Patent ID: 7177734

Claim:
A method for testing a control system ( 2 ) in a vessel ( 4 ), in which said control system ( 2 ) comprises control and monitoring of said vessel ( 4 ) with control signals ( 13 ) to one or more actuators ( 3 ), said method comprising the following sequential steps: acquisition in real time of sensor signals ( 7 ) to said control system ( 2 ) from one or more sensors ( 8 ) over a first sensor signal line ( 12 ) to said control system ( 2 ); acquisition of command signals ( 9 ) to said control system ( 2 ) from a command input device ( 10 ) over a second signal line or command signal line ( 11 ) to said control system ( 2 ); computation in a control algorithm ( 31 ) in said control system ( 2 ) on basis of one or more of said sensor signals ( 7 ) and said command signals ( 9 ), and sending of said control signals ( 13 ) over a third signal line ( 14 ) to said actuators ( 3 ) characterised by disconnection of one or more of said sensor signals ( 7 ) from one or more of said sensors ( 8 ) or of said command signals ( 9 ) from said control input devices ( 10 ), so that the selected sensor signals ( 7 ) or command signals ( 9 ) do not flow to said control system ( 2 ), and replacement of one or more of said disconnected sensor signals ( 7 ) or said command signals ( 9 ), with corresponding simulated sensor signals ( 7 ′) or simulated command signals ( 9 ′) that are generated in a remote test laboratory 40 ) with respect to said vessel ( 4 ) and are sent over a communication line ( 6 ) over one or more of said signal lines ( 12 , 14 ) to said control system ( 2 ); continued computation in said control system ( 2 ) on basis of said real and/or said simulated sensor signals ( 7 a or 7 a ′, 7 b or 7 b ′, 7 c or 7 c ′, . . . ) or said real and/or said command signals ( 9 a or 9 a ′, 9 b or 9 b ′, 9 c or 9 c ′, . . . ) of control signals ( 13 ′), and sending of said control signals ( 13 ′) over said communication line ( 6 ) to said remote test laboratory ( 40 ).