System for controlling and operating technical processes

• US 20050197719A1
• Filed: 03/03/2005
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peter Renner
• Original Assignee: Peter Renner
• Inventors: Renner, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,620,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31156 Network structure, internet
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31392 Lims laboratory information and management system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32128 Gui graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32404 Scada supervisory control and data acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A system for operating and controlling technical processes having at least one component fashioned as a measuring instrument and a control device, which is connected by electrical lines to sensor and actuators of processes, and having a control program, a measurement and control unit, an operating and observation component, optionally a database, optionally a process printer and further components of a process automation, as appropriate, which are connected to one another via data channels and a control program.

Claims

1. A system for operating and controlling technical processes having at least one component fashioned as a measuring instrument and control device, which is connected by electrical lines to sensors and actuators of processes, and having a control program, wherein a measurement and control unit, an operating and observation component, optionally a database optionally a printer and further components of process automation, as appropriate, are connected to one another by data channels and a control program.

2. The system for operating and controlling of claim 1 wherein data exchange via the data channels between the components is effected with standard transmission protocols.

3. The system for operating and controlling of claims 1 or 2 wherein the control program is structured in control modules, the control modules being assigned to the categories sequences, events and functions, and these control modules being virtual containers for program code.

4. The system for operating and controlling of one of the foregoing claims wherein the sequence modules take over process guidance, so that they are responsible for the control program of chronological sequencing of the various activities.

5. The system for operating and controlling of one of the foregoing claims wherein the event modules are initiated by defined events that can take place in the process sequence and either momentarily interrupt the sequence and themselves take over process guidance during the interruption, or are executed in parallel with the sequences.

6. The system for operating and controlling of one of the foregoing claims wherein the functions category includes the type function module and function modules perform tasks that are executed in parallel with sequences.

7. The system for operating and controlling of one of the foregoing claims wherein the sequences category contains the module types sequence modules, start module and end modules.

8. The system for operating and controlling of one of the foregoing claims wherein the events category contains the module types event modules and security modules, event modules initiated by events perform the assigned tasks, and security modules terminate processes in controlled fashion in case of extraordinary events.

9. The system for operating and controlling of one of the foregoing claims wherein distinct graphical symbols are assigned as identification features to the module types and, in the module diagram, these symbols can be graphically joined vertically and horizontally in accordance with set rules in configuration mode.

10. The system for operating and controlling of one of the foregoing claims wherein the linking lines between control modules symbolize invocations of the control modules.

11. The system for operating and controlling of one of the foregoing claims wherein, in runtime mode, the control modules whose program contents are currently being carried out are highlighted.

12. The system for operating and controlling of one of the foregoing claims wherein sequence modules, start module and end module are linked vertically.

13. The system for operating and controlling of one of the foregoing claims wherein event modules and security modules cannot be invoked by other control modules but can invoke other control modules.

14. The system for operating and controlling of one of the foregoing claims wherein the invocation of function modules is symbolized by horizontal lines.

15. The system for operating and controlling of one of the foregoing claims wherein the direction of the horizontal and vertical arrangement can be interchanged without any change of function.

16. The system for operating and controlling of one of the foregoing claims wherein the control modules serve as virtual program containers and access to the program code is gained by virtual opening of program containers via keyboard or mouse.

17. The system for operating and controlling of one of the foregoing claims wherein the individual instructions of the control program include keywords, which serve as placeholders for further keywords and elements of program code.

18. The system for operating and controlling of one of the foregoing claims wherein the keywords are coupled with associated selection lists.

19. The system for operating and controlling of one of the foregoing claims wherein the contents of the individual items of the selection list in question are formulated such that, when they replace the keyword, they yield meaningful and error-free program code.

20. The system for operating and controlling of one of the foregoing claims wherein the selected keywords and elements of program code replace the original keyword.

21. The system for operating and controlling of one of the foregoing claims wherein the operation of replacing keywords is continued until all keywords have been replaced by finished program code.

22. The system for operating and controlling of one of the foregoing claims wherein the program instructions are formulated such that they are assigned to the test or action categories.

23. The system for operating and controlling of one of the foregoing claims wherein the first keyword is a program test or action instruction.

24. The system for operating and controlling of one of the foregoing claims wherein the test category contains the instruction with the formulation having an illogical operation than meaning.