JP3618180B2 - Loop check system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a loop check system for checking a signal line (that is, a loop) that transmits a physical quantity such as temperature and pressure of an object to be inspected performed in a plant facility or the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the conventional loop check work, an operator carries the loop check equipment to the loop check point of the plant equipment, gives a pseudo physical quantity, for example, pressure at the loop check point, and uses this pseudo pressure value as a check sheet. The pseudo pressure is recorded by being informed of the above-mentioned loop checkpoint readings read by the central plant control center through wireless communication with workers waiting at the central plant control center. Compare the value with the measured value. Alternatively, after applying an appropriate pseudo pressure at each inspection measurement point, return to the central plant control center and check with the measured values recorded at the central plant control center to check the batch processing loop. Is done. Furthermore, since the number of loop checkpoints that should be checked is several thousand in ordinary plant equipment, the value of the pseudo physical quantity that is executed at each loop checkpoint is entered in the check sheet in preparation for the loop check work. I have to keep it. Finally, a maintenance inspection report is created based on the check sheet filled with the measurement results.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, in the conventional loop check work, the collection of the preparation data for the loop check and the result data obtained by the loop check are not performed in the center and in the center, although the number of loop check points is very large. This is done by a plurality of human hands arranged at the plant control center in the country, and the human burden is very large.
An object of the present invention is to provide a loop check system for simplifying the loop check operation.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
To achieve the above object, a loop check system according to the present invention includes a loop check device that can be connected to a sensor unit that measures a physical quantity of an inspection object at a loop check point, and portable information that can be connected to the loop check device. Terminal and a mobile communication terminal as a communication unit of the portable information terminal, and through the bidirectional information transmission between the portable information terminal and a remote center computer via a mobile communication line A loop check of the inspection object is performed by the loop check device.
[0005]
In the above configuration, the loop check device is connected to the sensor unit of the loop check point to be inspected by the maintenance inspection worker, and the tag number of the loop check point is transmitted from the portable information terminal via the mobile communication line to the center computer. Input to the center computer, the center computer prepares to take in the measurement values of the sensor unit at the loop checkpoint. After that, the sensor unit measures the physical quantity by giving a certain value of a pseudo physical quantity, such as pressure, temperature, current, etc., to the object to be inspected from the loop check device. The measured value of the sensor unit is input to the center computer through the loop to be tested. By sending this measured value from the center computer to the portable information terminal via the mobile communication line, the operator at the loop checkpoint can compare the pseudo physical quantity with the measured value, that is, perform a loop check.
[0006]
In the above-mentioned loop check system, not only can a single maintenance inspection worker who has moved to the loop check point perform the loop check, but also the results of the loop check work should be stored in a centralized database. Therefore, the human burden of the entire loop check work is reduced, and the reliability of the loop check data is improved because there is no manual work for data entry.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, if the portable information terminal can control the loop check device, the portable information terminal is adapted to a different inspection mode (for example, a pseudo physical quantity value) for each loop checkpoint. By starting the program routine stored in the loop check device, the loop check device can be operated according to the specifications required for the loop check point. Thereby, setting errors of the loop check device can be avoided, and as a result, the reliability of the loop check is improved.
[0007]
Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment in this case, the loop check device includes an output unit that sends out a plurality of simulated physical quantities having different values to be measured by the sensor unit, and the portable information terminal is connected via a mobile communication line. In some cases, an output value of a simulated physical quantity can be selected for each loop checkpoint by a command from a connected center computer. According to this configuration, even if there are thousands of loop checkpoints and the number of pseudo physical quantities to be given for each loop checkpoint and the value must be set, the data is integrated by the central computer. Thus, the loop check device can be set and controlled accurately and quickly by storing and managing the data and taking in the portable information terminal via the mobile communication line when necessary. Thereby, it is possible to quickly and easily perform a loop check operation in various inspection modes in a large-scale plant facility.
[0008]
Further, in order to facilitate the maintenance inspection work based on the loop check in the field, in a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, the portable information terminal is provided with the measurement result of the sensor unit sent from the center computer through the mobile communication line. There is one that can perform inspection evaluation by collating with the pseudo physical quantity output by the loop check device. This portable information terminal captures the value of the pseudo-physical quantity output from the loop check device, and by capturing the measured value of the sensor unit from the center computer, it is possible to compare and evaluate each other's value. It is also possible to display and instruct inspection work to be performed by an operator as necessary. Furthermore, when a worker considers some measures based on the evaluation result, as a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the portable information terminal is subjected to a loop check from a center computer connected via a mobile communication line. If it is possible to extract past inspection data of an inspection object, it is possible to make a diagnosis based on past experience. Dozens of loop checkpoints can be dealt with by human memory or by bringing a printed inspection report, but if there are thousands of loop checkpoints, work past inspection data from the center computer. It is an essential requirement to make a diagnosis based on past experience.
[0009]
Further, in the present invention, it is particularly proposed to use a PHS (Personal Handyphone System) line as the mobile communication line. In PHS, data of 32 kbps (kilobits / second) can be transmitted and received digitally between a PHS terminal and a base station, and a private line connected to the base station is also completely digital by using a high-speed digital line. Data communication can be performed between the center computer and the PHS terminal, and consequently, the portable information terminal, and high-speed data transfer and high reliability can be obtained. In addition, since the transmission output of the PHS terminal is small (about 10 milliwatts), the burden on the battery is small and the weight can be suppressed. The small transmission output of the PHS terminal has an advantage with respect to the problem of radio interference in the plant office. Of course, if the transmission output of the PHS terminal is small, the coverage area of one base station is small. However, in the office, the installation location of the base station can be selected virtually arbitrarily. The base stations can be arranged with the most effective distribution, and the installation cost of the PHS base station is lower than that of other mobile communications.
When PHS is employed as mobile communication, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is an optical communication interface standardized by an infrared interface (Infra-red Data Association) between a PHS terminal and a portable information terminal, hereinafter also abbreviated as IrDA. If it is used in a plant facility, it is more advantageous than an interface such as RS232C using a relatively high voltage. It is also an advantage that many commercially available portable information terminals have an infrared interface.
[0010]
As another preferred embodiment of the present invention, if the PHS terminal and the portable information terminal are connected by a PC card interface, the PHS terminal and the portable information terminal need not be connected by a cable as in the case of the infrared interface described above. In addition to being good, an automatic incoming call function can also be provided, and data can be freely sent from the center computer side to the portable information terminal without an operator's operation of the PHS terminal. Further, if the PHS terminal and the portable information terminal are integrated, there is an advantage in portability as a device that is carried for loop check work.
[0011]
Further, as a preferred example of the overall embodiment of the loop check system according to the present invention, a PHS line connecting a PHS terminal and the center computer is connected to a plurality of base stations distributed and arranged in the office and this base station. The PHS control device relays between the base station and the private branch exchange for telephone voice communication and between the base station and the network including the center computer for data communication. It is proposed to relay In this system, supplementary information can be transmitted by voice communication with the plant control center through the PHS terminal, and data communication with all devices connected on the network can be performed. For example, by performing voice communication and data communication with an expert who is familiar with a loop check point through the network, it is possible to give expertise to a worker who works at the loop check point.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments of the present invention using the drawings.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A schematic block diagram showing an embodiment of a rule check system according to the present invention is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, a center computer 11 connected to a local computer network (hereinafter simply referred to as an in-house LAN = Local Area Network) 10 constructed on the plant control center 1 side, and each of the plant equipment 2 side A portable information terminal (for example, PDA = Personal Digital Assistance or Handy PC) 20 brought to the maintenance inspection worker can be connected to the loop check point 2a distributed on the site via the PHS line 3 so that two-way communication is possible. It has become. The loop check point 2 a and the in-house LAN 10 are connected by a plant control system bus 4.
[0013]
As shown in the detailed block diagram of FIG. 2, the loop check point 2 a is provided with a sensor unit 101 that measures a physical quantity, for example, pressure, of an inspected object 100 such as piping or plant equipment laid on the plant equipment side. The PDA 20 is connected to the loop check device 40 attached to the loop check point 2a.
The loop check device 40 includes an input connection port 40a with an external cylinder 41 as a pressure source and an output connection port 40b that supplies a pseudo pressure adjusted to a required pressure value to the sensor unit 101. The pseudo pressure supplied from the loop check device 40 can be switched between two ranges, can be adjusted in the range of 0 to 10 kPa in one range, and can be adjusted in the range of 0 to 10 MPa in the other range. The measurement mode required at each loop check point 2a is basically composed of 3 to 5 reference pressure values and their values, and is different for each loop check point 2a. Moreover, since the total number of loop checks reaches several thousand, the pressure adjustment as the mode setting of the loop check device 40 is controlled by the portable information terminal 20. In order to give this control command, the portable information terminal 20 and the loop check device 40 are electrically or optically connected by a communication interface. The portable information terminal 20 is linked to a unique tag number assigned to each loop checkpoint 2a and its measurement mode, for example, first reference pressure value = 0, second reference pressure value = 2, third reference pressure. Reading from the memory card storing the value = 4, the fourth reference pressure value = 6, the fifth reference pressure value = 8 (unit is kPa), and the pseudo pressure having the pressure value is output from the output connection port 40b. Thus, a control signal is sent to the loop check device 40. When the data of the measurement mode of all the loop check points 2a cannot be stored in one memory card, a plurality of memory cards may be prepared. In order to confirm the measurement mode of each loop check point 2a, all reference pressure values corresponding to the tag number are displayed on the liquid crystal display screen of the PDA 20 by inputting the tag number.
[0014]
A PHS terminal 30 that functions as a communication unit of the portable information terminal 20 is carried by a maintenance inspection worker. During the loop check operation, the PHS terminal 30 is connected to the center computer 11 via the PHS line 3 and is in a bidirectional data communication state, and the portable information terminal 20 via an infrared interface (for example, an IrDA interface). And connected. Furthermore, a digital camera 25 is also prepared. The digital camera 25 is incorporated into the portable information terminal 20 or directly connected to the PHS terminal 30 to capture a still image taken at the site on the PHS line. 3 can be sent to the center computer 1.
[0015]
When the pseudo pressure set as the reference pressure value is supplied from the loop check device 40 to the loop check point 2a, the sensor unit 101 measures the pseudo pressure, and this measurement signal is sent to the plant control system bus 4 via the field computer 110. As shown in the detailed block diagram of FIG. 3, it is displayed on the large display 120 for displaying the plant control data and also sent to the center computer 11 of the in-house LAN 10 via the router 5.
[0016]
The display of the center computer 11 displays the reference pressure value at the loop check point 2a currently being worked on and the detection value of the sensor unit 101 as an actual measurement value of the pseudo pressure. The detection value of the sensor unit 101 is also sent to the portable information terminal 20 through the PHS line 3. The in-house LAN 10 is further connected to various servers such as a database server 12, a still image server 13, and a document server 14, and client terminals 15 for office staff members. Further, although not shown, it is connected to an in-house LAN in another region via an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) line, and forms a company wide WAN (Wide Area Network).
[0017]
The in-house LAN 10 is further connected to the PHS control device 31 via the router 6. The PHS control device 31 is connected to the base station 32 constituting the PHS line 3 via the private digital line 33 and also to the private telephone exchange 7. In other words, if the signal sent from the PHS terminal 30 via the base station 32 and the private digital line 33 is a telephone voice, the PHS control device 31 switches to the private branch exchange 7 and the sent signal is used for data communication. If so, switch to the in-house LAN 10. In any case, a signal sent from the private branch exchange 7 or the in-house LAN 10 is sent to the destination PHS terminal 30 via the base station 32. Since the service area of the base station 32 is several hundred meters, the base stations 32 are distributed in order to cover all the loop check points 2a. Since the private branch exchange 7 is connected to the public line and the in-house telephone network, the PHS terminal 30 can also make a call with an outside line telephone or an in-house telephone.
[0018]
The loop check system configured as described above operates as follows. That is, when a maintenance worker who arrives at the loop check point 2a to be inspected completes the installation of the loop check device 40 and completes the connection between the PHS terminal 30 and the center computer 11, first the loop check point to be inspected. The portable information terminal 20 is input with the tag number 2a. The portable information terminal 20 sends the input tag number to the center computer 11 through the PHS terminal 30 via the PHS line 3. Furthermore, the portable information terminal 20 reads out the measurement mode as described above from the memory card based on the input tag number, displays it on the liquid crystal screen, and sends it to the loop check device 40. The loop check device 40 sequentially supplies a pseudo pressure having a required reference pressure value to the sensor unit 101 in response to a control command from the portable information terminal 20. The actually measured value of the pseudo pressure detected by the sensor unit 101 is sent to the center computer 11 via the plant control system bus 4. The center computer 11 reads the measurement mode for loop check using the tag number sent via the PHS line 3 as a key, that is, reads each reference pressure value from a DB (database) server 12, and measures the sensor unit 101. Values are displayed sequentially corresponding to each reference pressure value.
[0019]
Since the actual measurement value is sent from the center computer 11 to the portable information terminal 20 via the PHS line 3, the actual measurement value and the reference pressure value are displayed in correspondence with each other on the liquid crystal screen of the portable information terminal 20. If a function for comparing and evaluating the actual measurement value and the reference pressure value is programmed in the portable information terminal 20, the evaluation of the loop check is displayed. If the error exceeds the allowable value, a warning is visually displayed. Alternatively, the notification is made audibly, and the maintenance and inspection of the sensor unit 101 and the like by the worker are urged. Of course, the comparison evaluation between the actual measurement value and the reference pressure value may be performed by the center computer 11, and only the evaluation result may be sent to the portable information terminal 20 via the PHS line 3. Further, when the worker needs past inspection data and maintenance / inspection history of the target loop checkpoint 2a for maintenance / inspection work, the DB server 12 or document server via the PHS line 3 is used. 14 can be accessed to retrieve the necessary information. In addition, it is also possible to call a specialist who is familiar with the target loop check point 2a on the spot using the PHS terminal 30 and obtain necessary information.
[0020]
If a request for correction or addition / omission of the measurement mode occurs on the plant control center 1 side, the correction information is sent to the portable information terminal 20 via the PHS line 3 to achieve the purpose. It is.
[0021]
That is, as is clear from the above description, in the loop check system configured as described above, the mobile phone capable of operating the loop check device 40 that can supply the reference pressure required at the loop check point 2a. By connecting the type information terminal 20 to the center computer 11 completely digitally via the PHS line 3 capable of high-speed digital data communication (32 kbps), a quick and reliable return line of actually measured values can be formed. Thus, labor saving and high reliability of the loop check work are realized.
[0022]
In the description of the embodiment of the present invention, the infrared interface is used for the connection between the PHS terminal 30 and the portable information terminal 20, but instead of this, a PC card interface (for example, PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association)) standard is used. Can be used. In this case, although the mobile information terminal 20 is slightly larger in shape, a mobile personal computer is suitable. If the function of the PHS terminal 30 is limited to data communication, a PC card having a PHS function can be used for a total portable. It does not change so much, it has excellent information processing capabilities, and opens the way to further automate loop check operations, including automatic incoming calls. Of course, if a product in which the PHS terminal 30 and the portable information terminal 20 are completely integrated is used, the portability is further improved.
[0023]
Furthermore, in the above description of the embodiment of the present invention, pressure is taken as an example of the physical quantity of the object to be inspected 100, but of course, loop checks regarding various plant variables such as temperature, speed, current, viscosity, etc. It is something that falls inside.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a loop check system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining a configuration of mainly a plant equipment side of the loop check system. FIG. 3 is mainly a plant control center side of the loop check system. Block diagram for explaining the configuration of
3 Mobile communication line 11 Center computer 20 Portable information terminal 30 Mobile communication terminal 40 Loop check device 100 Inspection object 101 Sensor unit

Claims (9)

A loop check device that can be connected to a sensor unit that measures a physical quantity of an inspection object at a loop check point;
A portable information terminal connectable with the loop check device;
A mobile communication terminal as a communication unit of the portable information terminal;
A loop check system in which a loop check of an object to be inspected is performed by the loop check device through bidirectional information transmission between the portable information terminal and a remote center computer via a mobile communication line. The loop check system according to claim 1, wherein the portable information terminal can control the loop check device. The loop check device includes an output unit that sends out a plurality of simulated physical quantities having different values to be measured by the sensor unit, and the portable information terminal is connected to the center connected via a mobile communication line The loop check system according to claim 2, wherein an output value of the simulated physical quantity can be selected for each loop check point by a command from a computer. 4. The portable information terminal can perform a test evaluation by collating a measurement result of the sensor unit sent from the center computer through a mobile communication line with a pseudo physical quantity output from the loop check device. Loop check system described in 5. The loop check according to claim 4, wherein the portable information terminal is capable of extracting past inspection data of an object to be inspected as a loop check from the center computer connected via a mobile communication line. system. The loop check system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the mobile communication line is a PHS line. The loop check system according to claim 6, wherein the PHS terminal as the mobile communication terminal and the portable information terminal are connected by an infrared interface (IrDA). The loop check system according to claim 6, wherein the PHS terminal as the mobile communication terminal and the portable information terminal are connected by a PC card interface. The PHS line connecting the PHS terminal and the center computer includes a plurality of base stations distributed and arranged in the office, and a PHS controller connected to the base station. 9. The communication according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein relay is performed between the base station and a private branch exchange for communication, and relay is performed between the base station and a network including the center computer for data communication. Loop check system.

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