Method and apparatus for distributed process control
First Claim
1. Apparatus for controlling a process in a plant, the process having at least one plant-side automation unit that calculates first process variables using data provided by a monitoring system connected to the automation unit by a first data link, and uses calculated process variables to control the process, said apparatus further comprising:
- at least one external computing unit that is external to the automation unit, said external computing unit being adapted to perform process variable calculations using data provided by the monitoring system that produce second process variables, said external computing unit performing more computation-intensive calculations than the automation unit and calculating the second process variables in parallel with the first process variable calculations performed by the automation unit; and
a distributed communication mechanism connecting said external computing unit to the automation unit, said external computing unit being operatively connected by a second data link to exchange data with the automation unit, said second process variables being executed by the automation unit instead of the first process variables to control the process.
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Abstract
A distributed process control system having at least one automation unit on the plant side that calculates a plurality of first process variables and influences the process that is connected by first data link to a monitoring system that controls and/or monitors the process. The system has an external computing unit that is connected by a distributed communication mechanism to the automation unit and exchanges data with it using a second data link. The external computing unit calculates a plurality of second process variables that the of the automation unit uses to influence the process. A method for extending the function of at least one plant-side automation unit is also disclosed.
19 Citations
12 Claims
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1. Apparatus for controlling a process in a plant, the process having at least one plant-side automation unit that calculates first process variables using data provided by a monitoring system connected to the automation unit by a first data link, and uses calculated process variables to control the process, said apparatus further comprising:
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at least one external computing unit that is external to the automation unit, said external computing unit being adapted to perform process variable calculations using data provided by the monitoring system that produce second process variables, said external computing unit performing more computation-intensive calculations than the automation unit and calculating the second process variables in parallel with the first process variable calculations performed by the automation unit; and a distributed communication mechanism connecting said external computing unit to the automation unit, said external computing unit being operatively connected by a second data link to exchange data with the automation unit, said second process variables being executed by the automation unit instead of the first process variables to control the process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for controlling a process in a plant, the process having at least one plant-side automation unit that uses calculated process variables to control the process, said automation unit being configured to calculate first process variables using data provided by a monitoring system connected by a first data link to the automation unit that monitors data produced by the process, said automation unit being connected by a second data link to at least one external computing unit that is external to the process automation unit, said method comprising the steps of:
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performing more computation-intensive calculations using data provided to at least one external computing unit by the monitoring system that produce second process variables in parallel with the first process variable calculations performed by the automation unit; supplying said second process variables to the automation unit using the a second data link; controlling the process by executing the second process variables in the automation unit instead of the first process variables. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification