Patent ID: 8036999
Filing Date: 2011-10-11
Classification: G05B,G06K,G06N

Abstract:
1. A method of analyzing data relating to parameters of a component in a process plant, a component being a piece of equipment, a location, or a process step, and a process plant being an agglomeration of equipment and/or process steps, the method comprising the steps of: a) defining a set of data channels as a data vector for a particular component, each data channel in the set carrying data relating to a specific parameter of the particular component, such that a first data channel of the set carries data relating to a first specific parameter and a second data channel transmits data relating to a second specific parameter, the data vector being a discrete transmission of instantly measured data vector of the set of data channels, each discrete transmission being indicative of an operating condition of the particular component; b) defining a knowledge base that relates to the particular component; c) receiving the discrete transmission of the instantly measured data vector into the knowledge base; d) prior to defining a cluster that encompasses a first data vector for a first operating condition of the particular component in the knowledge base, operating the knowledge base in open-book mode; e) providing a cluster-generating algorithm that generates an initial cluster from the instantly measured data vector; and f) adding the initial cluster to the knowledge base, the initial cluster subsequently serving as a pre-defined cluster.