Equipment procurement method and system
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for replacement of equipment in a plant arranged with an industrial control system, the method comprising:
- providing a computer-based industrial control system for industrial process or manufacturing control, the computer-based control system comprising;
a plurality of model objects, each model object of the plurality of model objects representing an item of equipment and containing at least one reference to a plurality of aspects, each aspect of the plurality of aspects representing an item of information or functionality related to the item of equipment; and
wherein the plurality of aspects comprises at least one first aspect related to control of the item of equipment and at least one second aspect operable to provide information and functionality for use in initiating procurement of a replacement for the item of equipment;
monitoring, via the industrial control system, a plurality of industrial equipment operational data;
conducting, via the at least one second aspect, e-procurement operations, wherein at least one replacement device complying with a defined specification may be procured from at least one external supplier;
linking the at least one second aspect with the at least one first aspect for representing and managing the plurality of industrial equipment operational data associated with said equipment in said industrial control system;
selecting the at least one second aspect for procurement; and
initiating, via functions provided by the at least one second aspect, e-procurement operations responsive to the industrial equipment operational data.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer-implemented method for the replacement of equipment in a process control system for an industrial plant, in which a replacement operation is conducted at least in part by means of a first software application component for conducting e-procurement operations whereby one or more replacement devices complying with a defined specification may be procured from one or more external suppliers, which component is functionally linked with at least one second software application component for managing runtime operational data associated with said equipment, such that e-procurement operations may be initiated via said at least one second software application component.
13 Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A computer-implemented method for replacement of equipment in a plant arranged with an industrial control system, the method comprising:
-
providing a computer-based industrial control system for industrial process or manufacturing control, the computer-based control system comprising; a plurality of model objects, each model object of the plurality of model objects representing an item of equipment and containing at least one reference to a plurality of aspects, each aspect of the plurality of aspects representing an item of information or functionality related to the item of equipment; and wherein the plurality of aspects comprises at least one first aspect related to control of the item of equipment and at least one second aspect operable to provide information and functionality for use in initiating procurement of a replacement for the item of equipment; monitoring, via the industrial control system, a plurality of industrial equipment operational data; conducting, via the at least one second aspect, e-procurement operations, wherein at least one replacement device complying with a defined specification may be procured from at least one external supplier; linking the at least one second aspect with the at least one first aspect for representing and managing the plurality of industrial equipment operational data associated with said equipment in said industrial control system; selecting the at least one second aspect for procurement; and initiating, via functions provided by the at least one second aspect, e-procurement operations responsive to the industrial equipment operational data. - 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. A procurement system for ordering equipment for an industrial plant, said system operable for transmitting information including a specification for said equipment and operable for communication with suppliers over a network, the procurement system comprising:
-
a computer-based industrial control system operable to monitor industrial equipment operational data, the industrial control system comprising; a plurality of model objects, each model object of the plurality of model objects representing an item of equipment and containing at least one reference to a plurality of aspects, each aspect of the plurality of aspects representing an item of information or functionality related to the item of equipment; wherein the plurality of aspects comprises at least one first aspect related to control of the item of equipment and at least one second aspect operable to provide information and functionality for use in initiating procurement of a replacement device for the item of equipment; and a first software application component, corresponding to the at least one first aspect, operable to conduct e-procurement operations, and procure the replacement device complying with a defined specification from at least one external supplier; a functional link between said first software application component and at least one second software application component, corresponding to the at least one second aspect, selected for procurement, for managing industrial equipment operational data associated with the item of equipment in said computer-based industrial control system; and e-procurement operations, initiated via said at least one second software application component responsive to said industrial equipment operational data. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
-
-
30. A computer program contained in a computer readable medium, comprising computer program code operable to make a computer or processor carry out the steps of:
-
monitoring, via an industrial control system, a plurality of industrial equipment operational data; wherein, each item of industrial equipment is represented by a model object of a plurality of model objects, each model object containing a reference to a plurality of aspects, each aspect of the plurality of aspects representing an item of information or functionality related to the item of equipment; wherein the plurality of aspects comprises at least one first aspect related to control of the item of industrial equipment and at least one second aspect operable to provide information and functionality for use in initiating procurement of a replacement for the item of equipment; conducting, via the at least one first aspect, e-procurement operations, wherein at least one replacement device complying with a defined specification may be procured from at least one external supplier; linking the at least one first aspect with the at least one second aspect for representing and managing the plurality of industrial equipment operational data associated with an equipment; selecting the at least one second aspect for procurement; and initiating e-procurement operations, via said at least one second aspect, responsive to the plurality of industrial equipment operational data associated with said equipment.
-
Specification