Method for operating and device for monitoring a technical installation

• US 7,756,733 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2001
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Merklein, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayat; Bradley B
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, ALAN S
• Application Number:
  US10/204,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20030014298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,448 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/7.12
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0251 Abstraction hierarchy, e.g. "complex systems", i.e. system is divided in subsystems, subsystems are monitored and results are combined to decide on status of whole system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations

Abstract

A technical installation contains several systems for resolving different system management tasks. Information variables are hierarchically arranged in the systems. A value of an information variable pertaining to the lowest hierarchical level triggers an event and pertains to a significant range of values. The value and the appurtenant location are found by specifically tracking all systems.

Claims

1. A method for operating a technical installation including a plurality of systems for performing different system management tasks, comprising the following steps:

a) defining the tasks relevant to performing operations of the technical installation;

b) defining information variables for processing different values of information to be registered by the systems performing the tasks;

b1) deriving information variables from the defined information variables;

c) assigning the defined information variables and the derived information variables to a number of hierarchical levels, a defined information variable or derived information variable of a higher hierarchical level being formed from at least one defined information variable or derived information variable of the next-lower hierarchical level;

c1) storing in at least one computer a relationship between the defined information variables and the derived information variables;

d) assigning the defined information variables and the derived information variables location information to indicate a physical location within the technical installation, the defined information variables and the derived information variables relate to at least one of an operation performed at the physical location of the technical installation and a component located at the physical location of the technical installation;

e) determining a range of values for each of the defined information variables and the derived information variables;

f) during operation, having the systems make available at least one of current and archived values of the defined information variables and the derived information variables used for performing the tasks to a control system of the technical installation;

g) marking the defined information variables when values of the defined information variables are within the range of determined values for the defined information variables;

g1) marking the derived information variables when values of the derived information variables are within the range of determined values for the derived information variables;

h) marking at least one of the tasks correlated with at least one of the systems using the at least one computer when at least one of the defined information variables and the derived information variables associated with the at least one of the tasks are marked;

i) specifically identifying at least one value of one of the defined information variables of a lowest hierarchical level, that is causally responsible for an occurrence of a value of at least one of the defined information variables or the derived information variables being within the determined ranges of values for the corresponding defined information variables or the corresponding derived information variables;

j) determining the physical location within the technical installation based on the location information assigned to the one of the defined information variables of the lowest hierarchical level; and

k) tracing back in a hierarchically descending step-by-step progression from the at least one marked task via the marked derived information variables to the one of the defined information variable of the lowest hierarchical level using the stored relationship between the one of the defined information variables of the lowest hierarchical level and the derived information variables.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving additional information for the one of the defined information variable of the lowest hierarchical level, the additional information including at least one of operating instructions and circuit manuals associated with an operation performed at or component of the physical location to which the at least one marked defined information variable of the lowest hierarchical level is assigned.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein derived information variables of a higher hierarchical level are collective messages.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein collective messages are also be formed by including a defined information variable or derived information variables of other systems.

5. A device for monitoring a technical installation including a number of systems for performing different system management tasks, comprising:

a computing stage, assigned to at least one computer for each system, for performing the tasks defined relevant to performing operations of the technical installation; and

a monitoring stage specifically identifying at least one value of a defined or derived information variable of a lowest hierarchical level that is causally responsible for an occurrence of a value of a defined information variable or derived information variable being within a range of values, and at least one physical location of the technical installation where said causal value arose,

wherein the computing stages

assign hierarchical levels to the defined information variables and the derived information variables, a defined information variable or derived information variable of a higher hierarchical level being formed from at least one defined information variable or derived information variable of the next-lower hierarchical level,

storing the relationship between the defined and derived information variables of the various hierarchical levels,

assign the defined information variables and the derived information variables location information to indicate the physical location within the technical installation, the defined information variables and the derived information variables relate to at least one of an operation performed at the physical location of the technical installation and a component located at the physical location of the technical installation corresponding to the assigned location information,

determine the range of values for each of the defined information variables and derived information variables,

receive at least one of current and archived values of the defined information variables or derived information variables,

mark the defined information variables when values of the defined information variables are within the determined range of values for the defined information variables,

mark the derived information variables when a value of the derived information variables is within the determined range of values for the derived information variables,

mark at least one of the tasks correlated with at least one of the systems using the at least one computer [when at least one of the defined information variables or derived information variables associated with the at least one of the tasks are marked, and

wherein the monitoring stage

traces back in a hierarchically descending step-by-step progression from the at least one marked task to the marked derived information variables to the at least one marked defined information variable of the lowest hierarchical level to specifically identify at least one value of a defined information variable of a lowest hierarchical level that is causally responsible for the occurrence of the value of the defined information variable or the derived information variable being within the determined range of values, and the at least one location where said causal value arose.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the derived information variables of a higher hierarchical level are collective messages.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein collective messages are also be formed by including defined information variables or derived information variables of other systems.