Automatic loop testing for a process control loop

US10379527B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• FISHER-ROSEMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC. · US

Inventors

• Larry O. Jundt · Round Rock, US
• Sergio Diaz · Pflugerville, US
• Julian K. Naidoo · Cedar Park, US
• Daniel R. Strinden · Austin, US
• Cristopher Ian Sarmiento Uy · Manila, PH
• Gary K. Law · Georgetown, US
• Neil J. Peterson · Austin, US
• Kent A. Burr · Round Rock, US
• Deborah R. Colclazier · Round Rock, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 12, 2016
• Grant date: Aug 13, 2019
• Expiry date: Oct 12, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P90/80
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Techniques for automatically testing an entire process control loop, such as after components and portions of the loop have been commissioned separately, or after run-time operation begins, enable the process control loop to be tested without an operator in a back-end environment of a process plant coordinating with an operator in a field environment of the process plant to supply inputs and/or generate various conditions at the loop. Instead, a single operator performs a single operation to initiate an automatic loop test, or in some implementations, no user input is needed to initiate and/or perform the automatic loop test. Automatic loop testing includes automatically causing a field device to operate in a plurality of test states and determining whether resultant loop behaviors are expected behaviors. Multiple loops may be tested concurrently or distinct in time. An automatic loop test result is generated and may be presented via a user interface.