Device for controlling an installation having memory for storing plurality of parameterized tasks acting on data concerning the operation of the installation

• US 6,321,130 B1
• Filed: 06/26/1998
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude (L'Air Liquide SA)
• Original Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude (L'Air Liquide SA)
• Inventors: Oresve, Bertrand, Bacot, Patrick, Ferenczi, Laurent
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): DU, THUAN N
• Application Number:
  US09/105,198
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 700/28, 700/95, 700/96, 700/108, 700/80, 711/100
• US Class Current: 700/95
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2223/06 Remote monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0213 Modular or universal configuration of the monitoring system, e.g. monitoring system having modules that may be combined to build monitoring program; monitoring system that can be applied to legacy systems; adaptable monitoring system; using different communication protocols

Abstract

The device (1) for controlling an installation (2) comprising means (9,10,11,12,13, for monitoring and/or commanding the operation of the installation (2), and a central data processing unit (14) adapted to communicate with the means for monitoring and/or commanding (9,10,11,12,13) for reading, sending and/or processing the data concerning the operation of the installation. The central unit (14) comprises memory means (16) for storing at least one parameterized task acting on said data concerning the operation of the installation, memory means storing at least one table, each table being associated with a parameterized task and comprising values of parameters of the considered task, for executing the latter, and, connected to each memory means (16,17), means (15) for executing said parameterized tasks by using said values stored in said table or tables when executing said parameterized tasks.

Claims

1. Device controlling an installation, comprising in combination, means for monitoring and/or commanding the operation of said installation, and a central data processing unit adapted to communicate with said means for monitoring and/or commanding for reading, sending and/or processing data concerning the operation of said installation, said central unit comprising memory means for storing at least one parameterized task acting on said data concerning the operation of said installation, at least one of the parameters of said at least one parameterized task being the address of one of the means for monitoring and/or commanding the operation of said installation, memory means for storing at least one table, each at least one table being associated with a parameterized task and comprising values of the parameters of the considered task for executing said task, and connected to each memory means, means for executing said parameterized tasks by using said values stored in said at least one table when executing said parameterized tasks.

2. Control device according to claim 1, wherein at least one value of a parameter of a parameterized task is a pointer.

3. Control device according to claim 1, comprising, connected to said means for executing said tasks, a memory of an order in which said parameterized tasks must be executed in a closed loop and defining a general control task.

4. Control device according to claim 1, wherein a parameterized task comprises requests for the reading of data by said means for monitoring and/or commanding the operation of said installation.

5. Control device according to claim 1, wherein a parameterized task comprises commands for said monitoring and/or commanding means.

6. Control device according to claim 1, comprising means for storing a history of data read by said monitoring and/or commanding means, and at least one parameterized task comprises the storing of said data in said storage means.

7. Control device according to claim 1, wherein at least one parameterized task comprises the actuation of an alarm procedure.

8. Control device according to claim 1, comprising communication means for exchanging data relating to the operation of said installation with at least one centre remotely monitoring said installation, and a parameterized task comprises the data transmission.

9. Control device according to claim 8, wherein the parameterized task for the data transmission comprises the transmission of at least one alarm.

10. Control device according to claim 8, wherein said communication means comprise means for selecting data to be sent.

11. Control device according to claim 10, wherein said selecting means comprise means for executing a mathematical algorithm for the comparison of the data to be sent with the corresponding data which are available in said at least one monitoring centre and means for inhibiting a data transmission controlled by said means for executing said mathematical comparison algorithm.

12. Control device according to claim 1, wherein said central unit comprises means for executing programmed tasks and at least one parameterized task makes use of at least one programmed task.

13. Control device according to claim 12, wherein said means for executing said programmed tasks are connected to said data storage means for executing operations on the data stored in said data storage means.

14. Control device according to claim 12, comprising a microcomputer comprising a memory for storing said tables and parameterized tasks, and at least one interface for coupling to said means for monitoring and/or commanding the operation of said installation, and an interface for communication with at least one remote monitoring centre, and in which microcomputer there is entered a program on one hand for executing the programmed tasks and the parameterized tasks by using said parameterized values stored in said at least one table, and on the other hand for selecting the data to be sent.

15. Control device according to claim 13, comprising a microcomputer comprising a memory for storing said tables and parameterized tasks, and at least one interface for coupling to said means for monitoring and/or commanding the operation of said installation, and an interface for communication with at least one remote monitoring centre, and in which microcomputer there is entered a program on one hand for executing the programmed tasks and the parameterized tasks by using said parameterized values stored in said at least one table, and on the other hand for selecting the data to be sent.

16. Control device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the tables associated with a parameterized task comprises at least two different values for one of the parameters of the considered task.

17. Method for controlling an installation, by using in combination, means for monitoring and/or commanding the operation of said installation, and a central data processing unit adapted to communicate with said means for monitoring and/or commanding for reading, sending and/or processing data concerning the operation of said installation, the method comprising the steps of:

storing in said central unit at least one parameterized task acting on said data concerning the operations of said installation,

storing in said central unit at least one table, each at least one table being associated with a parameterized task and comprising values of the parameters of the considered task for executing said task, at least one of the parameters of said at least one parameterized task being the address of one of the means for monitoring and/or commanding the operation of said installation, and,

executing said parameterized tasks by using said values stored in said at least one table when executing said parameterized tasks.

18. Control method according to claim 17, wherein at least one value of a parameter of a parameterized task is a pointer.

19. Control method according to claim 17, wherein a parameterized task comprises requests for the reading of data by said means for monitoring and/or commanding the operation of said installation.

20. Control method according to claim 17, wherein a parameterized task comprises commands for said monitoring and/or commanding means.

21. Control method according to claim 17, comprising a step of storing a history of data read by said monitoring and/or commanding means, and at least one parameterized task comprises the storing of said data.

22. Control according to claim 17, wherein at least one parameterized task comprises the actuation of an alarm procedure.

23. Control method according to claim 17, wherein said central unit executes programmed tasks and at least one parameterized task makes us of at least one programmed task.