System and method for verifying the safety logic of a cause and effect matrix

A system for determining a configuration of a process control system for a process plant, the process control system implemented as a set of function blocks, comprising:

• a memory configured to store (i) a set of computer-executable instructions, and (ii) a requirement-defining CEM having a set of causes and a set of effects, wherein each of the set of causes represents a condition within the process plant and each of the set of effects represents an effect to be performed within the process plant, and wherein at least some of the set of causes and the set of effects are related as cause-effect pairs whereby the corresponding effect activates in response to an occurrence of the corresponding condition;
• a processor interfaced with the memory, and configured to execute the set of computer-executable instructions to cause the processor to:
• for each of the set of function blocks, determine a configuration of the function block based on:
• (i) a set of outputs of the function block, (ii) logic of the function block, and (iii) a set of inputs of the function block,
• generate, based on the set of configurations of the set of function blocks, a test cause and effect matrix (CEM) having a set of test causes and a set of test effects, wherein at least some of the set of test causes and the set of test effects are related as test cause-effect pairs,
• accessing the requirement-defining CEM, and
• compare the test CEM to the requirement-defining CEM to determine whether a set of discrepancies exists.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors in a machine, cause the machine to:

• for each of a set of function blocks that implement a process control system of a process plant, determine a configuration of the function block based on:
• (i) a set of outputs of the function block, (ii) logic of the function block, and (iii) a set of inputs of the function block;
• generate, based on the set of configurations of the set of function blocks, a test cause and effect matrix (CEM) having a set of test causes and a set of test effects, wherein at least some of the set of test causes and the set of test effects are related as test cause-effect pairs;
• access a requirement-defining CEM having a set of causes and a set of effects, wherein each of the set of causes represents a condition within the process plant and each of the set of effects represents an effect to be performed within the process plant, and wherein at least some of the set of causes and the set of effects are related as cause-effect pairs whereby the corresponding effect activates in response to an occurrence of the corresponding condition;
• and
• compare the test CEM to the requirement-defining CEM to determine whether a set of discrepancies exists.