METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTED PROCESS CONTROLL
First Claim
1. Apparatus for controlling a process in a plant, the process having at least one automation unit on the plant side of the process that performs multiple first process variable calculations and uses process variables to control the process, and having a monitoring system connected to the automation unit by a first data link, said apparatus comprising:
- at least one external computing unit that is external to the plant side of the process, said the external computing unit being adapted to perform second process variable calculations; and
a distributed communication mechanism connecting said external computing unit to the automation unit, said external computing unit being operatively connected by a second data link to exchange data with the automation unit, said. the external computing unit providing second process variables to the automation unit that are used by the automation unit to control the process.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A distributed process control system having at least one automation unit on the plant side that calculates a plurality of first process variables and influences the process that is connected by first data link to a monitoring system that controls and/or monitors the process. The system has an external computing unit that is connected by a distributed communication mechanism to the automation unit and exchanges data with it using a second data link. The external computing unit calculates a plurality of second process variables that the of the automation unit uses to influence the process. A method for extending the function of at least one plant-side automation unit is also disclosed.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. Apparatus for controlling a process in a plant, the process having at least one automation unit on the plant side of the process that performs multiple first process variable calculations and uses process variables to control the process, and having a monitoring system connected to the automation unit by a first data link, said apparatus comprising:
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at least one external computing unit that is external to the plant side of the process, said the external computing unit being adapted to perform second process variable calculations; and a distributed communication mechanism connecting said external computing unit to the automation unit, said external computing unit being operatively connected by a second data link to exchange data with the automation unit, said. the external computing unit providing second process variables to the automation unit that are used by the automation unit to control the process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for extending the automation functions at least one plant-side automation unit that uses process variables for controlling process automation functions, said automation unit being configured to calculate a plurality of first process variables, said automation unit being connected by a first data link to a monitoring system that controls and/or monitors the process and connected by a second data link to at least one external computing unit that is external to the process, comprising the steps of:
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implementing a plurality of further automation functions by calculating respective further second process variables in at least one external computing unit; performing a plurality of second process variable calculations in the external computing unit in parallel with first process variable calculations in the plant-side automation unit; supplying the second process variables calculated by the at least one external computing unit to the at least one plant-side automation unit using a distributed mechanism and a second data link; controlling plant-side automation unit using the second process variables. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification