System for real-time economic optimizing of manufacturing process control
First Claim
1. An apparatus having physical process equipment, said physical process equipment having sensors for creating sensor output signals indicative of process attributes in said physical process equipment as the apparatus handles at least one raw material, product, or resource in performing a useful function, each product, resource, and raw material having a respective affiliated economic variable whose quantity is defined by a monetary value, said apparatus comprising:
- a computer monitor for producing a graphical display of variable manufacturing respective to said physical process equipment;
a real-time computer in communication with said sensor output signals and said computer monitor, said real-time computer further comprisingmeans for reading said sensor output signals as input signals indicative of measured process attributes in said physical process equipment,means for periodically acquiring at least one said monetary value,means for defining a steady state status regarding said input signals,means, responsive to the steady state status, for generating a reconciled input signal set from said input signals,means for determining a first estimate of the variable manufacturing margin from said reconciled input signal set and at least one acquired monetary value,means for determining a second estimate of the variable manufacturing margin from said input signals and at least one acquired monetary value,means for executing a smoothing process on said input signals to determine a smoothed input signal set,means for determining a third estimate of the variable manufacturing margin from said smoothed input signal set and at least one acquired monetary value,means for generating and displaying, on the computer monitor, at least one first graphical information token correspondent to said first estimate of variable manufacturing margin, at least one second graphical information token correspondent to said second estimate of variable manufacturing margin, and at least one third graphical information token correspondent to said third estimate of variable manufacturing margin; and
a real-time communication connection between said means for periodically acquiring at least one said monetary value and a market information computer having recent monetary values respective to said products, raw materials, and resources.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an adaptive process control and profit depiction system which is responsive to both process measurement input signals, economic inputs, and physical environment inputs. The process control system features an interactive optimization modeling system for determining manipulated process variables (also known as setpoints). These manipulated process variables are used to position mechanisms which control attributes of a manufacturing system, such as a valve controlling the temperature of a coolant or a valve controlling the flow rate in a steam line.
389 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus having physical process equipment, said physical process equipment having sensors for creating sensor output signals indicative of process attributes in said physical process equipment as the apparatus handles at least one raw material, product, or resource in performing a useful function, each product, resource, and raw material having a respective affiliated economic variable whose quantity is defined by a monetary value, said apparatus comprising:
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a computer monitor for producing a graphical display of variable manufacturing respective to said physical process equipment; a real-time computer in communication with said sensor output signals and said computer monitor, said real-time computer further comprising means for reading said sensor output signals as input signals indicative of measured process attributes in said physical process equipment, means for periodically acquiring at least one said monetary value, means for defining a steady state status regarding said input signals, means, responsive to the steady state status, for generating a reconciled input signal set from said input signals, means for determining a first estimate of the variable manufacturing margin from said reconciled input signal set and at least one acquired monetary value, means for determining a second estimate of the variable manufacturing margin from said input signals and at least one acquired monetary value, means for executing a smoothing process on said input signals to determine a smoothed input signal set, means for determining a third estimate of the variable manufacturing margin from said smoothed input signal set and at least one acquired monetary value, means for generating and displaying, on the computer monitor, at least one first graphical information token correspondent to said first estimate of variable manufacturing margin, at least one second graphical information token correspondent to said second estimate of variable manufacturing margin, and at least one third graphical information token correspondent to said third estimate of variable manufacturing margin; and a real-time communication connection between said means for periodically acquiring at least one said monetary value and a market information computer having recent monetary values respective to said products, raw materials, and resources. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A profit display method for depicting the profitability of an operating apparatus having physical process equipment, said physical process equipment having sensors for creating sensor output signals indicative of process attributes in said physical process equipment as the apparatus handles at least one raw material, product, or resource in performing a useful function, each product, resource, and raw material having a respective affiliated economic variable whose quantity is defined by a monetary value, comprising the steps of:
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providing a computer monitor for producing a graphical display of variable manufacturing margins respective to said physical process equipment; providing a real-time computer in communication with said sensor output signals, said computer monitor and a market information computer having recent monetary values respective to said products and said raw materials and said resources; reading into said real-time computer said sensor output signals as input signals indicative of measured process attributes in said physical process equipment; acquiring into said real-time computer the monetary value of at least one said raw material, product, or resource from said market information computer; determining in said real-time computer a first estimate, a second estimate, and a third estimate of said variable manufacturing margin; generating, in said real-time computer, display output data for at least one first graphical information token correspondent to said first estimate of variable manufacturing margin, at least one second graphical information token correspondent to said second estimate of variable manufacturing margin, and at least one third graphical information token correspondent to said third estimate of variable manufacturing margin; and displaying, on the computer monitor, at least one said first graphical information token, at least one said second graphical information token, and at least one said third graphical information token respective to said display output data; said step of determining said first, second, and third estimates of said variable manufacturing margin further comprising the steps of; defining a steady state status regarding said input signals; generating a reconciled input signal set from said input signals in response to the steady state status; determining said first estimate of the variable manufacturing margin from said reconciled input signal set and said monetary values; determining said second estimate of the variable manufacturing margin from said input signals and said monetary values; executing a smoothing process on said input signals to determine a smoothed input signal set; and determining said third estimate of the variable manufacturing margin from said smoothed input signal set and said monetary values. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus having physical process equipment, said physical process equipment having sensors for creating sensor output signals indicative of process attributes in said physical process equipment as the apparatus handles at least one raw material, product, or resource in performing a useful function, each product, resource, and raw material having a respective affiliated economic variable whose quantity is defined by a monetary value, said apparatus comprising:
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a computer monitor for producing a graphical display of variable manufacturing margins respective to said physical process equipment; a real-time computer in communication with said sensor output signals and said computer monitor, said real-time computer further comprising means for reading said sensor output signals as input signals indicative of measured process attributes in said physical process equipment, means for periodically acquiring at least one said monetary value, means for defining a steady state status regarding said input signals, means, responsive to the steady state status, for generating a reconciled input signal set from said input signals, means for determining a first estimate of the variable manufacturing margin from said reconciled input signal set and at least one acquired monetary value, means for determining a second estimate of the variable manufacturing margin from said input signals and at least one acquired monetary value, and means for generating and displaying, on the computer monitor, at least one first graphical information token correspondent to said first estimate of variable manufacturing margin and at least one second graphical information token correspondent to said second estimate of variable manufacturing margin; and a real-time communication connection between said means for periodically acquiring at least one said monetary value and a market information computer having recent monetary values respective to said products, raw materials, and resources.
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18. A profit display method for depicting the profitability of an operating apparatus having physical process equipment, said physical process equipment having sensors for creating sensor output signals indicative of process attributes in said physical process equipment as the apparatus handles at least one raw material, product, or resource in performing a useful function, each product, resource, and raw material having a respective affiliated economic variable whose quantity is defined by a monetary value, comprising the steps of:
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providing a computer monitor for producing a graphical display of variable manufacturing respective to said physical process equipment; providing a real-time computer in communication with said sensor output signals, said display system, and a market information computer having recent monetary values respective to said products and said raw materials and said resources; reading into said real-time computer said sensor output signals as input signals indicative of measured process attributes in said physical process equipment; acquiring into said real-time computer the monetary value of at least one said raw material, product, or resource from said market information computer; determining in said real-time computer a first estimate, a second estimate, and a third estimate of said variable manufacturing margin; generating, in said real-time computer, display output data for at least one first graphical information token correspondent to said first estimate of variable manufacturing margin, at least one second graphical information token correspondent to said second estimate of variable manufacturing margin, and at least one third graphical information token correspondent to said third estimate of variable manufacturing margin; and displaying, on the computer monitor, at least one said first graphical information token and at least one said second graphical information token respective to said display output data; said step of determining said first and second estimates of said variable manufacturing margin further comprising the steps of; defining a steady state status regarding said input signals; generating a reconciled input signal set from said input signals in response to the steady state status; determining said first estimate of the variable manufacturing margin from said reconciled input signal set and said monetary values; and determining said second estimate of the variable manufacturing margin from said input signals and said monetary values.
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Specification