Patent ID: 8248228

Claim:
A method for automatically optimizing alarm configuration parameters using a data processing device, which has access to predefined alarm configuration parameters, to historical process measured values and to test and assessment criteria for alarm characteristic values, the method comprising: evaluating the historical process measured values for a selected period of time in the past using calculation methods with reference to the predefined alarm configuration parameters, to determine alarm characteristic values, assessing the determined alarm characteristic values with reference to the test and assessment criteria for alarm characteristic values; outputting the predefined alarm configuration parameters as optimized alarm configuration parameters if the alarm characteristic values meet requirements according to the test and assessment criteria for alarm characteristic values; and calculating new alarm configuration parameters using optimization algorithms, and carrying out the evaluating, assessing and outputting steps again, if the determined alarm characteristic values do not meet the requirements for alarm characteristic values, the new alarm configuration parameters being used as predefined alarm configuration parameters.