Flagged System Conditions

Verisae has constructed a configurable rules-based engine for enterprise-wide processing of many events across all layers of an organization to identify the most meaningful events, analyze their impact, and take action in real time. This engine allows for a high degree of parameterization to be applied to the processing of equipment alarms and other relevant operational data. Rule definition and parameterization is highly configurable and can include site and equipment attributes, operational telemetry, energy usage deviations, refrigerant usage, recent maintenance activity and weather observations, all of which are correlated and indexed by common time reference, site, and equipment ID’s.

The Flagged System Conditions functionality of vx Observe identifies issues, activities and conditions which require investigation or follow-up. A Flagged Condition is a marker for the occurrence of a specific data condition that is identified while monitoring a device or system. vx Observe continually monitors telemetry data in order to detect operational conditions which are indicative of anomalous behavior in the monitored systems, such as a recurring temperature increase in a refrigerator or a valve failing to open. Conditions which may be detrimental to a system are predefined in vx Observe as Flagged System Condition Rules and require investigation when they occur. Flags can be generated by data related to immediate and urgent alarms produced by equipment failure or less urgent alerts occurring when a condition is violated for a specified amount of time and occurs a certain number of times within a predefined time period. When vx Observe detects a rule violation, a Flagged System Condition is created and processed via the Flagged Conditions Rules Engine to instigate workflow.

Rules Engine and Workflow

A Flagged Conditions Rule is defined by the following elements:

Rule Type and Evaluation Type

In the configuration process, administrative users define how rules are to be classified and evaluated. A rule can be related to planned, preventative, reactive or compliance procedures, and its classification within these categories determines the relevant rule handling procedures. Rule evaluation can occur at specified frequencies, delay periods, or be prompted by event-based and manual triggers. The definition of rule and evaluation types enables the prioritization of Flagged Conditions and informs their handling procedures.

Trigger Criteria

Many different types of transactional, operational, calculated, conditional and statistical data can be used as trigger criteria. These specified data points and their combined conditions or values define the criteria that must be true for rule logic to be satisfied. Highly normalized data is a key prerequisite element to automated evaluation of trigger criteria. Standard equipment classifications, data points, and alarm types are defined and mapped as part of system setup and interface configuration. As remote monitoring and alarms management is tightly integrated with asset and facilities management, trigger conditions can be informed by store hours of operation, sales promotions, store refits, cleaning activity, maintenance on related systems and more to provide accurate and targeted scenarios for system evaluation or monitoring personnel review. Correlation to recent or related maintenance activity can also be used to trigger automatic recall of a contractor for a recent work order if the same trigger conditions have manifested for equipment that was recently serviced for the same reason.

Estimated Business Impact

To provide expanded insight and balanced visibility within the broader enterprise, each rule must have its own defined business impact parameters, such as monetary, productivity and product losses, as well as sales & trading, regulatory compliance and energy usage impact. Multiple impact types can be assessed in parallel and impact indicators can be manually defined or derived from historical performance and outcomes of similar issues. When these impact parameters are applied in aggregate to open issues they provide a real-time, consolidated view of equipment availability and impact to the business.

Actions to be Taken in Resulting Workflow

Configurable workflow allows for notification parameterization, input from store or central monitoring personnel, automatic work order creation and dispatch as well as automatic equipment control. Rule definition specifies notification types, relevant instructions, evaluation requests, and their recipients. Flagged Conditions are configured independently and can result in automated action, or require routing for manual investigation and resolution. An open Flagged Condition will inhibit the creation of additional instances from the same rule from the same point of origin serving to eliminate data noise.

Issue Disposition Procedures

Open Flagged Conditions are monitored for changes to data parameters that could indicate the satisfactory resolution of an issue. Conditions for resolution can include indications from central monitoring personnel, the cessation of trigger conditions, changes to the status or condition of resultant work orders or the passage of a specified amount of time. Integration with asset and facility management allows for resulting work orders to be automatically monitored for SLA attendance and resolution as well as improper closure if trigger conditions are still present, eliminating a major contributor to alarm data noise.

Example Scenario

A Flagged System Condition can be handled in a number of ways, one example of which is presented below:

1. A Flagged Condition is created when calculated product temperature exceeds a threshold.
2. The site is automatically notified via phone and email alerts.
3. The site may investigate and respond that no apparent issue exists.
   1. The system re-evaluates after X min – if CPT alarm still exists, a work order is created and automatically dispatched to an appropriate contractor.
4. If site fails to respond after Y min, the system re-evaluates after X min – if CPT alarm still exists, a work order is created and automatically dispatched to an appropriate contractor.
5. Upon creation of the work order, store personnel are informed of the need to de-merchandise the specified case.
6. The Flagged Condition is closed when the work order indicates service is successfully completed.
7. The work order can be automatically recalled to the same provider if CPT alarm occurs again within Z hours of completion of work.