US 9,869,981 B2Granted

Control device diagnostic using accelerometer

AssigneeFisher Controls International LLC

InventorsMatthew J. Kemp, Davin S. Nicholas, Mitchell S. Panther

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Abstract

A diagnostic device is physically coupled to a control device in a process control system, and includes an accelerometer that determines when a motion or vibration of the control device is greater than a predetermined threshold. When this condition is detected, one or more other components of the diagnostic device (e.g., processor, communication module, etc.) are activated, and a distress signal is transmitted from the diagnostic device using the activated components. Consequently, the duty cycles of components of the diagnostic device are decreased and optimized, leading to significant power savings. Indeed, in some embodiments, energy harvesting may be sufficient to power the diagnostic device. Further, in some embodiments, the diagnostic device may not require a component processor.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A device for diagnosing a control device used in a process control system, the device comprising:

an accelerometer responsive to a motion of the control device and configured to:
determine that a magnitude of the motion of the control device is greater than a threshold, and
upon determining that the magnitude of the motion of the control device is greater than the threshold, transmit an activation signal for a communication module that is included in the device and that is in one of a powered-off state, a sleep state, or another energy-conserving state;
a communication interface;
and
the communication module, the communication module being configured to:
(i) enter an activated state from the one of the powered-off state, the sleep state, or the another energy-conserving state upon a reception, at the communication module, of an indication of the activation signal generated by the accelerometer, and
(ii) transmit, after activation, from the device via the communication interface, a distress signal indicative of the magnitude of the motion of the control device being greater than the threshold,
wherein the device including the accelerometer, the communication interface, and the communication module is physically connected to the control device.

6 more elements

A method of diagnosing a control device used in a process control system, the method comprising:

determining, by an accelerometer included in a diagnostic device, that a magnitude of a motion of the control device is greater than a threshold value;
and
upon determining that the magnitude of the motion of the control device is greater than the threshold value, generating, by the accelerometer, an activation signal for a communication module included in the diagnostic device, the communication module being in a powered-off state, a sleep state, or another energy-conserving state, and the communication module, upon receiving an indication of the activation signal generated by the accelerometer, transitioning into an activated state and causing a wireless distress signal to be transmitted from the diagnostic device via a wireless communication interface included in the diagnostic device, the wireless distress signal indicative of the magnitude of the motion of the control device being greater than the threshold value,
wherein the diagnostic device including the accelerometer, the communication module, and the wireless communication interface is physically connected to the control device.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/456,786Filed 11 Aug 2014
Published: US 2016/0041539 A111 Feb 2016
Granted: 16 Jan 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

F16K 37/0075
Special means in or on valves or other cut-off apparatus for indicating or recording operation thereof, or for enabling an alarm to be given: for…
G05B 15/02
Systems controlled by a computer: electric
G05B 19/042
Program control other than numerical control, i.e. in sequence controllers or logic controllers: using digital processors
G08C 19/02
Electric signal transmission systems: in which the signal transmitted is magnitude of current or voltage