Method for maintaining the functional ability of a field device

• US 9,811,409 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2013
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Company KG (Endress+Hauser AG)
• Original Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Company KG (Endress+Hauser AG)
• Inventors: Kilian, Markus, Seger, Andrea, Stein, Bert Von, Wandrei, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): DUNCAN, MARC M
• Application Number:
  US14/416,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20150149811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,594 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0229 knowledge based, e.g. expert systems; genetic algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0264 Control of logging system, e.g. decision on which data to store; time-stamping measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0793 Remedial or corrective actions recovery from an exception in an instruction pipeline G06F9/3861; by retry G06F11/1402; for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity H04L69/40
• 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 for maintaining the functional ability of a field device of automation technology, wherein the method comprises the following steps: monitoring the field device for at least one achieved parameter change (Δn_x), wherein the parameter change (Δn_x) converts an old parameter set (n_x-1) into a new parameter set (n_x), storing all parameter changes (Δn_x) achieved in the field device in a parameter change history, monitoring the field device for an occurring malfunction (F); and, performing a remediation measure, wherein the parameter change history and/or a parameter to malfunction, linking element is accessed for remediating the malfunction occurring in the field device.

Claims

1. A method for maintaining the functional ability of a field device of automation technology, comprising the steps of:

monitoring the field device for at least one achieved parameter change (Δ

n_x);

wherein the parameter change (Δ

n_x) converts an old parameter set (n_{x31 1}) into a new parameter set (n_x);

storing all parameter changes (Δ

n_x) achieved in the field device in a parameter change history (PH);

monitoring the field device for an occurring malfunction (F); and

performing a remediation measure (RM), wherein the parameter change history (PH) and/or a parameter to malfunction, linking element (LE) is accessed for remediating the malfunction occurring in the field device (F), wherein;

at least one of the following alternative method steps is executed for performing said remediation measure (RM);

revoking the parameter change (Δ

n′

_x) last performed before the occurring malfunction (F), wherein the last performed parameter change (Δ

n′

x) is ascertained by means of the parameter change history (PH);

revoking at least one operator selected parameter change (Δ

n″

_x), wherein available to an operator (O) for selection are all parameter changes (Δ

n″

_x) performed in the field device and stored in the parameter change history (PH) and in the case of Δ

Δ

TA selection by the operator (O) the field device revokes such operator selected, parameter change (Δ

n″

x); and

revoking at least one automatically ascertained parameter change (Δ

n′

″

x), wherein for ascertaining the at least one automatically ascertained parameter change (Δ

′

″

_x) the parameter to malfunction, linking element (LE) is accessed and wherein offered to the operator (O) for selection is this at least one automatically ascertained parameter change (Δ

n′

″

_x) and in the case of selection by the operator (O) the field device revokes such at least one automatically ascertained parameter change (Δ

n′

″

x).

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

all achieved parameter changes (Δ

n_x) are stored in such a manner in the parameter change history (PH) that the old parameter set (n<sub>n−

1</sub>), which existed before the respectively achieved parameter change (Δ

n_x) was made, can be brought back.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

for ascertaining an automatically ascertained parameter change (Δ

n′

″

_x) at least one of the following method steps is executed;

accessing the parameter to malfunction, linking element (LE), wherein the parameter to malfunction, linking element (LE) includes at least one known malfunction (F_a), which is linked with at least one known parameter change (Δ

n_a);

comparing the occurring malfunction (F) with all known malfunctions (F_a) furnished in the parameter to malfunction, linking element (LE), wherein in the case of an agreement of the occurring malfunction (F) with one of the furnished known malfunctions (F_a), the known parameter change (Δ

n_a) linked to the agreeing furnished known malfunction (Fa) is selected;

comparing the selected known parameter change (DELTA n_a) with all parameter changes (Δ

n_x) performed and stored in the field device, wherein in the case of an agreement of the linked known parameter change (Δ

n_a) with a parameter change (Δ

n_x) performed and stored in the field device, such is offered to the operator (O) as automatically ascertained parameter change (Δ

″

″

x) for revocation.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

known malfunctions (F_a) furnished in the parameter to malfunction, linking element (LE) are linked with the known parameter changes (Δ

n_a) based on statistical data and/or empirical values and/or already performed remediation measures (RM).

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said remediation measure to be performed (RM) is selected by the operator (O) via a remediation measures list (RL).