Valve Event Logging With Interval-Based Memory Consolidation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flow control device systems face memory capacity limitations, leading to premature overwriting of event logs, which can result in lost historic information and increased monitoring frequency due to high event frequencies, particularly for security alarms.
Innovation Solution
A control system utilizing a processor and memory with a circular buffer to count and store event quantities over time intervals, rather than individual event logs, thereby increasing memory efficiency and preserving log information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If individual event logs are stored in memory, then complete event information is preserved, but memory capacity is exhausted quickly due to high event frequencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual event logs into a single consolidated event record that aggregates event quantities over time intervals. Instead of storing each event separately, the system merges events of the same type into one record containing a count, thereby reducing the total number of records stored in memory while preserving the essential information about event frequency and timing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter representation from individual event instances to aggregated event quantities. By transforming the data structure from storing discrete event records to storing consolidated records with quantity parameters, the system reduces memory consumption while maintaining the ability to analyze event patterns and frequencies.
2Loss of information
If memory capacity is increased to store more individual event logs, then more historic information is preserved, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple event logs into consolidated records, which reduces the total volume of data that needs to be stored in memory. This approach allows the system to preserve historic information for longer periods without requiring proportionally larger memory capacity, thereby reducing system complexity and cost.
3Measurement precision
If monitoring frequency is increased to capture all events, then complete event data is recorded, but memory is overwritten more quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic aggregation of events into time intervals, where events are counted and consolidated at regular intervals rather than being stored individually as they occur. This periodic action reduces the instantaneous memory usage rate while maintaining accurate records of event frequencies over time, preventing premature overwriting of important historical data.
Data Source
AI summary
A control system for a valve or other flow control device can include a processor device. The control system can further include a memory in communication with the processor device. The memory may have a fixed maximum capacity. The control system can further include one or more ports to receive signals corresponding to events for the valve or other flow control device. The processor device can be configured to execute operations that include: over a time interval, counting a quantity of events of a first type, corresponding to the signals received at the one or more ports, and after the time interval, storing in the memory a record of the first type of event over the time interval, based on the counted quantity.