Abstract: A fluid pressure controlled spool valve minimizes abrasion or sticking caused by a tilted orientation of a pressure plate forcing lands of a spool shaft to abrade or stick internally facing surfaces of a cylindrical barrel supporting the spool shaft. A permanent magnet is mounted on the pressure plate. A round head composed of a ferromagnetic material is formed on an end of a spool shaft and configured to be magnetically attracted to the permanent magnet. A magnetic attraction force vector produced on the round head of the spool shaft remains coaxial with an axis of the spool shaft, when the pressure plate and the magnet are tilted with respect to the axis of the spool shaft.

Abstract: A wireless sensor preferably has a case which is intrinsically safe and has no exposed parts which can become not intrinsically safe due to the passage of time or through contact with chemicals typically encountered in a location where the wireless sensor is used. It preferably has no integral visual display other than lights, and it preferably includes at least one signal light. The sensor preferably includes a wireless transceiver for allowing remote read and remote control of the sensor. The sensor preferably includes piezoelectric pressure detectors for allowing a user to locally interact with the sensor by pressing on the case. Data can be automatically harvested from the sensors by a portable electronic data-retrieving device which is usually geographically remote from the sensors when the portable electronic data-retrieving device and the sensors are in range of a wireless system which allows them to communicate when they are geographically proximate each other.

Abstract: In a Boundaryless Control High Availability (“BCHA”) system (e.g., industrial control system) comprising multiple computing resources (or computational engines) running on multiple machines, technology for computing in real time the overall system availability based upon the capabilities/characteristics of the available computing resources, applications to execute and the distribution of the applications across those resources is disclosed. In some embodiments, the disclosed technology can dynamically manage, coordinate recommend certain actions to system operators to maintain availability of the overall system at a desired level. High Availability features may be implemented across a variety of different computing resources distributed across various aspects of a BCHA system and/or computing resources. Two example implementations of BCHA systems described involve an M:N working configuration and M:N+R working configuration.

Abstract: A menu navigation engine that enables user configuration of a vortex flowmeter. The vortex flowmeter includes a memory device and a processor, among other hardware components. Software instructions stored on the memory device and executable by the processor implement the menu navigation engine by displaying use case identifiers on the user interface, receiving selections of use case identifiers via the user interface, generating a formatted hierarchical tree of vortex flowmeter configuration nodes associated with the selected use case, and displaying the generated tree on the user interface.

Abstract: Techniques for notification concerning recall or notification of non-conformance of an industrial instrument product are provided. A module associated with the instrument communicates with the vendor of the instrument over a wide-area communications link or internet link. When the module receives an alert notice from the vendor pertaining to recall or non-conformance of the instrument, the module transmits the alert information to the customer or an associate of the customer having a responsibility for the instrument. The module may also cause the alert information and diagnostic, maintenance, or update information to be displayed on a display device of the instrument.

Abstract: A configuration tool is for a vortex flowmeter having a flowtube, a bluff body positioned in the flowtube for shedding vortices in the fluid, and a pressure sensor configured to obtain a signal indicative of a time-varying fluid pressure having an oscillation associated with the vortices. The configuration tool includes a processor that determines a type of fluid flowing through the flowtube based on the amplitude of the oscillation. The processor sets a fluid-type setting of the vortex meter to match the determined type of fluid. An alarming system for a control system including such a flowmeter includes a processor that assesses a density of a fluid flowing through the flowtube based on the amplitude and compares the assessed density to a fluid density configuration setting. The processor activates an alarm if the difference between the assessed density and the fluid density configuration setting exceeds a threshold.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating an event-based data set using a computer implemented asset monitoring system are provided. An asset repository stores data related to one or more commissioned assets of an asset monitoring system. When event data is received from an asset, whether an asset maintenance record corresponding to the asset exists in the asset repository is determined based on comparing the data in the asset repository to the event data. When the asset maintenance record is determined to not exist in the asset repository, an asset identification record corresponding to the asset is rendered. The asset identification record comprises the event data and additional asset-related data collected from the asset. An event-based data set is generated based on the asset identification record.

Abstract: A fluid pressure controlled spool valve minimizes abrasion or sticking caused by a tilted orientation of a pressure plate forcing lands of a spool shaft to abrade or stick internally facing surfaces of a cylindrical barrel supporting the spool shaft. A permanent magnet is mounted on the pressure plate. A round head composed of a ferromagnetic material is formed on an end of a spool shaft and configured to be magnetically attracted to the permanent magnet. A magnetic attraction force vector produced on the round head of the spool shaft remains coaxial with an axis of the spool shaft, when the pressure plate and the magnet are tilted with respect to the axis of the spool shaft.

Abstract: A menu navigation engine that enables user configuration of a vortex flowmeter. The vortex flowmeter includes a memory device and a processor, among other hardware components. Software instructions stored on the memory device and executable by the processor implement the menu navigation engine by displaying use case identifiers on the user interface, receiving selections of use case identifiers via the user interface, generating a formatted hierarchical tree of vortex flowmeter configuration nodes associated with the selected use case, and displaying the generated tree on the user interface.

Abstract: Systems and methods of a Hierarchical Smart Asset Control Application development and Integrated Smart Asset Control System optimization are disclosed. In various embodiments, the system may develop a Hierarchical Asset Control Application and corresponding control hardware requirements. This can be used to create an Integrated Smart Asset Control System in order execute various processes for a set of equipment elements. The smart assets associated with the system may utilize intelligent agents to balance operational constraints and operational objects in order to determine real-time optimized operational parameters for a process and implement the appropriate controls to facilitate achieving the improved operational objectives.

Abstract: A method for automatically collecting and analyzing data from a plurality of industrial equipment includes automatically establishing communication between sensor nodes of the plurality of equipment and a walk-in device in response to the walk-in device entering a data collection area in a facility associated with the plurality of electrical equipment. The method also includes determining if the walk-in device is an authorized device to collect data from the plurality of industrial equipment and, in response to determining the walk-in device is an authorized device, automatically collecting select data from the plurality of industrial equipment on the walk-in device. The collected data is processed and one or more actions are performed based on the collected data.

Abstract: A wireless sensor preferably has a case which is intrinsically safe and has no exposed parts which can become not intrinsically safe due to the passage of time or through contact with chemicals typically encountered in a location where the wireless sensor is used. It preferably has no integral visual display other than lights, and it preferably includes at least one signal light. The sensor preferably includes a wireless transceiver for allowing remote read and remote control of the sensor. The sensor preferably includes piezoelectric pressure detectors for allowing a user to locally interact with the sensor by pressing on the case. Data can be automatically harvested from the sensors by a portable electronic data-retrieving device which is usually geographically remote from the sensors when the portable electronic data-retrieving device and the sensors are in range of a wireless system which allows them to communicate when they are geographically proximate each other.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating an event-based data set using a computer implemented asset monitoring system are provided. An asset repository stores data related to one or more commissioned assets of an asset monitoring system. When event data is received from an asset, whether an asset maintenance record corresponding to the asset exists in the asset repository is determined based on comparing the data in the asset repository to the event data. When the asset maintenance record is determined to not exist in the asset repository, an asset identification record corresponding to the asset is rendered. The asset identification record comprises the event data and additional asset-related data collected from the asset. An event-based data set is generated based on the asset identification record.

Abstract: Automated evaluation and extraction of information from piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs). Aspects of the systems and methods utilize machine learning and image processing techniques to extract relevant information, such as tag names, tag numbers, and symbols, and their positions, from P&IDs. Further aspects feed errors back to a machine learning system to update its learning and improve operation of the systems and methods.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for control and/or asset performance management of a system, in-situ, at an asset. A system application model can be deployed to at least a first network node fixed, in-situ, at the asset using a short-range, low-power communication network. The first network node can execute a master avatar using the deployed system application model and generate, at a second network node, a master-slave avatar using the master avatar executed at the first network node. The master avatar and/or master-slave avatar can be configured to perform control of the system, in-situ, at the first network node and the second network node.

Abstract: Automated evaluation and extraction of information from piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs). Aspects of the systems and methods utilize machine learning and image processing techniques to extract relevant information, such as tag names, tag numbers, and symbols, and their positions, from P&IDs. Further aspects feed errors back to a machine learning system to update its learning and improve operation of the systems and methods.

Abstract: A system and method are provided to access real time information from a sensor system in an augmented reality environment. The system and method involve capturing images of an area including a beacon for a sensor system and a pattern outputted by the beacon. The pattern corresponds to information including real time sensor data of one or more conditions monitored by the sensor system in the area. The system and method further involve identifying the pattern from the images captured by the image sensing device; translating the pattern to obtain the sensor data; overlaying the sensor data over the captured images in relations to the beacon or sensor system in the captured images; and displaying the overlaid images with the sensor data on a display device.

Abstract: A system and method for pumping formation fluids from a well using a sucker rod pumping system that prevents the pumping system from experiencing a floating rod condition. The sucker rod pumping system comprises a pump drive system, a rod string, and a downhole reciprocating pump driven by the rod string. The pump drive system is coupled to the rod string by a bridle. In addition, the sucker rod pumping system comprises a drive control system that controls the speed of the pump drive system during the downstroke. The drive control system is coupled to a load cell configured to provide a signal representative of load on the rod string. The drive control system controls the speed of the pump drive system during the downstroke based on the load on the rod string so that the rod string does not experience a floating rod condition.

Abstract: Automated measurement of fluid solution capacitance in industrial processes to determine solution concentration. Industrial process control transmitters determine solution concentration directly from solution capacitance and confirm concentration determinations based on solution conductivity. The industrial process control transmitters include terminals embodied in wire coils and/or metallic plates, at least one processor, and at least one computer readable memory device.

Abstract: Automated evaluation and extraction of information from piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs). Aspects of the systems and methods utilize machine learning and image processing techniques to extract relevant information, such as tag names, tag numbers, and symbols, and their positions, from P&IDs. Further aspects feed errors back to a machine learning system to update its learning and improve operation of the systems and methods.