Apparatus and method for assessing exceedance of a process beyond safe operating limits

Abstract

An apparatus and method implementable with a software application for checking or assessing exceedances process variables beyond safe operating limits is disclosed. The process has instruments, a process history database, and one or more external databases. The instruments measure process variables and can be associated with the equipment. The process history database stores a plurality of values of the process variables measured by the instruments. Data of the equipment, the associated instrument, and the safe operating limit for the equipment is defined in a limit sequence of the software application. Preferably, the data of the equipment, the instrument, and the safe operating limit is imported from the one or more external databases. The process history database is searched for one or more exceedance values that are measured by the defined instrument and that exceed the defined safe operating limit. The “apparent” exceedance values are then imported from the process history database into the software application. Finally, the user uses to software application to evaluate and validate the exceedance values.

1 . A method implementable on a computer system for assessing a process, the process having equipment and having an instrument for measuring a process variable, the computer system having access to a process history database storing a process variable measured by the instrument, the method comprising: 
 (a) electronically importing information indicative of the instrument and information indicative of a safe operating limit of the process variable from at least one external database to create a reporting record;    (b) electronically searching the process history database for data values of the process variable outside of the safe operating limit;    (c) electronically importing the data values from the process history database into the reporting record; and    (d) evaluating the data values by updating the reporting record.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (a) further comprises limiting the search of the process history database according to a defined time.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising calculating an average of the data values in an interval.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising electronically merging data values from a first interval with data values in a second interval.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein electronically merging comprises automatically merging the data values when the intervals occur within a predefined separation of time.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising electronically separating the data values in a given interval into a plurality of portions of the data values in separate portions of the given interval.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein evaluating the data values comprises electronically accessing other data values corresponding to the same equipment, instrument, or safe operating limit.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein evaluating the data values comprises electronically accessing a drawing of the process having the equipment or instrument.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein evaluating the data values comprises validating the process variable, the equipment, the instrument, or the safe operating limit associated with the data values.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein validating the process variable, the equipment, the instrument, or the safe operating limit associated with the data values comprises selecting predefined validation criteria.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the predefined validation criteria includes reasons indicating that the instrument or the safe operating limit is incorrectly set or defined in the search of the process history database.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein validating the process variable, the equipment, the instrument, or the safe operating limit associated with the data values comprises selecting predefined follow-up actions.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the predefined follow-up actions include actions directed to: (i) investigating the equipment or the instrument, (ii) verifying an electronic tag of the instrument, (iii) verifying a range of the instrument, or (iv) changing the instrument or the safe operating limit and researching the process history database.  
   
   
       14 . A method implementable on a computer system for assessing a process, the process having equipment and having an instrument for measuring a process variable, the computer system having access to a process history database storing a process variable measured by the instrument, the method comprising: 
 (a) entering information indicative of the instrument and information indicative of a safe operating limit of the process variable into a reporting record;    (b) using the information indicative of the instrument and information indicative of the safe operating limit to electronically search the process history database for data values of the process variable outside of the safe operating limit;    (c) electronically importing the data values from the process history database into the reporting record; and    (d) evaluating the data values by manually updating the reporting record with information regarding actions to be taken with respect to the data values.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein step (a) comprises electronically importing information indicative of the instrument and information indicative of a safe operating limit of the process variable from at least one external database to create a reporting record.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein step (b) further comprises limiting the search of the process history database according to a defined time.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising calculating an average of the data values in the interval.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising electronically merging data values from a first interval with data values in a second interval.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein electronically merging data values comprises automatically merging the data values when the intervals occur within a predefined separation of time.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising electronically separating the data values in a given interval into a plurality of portions of the data values in separate portions of the given interval.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein evaluating the data values comprises electronically accessing other data values corresponding to the same equipment, instrument, or safe operating limit.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein evaluating the data values comprises electronically accessing a drawing of the process having the equipment or instrument.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein evaluating the data values comprises validating the process variable, the equipment, the instrument, or the safe operating limit associated with the data values.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein validating the process variable, the equipment, the instrument, or the safe operating limit associated with the data values comprises selecting predefined validation criteria.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the predefined validation criteria includes reasons indicating that the instrument or the safe operating limit is incorrectly set or defined in the search of the process history database.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein validating the process variable, the equipment, the instrument, or the safe operating limit associated with the data values comprises selecting predefined follow-up actions.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the predefined follow-up actions include actions directed to: (i) investigating the equipment or the instrument, (ii) verifying an electronic tag of the instrument, (iii) verifying a range of the instrument, or (iv) changing the instrument or the safe operating limit and researching the process history database.  
   
   
       28 . A computer-readable medium having instructions to perform a method implementable on a computer system for assessing a process, the process having equipment and having an instrument for measuring a process variable, the computer system having access to a process history database storing the process variable measured by the instrument, the method comprising: 
 (a) electronically importing information indicative of the instrument and information indicative of a safe operating limit of the process variable from at least one external database to create a reporting record;    (b) electronically searching the process history database for data values of the process variable outside of the safe operating limit;    (c) electronically importing the data values from the process history database into the reporting record; and    (d) evaluating the data values by updating the reporting record.    
   
   
       29 . A computer-readable medium having instructions to perform a method implementable on a computer system for assessing a process, the process having equipment and having an instrument for measuring a process variable, the computer system having access to a process history database storing the process variable measured by the instrument, the method comprising: 
 (a) entering information indicative of the instrument and information indicative of a safe operating limit of the process variable into a reporting record;    (b) using the information indicative of the instrument and information indicative of the safe operating limit to electronically search the process history database for data values of the process variable outside of the safe operating limit;    (c) electronically importing the data values from the process history database into the reporting record; and    (d) evaluating the data values by manually updating the reporting record with information regarding actions to be taken with respect to the data values.