External Interface Server for Non-Process Event Alerting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional distributed process control systems lack the ability to automatically detect and alert personnel of non-process events, such as severe weather or security threats, which can affect plant safety and operations, relying on manual communication methods that are delayed and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A system that detects non-process events by analyzing data from diverse devices and provides real-time alerts through an external interface server, which generates alarms or alerts and communicates them securely to operator devices within the process control system, enabling timely responses to potential threats.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual communication methods are used to alert personnel of non-process events, then the system structure remains simple, but the response time is delayed and efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an external interface server as an intermediary component that receives non-process event data from external sources, processes it, and distributes alerts to operator devices. This mediator architecture enables automated detection and alerting without requiring complex integration between multiple external systems and the core control system, thus improving response time while controlling system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates the non-process event detection and alerting functionality from the core process control system by using an external interface server. This segmentation allows the control system to remain relatively simple while adding automated alerting capabilities through a dedicated external component that handles data reception, processing, and distribution independently.
2Reliability
If automated detection and alerting systems are implemented, then response time and situational awareness improve, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The external interface server performs multiple functions: receiving data from various external sources, processing and filtering non-process event data, generating alerts, and distributing notifications to multiple operator devices. This multi-functional approach consolidates complexity into a single versatile component rather than requiring separate specialized systems for each function, thereby improving reliability without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
3Loss of information
If real-time data streaming from multiple external sources is implemented, then detection capability and awareness are enhanced, but data processing complexity and security requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The external interface server serves as a centralized intermediary that consolidates data reception and processing from multiple external sources. Instead of each operator device independently managing connections to multiple external data sources, the server handles all data streaming, filtering, and processing centrally, then distributes relevant information to operators. This reduces data processing complexity at individual devices while maintaining comprehensive information coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the complex data processing and security management functions from the core control system and operator devices, placing them in a dedicated external interface server. This extraction isolates the complexity of handling multiple external data streams, filtering criteria, and security protocols into a separate component, allowing the main control system to remain simpler while still achieving comprehensive real-time monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for streaming non-process event data to computing devices include identifying non-process event data values based on non-process events. A non-process event may refer to an event associated with the process plant but not caused or generated within the process plant. The systems and methods further include generating one or more alarms or alerts corresponding to the non-process event data values. The systems and methods further include displaying the one or more alarms or alerts or the corresponding non-process event data values at an operator device in accordance with a display object governing a manner in which the one or more alarms or alerts or the corresponding non-process event data values are to be displayed on an operator interface.