PROCESSING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20090069922A1
• Filed: 09/05/2008
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Dattolo, James, Ballantyne, Todd A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,275,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/108
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/406 characterised by monitoring or safety G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31455 Monitor process status
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets

Abstract

A method and computer program product for monitoring one or more processes occurring during a first portion of a multi-portion recipe being executed on a processing device to obtain data concerning at least of portion of the one or more processes. At least a portion of the data is stored. The availability of the at least a portion of the data is enabled to one or more processes occurring during a second portion of the multi-portion recipe.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring one or more processes occurring during a first portion of a multi-portion recipe being executed on a processing device to obtain data concerning at least of portion of the one or more processes;

storing at least a portion of the data; and

enabling the availability of the at least a portion of the data to one or more processes occurring during a second portion of the multi-portion recipe.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first portion of a multi-portion recipe is executed within a first manifold of the processing device and wherein the first manifold is chosen from the group consisting of:

a mixing manifold, a blending manifold, a grinding manifold, a heating manifold, a cooling manifold, a freezing manifold, a steeping manifold, a nozzle, a pressure manifold, a vacuum manifold, and an agitation manifold.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second portion of a multi-portion recipe is executed within a second manifold of the processing device and wherein the second manifold is chosen from the group consisting of:

a mixing manifold, a blending manifold, a grinding manifold, a heating manifold, a cooling manifold, a freezing manifold, a steeping manifold, a nozzle, a pressure manifold, a vacuum manifold, and an agitation manifold.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the data obtained is chosen from the group consisting of:

ingredient data and processing data.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein enabling the availability of the at least a portion of the data includes routing the data to one or more processes occurring during the second portion of the multi-portion recipe.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein storing at least a portion of the data includes archiving the data in a non-volatile memory system for subsequent diagnostic purposes.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein storing at least a portion of the data includes temporarily writing the data to a volatile memory system.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more processes monitored are executed within a single manifold of the processing device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more processes monitored are representative of a single portion of a multi-portion procedure executed within a single manifold of the processing device.

10. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

monitoring one or more processes occurring during a first portion of a multi-portion recipe being executed on a processing device to obtain data concerning at least of portion of the one or more processes;

storing at least a portion of the data; and

enabling the availability of the at least a portion of the data to one or more processes occurring during a second portion of the multi-portion recipe.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the first portion of a multi-portion recipe is executed within a first manifold of the processing device and wherein the first manifold is chosen from the group consisting of:

a mixing manifold, a blending manifold, a grinding manifold, a heating manifold, a cooling manifold, a freezing manifold, a steeping manifold, a nozzle, a pressure manifold, a vacuum manifold, and an agitation manifold.

12. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the second portion of a multi-portion recipe is executed within a second manifold of the processing device and wherein the second manifold is chosen from the group consisting of:

a mixing manifold, a blending manifold, a grinding manifold, a heating manifold, a cooling manifold, a freezing manifold, a steeping manifold, a nozzle, a pressure manifold, a vacuum manifold, and an agitation manifold.

13. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the data obtained is chosen from the group consisting of:

ingredient data and processing data.

14. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the instructions for enabling the availability of the at least a portion of the data include instructions for routing the data to one or more processes occurring during the second portion of the multi-portion recipe.

15. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the instructions for storing at least a portion of the data include instructions for archiving the data in a non-volatile memory system for subsequent diagnostic purposes.

16. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the instructions for storing at least a portion of the data include instructions for temporarily writing the data to a volatile memory system.

17. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the one or more processes monitored are executed within a single manifold of the processing device.

18. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the one or more processes monitored are representative of a single portion of a multi-portion procedure executed within a single manifold of the processing device.

19. A method comprising:

receiving instructions to generate a product on a processing device;

processing the instructions to determine if the product is a multi-component product;

if the product is a multi-component product, identifying a first recipe to produce a first component of the multi-component product and identifying at least a second recipe to produce at least a second component of the multi-component product, wherein the first and second recipes are chosen from a plurality of available recipes; and

executing the first and second recipes.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the first recipe is executed within a first manifold of the processing device.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the first manifold is chosen from the group consisting of:

a mixing manifold, a blending manifold, a grinding manifold, a heating manifold, a cooling manifold, a freezing manifold, a steeping manifold, a nozzle, a pressure manifold, a vacuum manifold, and an agitation manifold.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the second recipe is executed within a second manifold of the processing device.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the second manifold is chosen from the group consisting of:

a mixing manifold, a blending manifold, a grinding manifold, a heating manifold, a cooling manifold, a freezing manifold, a steeping manifold, a nozzle, a pressure manifold, a vacuum manifold, and an agitation manifold.

24. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving instructions to generate a product on a processing device;

processing the instructions to determine if the product is a multi-component product;

if the product is a multi-component product, identifying a first recipe to produce a first component of the multi-component product and identifying at least a second recipe to produce at least a second component of the multi-component product, wherein the first and second recipes are chosen from a plurality of available recipes; and

executing the first and second recipes.

25. The computer program product of claim 24 wherein the first recipe is executed within a first manifold of the processing device.

26. The computer program product of claim 25 wherein the first manifold is chosen from the group consisting of:

a mixing manifold, a blending manifold, a grinding manifold, a heating manifold, a cooling manifold, a freezing manifold, a steeping manifold, a nozzle, a pressure manifold, a vacuum manifold, and an agitation manifold.

27. The computer program product of claim 24 wherein the second recipe is executed within a second manifold of the processing device.

28. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the second manifold is chosen from the group consisting of:

a mixing manifold, a blending manifold, a grinding manifold, a heating manifold, a cooling manifold, a freezing manifold, a steeping manifold, a nozzle, a pressure manifold, a vacuum manifold, and an agitation manifold.

29. A process controller configured to:

receive instructions to generate a product on a processing device;

process the instructions to determine if the product is a multi-component product;

if the product is a multi-component product, identify a first recipe to produce a first component of the multi-component product and identify at least a second recipe to produce at least a second component of the multi-component product, wherein the first and second recipes are chosen from a plurality of available recipes; and

execute the first and second recipes.

30. The process controller of claim 29 wherein the first recipe is executed within a first manifold of the processing device.

31. The process controller of claim 30 wherein the first manifold is chosen from the group consisting of:

a mixing manifold, a blending manifold, a grinding manifold, a heating manifold, a cooling manifold, a freezing manifold, a steeping manifold, a nozzle, a pressure manifold, a vacuum manifold, and an agitation manifold.

32. The process controller of claim 29 wherein the second recipe is executed within a second manifold of the processing device.

33. The process controller of claim 32 wherein the second manifold is chosen from the group consisting of:

a mixing manifold, a blending manifold, a grinding manifold, a heating manifold, a cooling manifold, a freezing manifold, a steeping manifold, a nozzle, a pressure manifold, a vacuum manifold, and an agitation manifold.

34. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of a product to be produced on a processing device;

identifying a recipe for the product, wherein the recipe is chosen from a plurality of available recipes;

processing the recipe to parse the recipe into a plurality of discrete states and define one or more state transitions; and

defining at least one finite state machine for the recipe using at least a portion of the plurality of discrete states.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the recipe is executed within a manifold of the processing device.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the manifold is chosen from the group consisting of:

a mixing manifold, a blending manifold, a grinding manifold, a heating manifold, a cooling manifold, a freezing manifold, a steeping manifold, a nozzle, a pressure manifold, a vacuum manifold, and an agitation manifold.

37. The method of claim 34 wherein at least a portion of the plurality of discrete states are sequential discrete states.

38. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving an indication of a product to be produced on a processing device;

identifying a recipe for the product, wherein the recipe is chosen from a plurality of available recipes;

processing the recipe to parse the recipe into a plurality of discrete states and define one or more state transitions; and

defining at least one finite state machine for the recipe using at least a portion of the plurality of discrete states.

39. The computer program product of claim 38 wherein the recipe is executed within a manifold of the processing device.

40. The computer program product of claim 39 wherein the manifold is chosen from the group consisting of:

a mixing manifold, a blending manifold, a grinding manifold, a heating manifold, a cooling manifold, a freezing manifold, a steeping manifold, a nozzle, a pressure manifold, a vacuum manifold, and an agitation manifold.

41. The computer program product of claim 38 wherein at least a portion of the plurality of discrete states are sequential discrete states.

42. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of a multi-component product to be produced on a processing device, wherein the multi-component product includes;

a first product component, and

at least a second product component;

identifying a first recipe for the first product component, wherein the first recipe is chosen from a plurality of available recipes;

identifying a second recipe for the second product component, wherein the second recipe is chosen from the plurality of available recipes;

processing the first and second recipes to parse the first and second recipes into a plurality of discrete states and define one or more state transitions;

defining a first finite state machine for the first recipe using at least a first portion of the plurality of discrete states; and

defining a second finite state machine for the second recipe using at least a second portion of the plurality of discrete states.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the first product component is produced within a first manifold of the processing device.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the first manifold is chosen from the group consisting of:

a mixing manifold, a blending manifold, a grinding manifold, a heating manifold, a cooling manifold, a freezing manifold, a steeping manifold, a nozzle, a pressure manifold, a vacuum manifold, and an agitation manifold.

45. The method of claim 42 wherein the second product component is produced within a second manifold of the processing device.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the second manifold is chosen from the group consisting of:

a mixing manifold, a blending manifold, a grinding manifold, a heating manifold, a cooling manifold, a freezing manifold, a steeping manifold, a nozzle, a pressure manifold, a vacuum manifold, and an agitation manifold.

47. The method of claim 42 wherein at least a portion of the plurality of discrete states are sequential discrete states.