System, method and computer program product for documenting and managing execution of procedures in a graphical interface environment

• US 20060059460A1
• Filed: 09/16/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valmet Automation Oy
• Original Assignee: NovaTech LLC (WEIR Group PLC)
• Inventors: Phillips, Gary, Ramsey, Ray, Kourliouros, Chris, Morris, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 7,590,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/109
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/70 Software maintenance or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product for describing a process visually, converting the visual description to an intermediate format, and directing the process.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing a process, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving the process by

receiving input of visual operation information in a graphical visual procedure interface format, and

receiving a free form text description; and

(b) converting said visual operation information from said graphical visual procedure interface format and said free form text description to a data container language format.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,

wherein the free form text description is of a pre-defined length.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,

wherein said receiving a free form text description comprises receiving a verb description and receiving an object description.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3,

wherein said verb description can be selected from a list of sample verb descriptions or said verb description can be entered by a user and

wherein said object description can be selected from a list of sample object descriptions or said object description can be entered by a user.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, said (a) further comprising at least one of:

receiving a data validation range;

receiving an authentication request;

receiving a function call request;

or

receiving other step parameters about said visual operation information.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising the step of

(c) providing a document file from data in said data container language format.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the visual operation information comprises a multi-section procedure.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising the step of

(c) displaying step-by-step interactive usage of the process.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein said step-by-step interactive usage of the process is displayed in real time.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising

(d) monitoring said step-by-step interactive usage of the process including providing a document file from data in said data container language format.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein said (d) comprises

(1) recording progress of the process.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein said (1) comprises at least one of:

(A) recording a manually executed sequential step or manually executed sequential steps in said document file;

(B) recording an automatically executed sequential step or automatically executed sequential steps in said document file;

(C) recording timing of completion of a sequential step in said document file;

(D) recording values from the user in said document file;

(E) recording an automatically measured value in said document file;

(F) recording comments from the user in said document file;

(G) recording results in said document file;

or

(H) recording authentication in said document file.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

(1) prompting a current sequential step of the process to a user; and

(2) receiving a response from the user.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein said (1) comprises at least one of:

(A) prompting for at least one sequential procedure;

(B) prompting a graphical symbol to indicate progress of usage of the process;

(C) prompting at least one of a color or a shading, to indicate progress of the process;

(D) prompting by displaying an expandable/collapsible hierarchical tree;

(E) prompting the user for a value;

(F) prompting for an authentication by at least one of an operator, an engineer, or a supervisor;

(G) providing a validation of said value according to a range;

(H) prompting a step execution request;

or

(I) prompting a function call request.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein said (2) comprises at least one of:

(A) receiving a selection of at least one sequential procedure;

(B) receiving a response indicating completion of said current sequential step;

(C) receiving a response indicating skipping said current sequential step;

(D) receiving a response requiring automatic execution of said current sequential step or said current sequential step with a set of steps;

(E) receiving a value;

(F) receiving a response including a comment;

(G) receiving an authentication from at least one of an operator, an engineer, or a supervisor;

or

(H) receiving a function call request.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

converting data in said data container language format to a computer function language format.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising:

including an alarm response routine with visual operation information,

wherein said alarm response routine in a computer function language format is capable of causing interactive display of a step or steps of a procedure in the process in response to an alarm condition.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 16,

including a monitor function and a monitor response routine with visual operation information,

wherein said monitor function in a computer function language format is capable of initiating automatic execution of a step or steps of said monitor response routine in response to a condition.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising:

providing data in said computer function language format to an interpreter; and

executing the process with said interpreter.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, further comprising:

outputting a status of execution from said interpreter; and

converting said status of execution to a document in an alterable format.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 20, further comprising:

generating an image document in a substantially unalterable format from said document in an alterable format.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 16,

wherein said computer function language comprises at least one of NovaTech™

D/3®

Distributed Control System Proprietary Sequence and Batch Language (SABL®

) or

an OPC-compliant language.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 16,

wherein data in said computer function language format comprises information for programming at least one real-time feedback control unit which uses information of the physical state of a chemical or material which the process transforms.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 16,

wherein data in said computer function language format comprises information for programming at least two distributed control units.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

(c) displaying information from data in said data container language format in a procedure overview display.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 25, further comprising:

(e) allowing an operator to update said data in said data container language format.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, further comprising:

(f) providing a document file from said updated data in said data container language format.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, further comprising the step of

(f) generating an image document in a substantially unalterable format from said updated data in said data container language format.

29. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, further comprising the step

of electronically filing said updated data in said data container language format with a regulatory organization,

wherein said data container language is selected from the group consisting of XML and SGML.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 29,

wherein said regulatory organization is U.S. Food and Drug Administration or U.S. Department of Energy.

31. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising the step of

(f) generating an image document in a substantially unalterable format from data in said data container language format.

32. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of

generating a document in an alterable format from data in said data container language format and

generating an image document in a substantially unalterable format from said document in an alterable format.

33. The method of claim 31,

wherein said substantially unalterable format comprises a PORTABLE DOCUMENT FORMAT (PDF) format.

34. The computer-implemented method of claim 31, further comprising the step of

(g) time stamping said image document.

35. The computer-implemented method of claim 31, wherein said substantially unalterable format comprises a format accepted by a regulatory organization.

36. The computer-implemented method of claim 35,

wherein the regulatory organization comprises at least one of

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA),

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC),

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE),

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD),

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS),

Underwriters Laboratories Inc.®

(UL),

International Organization for Standardization (ISO),

a governmental agency,

a private certification organization, or

a quasi-governmental organization.

37. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of generating a document in an alterable format from said data container language.

38. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said graphical visual procedure interface format comprises a MICROSOFT®

VISIO®

-compatible extended graphical application.

39. The computer implemented method of claim 1,

wherein said data container language comprises XML.

40. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the process comprises at least one of:

a chemical process;

a material handling process;

or

a drug manufacturing process.

41. The computer-implemented method of claim 40, wherein the process further comprises at least one of:

a health services process;

an emergency response process;

a military operation;

a military service process;

an electrical generation process;

or

an electrical distribution process.

42. The computer-implemented method of claim 40,

wherein the process comprises a real process or a simulated process.

43. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of the steps of:

receiving at least a portion of said visual operation information from a visual operation information library;

or

storing at least a portion of said visual operation information in said visual operation information library.

44. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising mapping a procedural description to generate visual operation information.