Methods and apparatus for early fault detection and alert generation in a process

A method of providing an early warning of an abnormal situation in a multi-parameter process, said method using a model of said process, said model comprising a defined space representing said process, said space having defined therein regions of high and low probability of occurrence of values of said parameters, said method comprising:

• i. measuring two or more varying parameters of a component of said multi-parameter process to determine current values thereof;
• ii. forming said current values into process vectors for mapping;
• iii. mapping said process vectors onto said model;
• and
• iv. generating a signal indicating an abnormal situation whenever said process vectors are mapped drifting toward a region of lower probability.

In a process subject to influence by at least two parameters, each of said parameters having a range of discrete values, a method of providing an early warning of an abnormal situation in said process caused by at least one parameter of said process, said method comprising:

• i. defining a space representing said process, said space comprising at least two dimensions, each dimension representing a measurable varying parameter of a component of said process and being divided into discrete areas corresponding to said discrete values of said parameter, thereby to discretize said space;
• ii. applying an empirical analysis of said process to said discretized space in order to define discrete regions of high and low input probability within said space, or to define normal and abnormal values within said range of discrete values of at least one of said parameters;
• iii. measuring said parameters to determine current values thereof and forming process vectors based upon said measured parameter values;
• iv. mapping said process vectors onto said space;
• and
• v. generating a signal indicating an abnormal situation whenever said process vectors are mapped drifting toward a discrete region of lower probability.

A method of providing an early warning of an abnormal situation in a process, said process being subject to influence by at least two parameters, said method comprising:

• i. defining a space representing said process, said space comprising at least two dimensions, each dimension representing a parameter of said process;
• ii. applying an analysis of parameter values of said process to said space in order to define regions of high and low probability of occurrence within said space;
• iii. measuring said parameters to determine current values thereof;
• iv. mapping said measured parameter values onto said space;
• v. generating a signal indicating an abnormal situation whenever said measured parameter values are mapped into a region of low probability of occurrence;
• and
• vi. providing associations between said parameters by allowing a user to perform the steps of:
• a. select a mapped parameter;
• b. examine selected ones of associated parameters;
• and
• c. examine further selected parameters associated with said selected parameters;
• thereby identifying causes of said abnormal situations.

Apparatus for generating an early warning of an abnormal situation in a process, said process being subject to influence by at least two parameters, said apparatus comprising:

• i. a learning unit for developing a model of said process, said learning unit comprising:
• a. an analysis unit for defining a space representing said process, said space having at least two dimensions, each dimension representing a parameter of said process;
• b. at least one extracting unit for extracting values relating to said parameters;
• and
• c. a mapping unit for mapping said parameter values onto said space;
• said analysis unit being further for analyzing said mapping in order to divide said space into regions of high and low probability of occurrence, thereby to form said model;
• ii. an application unit comprising:
• a. at least one parameter measuring unit for measuring at least one parameter to determine at least one parameter value and to form said at least one parameter value into a process vector;
• b. a mapping unit for mapping said process vector onto said model;
• and
• c. an alert unit for generating a signal when a process vector is mapped onto a region of low probability;
• and
• iii. a diagnostic unit within said application unit for providing associations between said parameters, said diagnostic unit allowing a user to perform the steps of:
• a. select a mapped parameter;
• b. examine selected ones of associated parameters;
• and
• c. examine further selected parameters associated with said selected parameters;
• thereby to identifying causes of abnormal situations in said process.

Apparatus for generating an early warning of an abnormal situation in a process, said process being subject to influence by at least two parameters, said apparatus comprising:

• i. a learning unit for developing a model of said process, said learning unit comprising:
• a. an analysis unit for defining a space representing said process, said space having at least two dimensions, each dimension representing a parameter of said process;
• b. at least one extracting unit for extracting values relating to said parameters;
• and
• c. a mapping unit for mapping said parameter values onto said space;
• said analysis unit being further for analyzing said mapping in order to divide said space into regions of high and low probability of occurrence, thereby to form said model;
• ii. an application unit comprising:
• a. at least one parameter measuring unit for measuring at least one parameter to determine at least one parameter value and to form said at least one parameter value into a process vector;
• b. a mapping unit for mapping said process vector onto said model;
• and
• c. an alert unit for generating a signal when a process vector is mapped onto a region of low probability;
• and
• iii. a process adjustment unit within said application unit for using said regions of high and low probability of occurrence to dictate adjustment of said process via at least one of said parameters, thereby to avoid said abnormal situation.