FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to handling alarms in an industrial control system, and more particularly to a system and a method for locating and notifying fault and of handling alarm thereof.

BACKGROUND

Generally, in alarm management systems, the alarms that are generated or that requires attention or the like, are filtered based on some predefined set of rules before being notified to an operator on a display. The operator upon being notified of such alarms take necessary action based on the perceived knowledge in response to those alarms in order to rectify the fault through the operator console or through the site personnel available at the site. This approach, which is in current practice, has certain drawbacks pertinent to, identifying the appropriate site personnel, availability of the site personnel and the proximity in relation to the device that been encountered with a fault, locating the site personnel and the device at fault especially when they are non-stationary, communicating the information regarding the fault to the site personnel or operator and so on. In all of the above, delay or time lapse and sharing of information are of primary concerns.

Further, the site personnel many a time require additional support from the experts located remotely so as to rectify the fault or perform troubleshooting. Also, the site personnel has to acknowledge the status of the alarm that been notified for rectification to the operator, after attending to the same. This further adds to the delay or time lapse in attending to, and addressing the issues in relation to any particular fault and / or of the alarm thereof.

It is evident that the present system is more of person dependent and ultimately causes unnecessary delay or time lapse. This dependency may be critical at times, which cannot be ignored and is compelled to attend to it with utmost priority and importance. It can be clearly understood from the above that there is a need to manage the handling of alarm considering various aspects including, locating the device at fault, identifying appropriate site personnel to attend to the fault, acknowledging the status of the alarm after rectifying the fault etc. It is appreciable to cater to the above said need by a system having improved alarm handling capability that employs workflow which locates and notifies the fault and handles alarm in an a convenient manner that may be partially or fully automatic.

The present invention is aimed at providing a system and a method that notifies and locates the fault, and handles the alarm including the rectification of the fault in a manner that is automatic and more reliable.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a system that locates and notifies the fault of a device or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a system to rectify the said fault efficiently.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a system that handles the alarm in a manner that is more reliable.

Further object of the invention is to provide a system that is partially or fully automatic.

Another object of the invention is to provide a system that has improved performance in relation to locating and notifying fault and of handling alarm thereof, and reducing the delay or time lapse.

Further object of the invention is to provide a method to locate and notify the fault, and of handling the alarm thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly the present invention provides a system for locating and notifying a fault, and handling alarm thereof. The system of the invention comprises atleast one field device, a central alarm management component, atleast one handheld device. The system along with the aforesaid comprises atleast one wireless hub. The wireless hub is connected with the atleast one field device and / or the atleast one handheld device, for analyzing the fault and / or locating the appropriate handheld device correspondingly in relation to the said fault.

Accordingly the present invention also provides a method for locating and notifying a fault, and handling alarm thereof, by a system of the invention. The method of the invention comprises the steps of sending information in relation to the fault of the field device by the field device to the central alarm management component and / or wireless hub corresponding to the said field device. Further the method includes the step of analysing the information by the central alarm management component and / or the wireless hub, identifying an appropriate handheld device to notify the fault and of the alarm thereof, by the central alarm management component or the wireless hub. The method of the invention also includes notifying the fault and of the alarm thereof to the appropriate handheld device by the corresponding wireless hub connected thereto with the appropriate handheld device, and updating the status of the fault and of the alarm thereof that been notified, by the appropriate handheld device to the central alarm management component and / or the wireless hub, before and / or after rectifying the fault by the site personnel correspondingly associated with the appropriate handheld device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows the system of the invention; and Fig. 2 depicts the method of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention is further described herein with reference to non-exhaustive exemplary embodiments as shown in Figs 1 and 2.

Fig. 1 show a system for locating and notifying fault, and handling alarm thereof, in accordance with the invention. The system (100) of the invention comprises atleast one field device (101) such as an equipment, communication unit, protection device, processing device, control device, relay device or the like, deployed in the field. The field device (100) is connected to a central alarm management component (102) or to atleast one wireless hub (103a, 103b, 103c,...). The field device (100) may be connected to one of the wireless hub (103a, 103b, 103c,...) either directly or through a converging device (104), and either alone or along with other field devices, and may also be connected to the central alarm management component (102).

The central alarm management component (102) is configured so as to perform one or more functions such as receiving or obtaining information from the atleast one field device (101), atleast one wireless hub (103a, 103b, 103c, ...), atleast one handheld device (105a, 105b,...) etc, processing or analyzing the information or event, raising and / or notifying alarm in respect of the fault, providing suggestions or solution to rectify the fault.

The system (100) also comprises atleast one handheld device (105a, 105b, ...). Each of the handheld device (105a, 105b, ...) is correspondingly associated with a site personnel (106a or 106b or ....). The handheld devices (105a, 105b,...) are connected accordingly with atleast one wireless hub (103a, 103b, 103c,...). Such connection being established with the handheld devices (105a, 105b,...) been registered with its corresponding atleast one wireless hub (103a or 103b or 103c ...). The handheld devices (105a, 105b, ...) are capable of being registered with other such wireless hubs (103a or 103b or 103c ...) than the present corresponding wireless hub (103a or 103b or 103c ...) based on the range of the wireless hub (103a or 103b or 103c ...) or relative proximity of the handheld device (105a, 105b,...) in relation to the wireless hub (103a or 103b or 103c ...). Also, the handheld devices (105a, 105b,...) are configured to include the profile of the site personnel (106a, 106b,...) correspondingly associated with it. The profile referred herein include the availability status and / or other relevant information pertinent to the said site personnel (106a, 106b, ...) and of the engagement thereof, history including skills, past performance, history of solution provided, etc. of the said site personnel (106a, 106b,...).

The wireless hubs (103a, 103b, 103c,...) are connected to each other selectively or in entirety. The wireless hubs (103a, 103b, 103c,...) are also connected to the central alarm management component (102). Also, the wireless hub (103a, 103b, 103c,...) is configured to include one or more of information, profile or the like pertaining to atleast one field device (101) and of the corresponding atleast one handheld device (105a, 105b) and of the corresponding site personnel (106a, 106b) associated thereto.

The field devices (101) and the handheld devices (105a, 105b,...) are stationary or non- stationary or combination thereof. The connection or association referred herein before in the description in relation to the field devices (101), central alarm management component (102), handheld devices (105a, 105b,...), wireless hubs (103a or 103b or 103c ...), site personnel (106a, 106b) accordingly is either wired or wireless or both. The wireless connection is either a short range communication or long range communication or both. Further, the system (100) of the invention is either a centralized system or a decentralized system.

Fig. 2 depicts the method for locating and notifying fault, and handling alarm thereof, in accordance with the invention. The exemplary embodiment of the invention in relation of the method therein is explained further in conjunction with the system as illustrated in Fig. 1. The method (200) of the invention primarily comprises the steps of: a) sending information (201), b) analyzing information (202), c) identifying appropriate handheld device (203), d) notifying fault and alarm thereof (204) and e) updating the status of the fault and alarm thereof (205).

The step of sending information (201) purports to sending the information in respect of the fault of the field device (101) by the field device (101) to the central alarm management component (102) or wireless hub (103a, 103b, 103c,...) corresponding to the field device (101) or both.

The step of analyzing information (202) purports to analyzing the information include processing or filtering the information or both, as compared or as against other such information in relation to the other faults and alarm thereof or the like in respect of other such field devices (101) which been sent by such other field devices (101) to the wireless hub (103a, 103b, 103c,...) and / or central alarm management component (102).

The step of identifying appropriate handheld device (203) from the handheld devices (105a, 105b,...) to notify the fault and of the alarm thereof by the central alarm management component (102) or the wireless hub (103a, 103b, 103c,...) includes optimally identifying the said appropriate handheld device. Such identification is based on certain fixed and / or flexible parameters. The fixed parameters include one or more of parameters such as emergency of the fault, priority of the alarm etc. Accordingly, the flexile parameters include one or more of the parameters such as proximity of the site personnel and of the associated handheld device, availability of the site personnel, work distribution amongst the site personnel, profile of the site personnel, other faults or alarms related to the said fault or said alarm, etc. The terms fixed and flexible referred herein above associates themselves with rigidity or criticality or weightage or the like.

The step of notifying fault and alarm thereof (204) purports to notifying the fault and of the alarm thereof to the appropriate handheld device by the corresponding wireless hub (103a, 103b, 103c,...) connected thereto with the said appropriate handheld device or through such other wireless hub (103a, 103b, 103c,...) connected to the said corresponding wireless hub (103a, 103b, 103c,...). The step of notifying the fault and of the alarm thereof include providing relevant and atleast minimum information relating to the fault and of the alarm thereof that is sufficient to rectify the fault and of the alarm thereof. The step of updating the status of the fault and alarm thereof (205) pertains to updating the status of the fault and of the alarm thereof before and / or after the same been rectified. Such updating is performed by the handheld device (105a, 105b,...) in relation to the wireless hub (103a, 103b, 103c,...) and / or the central alarm management component (102).

The step of updating also include requesting further information by the said appropriate handheld device to the said wireless hub (103a, 103b, 103c,...) or said central alarm management component (102). Such request been made through the wireless hub (103a, 103b, 103c, ...) connected thereto with the said appropriate handheld device or through atleast one of such other wireless hubs (103a, 103b, 103c, ...) connected with the said wireless hub (103a, 103b, 103c,...) or directly to the said central alarm management component (102).

Accordingly, the step of updating also include providing information or above said further information relating to the said fault and of the said alarm thereof by the said wireless hub (103a, 103b, 103c,...) or said central alarm management component (102) to the said appropriate handheld device. This been provided through the said wireless hub (103a, 103 b, 103c,...) connected thereto with the said appropriate handheld device or through atleast one of such other wireless hubs (103a, 103b, 103c,...) connected with the said wireless hub (103a, 103b, 103c,...) or directly from the said central alarm management component (102).

The information pertaining to the fault and of the alarm thereof and in respect of notifying and of updating the status as described herein above can be in whole or parts.

The method of the invention also include rectifying the fault and addressing the alarm thereof accordingly by the site personnel in association with the appropriate handheld device identified for the said purpose.

The method also provides for rejecting the notification in respect of a fault and of the alarm thereof either wholly or partially through or by the appropriate handheld device configured accordingly. Further the method caters to returning or assigning the notification of fault and of the alarm thereof along with relevant information in relation thereto by the said appropriate handheld device or said wireless hub (103a, 103b, 103c,...) or central alarm management component (102) to atleast one other site personnel associated with atleast one such other appropriate handheld device. The method (200) of the invention described here before is either fully or partially automatic catering to the need as slated before.

The invention in respect of its system and method either alone or jointly may be applied to in Distributed Control System (DCS), Substation Automation System, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Power Generation System, Power Systems, Railways, Water distribution system, Gas distribution system, etc.

Only certain features of the invention have been specifically illustrated and described herein, and many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. The invention is not restricted by the preferred embodiment described herein in the description. It is to be noted that the invention is explained by way of exemplary embodiment and is neither exhaustive nor limiting. Certain aspects of the invention that not been elaborated herein in the description are well understood by one skilled in the art. Also, the terms relating to singular form used herein in the description also include its plurality and vice versa, wherever applicable. Any relevant modification or variation, which is not described specifically in the specification are in fact to be construed of being well within the scope of the invention. The appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes which fall within the spirit of the invention.

Thus, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restricted. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and all changes that come within the meaning and range and equivalence thereof are intended to be embraced therein.