DYNAMICALLY INFERRING VARIABLE DIMENSIONS IN USER-ADDED EQUATIONS

• US 20160140324A1
• Filed: 11/18/2014
• Published: 05/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aveva Software LLC (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Invensys Systems Incorporated (Invensys PLC)
• Inventors: Brown, Harry Scott
• Granted Patent: US 10,331,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G16C 20/10 Analysis or design of chemical reactions, syntheses or processes
• CPC Class Codes: G16C 20/90 Programming languages; Computing architectures; Database systems; Data warehousing

Abstract

A processor executable method, system, and computer-readable media expedite the process of entering equations for use in developing simulations of chemical processes. The process of entering equations is expedited by dynamically inferring the dimensions of variables. The process infers the dimensions of all variables in user-added equations, and infers the dimensions of each variable in a user-added equation sequentially. The process automatically creates variables with unassigned dimensions in response to indications, such as inputs from a user, to declare new equations. The process assigns dimensions to variables based on relations between variables, such as logical relations between the dimensions of variables.

Claims

1. A system for developing a simulation of a chemical process comprising:

a processor;

a memory device coupled to the processor;

an application stored on the memory device and executable by the processor;

a library of equipment models stored on the memory device and accessible by the application; and

instructions stored on the memory device and executable by the processor, wherein said instructions, when executed by the processor, dynamically infer one or more dimensions of variables in a user-added equation to create an updated equipment model, said instructions comprising instructions for;

selectively presenting an interface to a user;

receiving, via the interface, a selection of an equipment model for use in developing the simulation;

determining in response to the received equipment model selection that a corresponding standard equipment model is not present in the library of equipment models accessible by the application;

receiving, via the interface, an indication of one or more newly added equations for use in the received equipment model selection;

rendering automatically created variables with unassigned dimensions for the equations in response to the received indication;

determining whether input is required to assign dimensions to the variables with unassigned dimensions;

automatically assigning dimensions to the variables with unassigned dimensions when input is not required;

verifying that each variable in the equations is assigned a dimension;

transforming the received equipment model selection into the updated equipment model using the equations including the variables with the assigned dimensions; and

storing the updated equipment model in the library of equipment models.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiving the selection and the receiving the indication comprise input from the user via the interface.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the determining whether input is required comprises prompting the user via the interface to provide input necessary to assign dimensions to the variables with unassigned dimensions.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the determining whether input is required and the verifying are based upon logical relations between variable dimensions.

5. A system for developing a simulation of a chemical process comprising:

a processor;

a memory device coupled to the processor;

an application stored on the memory device and executable by the processor;

a library of equipment models stored on the memory device and accessible by the application; and

instructions stored on the memory device and executable by the processor, wherein said instructions, when executed by the processor, dynamically infer a dimension for each variable sequentially in a user-added equation to create an updated equipment model, said instructions comprising instructions for;

receiving, via an interface, a selection of an equipment model for use in developing the simulation;

determining, in response to the received equipment model indication that a corresponding standard equipment model is not present in the library of equipment models accessible by the application;

receiving, via the interface, an indication to create a new variable in an equation containing at least one preexisting variable for use in the received equipment model selection, wherein the preexisting variable has a predefined dimension;

determining whether the dimension of the new variable is assignable based on the preexisting variable;

assessing whether additional indications remain related to the creation of new variables;

assigning dimensions to any dimensionless variables remaining in the equation;

transforming the received equipment model selection into the updated equipment model using the equation including the variables with the assigned dimensions; and

storing the updated equipment model in the library of equipment models.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the determining whether the dimension of the new variable is assignable comprises determining whether any additional variables in the equation are assignable.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the assessing whether additional indications remain comprises receiving an indication via the interface to create a new variable.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the indication comprises input received from a user via the interface.

9. A processor executable method for developing a simulation of a chemical process comprising:

receiving, via an interface, a selection of an equipment model for use in developing the simulation;

determining in response to the received equipment model selection that a corresponding standard equipment model is not present in a model library;

receiving, via the interface, an indication of a newly declared, user-added equation for use in the received equipment model selection;

rendering automatically created variables with unassigned dimensions for the equation in response to the received indication;

determining whether input is required to assign dimensions to the variables with unassigned dimensions;

automatically assigning dimensions to the variables with unassigned dimensions when input is not required;

verifying that each variable in the equation is assigned a dimension, and,

transforming the received equipment model selection into an updated equipment model using the equation including the variables with the assigned dimensions; and

storing the updated equipment model in the model library.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, via the interface, an indication of a request for an additional equation related to the newly declared, user-added equation;

determining whether the additional equation requires the creation of additional variables and rendering automatically created variables with unassigned dimensions in response thereto;

determining whether input is required to assign dimensions to the additional variables with unassigned dimensions;

verifying that each variable in the additional equation is assigned a dimension; and

further transforming the received equipment model selection into the updated equipment model using the additional equation including the additional variables with the assigned dimensions.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the receiving the selection and the receiving the indication comprise input from a user via the interface.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the determining whether input is required comprises prompting a user via the interface to provide input necessary to assign dimensions to the variables with unassigned dimensions.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the determining whether input is required and the verifying are based upon logical relations between variable dimensions.

14. One or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media having executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, perform the method of claim 9.

15. A processor executable method for developing a simulation of a chemical process comprising:

receiving, via an interface, a selection of an equipment model for use in developing the simulation;

determining, in response to the received equipment model indication that a corresponding standard equipment model is not present in a library of equipment models accessible by the application;

receiving an indication, via the interface, to create a new variable in a user-added equation containing at least one preexisting variable for use in the received equipment model selection, wherein the preexisting variable has a predefined dimension;

determining whether the dimension of the new variable is assignable based on the preexisting variable;

assessing whether additional indications remain related to the creation of new variables;

sequentially assigning dimensions to any dimensionless variables remaining in the equation;

transforming the received equipment model selection into an updated equipment model using the equation including the variables with the assigned dimensions; and

storing the updated equipment model in the library of equipment models.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the determining whether the dimension of the new variable is assignable comprises determining whether any additional variables in the equation are assignable.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the assessing whether additional indications remain comprises receiving an indication via the interface to create a new variable.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the indication comprises input received from a user via the interface.

19. One or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media having executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, perform the method of claim 15.