Integrated device alerts in a process control system

• US 8,044,793 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2002
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Hokeness, Scott Nels, Harris, Stuart Andrew, Marschall, Lester David, Eryurek, Evren
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US10/104,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20020163427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,504 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/517, 340/524, 340/525, 340/3.1, 340/825.36, 340/825.49
• US Class Current: 340/517
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/027 Alarm generation, e.g. communication protocol; Forms of alarm

Abstract

An events management system coordinates the exchange of device alert or alarm information between an asset management system and one or more business systems within a process control system or plant. The events management system receives device alerts from the asset management system and uses a rules-engine and one or more state machines to send notifications containing device alert information to one of more of the business systems.

Claims

1. A method of processing a device alert indicative of an ability of a device to operate properly in performing a designed device functionality for use in a process control system, the method comprising:

determining in an asset management system the device alert from information received from one of a plurality of process control field devices;

categorizing, in the asset management system, the device alert into one of a plurality of alert categories based on a detected condition in a process control field device, each of the plurality of categories corresponding to a different level of alert severity;

communicating the categorized device alert from the asset management system to an event management system in response to detection of the condition in a field device, the event management system processing the device alerts and communicating with a business system; and

communicating a notification of the device alert from the event management system to the business system based on execution of a rule by the event management system, the business system monitoring, controlling, or managing the operation of the process control system,

wherein the device alert comprises a message generated by software in response to the detected condition, and

wherein the asset management system coordinates the interoperation of a plurality of diagnostic, optimization, and process control tools.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein categorizing the device alert into the one of the plurality of alert categories includes associating the device alert with one of a failure condition, a maintenance condition and an advisable action.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein categorizing the device alert into the one of the plurality of alert categories includes assigning a numeric value selected from a range of possible numeric values to the device alert based on one of a user input and a location of the field device within the process control system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the categorized device alert to the event management system in response to detection of the condition in the field device includes sending the categorized device alert to the event management system in response to polling by the event management system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the notification of the device alert to the business system based on execution of the rule by the event management system includes executing the rule in a rules-engine and sending the notification of the device alert to the business system in response to a state machine.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the notification of the device alert to the business system based on execution of the rule by the event management system includes executing the rule in a rules-engine that uses a look-up table.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the notification of the device alert to the business system based on execution of the rule by the event management system includes communicating the notification of the device alert to one of an enterprise asset management system and a computerized maintenance system.

8. The method of claim 1, further including sending confirmation information from the business system to the event management system, wherein the confirmation information includes a confirmation of an action taken in response to the notification of the device alert.

9. The method of processing a device alert of claim 1, wherein categorizing the device alert into one of a plurality of alert categories includes, over time, categorizing multiple different device alerts into a common alert category.

10. The method of processing a device alert of claim 1, wherein communicating a notification of the device alert to the business system based on execution of a rule by the event management system includes communicating a notification of the device alert to the business system based on execution of a rule dependent upon the alert category into which the device alert is categorized.

11. The method of processing a device alert of claim 1, wherein communicating a notification of the device alert to a business system based on execution of a rule by the event management system includes communicating the notification of the device alert to a maintenance system which includes a device maintenance database for storing device information pertaining the operability of multiple devices and a display that displays the device information pertaining to the operability of the multiple devices to a user.

12. A method of managing device alert information for use within a process control system wherein the device alert information is indicative of an ability of one or more devices to operate properly in performing designed device functionality the method comprising:

configuring an event management system having a rules-engine that is adapted to process the device alert information; and

conveying the device alert information between an asset management system and a business system via the event management system in response to the rules-engine, and wherein;

the event management system receives the device alerts from the asset management system;

the event management system processes the device alerts and communicates notifications of the device alerts to the business system; and

the business system monitors, controls, or manages the operation of the process control system, and further wherein;

the device alert information comprises a message generated by software in response to a detected condition, and

the device alert information is categorized into one of a plurality of categories, each category corresponding to a different level of alert severity.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein configuring the event management system includes selecting devices to be monitored by the event management system and selecting parameters to be monitored for each of the selected devices.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein configuring the event management system further includes establishing a priority for each of the selected parameters.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein establishing the priority for each of the selected parameters includes establishing the priority for each of the selected parameters based on a determination of whether each of the selected parameters is associated with one of a failure condition, a maintenance condition and an advisable action.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein conveying the device alert information between the asset management system and the business system via the event management system includes sending notifications to the business system.

17. The method of claim 16, further including sending confirmations associated with the notifications from the business system to the event management system.

18. A system for processing device alerts indicative of an ability of one or more devices to operate properly in performing designed device functionality, comprising:

an asset management system that receives device alert information from a plurality of process control entities and categorizes the device alerts into one of plurality of categories based on a detected condition in a field device, each of the plurality of categories corresponding to a different level of alert severity;

an event management system having a rules-engine and a state machine, wherein the event management system is communicatively coupled to the asset management system; and

a business system communicatively coupled to the event management system, the business system monitoring, controlling, or managing the operation of the process control system,

wherein each of the device alerts comprises a message generated by software in response to the detected condition.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the asset management system categorizes the device alerts as one of a failure condition, a maintenance condition and an advisable action.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the asset management system is adapted to communicate the device alerts to the event management system in response to detection of conditions within field devices.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the event management system is adapted to send notifications associated with the device alerts to the business system in response to the rules-engine and the state machine.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the business system is adapted to send confirmations based on actions taken in response to the notifications.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the event management system includes a configuration tool that enables a user to select device parameters to be monitored.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the configuration tool is further adapted to enable the user to assign a priority to each of the selected device parameters.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the business system is one of an enterprise asset management system and a computerized maintenance management system.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the device alerts indicates a failure of a device.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the device alerts indicates that a device needs maintenance.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the device alerts indicates that there is an advisable action which should be taken with respect to a device.

29. A system for processing device alerts indicative of an ability of one or more devices to operate properly in performing designed device functionality, comprising:

a computer readable medium;

first software stored on the computer readable medium and adapted to be executed by a processor to receive categorized device alerts from an asset management system, the device alerts categorized into one of a plurality of categories based on a detected condition in a field device, each of the plurality of categories corresponding to a different level of severity;

second software stored on the computer readable medium and adapted to be executed by the processor to execute rules that define relationships between the categorized device alerts and a business system that monitors, controls, or manages the operation of a process control system; and

third software stored on the computer readable medium and adapted to be executed by the processor to send notifications to the business system based on the rules and a state of the process control system,

wherein each of the categorized device alerts comprises a message generated by software in response to the detected condition.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the first software is further adapted to determine whether the received categorized device alerts are associated with one of a failure condition, a maintenance condition and an advisable action.

31. The system of claim 29, further including fourth software stored on the computer readable medium and adapted to be executed by the processor to receive confirmations from the business system.

32. A system for processing device alerts indicative of an ability of one or more devices to operate properly in performing designed device functionality, comprising:

a memory;

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and programmed to receive categorized device alerts from an asset management system, wherein the processor is further programmed to execute rules that define relationships between the categorized device alerts and a business system that monitors, controls, or manages the operation of a process control system, and wherein the processor is further programmed to send notifications to the business system based on the rules and a state of the process control system, and

further wherein each of the categorized device alerts comprises a message generated by software in response to a detected condition, and wherein each of the device alerts is determined and categorized in the asset management system into one of a plurality of categories based on a detected condition in a field device, each of the plurality of categories corresponding to a different level of alert severity, and wherein the asset management system coordinates the interoperation of a plurality of diagnostic, optimization, and process control tools.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the processor is further programmed to determine whether the received categorized device alerts are associated with one of a failure condition, a maintenance condition and an advisable action.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the processor is further programmed to receive confirmations from the business system.