Operational programming of a facility

• US 10,248,111 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2018
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Inventors: Warrick, Philip H., Sundaram, Anantha, DePaola, Victor P., Balasubramanian, Jayanth, Bradshaw, Stephen R., Kocis, Gary Robert, Evans, Joseph W., Booker, Nicholas J., Friedrich, George E., Winkler, Eric A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Thuy
• Application Number:
  US15/953,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20180231964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 351 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41885 characterised by modeling, simulation of the manufacturing system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32343 Derive control behaviour, decisions from simulation, behaviour modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/045 Explanation of inference; Explainable artificial intelligence [XAI]; Interpretable artificial intelligence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/50 Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications

Abstract

A decision support tool to assist decision-making in the operation of a facility. The decision support tool allows a user to perform operational programming of the facility so that the analysis of specific operational events is flexible and “on-demand.” This is achieved by allowing the user to set scope and timeframe of the analysis according to business needs. As a result, the organization can make better-informed judgments whether to add operational activities and how to adjust the ones already formulated in the program. The decision support tool can also allow for the application of strategies to communicate intent behind the programming instructions and to improve the quality of business decisions.

Claims

1. A method of programming and operating a facility, comprising:

(a) using a computer system that stores an operational programming application, wherein the operational programming application comprises an operational program for determining the operation of at least one facility;

(b) acquiring data from operational events of the at least one facility and entering the data into the operational program, wherein feasibility of the operational program is maintained, wherein the operational events of the at least one facility entered into the operational program are one of two types of events;

defined operational events and undefined operational events, wherein a ratio of a number of the defined operational events to a number of the undefined operational events entered into the operational program changes with passage of time, wherein a ratio of a number of the defined operational events to a number of the undefined operational events entered into the operational program increases with passage of time;

(c) setting a scope of the data to be analyzed, wherein the scope of the analysis is defined based on at least one operational event of interest;

(d) assembling the data within the scope of the analysis in a structured and automated manner;

(e) processing the assembled data using a strategy-based procedure and obtaining results for the defined scope of the analysis, wherein the strategy-based procedure is based upon at least one of specific conditions, business drivers and uncertain parameters;

(f) disassembling the obtained results in a structured and automated manner according to the obtained results;

(g) adjusting the operational program by incorporating the obtained result into the program; and

(h) programming and operating the at least one facility according to the adjusted operational program.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the scope of the analysis is set based on the at least one operational event that affects at least a portion of a facility, a single facility, multiple facilities or one or more portions of multiple facilities.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the scope of the analysis is set according to a duration of the at least one operational event of interest.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the scope of the analysis is set according to a duration of an effect that the at least one operational event has on the at least one facility.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the strategy-based procedure is adjusted to minimize an impact based upon uncertain parameters.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the strategy-based procedure is adjusted in response to at least one of known specific conditions and business drivers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the assembly data comprising using both the strategy-based procedure and a mathematical model defined from the assembled data.

8. A computer system for determining the operation of a facility, the computer system having executable instructions stored in a memory and being programmed to perform steps that comprise:

(a) storing an operational programming application, wherein the operational programming application comprises an operational program for determining the operation of at least one facility;

(b) acquiring data from operational events of the at least one facility and entering the data into the operational program, wherein feasibility of the operational program is maintained, wherein the operational events of the at least one facility entered into the operational program are one of two types of events;

defined operational events and undefined operational events, wherein a ratio of a number of the defined operational events to a number of the undefined operational events entered into the operational program changes with passage of time, wherein a ratio of a number of the defined operational events to a number of the undefined operational events entered into the operational program increases with passage of time;

(c) setting a scope of the data to be analyzed, wherein the scope of the analysis is defined based on at least one operational event of interest;

(d) assembling the data within the scope of the analysis in a structured and automated manner;

(e) processing the assembled data using a strategy-based procedure and obtaining results for the defined scope of the analysis, wherein the strategy-based procedure is based upon at least one of specific conditions, business drivers and uncertain parameters;

(f) disassembling the obtained results in a structured and automated manner according to the obtained results; and

(g) adjusting the operational program by incorporating the obtained result into the program.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the scope of the analysis is set based on the at least one operational event that affects at least a portion of a facility, a single facility, multiple facilities or one or more portions of multiple facilities.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the scope of the analysis is set according to a duration of the at least one operational event of interest.

11. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the scope of the analysis is set according to a duration of an effect that the at least one operational event has on the at least one facility.

12. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the strategy-based procedure is adjusted to minimize an impact based upon uncertain parameters.

13. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the strategy-based procedure is adjusted in response to at least one of known specific conditions and business drivers.

14. The computer system of claim 8, wherein processing the assembly data comprising using both the strategy-based procedure and a mathematical model defined from the assembled data.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

(a) store an operational programming application, wherein the operational programming application comprises an operational program for determining the operation of at least one facility;

(b) acquire data from operational events of the at least one facility and entering the data into the operational program, wherein feasibility of the operational program is maintained, wherein the operational events of the at least one facility entered into the operational program are one of two types of events;

defined operational events and undefined operational events, wherein a ratio of a number of the defined operational events to a number of the undefined operational events entered into the operational program changes with passage of time, wherein a ratio of a number of the defined operational events to a number of the undefined operational events entered into the operational program increases with passage of time;

(c) set scope of the data to be analyzed, wherein the scope of the analysis is defined based on at least one operational event of interest;

(d) assemble the data within the scope of the analysis in a structured and automated manner;

(e) processing the assembled data using a strategy-based procedure and obtaining results for the defined scope of the analysis, wherein the strategy-based procedure is based upon at least one of specific conditions, business drivers and uncertain parameters;

(f) disassemble the obtained results in a structured and automated manner according to the obtained results; and

(g) adjust the operational program by incorporating the obtained result into the program.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the scope of the analysis is set based on the at least one operational event that affects at least a portion of a facility, a single facility, multiple facilities or one or more portions of multiple facilities.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the scope of the analysis is set according to a duration of the at least one operational event of interest.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the scope of the analysis is set according to a duration of an effect that the at least one operational event has on the at least one facility.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the strategy-based procedure is adjusted to minimize an impact based upon uncertain parameters.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the strategy-based procedure is adjusted in response to at least one of known specific conditions and business drivers.

21. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein processing the assembly data comprising using both the strategy-based procedure and a mathematical model defined from the assembled data.