Method and system for offline code validation

• US 8,532,795 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2010
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Adavi, Visweswara Prasad, Balasubramaniam, Raja
• Primary Examiner(s): BARNES-BULLOCK, CRYSTAL JOY
• Application Number:
  US12/897,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20120083904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 700 28- 31, 700/38, 700/39, 700/44, 700/52, 700/83, 700/86, 703/2, 703/6
• US Class Current: 700/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41885 characterised by modeling, simulation of the manufacturing system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32344 Modular verification of real time systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32385 What is simulated, manufacturing process and compare results with real process
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A method of offline code validation and a process control system are provided. The system includes a plurality of sensors each configured to generate a sensor output value representative of a respective sensed parameter in a process plant, at least one process controller configured to receive one or more of the sensor output values and to generate a controller output value using the one or more of the sensor output values and a control algorithm associated with the at least one process controller, a plurality of controlled components configured to receive an associated controller output value, and an offline computing environment including a selectable model controller configurable to represent the at least one process controller, the model controller selectable by a user from code representing the at least one process controller and displayed on a user interface.

Claims

1. A method of offline code validation comprising:

selecting an offline model of an online process controller operating in an online environment from a plurality of selectable models by copying a code representation of the online process controller from the online environment to an offline environment that is separate from the online environment;

capturing from the online process controller operating in the online environment a snapshot of a current state of the online process controller;

establishing the captured state in the model controller;

modifying a control parameter of the model controller;

executing the model controller using the snapshot and the modified control parameter in the offline environment; and

comparing an output of the executed model controller to the output of the online process controller.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising simulating an upset in the online environment.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein selecting an offline model of an online process controller further comprises dragging and dropping a code representation of the online process controller from the online environment displayed on a user display screen to the offline environment displayed on the user display screen.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

after a process upset in the online environment, iteratively;

modifying a control parameter of the model controller to duplicate the upset conditions;

executing the model controller using the snapshot and the modified control parameter in an offline environment separate from the online environment;

comparing an output of the executed model controller to the output of the online process controller;

determining at least one of a cause of the upset and a control parameter that facilitates reducing a severity of the upset based on the comparison; and

modifying the determined control parameter in the online process controller to match the determined control parameter in the model controller.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising preventing an output of the model controller from affecting outputs in the online environment.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising automatically varying one or more inputs of the model controller and determining a correlation between the varied one or more inputs and the output of the model controller.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising storing historical data representing input data to the process controller.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising storing historical data representing output data from the process controller.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving stored historical data representing input data received by the process controller;

applying the retrieved data to the input of the model controller;

executing the model controller in the offline computing environment using the retrieved data;

comparing an output of the model controller to the stored historical data representing output data from the process controller; and

adjusting a parameter of the model controller using the comparison to provide a stable operation of the model controller.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein retrieving stored historical data comprises retrieving stored historical data that includes data acquired during an upset of a process operation.