Automating Control Loop and Field Device Association

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current industrial plant management systems require a time-consuming manual process to identify and associate control loops with connected field devices, which hampers efficient management and diagnostic performance.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method and system that automatically extracts control loop configurations and device configurations from respective systems, establishing associations between control loops and field devices, thereby reducing manual effort and enhancing data retrieval for asset management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual examination process is used to identify relationship between control loops and field devices, then association accuracy can be ensured, but preparation time becomes excessively long

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassociation accuracyVSAvoidpreparation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical examination process with an automated computer-implemented system that extracts control loop configurations from process control system definitions and device configurations from device management system definitions, automatically establishing associations between control loops and field devices without manual intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service automation where the computer-implemented system independently performs the entire association process by extracting configurations from existing system definitions and automatically linking control loops with their corresponding field devices based on extracted data, without requiring human operators to manually examine engineering data

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If manual identification process is used for control loop and device associations, then data accuracy can be maintained, but operational efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata accuracyVSAvoidoperational efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent substitutes the manual mechanical process of identifying and linking control loops with field devices with an automated computer-based system that extracts configurations from process control system definitions and device management system definitions, automatically establishing accurate associations while dramatically improving operational efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The computer-implemented system acts as an intermediary that bridges the process control system and device management system, extracting configurations from both systems and automatically establishing the associations between control loops and field devices based on the extracted configuration data

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of information

If comprehensive manual examination of control system definitions is performed, then complete device association can be achieved, but time consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice association completenessVSAvoidexamination time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces comprehensive manual examination of control system definitions with automated computer-based extraction of control loop configurations from process control system definitions and device configurations from device management system definitions, achieving complete device associations without significant time consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary automated extraction of control loop configurations and device configurations from their respective system definitions before the association process, preparing all necessary data in advance to enable rapid and complete device associations without manual examination

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10719068B2System and method for managing devices by association between control loop and plant asset value

Publication Date: 2020.07.21 YOKOGAWA ELECTRIC CORP

AI summary

A plant asset management system and method for managing field devices in a plant are implemented by association between control loop and plant asset value. One or more control loop configurations are extracted from one or more control system definitions of a process control system. One or more device configurations are extracted from one or more device management system definitions of a device management system. There is automatically determined whether one or more control loops and one or more devices are respectively associated with each other, based on the one or more loop configurations and the one or more device configurations.