Methods and apparatus for providing alarm notification

An apparatus for indicating an alarm condition in an industrial process, said apparatus comprising a sensor configured to measure a parameter of the industrial process, a data acquisition system, and a computer, said apparatus configured to:

• measure a parameter of the industrial process, said parameter varying over time;
• determine at least one parameter limit, said at least one parameter limit being a function of said parameter and varying over time;
• buffer said parameter;
• compare, using a time-delayed value of said parameter, said parameter to said at least one parameter limit;
• and
• indicate an alarm condition when said parameter is outside of a bound set by said at least one parameter limit at a time when said parameter is compared to said at least one parameter limit.

A medium having machine-readable instructions recorded thereon that are configured to instruct a computer to:

• input a sensed parameter of an industrial process, said parameter varying over time;
• determine at least one parameter limit, said at least one parameter limit being a function of said parameter and varying over time;
• buffer said parameter;
• compare, using a time-delayed value of said parameter, said parameter to said at least one parameter limit;
• and
• indicate an alarm condition when said parameter is outside of a bound set by said at least one parameter limit at a time when said parameter is compared to said at least one parameter limit.

A method for indicating an alarm condition in an industrial process, said method comprising:

• measuring a parameter of the industrial process, said parameter varying over time;
• latching said parameter and buffering said latched parameter in a FIFO (first-in, first-out) buffer;
• determining statistical functions of values of said buffered parameter stored in said FIFO buffer;
• utilizing said determined statistical functions to determine one or more alert limits;
• comparing value of the parameter to said one or more alert limits;
• and
• indicating an alarm dependent upon said parameter being outside a bound set by the one or more alert limits.

An apparatus for indicating an alarm condition in an industrial process, said apparatus configured to:

• latch a varying parameter value of the industrial process and buffer successive latched parameter values in a FIFO (first-in, first-out) buffer;
• determine statistical functions of values of said buffered parameter stored in said FIFO buffer;
• utilize said determined statistical functions to determine one or more alert limits;
• compare value of the parameter to said one or more alert limits;
• and
• indicate an alarm dependent upon said parameter being outside a bound set by the one or more alert limits.

A medium having recorded thereon machine-readable instructions configured to instruct a computer to:

• latch a varying parameter value of an industrial process and buffer successive latched parameter values in a FIFO (first-in, first-out) buffer;
• determine statistical functions of values of said buffered parameter stored in said FIFO buffer;
• utilize said determined statistical functions to determine one or more alert limits;
• compare value of the parameter to said one or more alert limits;
• and
• indicate an alarm dependent upon said parameter being outside a bound set by the one or more alert limits.