Automatic signal processing-based learning in a process plant
First Claim
1. A system for providing big data based learning in a process plant controlling a process, the system comprising:
- a process control device that is one of a controller, a field device performing a physical function to control at least the portion of the process, or an input/output (I/O) device communicatively connecting the controller and the field device;
a signal processing module that is integral with the process control device, the integrated process control device and signal processing module including at least one memory and at least one processor, and the signal processing module including;
an input to receive a signal generated by a signal source associated with the process plant as the signal source generates the signal in real-time, the signal indicative of parameter value that varies over time based on the process plant controlling the process by using at least one field device that performs a respective physical function, and the process control device being the signal source;
an output to provide, to one or more respective recipient applications, an indication of at least one characteristic of the signal; and
computer-executable instructions that are stored in the at least one memory and that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the signal processing module to perform real-time signal processing on the signal as the process control device generates the signal in real-time to determine the at least one characteristic of the signal, the real-time signal processing including at least one of;
magnitude or amplitude analysis, power analysis, intensity analysis, phase analysis, frequency analysis, spectrum or spectral analysis, correlation analysis, convolution, smoothing, Hilbert transformation, level detection, linear signal processing, or non-linear signal processing; and
an analytics module including;
an input to receive the indication of the at least one characteristic of the signal from the signal processing module; and
an output to provide an indication of a source of the at least one characteristic of the signal to the one or more respective recipient applications, the one or more respective recipient applications including at least one of a user interface application or another application; and
wherein;
the analytics module is configured to determine that at least one member of a set of upstream elements is the source of the at least one characteristic of the signal, the set of upstream elements being elements that are associated with the process plant and that are upstream, within the process, of the signal, and the determination that the at least one member is the source of the at least one characteristic of the signal is based on respective strengths of impact of members of the set of upstream elements on the at least one characteristic of the signal; and
the source of the at least one characteristic of the signal includes at least one of a process control device, a process variable, a piece of equipment, or an asset of the process plant that is upstream of the signal source.
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Abstract
Techniques for automatically or autonomously performing signal processing-based learning in a process plant are disclosed. Generally, said techniques automatically or autonomously perform signal processing on a real-time signal that is generated based on the process plant controlling a process. Typically, the signal corresponds to a parameter value that varies over time, and the signal is processed as it is generated in real-time during on-line plant operations. Results of the signal processing may indicate characteristics of the signal, and one or more analytics functions may determine the sources of the characteristics, which may include a process element or device, a piece of equipment, and/or an asset of the process plant that is upstream, within the process, of the source of the signal. An autonomous signal processor may be integrated with or included in a process control device and/or a big data node of the process plant.
543 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A system for providing big data based learning in a process plant controlling a process, the system comprising:
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a process control device that is one of a controller, a field device performing a physical function to control at least the portion of the process, or an input/output (I/O) device communicatively connecting the controller and the field device; a signal processing module that is integral with the process control device, the integrated process control device and signal processing module including at least one memory and at least one processor, and the signal processing module including; an input to receive a signal generated by a signal source associated with the process plant as the signal source generates the signal in real-time, the signal indicative of parameter value that varies over time based on the process plant controlling the process by using at least one field device that performs a respective physical function, and the process control device being the signal source; an output to provide, to one or more respective recipient applications, an indication of at least one characteristic of the signal; and computer-executable instructions that are stored in the at least one memory and that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the signal processing module to perform real-time signal processing on the signal as the process control device generates the signal in real-time to determine the at least one characteristic of the signal, the real-time signal processing including at least one of;
magnitude or amplitude analysis, power analysis, intensity analysis, phase analysis, frequency analysis, spectrum or spectral analysis, correlation analysis, convolution, smoothing, Hilbert transformation, level detection, linear signal processing, or non-linear signal processing; andan analytics module including; an input to receive the indication of the at least one characteristic of the signal from the signal processing module; and an output to provide an indication of a source of the at least one characteristic of the signal to the one or more respective recipient applications, the one or more respective recipient applications including at least one of a user interface application or another application; and wherein; the analytics module is configured to determine that at least one member of a set of upstream elements is the source of the at least one characteristic of the signal, the set of upstream elements being elements that are associated with the process plant and that are upstream, within the process, of the signal, and the determination that the at least one member is the source of the at least one characteristic of the signal is based on respective strengths of impact of members of the set of upstream elements on the at least one characteristic of the signal; and the source of the at least one characteristic of the signal includes at least one of a process control device, a process variable, a piece of equipment, or an asset of the process plant that is upstream of the signal source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for automatically performing big data based learning in a process plant controlling a process, the system comprising:
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one or more processors; one or more tangible, non-transitory memories; a signal processing module comprising first computer-executable instructions that are stored on the one or more tangible, non-transitory memories and that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to; receive a signal generated by a signal source as the signal source generates the signal in real-time, the signal indicative of a value of a parameter that varies over time based on the process plant controlling the process by using at least one field device performing a respective physical function; and perform real-time signal processing on the signal as the signal source generates the signal in real-time to determine one or more characteristics of the signal, the real-time signal processing including at least one of;
magnitude or amplitude analysis, power analysis, intensity analysis, phase analysis, frequency analysis, spectrum or spectral analysis, correlation analysis, convolution, smoothing, Hilbert transformation, level detection, linear signal processing, or non-linear signal processing; andan analytics module comprising second computer-executable instructions that are stored on the one or more tangible, non-transitory memories and that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to; receive an indication of the one or more characteristics determined by the signal processing module; determine one or more sources of the one or more characteristics of the signal, the one or more sources being one or more members of a set of elements that are upstream, within the process, of the signal, and each of the one or more members of the set of upstream elements having a respective impact on the one or more characteristics of the signal that is greater than a respective impact of at least one other member of the set of upstream elements that is not included in the one or more members; and cause an indication of the one or more sources of the one or more characteristics of the signal to be provided to a recipient application, the recipient application being a user interface application or another application, wherein the signal processing module is integral with a process control device that is one of a controller, a field device that performs a physical function to control at least a portion of the process, or an input/output (I/O) device communicatively connecting the controller and the field device, and wherein the process control device is the signal source. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for providing big data based-learning in a process plant controlling a process, the method comprising:
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obtaining, at a signal processing module included in a signal processing-based learning system, indications of variations over time of a value of a parameter, the variations over time of the parameter value being a signal generated by a signal source, the variations over time of the parameter value generated based on controlling the process in the process plant, the signal being obtained as the signal source generates the signal in real-time, the signal source being a process control device that is one of a controller, a field device that performs a physical function to control at least a portion of the process, or an input/output (I/O) device communicatively connecting the controller in the field device, and the signal processing module being integral with the process control device; causing, by the signal processing module of the signal processing-based learning system, one or more signal processing functions to be applied in real-time to the signal as the signal source generates the signal in real-time, the one or more signal processing functions including at least one of;
magnitude or amplitude analysis, power analysis, intensity analysis, phase analysis, frequency analysis, spectrum or spectral analysis, correlation analysis, convolution, smoothing, Hilbert transformation, level detection, linear signal processing, or non-linear signal processing;determining, by the signal processing-based learning system, at least one characteristic of the signal based on the application of the one or more signal processing functions; determining, by the signal processing-based learning system, at least a subset of a set of elements that are upstream, within the process, of the signal to be one or more sources of the at least one characteristic of the signal, the determination of the at least the subset based on respective strengths of impact of the set of upstream elements on the at least one characteristic of the signal; and causing, by the signal processing-based learning system, an indication of the one or more sources of the at least one characteristic of the signal to be provided to a recipient application, the recipient application being a user interface application or another application. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification