Control model
First Claim
1. A method of controlling a process having operating conditions, one or more inputs, and one or more outputs, the process defining parameters of the one or more outputs, the method comprising:
- (a) defining a first steady state set of first respective ones of the operating conditions representing one or more previously-specified acceptable operating parameters of the process;
(b) defining a second steady state set of output conditions representing acceptable parameters of the one or more outputs;
(c) operating the process, and routinely sampling output on the basis of a single output population model;
(d) detecting destabilizing process events which result in output not representing acceptable output parameters;
(e) defining one or more third sets of operating conditions according to which output is rejected and/or defining one or more fourth sets of output parameters according to which output is rejected;
(f) upon detecting a destabilizing process event in step (d), temporarily implementing sampling assuming a dual population output, including 1) automatically rejecting output whenever any one of the operating conditions or output parameters of step (e) is violated, thereby establishing a leading automatic output rejection and a trailing automatic output rejection, and thus defining an automatic output rejection period according to which output is automatically rejected in response to the destabilizing event, and 2) defining a leading transition period proximate and before the automatic output rejection period, and a trailing transition period proximate and after the automatic output rejection period, the transition periods, overall, representing periods of higher than average risk that output will be defective; and
(g) identifying output in at least one of the leading transition period and the trailing transition period.
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Abstract
Methods of controlling processes having operating conditions, one or more inputs, and one or more outputs. The methods comprise defining acceptable steady state conditions, operating the process, and sampling output on the basis of a dual segment output population model, detecting destabilizing process events which result in output not representing acceptable output parameters, defining operating conditions according to which output is rejected, and defining output parameters according to which output is rejected. Upon detecting a destabilizing process event, the invention temporarily implements sampling assuming a second segment of the output population. The process can include automatically rejecting output whenever any one of either the operating conditions or the output parameters is violated, thereby establishing a leading automatic output rejection and a trailing automatic output rejection in relation to the destabilizing event, and thus defining an automatic output rejection period according to which output is automatically rejected. Such embodiments define a leading transition period proximate and prior to the automatic output rejection period, and a trailing transition period proximate and after the automatic output rejection period. The transition periods, overall, represent periods of higher than average risk that output will be defective. The method contemplates automatically sampling output in at least one of the leading transition period and the trailing transition period.
52 Citations
49 Claims
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1. A method of controlling a process having operating conditions, one or more inputs, and one or more outputs, the process defining parameters of the one or more outputs, the method comprising:
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(a) defining a first steady state set of first respective ones of the operating conditions representing one or more previously-specified acceptable operating parameters of the process;
(b) defining a second steady state set of output conditions representing acceptable parameters of the one or more outputs;
(c) operating the process, and routinely sampling output on the basis of a single output population model;
(d) detecting destabilizing process events which result in output not representing acceptable output parameters;
(e) defining one or more third sets of operating conditions according to which output is rejected and/or defining one or more fourth sets of output parameters according to which output is rejected;
(f) upon detecting a destabilizing process event in step (d), temporarily implementing sampling assuming a dual population output, including 1) automatically rejecting output whenever any one of the operating conditions or output parameters of step (e) is violated, thereby establishing a leading automatic output rejection and a trailing automatic output rejection, and thus defining an automatic output rejection period according to which output is automatically rejected in response to the destabilizing event, and 2) defining a leading transition period proximate and before the automatic output rejection period, and a trailing transition period proximate and after the automatic output rejection period, the transition periods, overall, representing periods of higher than average risk that output will be defective; and
(g) identifying output in at least one of the leading transition period and the trailing transition period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25)
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14. A method of controlling a process having operating conditions, one or more inputs, and one or more outputs, the process defining parameters of the one or more outputs, the method comprising:
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(a) defining a first steady state set of first respective ones of the operating conditions representing one or more previously-specified acceptable operating parameters of the process;
(b) defining a second steady state set of output conditions representing acceptable parameters of the one or more outputs;
(c) operating and controlling the process, and routinely sampling output on the basis of (i) a first output population segment produced under substantially steady state conditions and (ii) at least a second output population segment produced pursuant to destabilizing process events;
(d) routinely sampling output on the basis of steady state operation during steady state operation;
(e) detecting destabilizing process events which result in output not representing acceptable output parameters;
(f) defining one or more third sets of operating conditions according to which output is rejected and/or defining one or more fourth sets of output parameters according to which output is rejected;
(g) upon detecting a destabilizing process event in step (e), temporarily implementing output identification, and operations management, on the basis of the population segment typically produced pursuant to the respective type of extant destabilizing process event; and
(h) when both operating parameters and output conditions indicate existence of acceptable steady state condition, and no new destabilizing event has been detected, returning to sampling output on the basis of steady state operation. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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26. A statistical control model for controlling a process having operating conditions, one or more inputs, and one or more outputs, the process defining parameters of the one or more outputs, the statistical control model comprising:
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(a) defining a first steady state set of first respective ones of the operating conditions representing one or more acceptable operating parameters of the process, and target operating parameters included therein;
(b) defining a second steady state set of output conditions representing acceptable parameters of the one or more outputs, and target output parameters included therein;
(c) operating the process, and routinely sampling output on the basis of a single output population model;
(d) detecting destabilizing process events which result in output not representing acceptable output parameters;
(e) defining one or more third sets of operating conditions according to which output is rejected and/or defining one or more fourth sets of output parameters according to which output is rejected;
(f) upon detecting a destabilizing process event in step (d), temporarily implementing sampling assuming a dual population output, including 1) automatically rejecting output whenever any one of the operating conditions or output parameters of step (e) is violated, thereby establishing a leading automatic output rejection and a trailing automatic output rejection, and thus defining an automatic output rejection period according to which output is automatically rejected in response to the destabilizing event, and 2) defining a leading transition period proximate and before the automatic output rejection period, and a trailing transition period proximate and after the automatic output rejection period, the transition periods, overall, representing periods of higher than average risk that output will be defective; and
(g) identifying output in at least one of the leading transition period and the trailing transition period. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A multiple-segment product population, comprising:
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(a) a not-culled population segment comprising predominantly acceptable members of the population; and
(b) a culled population segment comprising a steady state cull element, an automatic cull segment, and a transition inspection cull segment, the culled population segment representing (i) defining a first steady state set of operating conditions representing one or more acceptable operating parameters, and target operating parameters included therein;
(ii) defining a second steady state set of output conditions representing acceptable output parameters, and target output parameters included therein;
(iii) routinely sampling output on the basis of a single output population model;
(iv) detecting destabilizing events which result in output not representing acceptable output;
(v) defining one or more third sets of operating conditions according to which output is culled and/or defining one or more fourth sets of output parameters according to which output is culled;
(vi) upon detecting a destabilizing event in step (iv), temporarily implementing sampling according to a dual population output, including 1) automatically rejecting output whenever any one of the operating conditions or output parameters of step (v) are violated, thereby establishing a leading automatic output cull and a trailing automatic output cull, and thus defining an automatic output cull period according to which output is automatically culled in response to the destabilizing event, and 2) defining a leading transition period proximate and prior to the automatic output rejection period, and a trailing transition period proximate and after the automatic output rejection period, the transition periods, overall, representing periods of higher than average risk that output will be defective; and
(vii) identifying output in at least one of the leading transition period and the trailing transition period. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification