Configuration and viewing display for an integrated model predictive control and optimizer function block

• US 7,330,767 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2002
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Wojsznis, Wilhelm, Blevins, Terry, Ottenbacher, Ron, Thiele, Dirk
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight; Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang; Sunray
• Application Number:
  US10/310,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20040049300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,895 Days
• Field of Search: 700/29, 700/44, 700/1, 700/11, 700/17, 717/121, 717/113, 703/2, 345/156
• US Class Current: 700/29
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 11/32 with inputs from more than one sensing element; with outputs to more than one correcting element
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/042 in which a parameter or coefficient is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/048 using a predictor

Abstract

An interface or display routine is provided for use in viewing and configuring a function block that performs integrated optimization and control within a process control system. The interface routine may enable a user to view or configure variables, values or other parameters associated with the integrated optimization and control block within the process control system. For example, the interface routine may display the current operating state of the integrated function block, may enable a user to select inputs and output of the function block for use in providing integrated optimization and control, may enable a user to select a particular or desired optimization function for use in the function block, etc. The interface routine may also display the multiple input output curves associated with the optimizer and the controller sections of the integrated function block in a manner that provides ease of view and selection of these curves as part of the algorithm used by the integrated function block.

Claims

1. A process control configuration system for use in creating or viewing a control block having an integrated optimizer and a multiple-input/multiple-output control routine, comprising:

a computer readable medium;

a configuration routine stored on the computer readable medium for execution on a processor, the configuration routine including;

a storage routine that stores information pertaining to a plurality of control and auxiliary variables and to a multiplicity of manipulated variables used by the integrated optimizer and the multiple-input/multiple-output control routine;

a display routine that presents a display to a user regarding one or more of the control, auxiliary and manipulated variables; and

wherein the display routine when executed further displays a screen that enables a user to view stored information pertaining to one of the set of manipulated variables, the set of control variables and the set of auxiliary variables and tabs associated with the others of the set of the manipulated variables, the set of the control variables and the set of the auxiliary variables which can be selected to view the others of the set of the manipulated variables, the set of the control variables and the set of the auxiliary variables, and a multiplicity of parameters associated with each variable within the one of the set of control variables, the set of auxiliary variables, the set of the manipulated variables and a communication path name as one of the multiplicity of parameters.

2. The process control configuration system of claim 1, wherein the storage routine when executed stores a plurality of response curves, each of the response curves defining the response of one of the control and auxiliary variables to one of the manipulated variables and wherein the display routine when executed prestents on the display a subset of the response curves to be viewed by a user, the subset of the response curves including the response of each of the control and auxiliary variables to one of the manipulated variables.

3. The process control configuration system of claim 2, wherein the configuration routine includes a first routine that enables a user to select one of the control and auxiliary variables as being best responsive to one of the manipulated variables on the display.

4. The process control configuration system of claim 2, wherein the configuration routine further includes a selection routine that provides one of the response curves selected by the user to the optimizer for use by the optimizer to perform process related operations.

5. The process control configuration system of claim 1, wherein the storage routine when executed stores a plurality of response curves, each of the response curves defining the response of one of the control and auxiliary variables to one of the manipulated variables and wherein the display routine when executed presents on the display a subset of the response curves to be viewed by a user, the subset of the response curves including the response of one of the control and auxiliary variables to each or the manipulated variables.

6. The process control configuration system of claim 4, wherein the configuration routine that enables a user to select one of the control and auxiliary variables as being best responsive to one of the manipulated variables on the display.

7. The process control configuration system of claim 5, wherein the first routine enables the user to select one of the control and auxiliary variables as being best responsive to one of the manipulated variables by selecting one of the response curves.

8. The process control configuration system of claim 6, wherein the display routine when executed displays a response curve associated with a previously selected one of the control and auxiliary variables in a manner to indicate that the control or auxiliary variable has been previously selected as being best responsive to one of the manipulated variables.

9. The process control configuration system of claim 1, wherein the storage routine when executed stores a plurality of response curves, each of the response curves defining the response of one of the control and auxiliary variables to one of the manipulated variables and wherein the display routine when executed operates, in a first setting, to display a subset of the plurality of the response curves including the response of each of the control and auxiliary variables to one of the manipulated variables and operates, in a second setting, to display a subset of the plurality of the response curves including the response of one of the control and auxiliary variable to each of the manipulated variables.

10. The process control configuration system of claim 9, wherein the configuration routine includes a first routine that enables a user to select one of the control and auxiliary variables as being best responsive to one of the manipulated variables on the display.

11. The process control configuration system of claim 9, wherein the display routine when executed displays the response curves for each one of the control and auxiliary variables to each one of the manipulated variables, with only the response curves for a single one of the control and auxiliary variables being displayed at the same time.

12. The process control configuration system of claim 9, wherein the display routine when executed displays the response curves for each one of the control and auxiliary variables to each one of the manipulated variables, with only the response curves for a single one of the manipulated variables being displayed at the same time.

13. The process control configuration system of claim 9, wherein the display routine when executed enables a user to copy one of the response curves and to paste the copied one of the response curves in a different control block.

14. The process control configuration system of claim 1, wherein the display routine when executed displays a variable name as one of the muitiplicity of parameters.

15. The process control configuration system of claim 1, wherein the display routine when executed displays one or more limits as one of the multiplicity of parameters.

16. The process control configuration system of claim 1, wherein the display routine when executed displays a set point as one of the multiplicity of parameters.

17. The process control configuration system of claim 1, wherein the display routine when executed displays a priority indication as one of the multiplicity of parameters.

18. The process control configuration system of claim 1, wherein the display routine when executed displays a profit or cost indication to be used by the optimizer as one of the multiplicity of parameters.

19. The process control configuration system of claim 1, wherein the display routine when executed enables a user to add or delete one or more of the displayed control, auxiliary or manipulated variables.

20. The process control configuration system of claim 1, wherein the storage routine when executed stores a set of objective functions for use in the optimizer and wherein the display routine when executed presents indications of the objective functions to the user via the display and enables the user to select one of the set of objective functions as the objective function to use within the optimizer.

21. The process control configuration system of claim 1, wherein the display routine when executed displays a diagnostics screen that displays diagnostic information pertaining to at least one set of the control, auxiliary and manipulated variables.

22. The process control configuration system of claim 21, wherein the diagnostic information includes names of the control, auxiliary or manipulated variables within the at least one sex of the control, auxiliary and manipulated variables.

23. The process control configuration system of claim 21, wherein the diagnostic information includes status indications of the control, auxiliary or manipulated variables within the at least one set of the control, auxiliary and manipulated variables.

24. The process control configuration system of claim 21, wherein the diagnostic information includes values of the control, auxiliary or manipulated variables within the at least one set of the control, auxiliary and manipulated variables.

25. The process control configuration system of claim 21, wherein the diagnostic information includes an alarm or alert indication for one or more of the control, auxiliary or manipulated variables within the at least one set of the control, auxiliary and manipulated variables.

26. The process control configuration system of claim 1, wherein the display routine when executed displays a viewing screen that displays current information pertaining to at least one set of the control, auxiliary and manipulated variables.

27. The process control configuration system of claim 26, wherein the current information includes a current value for each of one or more of the control, auxiliary or manipulated variables within the at least one set of the control, auxiliary and manipulated variables.

28. The process control configuration system of claim 26, wherein the current information includes a prediction value for each of one or more of the control, auxiliary or manipulated variables within the at least one set of the control, auxiliary and manipulated variables.

29. The process control configuration system of claim 26, wherein the current information includes a limit value for each of one or more of the control, auxiliary or manipulated variables within the at least one set of the control, auxiliary and manipulated variables.

30. The process control configuration system of claim 26, wherein the current information includes a target value for each of one or more of the control, auxiliary or manipulated variables within the at least one set of the control, auxiliary and manipulated variables.

31. The process control configuration system of claim 1, wherein the configuration routine further includes a selection routine that provides at least one of the control, auxiliary and manipulated variables selected by the user to the optimizer for use by the optimizer to perform process related operations.