Automatic fault tuning

• US 7,894,917 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2007
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Weatherhead, Andrew N., Carmount, Mark K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Masinick; Michael D
• Application Number:
  US11/855,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20080097628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 700/14, 700/79, 700/80
• US Class Current: 700/14
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0208 characterized by the configuration of the monitoring system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0235 based on a comparison with predetermined threshold or range, e.g. "classical methods", carried out during normal operation; threshold adaptation or choice; when or how to compare with the threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0256 injecting test signals and analyzing monitored process response, e.g. injecting the test signal while interrupting the normal operation of the monitored system; superimposing the test signal onto a control signal during normal operation of the monitored system

Abstract

System(s) and procedure(s) facilitate monitoring of devices and automatic adjustment of fault timing parameters. A fault tuning component is embedded within a control module involved in a batch operation. The component executes a configurable tuning method that allows one or more devices to automatically tune fault timers. The fault tuning component can probe a number of events/operations to create a rolling average of device response, where the operational response for normal operation can be automatically adjusted as a result.

Claims

1. A method that facilitates fault tuning for a device operating in an industrial process, comprising:

employing at least one processor executing computer-executable instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium to implement the following acts;

monitoring a timed event of the device during execution of the industrial process to determine a response time for the timed event; and

automatically adjusting a fault timer associated with the timed event according to the response time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically adjusting the fault timer comprises:

defining a pre-fault time range;

computing a difference between the response time and a time defined by the fault timer; and

automatically adjusting the fault timer if the difference is within the pre-fault range of the time defined by the fault timer.

3. The method of claim 1, the timed event includes a process event, an energize event, and a de-energize event.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the response time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring and storing at least one time to de-energize the timed event and at least one time to energize the timed event;

computing a preset for a de-energize fault timer based on the at least one time to de-energize; and

computing a preset for an energize fault timer based on the at least one time to energize.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating at least one of a report or a parameter to communicate a fault response if the response time exceeds a time defined by the fault timer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an alarm if the fault timer exceeds a threshold value assigned to the device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising inferring fault time response of the device based on historical fault timer data for the device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising employing the at least one processor to infer a new setting for the fault timer upon modification of the industrial process, the new setting based at least on the modification and historical fault data for the industrial process.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically adjusting the fault timer comprises:

calculating a rolling average of response times for the timed event; and

adjusting the fault timer based on the rolling average.

11. A system that facilitates fault tuning for a device used in an industrial process, comprising:

a processor;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory having stored therein computer-executable instructions configured to implement the system, including;

a component configured to monitor the device and to measure a response time for an event performed by the device during execution of the industrial process; and

an adjustment component configured to automatically adjust a fault timer for the event based on the response time.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a reporting component configured to store the response time.

13. The system of claim 12, the reporting component configured to generate a report to communicate fault time response.

14. The system of claim 12, the reporting component further configured to generate an alarm if the fault timer exceeds a value assigned to a normal response of the device.

15. The system of claim 11, the event is a process carried out by the device.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising an intelligent module configured to infer a setting for the fault timer based on historical response time data for the device.

17. The system of claim 16, the intelligent module further configured to issue at least one of a warning or an alert if the setting for the fault timer is above a threshold value.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the device operates within the industrial process, and the intelligent module infers a new setting for the fault timer upon modification of the industrial process, the new setting based at least on the modification and historical performance data for the device.

19. The system of claim 16, the intelligent module further configured to infer a safety rating of the industrial process in response to the device being connected to a safety system.

20. The system of claim 11, further comprising a human-machine interface that facilitates selecting the device being monitored or responding to an alarm.

21. A machine that facilitates fault tuning of an industrial device operating in an industrial process, comprising:

a processor;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory having stored therein computer-executable instructions configured to implement the fault tuning, including;

means for measuring an operation response time for the device during execution of the industrial process; and

means for automatically adjusting a fault timer for the device according to the response time.

22. The machine of claim 21, further comprising means for reporting the response time, and means for generating an alarm if the response time exceeds the fault timer.

23. The machine of claim 21, further comprising means for averaging operation response times for a plurality of process events performed by the device.

24. The machine of claim 23, further comprising means for adjusting the fault timer based on results generated by the means for averaging.

25. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed by a processor carry out the following acts:

configuring a fault tuning device to monitor a response time for an operation performed by an industrial component during execution of an industrial process and to store the response time; and

adjusting, in accordance with the response time, a fault timer associated with monitoring logic used by the fault tuning device to monitor the industrial.