Deploying process automation alarms to distributed control nodes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12406570-B2
Application number	US-202218090333-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2022
Priority date	Dec 28, 2022
Publication date	Sep 2, 2025
Grant date	Sep 2, 2025

Abstract

Implementations relate to storing, in alarms database for a process automation system, an association of an alarm configuration file to a function block identifier of a function block that corresponds to the alarm configuration file. Some implementations relate to a node transmitting, via a process automation network, an alarm configuration request that includes the function block identifier and receiving, in response to the request and via the network, the alarm configuration file. The node can include the function block identifier in the alarm configuration request based on the corresponding function block being executed by the node and/or being utilized in alarm monitoring by the node. Some implementations additionally or alternatively relate to receiving the alarm configuration request, and identifying the alarm configuration file based on it being stored, in the alarms database, in association with the function block identifier of the alarm configuration request.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, via a network of a process automation system, an alarm configuration request transmitted by a distributed control node (DCN) of the process automation system,
wherein the alarm configuration request includes a function block identifier of a function block, and includes the function block identifier based on the function block being executed by the DCN and/or being assigned for use in alarm monitoring by the DCN;

responsive to receiving the alarm configuration request that is transmitted by the DCN and that includes the function block identifier:
retrieving, from an alarms database, an alarm configuration file based on the alarm configuration file being stored in association with the function block identifier and the function block identifier being included in the received alarm configuration request; and
transmitting, via the network of the process automation system and to the DCN, the retrieved alarm configuration file,
wherein transmitting the retrieved alarm configuration file causes the DCN to implement alarm monitoring that conforms to the retrieved alarm configuration file.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alarm configuration file defines an alarm condition that is contingent on one or more outputs of the function block and/or that is contingent on one or more inputs to the function block.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the alarm condition is a threshold value for sensor-based input, of the one or more inputs to the function block.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the alarm condition includes a value previously manually specified, via user interface input, for the function block.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alarm configuration file is specific to the function block and is not assigned to any other function block of the process automation system.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the function block identifier is specific to the function block and is not assigned to any other function block of the process automation system.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the function block is executed by the DCN and is included in the alarm configuration request based on being executed by the DCN.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the function block is assigned for use, by an alarm engine of the DCN, in alarm monitoring by the DCN, and is included in the alarm configuration request based on being assigned for use, by the alarm engine of the DCN, in alarm monitoring by the DCN.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the function block is executed at an additional DCN that is in communication with the DCN.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alarm configuration request further includes a DCN identifier that uniquely identifies the DCN relative to all other DCNs of the process automation system.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
responsive to receiving the alarm configuration request:
storing, in the alarms database, an association of the DCN identifier to the alarm configuration file.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein when the alarm configuration request is received the alarm configuration file is stored, in the alarms database, in association with an alternate DCN identifier of an alternate DCN of the process automation system, and further comprising:
removing, from the alarms database, the association of the alarm configuration file with the alternate DCN identifier.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the DCN identifier is a network address of the DCN.

14. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein at a prior time, prior to receiving the alarm configuration request, the alarm configuration file was locally stored at an alternate DCN, of the process automation system, that previously utilized the alarm configuration file in implementing alarm monitoring for the function block; and
wherein at a request time, of receiving the alarm configuration request, the alternate DCN is no longer a part of the process automation system or has been reconfigured to no longer implement alarm monitoring for the function block.

15. A method implemented by one or more processors of a distributed control node (DCN) of a process automation system, the method comprising:
detecting occurrence of one or more alarm configuration conditions;
responsive to detecting the occurrence of the one or more alarm configuration conditions:
generating an alarm configuration request, wherein generating the alarm configuration request includes incorporating, in the alarm configuration request, a function block identifier of a function block based on the function block being executed by the DCN and/or being utilized in alarm monitoring by the DCN;
transmitting, via a network of the process automation system, the alarm configuration request that incorporates the function block identifier;
receiving, via the network and responsive to transmitting the alarm configuration request that incorporates the function block identifier, an alarm configuration file that is identified based on the function block identifier; and
implementing alarm monitoring based on the received alarm configuration file and the function block.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein detecting occurrence of the one or more alarm configuration conditions comprises:
detecting a powering up of the DCN,
detecting that the DCN is newly commissioned in the process automation system, and/or
detecting that alarm monitoring, by the DCN for the function block, is not currently active.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the alarm configuration file defines an alarm condition that is contingent on one or more outputs of the function block and/or that is contingent on one or more inputs to the function block.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the function block identifier is specific to the function block and is not assigned to any other function block of the process automation system.

19. A process automation system, comprising:
an alarms configuration server including:
one or more network interfaces communicatively coupled to a network of the process automation system;
an alarms database that includes multiple function block specific alarm configuration files and, for each of the function block specific alarm configuration files, a corresponding association to a corresponding function block identifier;
one or more alarm configuration processors executing stored instructions to:
receive, via the network, an alarm configuration request transmitted by a node of the process automation system,
wherein the alarm configuration request includes a function block identifier of a function block, and includes the function block identifier based on the function block being assigned for use in alarm monitoring by the node;

responsive to receiving the alarm configuration request that is transmitted by the DCN and that includes the function block identifier:
retrieve, from the alarms database, a particular alarm configuration file based on the corresponding association, for the particular alarm configuration file, being to the function block identifier that is included in the received alarm configuration request; and
transmit, via the network and to the node, the retrieved alarm configuration file,
wherein transmitting the retrieved alarm configuration file causes the node to implement alarm monitoring that conforms to the retrieved alarm configuration file.

20. The process automation system of claim 19 , further comprising the node, and wherein the node is a distributed control node (DCN)

Assignees

• Yokogawa Electric Corp

Inventors

• Emerson David
• Clay Patrick
• Nguyen Vien
• Sawahara Hidenori

Classifications

• G05B2219/31437

  Monitoring, global and local alarms · CPC title

• G08B25/14

  Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements · CPC title

• G08B29/18 Primary

  Prevention or correction of operating errors (G08B29/02, G08B29/12 take precedence) · CPC title

• G05B19/4184 Primary

  characterised by fault tolerance, reliability of production system · CPC title