality of device conditions for a Fieldbus device with a plurality of independently reportable alert parameters having different levels of severity;
detecting a condition associated with the Fieldbus device;
storing first information within a first parameter corresponding to one of the independently reportable alert parameters to indicate the existence of the detected condition;
applying a mask parameter to the first parameter to generate a second parameter corresponding to the one of the independently reportable alert parameters, the mask parameter indicative of device conditions, in a subset of device conditions for the Fieldbus device, that can be reported, the subset corresponding to device conditions associated with the one independently reportable alert parameter; and
generating the Fieldbus alert message based on the second parameter.
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Abstract
Enhanced Fieldbus device alerts enable Fieldbus devices within a process control system to report alarm or alert conditions that are detected within the devices to a system user or operator using a plurality of independently reportable device alarm parameters, each of which corresponds to a different level of severity and each of which may require a different type of response by the system user or operator. The independently reportable device alarm parameters include a parameter associated with a failure of a Fieldbus device, a parameter associated with maintenance needed by a Fieldbus device and an advisable action in connection with a Fieldbus device.
324 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of generating a Fieldbus alert message within a process control system, comprising the steps of:
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uniquely associating a plurality of device conditions for a Fieldbus device with a plurality of independently reportable alert parameters having different levels of severity; detecting a condition associated with the Fieldbus device; storing first information within a first parameter corresponding to one of the independently reportable alert parameters to indicate the existence of the detected condition; applying a mask parameter to the first parameter to generate a second parameter corresponding to the one of the independently reportable alert parameters, the mask parameter indicative of device conditions, in a subset of device conditions for the Fieldbus device, that can be reported, the subset corresponding to device conditions associated with the one independently reportable alert parameter; and generating the Fieldbus alert message based on the second parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of generating a Fieldbus alarm, comprising the acts of:
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associating a plurality of device conditions for a Fieldbus device with a plurality of independently reportable alarms; detecting a condition associated with the Fieldbus device; storing first information in a parameter corresponding to one of the plurality of independently reportable alarms in response to detecting the condition; generating, at the Fieldbus device, a Fieldbus alert message that reports the detected condition and the one independently reportable alarm based on the parameter; transmitting the Fieldbus alert message over a bus that operates according to a Fieldbus communication protocol; and
the method further comprising the act of applying a mask parameter to the parameter corresponding to the one of the plurality of independently reportable alarms prior to generating the Fieldbus alert message. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A smart field device for use in a process control system, the smart field comprising:
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a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is programmed to associate a plurality of device conditions for the smart field device with a corresponding one independently reportable alarm of a plurality of independently reportable alarms and to detect a condition associated with the smart field device, and wherein the processor is further programmed to store first information in a parameter corresponding to one of the plurality of independently reportable alarms in response to detecting the condition, to generate an alarm message that reports the detected condition and the one independently reportable alarm associated with the detected condition, to transmit the alarm message over a bus; and wherein the processor is further programmed to apply a mask parameter to the parameter corresponding to one of the plurality of independently reportable alarms prior to generating the alarm message. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification