Emission-monitoring system and method for transferring data

• US 7,590,896 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Anil, Rekha, Widmer, Neil Colin
• Primary Examiner(s): Maskulinski; Michael C
• Application Number:
  US12/183,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20080288602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 411 Days
• Field of Search: 714/47
• US Class Current: 714/47.1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems

Abstract

A system and a method for transferring data in an emission-monitoring system from a first computer to a second computer are provided. The method includes generating a first message containing a first software variable having a first site-specific value that is transmitted from the first computer to the second computer. The first site-specific value is indicative of whether one of a fault event, a maintenance event, or a calibration event associated with the first computer has occurred. The method further includes receiving the first message at the second computer, the second computer storing the first site-specific value in a first record of a first database. The first record is associated with the first software variable. The method further includes determining whether the first site-specific value indicates that an event has occurred. Finally, the method includes if the first site-specific value indicates that an event has occurred, then generating a second software variable having both a first predetermined name and a value equal to a first standardized value indicating that an event has occurred, else generating a third software variable having both the first predetermined name and a value equal to a second standardized value indicating that an event has not occurred.

Claims

1. A method for transferring data in an emission-monitoring system from a first computer to a second computer, comprising:

generating a first message containing a first software variable having a first site-specific value that is transmitted from the first computer to the second computer, the first site-specific value indicative of whether one of a fault event, a maintenance event, or a calibration event associated with the first computer has occurred;

receiving the first message at the second computer, the second computer storing the first site-specific value in a first record of a first database, the first record being associated with the first software variable;

determining whether the first site-specific value is equal to a site-specific event indicator value indicative of an occurrence of an event; and

if the first site-specific value is equal to the site-specific event indicator value then generating a second software variable having both a first predetermined name and a value equal to a first standardized value indicating that an event has occurred, else generating a third software variable having both the first predetermined name and a value equal to a second standardized value indicating that an event has not occurred.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fault event occurs when an emission monitoring device generates a measured value that is not substantially similar to a predetermined value when the emission monitoring device is monitoring a calibration gas.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the maintenance event corresponds to a value indicating that the first computer is non-operational.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the calibration event corresponds to a value indicating that the first computer is receiving calibration data from at least one emission sensor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first software variable has a site-specific software variable name.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a second message containing a fourth software variable having a second site-specific value that is transmitted from a third computer to the second computer, the second site-specific value indicative of whether one of a fault event, a maintenance event, or a calibration event associated with the third computer has occurred;

receiving the second message at the second computer, the second computer storing the second site-specific value in a fourth record of the first database, the fourth record being associated with the fourth software variable;

determining whether the second site-specific value is equal to another site-specific event indicator value indicative of an occurrence of an event; and

if the second site-specific value is equal to the another site-specific event indicator value, then generating a fifth software variable having both a second predetermined name and a value equal to the first standardized value indicating that an event has occurred, else generating a sixth software variable having both the second predetermined name and a value equal to the second standardized value indicating that an event has not occurred.

5. A method for transferring data in an emission-monitoring system from a first computer to a second computer, comprising:

generating a first message containing a first software variable having a first site-specific value that is transmitted from the first computer to the second computer, the first site-specific value indicative of whether one of a fault event, a maintenance event, or a calibration event associated with the first computer has occurred;

receiving the first message at the second computer, the second computer storing the first site-specific value in a first record of a first database, the first record being associated with the first software variable;

determining whether the first site-specific value is equal to a site-specific event indicator value indicative of an occurrence of an event;

if the first site-specific value is equal to the site-specific event indicator value then generating a second software variable having both a first predetermined name and a value equal to a first standardized value indicating that an event has occurred, else generating a third software variable having both the first predetermined name and a value equal to a second standardized value indicating that an event has not occurred; and

displaying one of the first and second standardized values on a computer monitor.

8. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a computer storage medium having a computer program encoded therein

for transferring data in an emission-monitoring system from a first computer to a second computer, the computer storage medium comprising;

code for generating a first message containing a first software variable having a first site-specific value that is transmitted from the first computer to the second computer, the first site-specific value indicative of whether one of a fault event, a maintenance event, or a calibration event associated with the first computer has occurred;

code for receiving the first message at the second computer and storing the first site-specific value in a first record of a first database, the first record being associated with the first software variable;

code for determining whether the first site-specific value is equal to a site-specific event indicator value indicative of an occurrence of an event;

code for generating a second software variable having both a first predetermined name and a value equal to a first standardized value indicating that an event has occurred, if the first site-specific value is equal to the site-specific event indicator value; and

code for generating a third software variable having both the first predetermined name and a value equal to a second standardized value indicating that an event has not occurred.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein the fault event occurs when an emission monitoring device generates a measured value that is not substantially similar to a predetermined value when the emission monitoring device is monitoring a calibration gas.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein the maintenance event corresponds to a value indicating that the first computer is non-operational.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein the calibration event corresponds to a value indicating that the first computer is receiving calibration data from at least one emission sensor.