Alarm Prototype Settings

An alarm prototype is defined with a structure that mainly consists of three levels: "Alarm Area", "Alarm Source" and "Alarm Definition". The Alarm Area is used to specify an area belonging to the alarm where different alarm groups can be managed. One or more "Alarm Sources" as well as other "Alarm Areas" can be inserted within the one same "Alarm Area".  One or more "Alarm Definitions" can be inserted within one "Alarm Source". The Source is also used to subdivide alarms and set the number of Branches to be displayed for the Source in the Alarm Window.

The "Alarm Definition" represents the alarm object itself along with various properties which can be set to determine how the alarm functions.  When a new alarm definition is inserted, a settings window opens through which different alarm function parameters can be set.  Some of these parameters are available for all alarm types, while others are more specific and therefore are displayed according to the selected "Alarm Type":

Alarm Area

The Alarm Area properties are:

Name

The name of the Alarm Area is entered in this field.  The name must be unique within the list.

Alarm Source

The Alarm Source properties are:

Name

The name of the alarm source is entered in this field.   The name must be unique within the same area.

Alarm Definition

The Alarm Definition properties are:

Name

The name of the alarm prototype is entered in this field. This name must be unique within the same Source.

Alarm Type

This field is used for selecting the alarm type with which to define the prototype. The alarm options are:

• ExclusiveLevel

• NonExclusiveLevel

• ExclusiveDeviation

• NonExclusiveDeviation

• ExclusiveRateOfChange

• NonExclusiveRateOfChange

• TripAlarm

The configuration parameters will display according to the selected alarm type option.

Enable only if quality is good

This is used to enable/disable the alarm management based on the recording quality. When the variable's quality is not 'good', the alarm will not be managed in any which way whatever.

Enable Log

This option is used for enabling the Historical Log to record alarms or messages when the relative events occur (ON, OFF, ACK, RESET). These recordings will be kept in the project's "UFUAAuditLogItem" database table created by Movicon.

Enable Branch History

This option is used for enabling an alarm's branch management.  For further information on displaying Branches please refer to  "Branch Allarmi".

Support ACK

This option is used for enabling the alarm ACK function.  When the 'Support ACK' option is enabled and the 'Support Reset' is disabled, the alarm will vanish from the Alarm Window once acknowledged and its activation condition no longer verifiable.

Support Reset

This option is used for enabling the alarm RESET function.  When the 'Support Reset' option is enabled and the 'Support Ack' is disabled, the alarm will not be acknowledged but only reset once its activation condition is no longer verifiable.

Beep

 Select this check box if the PC where I/O Data Server is running must emit a Beep, using the system's buzzer, when the alarm activates.  This parameter is an alarm prototype default value that can be changed for each individual "Alarm Threshold" created with the same prototype.  Each 'Alarm Threshold' has its own 'Beep' property that is inherited from the prototype that can nevertheless be changed.

Play Sound File

It is possible to specify the wav audio file to be played by the PC, where the O/I Data server is running, when the alarm activates.  In cases where there are several alarms in use, the file linked to the alarm with the highest severity will be played.

Play Sound Continuously

When checked, this property will play the wav audio file defined in the 'Play Sound File' in a continuous loop.  

Activation Condition

This selection field is only available when the TripAlarm alarm type has been selected.  This represents the condition type with which the alarm must be activated in relation to the specified  "Activation Value" value. The selection options are:

• Equals

• GreaterThen

• LessThen

• GreaterThanOrEqual

• LessThenOrEqual

• NoEqual

Activation Value

This selection field is only available when the TripAlarm alarm type has been selected. This represents the reference value to which the alarm must activated according to the "Activation Condition".

Severity

This parameter is used for specifying a severity level for the alarm. The severity is a field which is dsplayed in the Alarm Window and recorded in the Historical Log.

Beep

When this option is enabled, the alarm in question will sound upon activation.  This option is a prototype default value and can be changed for each individual  "Alarm Threshold" created with the same prototype.  Each 'Alarm Threshold' can in fact have its own  "Beep" property either by inheriting it from the alarm prototype or with a fixed setting.  

Delay Time On

This parameter is used for delaying the alarm's activation. In this case, when setting a value other than zero, in order to activate the alarm, the alarm condition will have to persist the duration of the time set otherwise no alarm event will be generated. This parameter is usually used in those conditions where the Tag value may undergo undesired oscillations that need to be filtered out before a true alarm event can be established.

Delay Time Off

This parameter is used for delaying the alarm's deactivation. In this case, when a value other than zero is specified, in order to deactivate the alarm, the alarm condition will not have to persist the duration of the set time otherwise the alarm will remain active. This parameter is usually used in those conditions where the Tag value may undergo undesired oscillations that need to be filtered out before a true alarm event can be established.

Deviation Type

This selection field is only available when either one of the ExclusiveDeviation, NonExclusiveDeviation, ExclusiveRateOfChange o NonExclusiveRateOfChange alarm types is selected. This represents the type of deviation that must be used for activating the alarm.  This parameter, combined with the set threshold values, calculates the alarm's activation values.  The selection options are:

• AbsoluteValue

• PercentOfRange

• PercentOfValue

• PercentOfUURange

For further details on these parameters please refer to the paragraphs which describe how the different alarm types function: ExclusiveDeviation, NonExclusiveDeviation, ExclusiveRateOfChange and NonExclusiveRateOfChange.

High High Level (Enable)

This check box is used for enabling the "High High Level" alarm's intervention threshold.  Once the threshold has been enabled it will be possible to enter the activation value by means of using the appropriate  "High High Level (Value)" field.

High High Level (Value)

This entry field becomes available only when either one of the ExclusiveLevel, NonExclusiveLevel, ExclusiveDeviation, NonExclusiveDeviation, ExclusiveRateOfChange or NonExclusiveRateOfChange has been selected and when the threshold has been enabled by means of using the "High High Level (Enable)" property. This parameter is used for calculating the "High High" threshold value for alarm activation. The value entered in this filed is used if different modes according to the selected "Alarm Type" and any eventual "Deviation Type". For further details on these parameters please refer to the paragraphs which describe how the different alarm types function: ExclusiveLevel, NonExclusiveLevel, ExclusiveDeviation, NonExclusiveDeviation, ExclusiveRateOfChange e NonExclusiveRateOfChange.

High Level (Enable)

This check box is used for enabling the  "High Level" alarm's intervention threshold.  Once this threshold has been enalbed it will be possible to enter the activation value using the appropriate "High Level (Value)" field.

High Level (Value)

This entry field is made available only when either one of the ExclusiveLevel, NonExclusiveLevel, ExclusiveDeviation, NonExclusiveDeviation, ExclusiveRateOfChange or NonExclusiveRateOfChange alarm types are selected and when the threshold has been enabled using the appropriate "High Level (Enable)" field. This parameter is used for calculating the "High" threshold value for alarm activation.  the value entered in this filed is used if different modes according to the selected "Alarm Type" and any eventual "Deviation Type". For further details on these parameters please refer to the paragraphs which describe how the different alarm types function: ExclusiveLevel, NonExclusiveLevel, ExclusiveDeviation, NonExclusiveDeviation, ExclusiveRateOfChange e NonExclusiveRateOfChange.

Low Level (Enable)

This check box is used for enabling the "Low Level" alarm's intervention threshold.  Once this threshold has been enabled it will be possible to insert the activation value using the appropriate "Low Level (Value)" field.

Low Level (Value)

This entry field is only made available when either one of the ExclusiveLevel, NonExclusiveLevel, ExclusiveDeviation, NonExclusiveDeviation, ExclusiveRateOfChange or NonExclusiveRateOfChange alarm types are selected along with enabling the threshold using the "Low Level (Enable)" property. This parameter is used for calculating the "Low" threshold value for alarm activation.  the value entered in this filed is used if different modes according to the selected "Alarm Type" and any eventual "Deviation Type". For further details on these parameters please refer to the paragraphs which describe how the different alarm types function: ExclusiveLevel, NonExclusiveLevel, ExclusiveDeviation, NonExclusiveDeviation, ExclusiveRateOfChange e NonExclusiveRateOfChange.

Low Low Level (Enable)

This check box is used for enabling the "Low Low Level" alarm's intervention threshold.  Once this threshold has been enabled it will be possible to insert the activation value using the appropriate "Low Low Level (Value)" field.

Low Low Level (Value)

This entry field is only made available when either one of the ExclusiveLevel, NonExclusiveLevel, ExclusiveDeviation, NonExclusiveDeviation, ExclusiveRateOfChange or NonExclusiveRateOfChange alarm types are selected,  along with enabling the threshold using the "Low Low Level (Enable)" property.  This parameter is used for calculating the "Low Low" threshold value for alarm activation. The value entered in this filed is used if different modes according to the selected "Alarm Type" and any eventual "Deviation Type". For further details on these parameters please refer to the paragraphs which describe how the different alarm types function: ExclusiveLevel, NonExclusiveLevel, ExclusiveDeviation, NonExclusiveDeviation, ExclusiveRateOfChange e NonExclusiveRateOfChange.

Time Unit

This selection field is only available when an ExclusiveRateOfChange or NonExclusiveRateOfChange alarm type is selected. This parameter is used as a sample time range. When the Tag variation reaches higher than the set value within this time range the alarm will be activated. For further details on this parameter please refer to the paragraphs which describe how the different alarm types function: ExclusiveRateOfChange and NonExclusiveRateOfChange.