Computer management control system

• US 4,718,025 A
• Filed: 04/15/1985
• Issued: 01/05/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Centec Corporation A ORP of VA
• Original Assignee: Centec Corporation
• Inventors: Minor, Paul S., Matheny, Charles S.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mattson, Brian M.
• Application Number:
  US06/723,496
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 364/550, 364/518-522, 364/551, 340/715, 340/721, 340/722, 340/745, 340/286 M
• US Class Current: 702/187
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/063 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/14055 Make log, journal, history file of state changes

Abstract

A computer management manufacturing monitoring system for monitors the operation of a manufacturing process. The input section of the system is coupled to a plurality of sensors for monitoring the states of such sensors. A logging program periodically reads the states of various sensors and stores information relating to each such sensor state in a data base. The stored data includes both direct sensor readings and as derived sensor information calculated from readings of the states of certain sensors. The operation of the logging program is predicated on a logging model constructed by an operator. A database storage section stores the information received from the logging program relating to the reading of each sensor state read in a database format. A display generator causes information to be displayed from the database on a display screen. A control program controls the operation of the logging program for determining which of the sensors should be read, when such sensor should be read and whether the readings from each sensor read should be stored as a direct value or used for calculating a derived value that should be stored in the database.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for recording and maintaining records of operation conditions sensed by a plurality of sensors that detect various states relating to a process being monitored, said monitoring system comprising:

input means arranged to be coupled to a plurality of sensors for monitoring the states of such sensors;

logging means for periodically reading the states of various sensors and storing information relating to each such sensor state in a database storage means both as direct sensor readings and as derived sensor information calculated from readings of the sensor states of certain of the sensors;

database storage means for storing information received from said logging means relating to the reading of each sensor state;

display generating means for generating information to be displayed from the database storage means on a display means; and

control means for controlling operation of said logging means for selecting which of the sensors should be read, determining when said selected sensor should be read and deciding whether the readings from each selected sensor should be stored as a direct value or used for calculating a derived value that should be stored in said database storage means.

2. A monitoring system according to claim 1 further comprising:

logging model construction means for constructing a plurality of different logging models, each logging model containing a list of particular sensors to be read and information regarding which particular logging model should be invoked during operation of the process being monitored, said logging model construction means enabling a logging model to be constructed so that information obtained from each of the various sensors being monitored can be stored in any one of the following forms as analog information, digital information, derived analog information and derived digital information and wherein said control means operates said logging means through a plurality of logging models by selecting a logging model to call into operation and logging data through said logging means based upon the selected logging model.

3. A monitoring system according to claim 1 wherein said display generating means includes graphic construction means for constructing a graphic display having a plurality of shapes with particular shapes being associated with particular sensors for varying the display of such shapes in dependence upon the readings obtained form such sensors.

4. A monitoring system according to claim 3 wherein said display generating means varies the displayed shapes in accordance with any of the characteristics of size, color and fill content.

5. A monitoring system according to claim 4 further comprising:

logging model construction means for constructing a plurality of different logging models, each logging model containing a list of particular sensors to be read and information regarding when a particular logging model should be invoked during the operation of the process being monitored, said logging model construction means enabling a logging model to be constructed so that information obtained from each of the various sensors being monitored can be stored in any one of the following forms as analog information, digital information, derived analog information and derived digital information; and

wherein said control means operates said logging means through a plurality of logging models by selecting a logging model to call into operation and logging data through said logging means based upon the selected logging model.

6. A monitoring system for recording and maintaining records of operation conditions sensed by a plurality of sensors that detect various states relating to a process being monitored, said monitoring system comprising:

input means arranged to be coupled to a plurality of sensors for monitoring the states of such sensors;

logging means for periodically reading the states of various sensors;

control means for controlling operation of said logging means for selecting which of such sensors should be read, determining when each said selected sensors should be read and deciding whether the readings from each selected sensor should be stored as a direct value or used for calculating a derived value that should be stored in said database storage means;

database storage means for storing information received from said logging means relating to the state of each sensor read; and

graphic display means including graphic construction means for constructing a graphic display having a plurality of shapes with particular shapes being associated with particular sensors for varying the display of such shapes in dependence upon the readings obtained from such sensors.

7. A monitoring system according to claim 6 wherein said graphic display means includes historical playback means for enabling previously stored information provided to said database means from readings obtained by said logging means to be retrieved from said database means for playback through a selected graphic display.

8. A monitoring system according to claim 7 wherein said display generating means varies the displayed shapes in accordance with any of the characteristics of size, color and fill content.

9. A monitoring system for recording and maintaining records of operation conditions sensed by a plurality of sensors that detect various states relating to a process being monitored, said monitoring means comprising:

input means arranged to be coupled to a plurality of sensors for monitoring the states of such sensors;

logging means for periodically reading the states of various sensors;

logging model construction means for constructing a plurality of different logging models, with each logging model containing a list of particular sensors to be read and information regarding when a particular logging model should be invoked during operation of the process being monitored; and

control means for operating said logging means through a plurality of logging models by selecting a logging model to all into operation and logging data through said logging means based upon the selected logging model.

10. A monitoring system according to claim 9 wherein said logging model construction means enables a logging model to be constructed so that information obtained from each of the various sensors being monitored can be stored in any one of the following forms as analog information, digital information, derived analog information and derived digital information.

11. A monitoring system according to claim 9 wherein said control means further includes command set means for sending command setting signals to various process controllers controlling the process being monitored thereby varying the operation of such process when certain logging models are called into operation.

12. A monitoring system according to claim 11 further comprising display generating means including graphic construction means for constructing a graphic display having a plurality of shapes with particular shapes being associated with particular sensors for varying the display of such shapes in dependence upon the readings obtained from such sensors.

13. A monitoring system according to claim 12 wherein said display generating means varies the displayed shapes in accordance with any of the following characteristics of size, color and fill content.

14. A monitoring system for recording and maintaining records of operation conditions sensed by a plurality of sensors that detect various states relating to a process being monitored, said monitoring system comprising:

input means arranged to be coupled to a plurality of sensors for monitoring the states of such sensors;

logging means for periodically reading the state of various sensors;

logging model construction means for constructing a plurality of logging models for selecting which sensors are to be read by said logging means and determining a time and condition under which each of such selected sensors should be read;

database storage means for storing information read by said logging means; and

graphic display means for generating information from the database storage means to be displayed on a display means.

15. A monitoring system for recording and maintaining records of operation conditions sensed by a plurality of sensors that detect various states relating to a process being monitored, said monitoring system comprising:

input means arranged to be coupled to a plurality of sensors for monitoring the states of such sensors;

logging means for periodically reading the states of various sensors;

logging model construction means for constructing a plurality of different logging models, each logging model including a list of particular sensors to be read by said logging means and a time and condition under which each of such sensors should be read;

database storage means for storing information received from said logging means relating to the states of the sensors read by said logging means; and

control means for selecting a logging model to bring into operation for controlling operation of said logging means.

16. A monitoring process for recording and maintaining records of process operation conditions sensed by a plurality of sensors that detect various states relating to the process being monitored, the monitoring process comprising:

interrogating a plurality of sensors for detecting the states of such sensors;

logging the state of each interrogated sensor and storing information relating to each such sensor state in a database both as direct sensor readings and as derived sensor information calculated from readings of the sensor states of certain of the sensors;

displaying information from the database on a display mechanism; and

controlling the logging operation for selecting which of the sensors should be read, determining when such sensor should be read and deciding whether the readings from each sensor read should be stored as a direct value or used for calculating a derived value that should be stored in the database.

17. A monitoring process for recording and maintaining records of process operation conditions sensed by a plurality of sensors that detect various states relating to the process being monitored, the monitoring process comprising:

interrogating a plurality of sensors for monitoring the state of each such sensor;

logging the states of various sensors;

controlling the logging operation for selecting which of the sensors should be read, determining when each such sensor should be read and deciding whether the reading from each sensor should be stored as a direct value or used for calculating a derived value that should be stored in the database;

storing information received by said logging operation relating to the state of each sensor interrogated;

constructing a graphic display having a plurality of shapes with particular shapes being associated with particular sensors for varying the display of such shapes in dependence upon the readings obtained from such sensors; and

displaying certain of the stored information from the sensors through a constructed graphic display on a display screen.

18. A monitoring process according to claim 17 further comprising displaying historical information previously stored in a database from readings obtained by the logging operation through a selected graphic display.

19. A monitoring process for recording and maintaining records of process operation conditions sensed by a plurality of sensors that detect various states relating to a process being monitored, the monitoring process comprising:

interrogating a plurality of sensors for monitoring the state of each such sensor;

logging the states of various sensors;

constructing a plurality of different logging models with each logging model containing a list of particular sensors to be read and information regarding when such particular logging model should be invoked during the operation of the process being monitored; and

controlling the interrogating and logging operations through a plurality of logging models by selecting a logging model to call into operation and logging data based upon the selected logging model.

20. A monitoring process according to claim 19 further comprising a command control operation for sending command setting signals to various process controllers controlling the process being monitored thereby varying the operation of such process when certain logging models are called into operation.

21. A monitoring process for recording and maintaining records of process operation conditions sensed by a plurality of sensors that detect various states relating to a process being monitored, the monitoring process comprising:

interrogating a plurality of sensors for monitoring the state of each such sensor;

logging the states of various sensors;

constructing one or more logging models for determining which particular sensors are to read by the logging step and a time and condition under which each of such particular sensors should be read;

storing information read by the logging step in a database; and

displaying information from the database in either a chart format or as a graphic display on a display screen.

22. A monitoring process for recording and maintaining records of process operation conditions sensed by a plurality of sensors that detect various states relating to a process being monitored, the monitoring process comprisingg:

interrogating a plurality of sensors for monitoring the states of such sensors;

logging the states of various sensors;

constructing a plurality of different logging models, each logging model including a list of which particular sensors are to be read by the logging step and a time and condition under which each of such sensors should be read;

storing information received from the logging step relating to the states of the sensors read in a database; and

selecting a particular logging model to bring into operation for controling the logging operation.

23. A data processing monitoring system including a digital computer having input/output means, a memory and logic means and a display screen for recording and maintaining records of operation conditions sensed by a plurality of sensors that detect various states relating to a process being monitored, said monitoring system comprising:

input/output means coupled to a process controller that is coupled to a plurality of sensors for monitoring the states of such sensors;

logging means for periodically reading the states of various sensors and storing information relating to each such sensor state in a database storage means both as direct sensor readings and as derived sensor information calculated from readings of the sensor states of certain of the sensors;

database storage means for storing information received from said logging means relating to the reading of each sensor state;

display generating means for generating information to be displayed from the database storage means on said display means; and

control means for controlling the operation of said logging means for selecting which of the sensors should be read, determining when such selected sensor should be read and deciding whether the readings from each selected sensor should be stored as a direct value or used for calculating a derived value that should be stored in said database storage means.

24. A data processing monitoring system including a digital computer having input/output means, memory and logic means and a display screen for recording and maintaining records of operation conditions sensed by a plurality of sensors that detect various states relating to a process being monitored, said monitoring system comprising:

input/output means coupled to a process controller that is coupled to a plurality of sensors for monitoring the states of such sensors;

logging means for periodically reading the states of various sensors;

control means for controlling operation of said logging means for selecting which of the sensors should be read, determining when each said selected sensor should be read and deciding whether the readings from each selected sensor should be stored as a direct value or used for calculating a derived value that should be stored in said database storage means;

database storage means for storing information received from said logging means relating to the reading of each sensor state;

graphic display means including graphic construction means for constructing a graphic display having a plurality of shapes with particular shapes being associated with particular sensors for varying the display of such shapes in dependence upon the readings obtained from such sensors.

25. A system according to claim 24 wherein said graphic display means includes historical playback means for enabling previously stored information stored in said database means from readings obtained by said logging means to be retrieved from said database means for playback through a selected graphic display.

26. A data processing monitoring system including a digital computer having input/output means, memory and logic means and a display screen for recording and maintaining records of operation conditions sensed by a plurality of sensors that detect various states relating to a process being monitored, said monitoring system comprising:

input/output means coupled to a process controller that is coupled to a plurality of sensors for monitoring the states of such sensors;

logging means for periodically reading the states of various sensors;

logging model construction means for constructing a plurality of different logging models with each logging model containing a list of particular sensors to be read and inforamtion regarding when a particular logging model should be invoked during operation of the process being monitored; and

control means operating said logging means through a plurality of logging models by selecting a logging model to call into operation and logging data through said logging means based upon the selected logging model.

27. A system according to claim 26 wherein said control means further includes command set means for sending command setting signals to various process controllers controlling the process being monitored thereby varying operation of such process when certain logging models are called into operation.

28. A data processing monitoring system including a digital computer having input/output means, memory and logic means and a display screen for recording and maintaining records of operation conditions sensed by a plurality of sensors that detect various states relating to a process being monitored, said monitoring system comprising:

input/output means coupled to a process controller that is coupled to a plurality of sensors for monitoring the states of such sensors;

logging means for periodically reading the states of various sensors;

logging model construction means for constructing one or more logging models for determining which particular sensors are to be read by said logging means and a time and condition under which each of such sensors should be read;

database storage means for storing information read by said logging means; and

graphic display means for generating information from the database storage means to be displayed on the display screen.

29. A data processing monitoring system including a digital computer having input/output means, memory and logic means and a display screen for recording and maintaining records of operation conditions sensed by a plurality of sensors that detect various states relating to a process being monitored, said monitoring system comprising:

input/output means coupled to a process controller that is coupled to a plurality of sensors for monitoring the states of such sensors;

logging means for periodically reading the states of various sensors;

logging model construction means for constructing one or more logging models for determining the particular sensors to be read by said logging means and a time and condition under which each of such sensors should be read;

database storage means for storing information received from said logging means relating to the state of the sensors read by said logging means; and

control means for selecting a particular logging model to bring into operation for controlling operation of said logging means.

30. A system according to claim 29 wherein said logging model construction means enables a logging model to be constructed so that information obtained from each of the various sensors being monitored can be stored in any one of the following forms as analog information, digital information, derived analog information and derived digital information.