Compact Batch Viewing Techniques for use in Batch Processes

• US 20080066019A1
• Filed: 09/13/2006
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Worek, Christopher J., Campney, Bruce, Irwin, William G., Felts, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 7,793,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/965
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31288 Archive collected data into history file
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31318 Data analysis, using different formats like table, chart
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31474 Icon display for quick access of detailed information
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A data collection and viewing application associated with a batch process control system used within a process plant provides a user interface that allows a user to quickly and easily examine a particular batch process or a batch run, to compare separate batch runs and/or to determine whether the particular batch run deviates from a norm, without having to perform a lot of manual data manipulation. To this end, the user interface provides or creates a compact graphical representation of a batch, illustrating a number of different types of batch-related data in relation to one another in a manner that enables a user to easily view or understand the operation of the batch run, either alone or as compared with one or more other batch runs. Generally speaking, the compact batch view includes a number of graphical layers which are juxtaposed or interleaved on a display, with each of the layers providing different types of information about the operation of the batch, time synchronized with one another. A base layer of the compact batch view may describe or indicate the duration of the batch from an activate time to a deactivate time, while different aspects of the procedural elements, steps or stages of the batch process, such as those identified by the S88 standard, may be illustrated in one or more additional layers. Moreover, process alarms, alerts, events, etc. as well as other information may be placed in one or more additional layers, and the various layers may be shown together to provide a compact graphical view of the batch.

Claims

1. A batch display system adapted to be executed on a processor for displaying batch data associated with one or more batch runs of a batch process implemented by process equipment within a process plant, the batch display system comprising:

a memory;

a communication routine adapted to be communicatively coupled to the process plant to receive batch data associated with the one or more batch runs of the batch process; and

a batch display application, stored on the memory and adapted to be executed on the processor and adapted to produce a batch view illustrating multiple types of batch data generated during the one or more batch runs of the batch process, the batch view including a time scale and a multiplicity of batch data layers disposed in relation to the time scale illustrating the times at which different events occurred within the one or more batch runs of the batch process, wherein the batch view includes multiple different types of icons associated with different types of the different events.

2. The batch display system of claim 1, wherein a first one of the multiplicity of batch data layers illustrates the entire duration of the one or more batch runs of the batch process.

3. The batch display system of claim 2, wherein a second one of the multiplicity of batch data layers illustrates batch procedure element data associated with the one or more of the batch runs of the batch process.

4. The batch display system of claim 3, wherein the batch procedure element data includes one or more batch procedure events associated with a particular batch procedure element of one of the one or more batch runs.

5. The batch display system of claim 4, wherein the one or more batch procedure events includes a start time or a stop time associated with the particular batch procedure element.

6. The batch display system of claim 3, wherein the batch procedure element data includes batch data identifying one or more of a batch procedure, a batch unit procedure, a batch operation and a batch phase.

7. The batch display system of claim 3, wherein a third one of the multiplicity of batch data layers illustrates process event data.

8. The batch display system of claim 7, wherein the process event data includes one or more process alarms or process alerts.

9. The batch display system of claim 8, wherein the process alarms or process alerts are generated by process control equipment during operation of the one or more batch runs of the batch process.

10. The batch display system of claim 8, wherein the process alarms or process alerts are generated by process control equipment including one of a process controller or a field device.

11. The batch display system of claim 7, wherein the process event data includes indications of equipment utilization.

12. The batch display system of claim 2, wherein another one of the multiplicity of batch data layers illustrates process event data.

13. The batch display system of claim 1, wherein one of the multiplicity of batch data layers illustrates batch procedure element data and another one of the multiplicity of batch data layers illustrates process event data.

14. The batch display system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the multiplicity of batch data layers includes batch procedure element data for a plurality of different hierarchical layers of batch procedure elements.

15. The batch display system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the multiplicity of batch data layers includes discrete icons indicating batch procedure events.

16. The batch display system of claim 15, wherein the at least one of the multiplicity of batch data layers includes separate discrete icons for indicating the start and the stop of a particular batch procedure element.

17. The batch display system of claim 15, wherein the at least one of the multiplicity of batch data layers includes discrete icons for indicating a batch event associated with one batch procedure element disposed between two icons associated with a second batch procedure element.

18. The batch display system of claim 1, wherein the time scale represents actual time.

19. The batch display system of claim 1, wherein the time scale represents time relative to a batch event.

20. The batch display system of claim 1, wherein one of the multiplicity of batch data layers includes one or more statistical measures of an event determined from multiple batch runs of the process.

21. The batch display system of claim 20, wherein the one or more statistical measures of the event includes one or more statistical measures of a batch procedure element.

22. The batch display system of claim 20, wherein the one or more statistical measures of the event includes one or more statistical measures of a process event.

23. The batch display system of claim 20, wherein the one or more statistical measures of the batch event includes an expected time or an expected deviation from an expected time for the event.

24. The batch display system of claim 1, wherein the display application enables a user to select a portion of the batch view having a start defined by a first time and an end defined by a second time, and wherein the display application creates a second batch view by concatenating the first time with the second time within the batch view to eliminate the selected portion of the batch view.

25. The batch display system of claim 1, wherein the multiple different types of icons differ in shape to indicate different types of batch data.

26. The batch display system of claim 1, wherein the multiple different types of icons differ in color to indicate different types of batch data.

27. The batch display system of claim 1, wherein a first type of icon is used to illustrate batch procedure element data and a second type of icon is used to illustrate process event data.

28. The batch display system of claim 1, wherein a first type of icon is used to illustrate a first type of a batch procedure element and a second type of icon is used to illustrate a second type of batch procedure element.

29. The batch display system of claim 1, wherein one of the multiplicity of batch data layers includes indications of equipment utilization.

30. A method for displaying batch data associated with one or more batch runs of a batch process, comprising:

collecting multiple types of batch data associated with the one or more batch runs of the batch process from process equipment within the process plant; and

generating a batch display showing a batch view illustrating the multiple types of batch data associated with the one or more batch runs of the batch process, the batch view including a time scale and a multiplicity of batch data layers disposed in relation to the time scale illustrating the times at which different events occurred within the one or more batch runs of the batch process, wherein the batch view includes multiple different types of icons associated with different types of the different events.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein collecting multiple types of batch data includes collecting batch procedure element data and process event data, and wherein generating the batch display includes showing the batch view with batch procedure element data in a first one of the multiplicity of batch data layers and with process event data in a second one of the multiplicity of batch data layers.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein collecting batch procedure element data includes collecting batch procedure element data related to multiple different batch procedure elements and wherein generating the batch display includes showing the batch view with the batch procedure element data related to multiple different batch procedure elements in the first one of the multiplicity of batch data layers.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein collecting batch procedure element data related to multiple different batch procedure elements includes collecting batch procedure element data related to batch events associated with multiple different batch procedure elements at different hierarchical levels, and wherein generating the batch display includes showing the batch view with the batch events associated with the multiple different batch procedure elements at different hierarchical levels in the first one of the multiplicity of batch data layers.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein a first one of the multiple different batch procedure elements at different hierarchical levels includes one of a batch procedure, a batch unit procedure, a batch operation and a batch phase, and wherein a second one of the multiple different batch procedure elements at different hierarchical levels includes a different one of a batch procedure, a batch unit procedure, a batch operation and a batch phase.

35. The method of claim 30, further including generating a batch signature including one or more statistical measures related to the timing of one or more of the different events illustrated in the batch view, wherein said one or more statistical measures are determined from a plurality of batch runs of the batch process.

36. The method of claim 35, furthering including displaying the batch signature in timed relation to one or more of the batch data layers of the batch view.

37. The method of claim 36, further including providing an indication of when one of the different events within the batch view falls outside of the statistical measure associated with the one of the different events within the batch signature.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein providing an indication includes generating an alarm signal when the one of the different events within the batch view falls outside of the statistical measure associated with the one of the different events within the batch signature.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the one or more statistical measures related to the timing of the one or more of the different events includes an expected time or an expected deviation from an expected time for the one or more of the different events.

40. The method of claim 30, further including enabling a user to select a portion of the batch view having a start defined by a first time and an end defined by a second time, and creating a second batch view by concatenating a section of the batch view prior to the first time with a section of the batch view later than the second time to eliminate the selected portion of the batch view.

41. The method of claim 30, wherein generating a batch display showing a batch view illustrating the multiple types of batch data includes displaying discrete icons indicating batch procedure events in one of the multiplicity of batch data layers.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein displaying discrete icons includes displaying separate discrete icons for indicating the start and the stop of a particular batch procedure element or of a particular process event.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein displaying discrete icons includes displaying discrete icons for indicating a batch event associated with a first batch procedure element disposed between two icons associated with a second batch procedure element.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein displaying discrete icons includes displaying discrete icons which differ in shape to indicate different types of batch data.

45. The method of claim 41, wherein displaying discrete icons includes displaying discrete icons which differ in color to indicate different types of batch data.

46. The method of claim 41, wherein displaying discrete icons includes displaying a first type of discrete icon to illustrate batch procedure element data and a second type of discrete icon to illustrate process event data.

47. The method of claim 41, wherein displaying discrete icons includes displaying a first type of discrete icon to illustrate a first type of batch procedure element data and a second type of discrete icon to illustrate a second type of batch procedure element data.

48. A method of analyzing batch runs of a batch process, comprising:

collecting batch data associated with a plurality of batch runs of the batch process from process equipment within a process plant including batch data associated with the occurrence of a multiplicity of events associated with the batch process;

generating from the collected batch data a batch signature including a statistical measure related to the timing of the occurrence of each of the multiplicity of events associated with the batch process; and

using the batch signature to perform a user interface function.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein using the batch signature to perform a user interface function includes comparing the batch signature to batch data within a further batch run and generating an alarm when an event within the further batch run falls outside of a parameter associated with the statistical measure for the event within the batch signature.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein using the batch signature to perform a user interface function includes displaying the batch signature.

51. The method of claim 50, further including displaying a batch view of a further batch run on a common time scale with the batch signature, wherein the batch view illustrates the timing of the multiplicity of events associated with the batch process during the further batch run.

52. The method of claim 51, furthering including indicating when one of the multiplicity of events within the batch view falls outside of a parameter associated with the statistical measure for the one of the multiplicity of events within the batch signature.

53. The method of claim 48, wherein the statistical measure related to the timing of the occurrence of each of the multiplicity of events associated with the batch process includes an expected time of the event.

54. The method of claim 53, further including determining the expected time of the event as an average of times associated with the event within the plurality of batch runs.

55. The method of claim 53, further including determining the expected time of the event as a median of times associated with the event within the plurality of batch runs.

56. The method of claim 53, wherein the statistical measure related to the timing of the occurrence of each of the multiplicity of events associated with the batch process includes an expected deviation from an expected time of each of the multiplicity of events.

57. The method of claim 56, further including determining the expected deviation from the expected time of an event as a standard deviation associated with the times of occurrence of the event within the plurality of batch runs.

58. The method of claim 53, further including determining the expected deviation from the expected time of an event based on an earliest or latest time at which the event occurred within one of the plurality of batch runs.

59. The method of claim 48, wherein generating the batch signature including a statistical measure related to the timing of the occurrence of each of the multiplicity of events associated with the batch process includes generating an expected time and an expected deviation from the expected time for each of the multiplicity of events and wherein using the batch signature to perform a user interface function includes displaying the batch signature as a set of pulses, wherein each pulse is associated with one of the multiplicity of events and wherein a point within the pulse indicates the expected time of an event and the start and the stop of the pulse indicates an expected deviation from the expected time for the event.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the point within the pulse is the center point between the start and the stop of each pulse.

61. A system for processing data for a plurality of batch runs of a batch process including batch data associated with the occurrence of a multiplicity of events associated with the batch process, comprising:

a memory;

a first routine stored on the memory and adapted to be executed on a processor to use the batch data to generate a batch signature including a statistical measure related to the timing of the occurrence of each of the multiplicity of events associated with the batch process; and

a second routine stored on the memory and adapted to be executed on the processor to perform a user interface function using the batch signature.

62. The system of claim 61, wherein the second routine compares the batch signature to batch data associated with a further batch run and generates an alarm when a particular event within the further batch run falls outside of a parameter associated with the statistical measure for the particular event within the batch signature.

63. The system of claim 61, wherein the second routine displays the batch signature.

64. The system of claim 63, wherein the second routine displays a batch view of a further batch run on a common time scale with the batch signature, wherein the batch view illustrates the timing of the multiplicity of events associated with the batch process during the further batch run.

65. The system of claim 64, wherein the second routine graphically indicates when one of the multiplicity of events within the batch view falls outside of a parameter associated with the statistical measure for the one of the multiplicity of events within the batch signature.

66. The system of claim 61, wherein the statistical measure related to the timing of the occurrence of each of the multiplicity of events associated with the batch process includes an expected time of the event.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein the first routine determines the expected time of the event as an average of times associated with the event within the plurality of batch runs.

68. The system of claim 66, wherein the first routine determines the expected time of the event as a median of times associated with the event within the plurality of batch runs.

69. The system of claim 61, wherein the statistical measure related to the timing of the occurrence of each of the multiplicity of events associated with the batch process includes an expected deviation from an expected time of each of the multiplicity of events.

70. The system of claim 69, wherein the first routine determines the expected deviation from the expected time of one of the events as a standard deviation associated with the times of occurrence of the one of the events within the plurality of batch runs.

71. The system of claim 69, wherein the first routine determines the expected deviation from the expected time of one of the events based on an earliest or latest time at which the event occurred within one of the plurality of batch runs.