COMMUNICATION CONFIGURATION ANALYSIS IN PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEMS

摘要

The present invention is concerned with Process Control systems including a client IED and a plurality of server IEDs connected to an Ethernet communication network. A protocol analyser tool connected to the communication network captures messages directed to the client IED and assigns, from a standardized configuration representation of the PC system comprising the logical data flow definitions, a server or source IED to each captured message. A client IED independent way of diagnosing a cause of client overload problems is provided by analysing statistically the captured messages. Such statistical approach allows identifying any operating server or source IED sending, on average, more messages than during a preceding period or more messages than calculated.

主权项

1. A method of analysing a Process Control (PC) system including a client Intelligent Electronic Device (IED) and server IEDs connected to a communication network, wherein an analyser connected to the communication network captures messages directed to the client IED and assigns a server IED to a captured message based on a standardized configuration representation of the PC system including logical data flow definitions, the method comprising:
determining a present number of messages per unit of time received by the client IED from a server IED; and comparing the present number against an expected number of messages to identify the server IED as a source of excessive message rates.