Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring rotational frequency in rotating machines use variable sliding windows of measurement. The systems and methods count and store the number of internal clock cycles between the start of a measurement interval and each pulse signal from a pulse generator. Rotational frequency is determined by taking a difference between the count for a most recent pulse signal and the count for some previous pulse signal within the measurement interval. The number of pulse signals that have occurred between the most-recent pulse signal and the previous pulse signal represents a window of measurement. This window of measurement, or the size thereof, may then be used along with the count difference to determine the rotational frequency. The window of measurement may then be slid to the counts for next most recent pulse signal and the next previous pulse signal to obtain a new count difference, and so on.

Abstract: A flow transmitter method and system involves obtaining, via a flow sensor, sensor measurements of flow characteristics of a moving medium; outputting, via a processor, a drive signal for driving a pulse output circuit to generate a pulse signal according to the sensor measurements from the sensor; and generating, via a switching circuit of a pulse output circuit, a pulse signal according to the drive signal. The method and system further involve monitoring, via a diagnostic circuit connected to the switching circuit, current corresponding to the pulse signal; and determining, via the processor, whether the output circuit is operating in a normal or abnormal state based on the drive signal from the processor and a feedback signal corresponding to the monitored current from the diagnostic circuit.

Abstract: A system for dynamically load-balancing at least one redistribution element across a group of computing resources that facilitates at least an aspect of an Industrial Execution Process in an M:N working configuration is illustrated.

Abstract: A method is provided for assessing health of a mechanical system. The method includes receiving discontinuous system data that is obtained intermittently and is associated with health of the system and generating a discontinuous health index that is based on the discontinuous system data and receiving continuous system data that is obtained continuously and is associated with the health of the system and generating a continuous health index that is based on the continuous system data, wherein the discontinuous health index and the continuous health index are configured to be combinable. The method further includes combining the discontinuous health index and the continuous health index, generating an overall health index based on the combination of the discontinuous health index and the continuous health index, and automatically taking one or more actions to maintain or improve health of the mechanical system and/or avoid risk based on the overall health index.

Abstract: Configuring distributed control in an industrial system comprises building an asset model representative of a process control installation of the industrial system and creating an asset library of distributed control assets according to a distributed control programming standard. The asset model includes modeled assets defined according to levels of a physical model standard and representing physical devices of the industrial system. The distributed control assets each have one or more predefined, built-in facets. One of the distributed control assets in the asset library is mapped to each of the modeled assets to configure the process control installation of the industrial system and generate an asset-based control application for providing distributed control of the industrial system. Additional aspects relate to auto-creation of control applications based on an information model, either through the use of machine learning or an asset configurator tool.

Abstract: Systems and methods of providing industrial system cybersecurity event detection and corresponding response are described. The systems and methods utilize various end point sensors already available in an industrial control system and an associated monitoring process to detect cybersecurity and other security threats based on data collected by the sensors. The cybersecurity monitoring process may be trained with sensor data patterns and behaviors for known threats to recognize potentially malicious activity. Such a process may also learn to recognize and be trained on new threats and may incorporate each new threat to stay current with evolving industrial threats. This allows an enterprise to utilize its existing industrial infrastructure to detect and act upon a variety of threats to an industrial system with little or no interference or interruption of existing industrial processes.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide real-time optical monitoring and control of well operations using digital cameras and image analysis. The systems and methods deploy one or more digital cameras in place of or in addition to conventional sensors to capture images of a well pump during well operations. The images may then be analyzed using image analysis algorithms and programs to measure a height, position, shape, and other measurements for certain components of the well pump relative to previous images. These image-based measurements may then be used to determine various operational parameters, such as pump speed, pump load, and other operational parameters. The operational parameters may then be processed by a pump control system to optimize pump operations based on the operational parameters.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing operator variation analysis for an industrial operation are disclosed herein. In one aspect of this disclosure, a method for providing operator variation analysis includes processing input data received from one or more data sources to identify transient or non-steady state process data relating to the industrial operation and selecting one or more types of data in the transient or non-steady state process data to cluster for operator variation analysis. The one or more types of data are clustered using one or more data clustering techniques, and the clustered one or more types of data are analyzed to identify a best operator of a plurality of operators responsible for managing the industrial operation. Information is analyzed to determine if one or more gaps exist in the economic operation of the industrial operation due to operator variability between the best operator and other operators.

Abstract: Systems and methods for addressing gaps in an industrial operation due to operator variability are disclosed herein. In one aspect of this disclosure, a method for addressing gaps in an industrial operation due to operator variability includes processing input data received from one or more data sources to identify a best operator of a plurality of operators responsible for managing the industrial operation, and determining if one or more gaps exist in the economic operation of the industrial operation due to operator variability between the best operator and operators other than the best operator. Identified gaps may be analyzed to determine if relevant characteristics associated with the gaps justify at least one solution for addressing the gaps for the particular industrial operation. At least one solution may be identified and mapped to the gaps in some instances.

Abstract: Systems and methods for benchmarking operator performance for an industrial operation are disclosed herein. In one aspect of this disclosure, a method for benchmarking operator performance for an industrial operation includes receiving input data relating to the industrial operation from one or more data sources, and processing the input data to measure operator effectiveness and build a data repository for benchmarking/analytics. The data repository may include information relating to the measured operator effectiveness, for example. Biggest contributors of operator variability may be identified based on an analysis of the data repository, and one or more actions may be taken to reduce or eliminate the biggest contributors of operator variability.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing operator variation analysis for an industrial operation are disclosed herein. In one aspect of this disclosure, a method for providing operator variation analysis includes processing input data received from one or more data sources to identify steady state process data relating to the industrial operation and selecting one or more types of data in the steady state process data to cluster for operator variation analysis. The one or more types of data are clustered using one or more data clustering techniques, and the clustered one or more types of data are analyzed to identify a best operator of a plurality of operators responsible for managing the industrial operation. Information is analyzed to determine if one or more gaps exist in the economic operation of the industrial operation due to operator variability between the best operator and other operators.

Abstract: A method is provided for managing availability of runtime asset data used by client applications hosted on workstations of an industrial system, the method including distributing runtime asset data about assets of the industrial system received at the plurality of workstations among runtime asset data caches associated with the client applications. At least a portion of locally stored runtime asset data stored on a local runtime asset data cache is replicated and stored remotely on the runtime asset data cache associated with another client application. The locally stored runtime asset data is periodically evaluated to determine if it is up-to-date, and in response to determining it is not up-to-date, the locally stored runtime asset data is updated by requesting and retrieving a replicated and updated version of the locally stored runtime asset data from the runtime asset data cache remotely storing the replicated version.

Abstract: Vortex sensor amplitude information may be used to validate that a vortex signal being measured corresponds to an actual fluid flow and is not noise. The estimated amplitude of a sinusoidal vortex signal is used as a secondary means to determine the fluid flow based on vortex sensor characteristics. The original amplitude of the sinusoidal vortex signal is determined from a clipped voltage amplitude sinusoidal signal. The estimated velocity of the fluid in a pipe based on the original amplitude of the sinusoidal vortex signal is compared to the measured velocity of the fluid based on vortex velocity frequency. If the two determined velocities do not reasonably agree, the measured vortex signal is not a valid flow signal and adaptive filters are adjusted to reduce the effects of noise.

Abstract: High availability and data migration in a distributed process control computing environment. Allocation algorithms distribute data and applications among available compute nodes, such as controllers in a process control system. In the process control system, an input/output device, such as a fieldbus module, can be used by any controller. Databases store critical execution information for immediate takeover by a backup compute element. The compute nodes are configured to execute algorithms for mitigating dead time in the distributed computing environment.

Abstract: A method is provided for managing availability of runtime asset data used by client applications hosted on workstations of an industrial system, the method including distributing runtime asset data about assets of the industrial system received at the plurality of workstations among runtime asset data caches associated with the client applications. At least a portion of locally stored runtime asset data stored on a local runtime asset data cache is replicated and stored remotely on the runtime asset data cache associated with another client application. The locally stored runtime asset data is periodically evaluated to determine if it is up-to-date, and in response to determining it is not up-to-date, the locally stored runtime asset data is updated by requesting and retrieving a replicated and updated version of the locally stored runtime asset data from the runtime asset data cache remotely storing the replicated version.

Abstract: A flow meter system and method are provided for monitoring gas flow in a conduit. The flow meter system includes a plurality of components including: a sensor for sensing a flow rate of the gas flow; a communication device for transmitting information corresponding to the sensed flow rate to a remote device; an energy harvesting device for producing electrical energy from the gas flow to power operation of the communication device or other component of the flow meter system; and an energy storage device for storing electrical energy generated by the energy harvesting device.

Abstract: A method is provided for automatically or semi-automatically analyzing process hazards and validating protection mechanisms for an industrial process. The method can involve establishing communication between a simulation tool and a process hazard analysis tool. The simulation tool simulates operation of the process according to a process model. The method can further involve creating, using the process hazard analysis tool, conditions for hazards in the process based on information learned about the industrial process from the simulation tool; for each of the hazards, simulating the hazards using the simulation tool and attempting to prevent the hazards using the process hazard analysis tool by introducing protective mechanism(s) to the process; and evaluating effectiveness of the introduced protective mechanisms for each of the hazards and creating safety requirements for the process based on the evaluated effectiveness.

Abstract: Systems and methods for adaptively tuning a Proportional, Integral and Derivative (PID) controller in a zero order industrial process are provided. A method and system can involve receiving input data at one or more inputs of the PID controller and generating output data at one or more outputs of the PID controller in response to processing the input data. Error(s) associated with the controller are determined based on an analysis of a measured parameter with respect to a desired setpoint. The measured parameter may be indicated in the output data. Adaptive gain may be applied to the PID controller in response to the absolute value of the controller error both exceeding a deadband and increasing. Additionally, normal gain, which is lower than the adaptive gain, may be applied to the PID controller in response to the absolute value of the controller error either being below the deadband or decreasing.

Abstract: A method is provided for automatically or semi-automatically analyzing process hazards and validating protection mechanisms for an industrial process. The method can involve establishing communication between a simulation tool and a process hazard analysis tool. The simulation tool simulates operation of the process according to a process model. The method can further involve creating, using the process hazard analysis tool, conditions for hazards in the process based on information learned about the industrial process from the simulation tool; for each of the hazards, simulating the hazards using the simulation tool and attempting to prevent the hazards using the process hazard analysis tool by introducing protective mechanism(s) to the process; and evaluating effectiveness of the introduced protective mechanisms for each of the hazards and creating safety requirements for the process based on the evaluated effectiveness.

Abstract: A method is provided for automatically or semi-automatically analyzing process hazards and validating protection mechanisms for an industrial process. The method can involve establishing communication between a simulation tool and a process hazard analysis tool. The simulation tool simulates operation of the process according to a process model. The method can further involve creating, using the process hazard analysis tool, conditions for hazards in the process based on information learned about the industrial process from the simulation tool; for each of the hazards, simulating the hazards using the simulation tool and attempting to prevent the hazards using the process hazard analysis tool by introducing protective mechanism(s) to the process; and evaluating effectiveness of the introduced protective mechanisms for each of the hazards and creating safety requirements for the process based on the evaluated effectiveness.