Integrated bio-reactor monitor and control system
First Claim
1. A method of controlling a bioreactor with a control system having a controller configured with a bioreactor process, the controller coupled to a bioreactor utility tower configured with a monitoring system that transmits information related to a condition of the bioreactor to the controller, a supply system which supplies a substance to the bioreactor in response to a first control signal, and an agitation system which agitates a solution in the bioreactor in response to the first control signal, the method comprising:
- receiving in the monitoring system sensor data related to a first condition in the bioreactor;
sending information related to the sensor data from the monitoring system to the controller over a first communication network;
receiving the information related to the sensor data in the controller;
determining, in the controller, a first control action for the utility tower to perform that will change the first condition in the bioreactor, the first control action being based on the information related to the sensor data received by the controller and the bioreactor process;
generating the first control signal in the controller corresponding to the first control action;
sending the first control signal from the controller to the utility tower over a second communication network to direct the utility tower to perform the first control action; and
performing, in the utility tower, the first control action to change the first condition in the bioreactor, wherein performing the first control action in the utility tower comprises one of supplying a substance to the bioreactor from the supply system and agitating the solution in the bioreactor using the agitation system.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for automatically controlling conditions of a process are disclosed. In one example, a controller is programmed with a sequence of steps and parameters required to carry out a bioreactor process. The controller receives information related to a condition of the process over a first communication network, determines a control signal based on the received information and the programmed process, and sends the control signal over a second communication network to a benchtop utility tower. In one example, the utility tower can include transmitters for temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen that send information related to a condition of the process to the controller over the first communication network, and an agitation system, a gas control system, a temperature control system and a pump control system that perform a control action based on the control signal affecting the process condition. The utility tower can include a computer with a human-machine interface that communicates with the controller over a third communication network.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A method of controlling a bioreactor with a control system having a controller configured with a bioreactor process, the controller coupled to a bioreactor utility tower configured with a monitoring system that transmits information related to a condition of the bioreactor to the controller, a supply system which supplies a substance to the bioreactor in response to a first control signal, and an agitation system which agitates a solution in the bioreactor in response to the first control signal, the method comprising:
-
receiving in the monitoring system sensor data related to a first condition in the bioreactor; sending information related to the sensor data from the monitoring system to the controller over a first communication network; receiving the information related to the sensor data in the controller; determining, in the controller, a first control action for the utility tower to perform that will change the first condition in the bioreactor, the first control action being based on the information related to the sensor data received by the controller and the bioreactor process; generating the first control signal in the controller corresponding to the first control action; sending the first control signal from the controller to the utility tower over a second communication network to direct the utility tower to perform the first control action; and performing, in the utility tower, the first control action to change the first condition in the bioreactor, wherein performing the first control action in the utility tower comprises one of supplying a substance to the bioreactor from the supply system and agitating the solution in the bioreactor using the agitation system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method of controlling a bioreactor with a control system having a controller configured with a bioreactor process, the controller coupled to a bioreactor utility tower configured with a bioreactor monitoring system, the control system also having a bioreactor supply system and an agitation system, the method comprising:
-
monitoring a condition in the bioreactor; sending information related to the condition from the utility tower to the controller over a first communication network; determining, in the controller, a control action that will affect media in the bioreactor, the control action being based on the information related to the condition and on the bioreactor process; and sending a control signal from the controller to the utility tower over a second communication network to perform the control action. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
-
Specification