Process control system with multiple module sequence options
DCFirst Claim
1. A computer-based method for operating a substantially continuous process, comprising the steps of:
- (1) operating the process with one or more sensors connected to sense conditions in the process, and one or more actuators connected to change conditions in the process;
(2) controlling one or more of said actuators with a process controller is accordance with signals received from said sensors and in accordance with control parameters;
(3) repeatedly running a process supervisor procedure comprising one or more software modules, for selectively defining one or more of said control parameters for said process controller;
(4) presenting a functional structure to a user, for a new software module and said process supervisor procedure and/or a functional structure corresponding to the user input from which a current software module of said process supervisor procedure was generated, and selectively loading user inputs into said functional structure to be used by said process supervisor procedure;
(5) wherein said functional structure permits the user to define timing and sequencing parameters for respective ones of said software modules which include at least the following options;
(a) become active if another specified software module has become active;
(b) become active if a new value has been, entered for a specified data source;
or(c) become active if a specified time of inactivity has elapsed.
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Abstract
An integrated system for process control in which a process supervisor procedure (which is preferably the top-level procedure) is configured as a modular software structure, with modules which can be revised by a user at any time without significantly interrupting the operation of the process supervisor. A user can define or redefine modules by editing highly constrained templates, which preferably include module timing and sequencing options including: block becomes active if another specified block has become active; block becomes active if a new value has been entered for a specified data source; block becomes active if a specified time of inactivity has elapsed; and combinations of these.
255 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A computer-based method for operating a substantially continuous process, comprising the steps of:
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(1) operating the process with one or more sensors connected to sense conditions in the process, and one or more actuators connected to change conditions in the process; (2) controlling one or more of said actuators with a process controller is accordance with signals received from said sensors and in accordance with control parameters; (3) repeatedly running a process supervisor procedure comprising one or more software modules, for selectively defining one or more of said control parameters for said process controller; (4) presenting a functional structure to a user, for a new software module and said process supervisor procedure and/or a functional structure corresponding to the user input from which a current software module of said process supervisor procedure was generated, and selectively loading user inputs into said functional structure to be used by said process supervisor procedure; (5) wherein said functional structure permits the user to define timing and sequencing parameters for respective ones of said software modules which include at least the following options; (a) become active if another specified software module has become active; (b) become active if a new value has been, entered for a specified data source;
or(c) become active if a specified time of inactivity has elapsed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification