Computer based system for imaging and analyzing a process system and indicating values of specific design changes

• US 6,202,043 B1
• Filed: 02/08/1999
• Issued: 03/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IHS Global Incorporated (Markit Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Invention Machine Corporation (S&P Global Inc.)
• Inventors: Tsourikov, Valery, Litvin, Simon S., Koshevoy, Oleg E., Devoino, Igor G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOI, KYLE JAEHUN
• Application Number:
  US09/245,669
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 703/1, 703/6, 703/7, 703/13, 703/14, 700/28, 700/29, 700/31, 700/32, 700/104, 705/7, 705/8, 705/9
• US Class Current: 703/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30

Abstract

A computer system for analyzing and automatically modifying existing process system models that includes (i) an Initial Data stage that prompts the user to enter qualitative and quantitative objectives in designing or re-designing a Process System, (ii) a Component Model stage that displays an image of the sequence of components produced or added during the process and that allows the user to edit or complete the Component Model display that includes components, which are produced during the process, operations that produce them, and functions, each consisting of an element or tool that causes an action and an element or tool that receives the action, (iii) a Process (Functional) Analysis stage that includes functional and interaction relationships of the functions and operations designating each function as harmful or useful, and ranking each useful function according to the value of its contribution to the respective operation, and performing a value link analysis of each function including the level of the function performance (insufficient, excessive), defining parameters and designating their values and their dependencies in time and space, and comparing between actual and required parameters, (iv) a trimming routine for eliminating or simplifying an operation in a process, while retaining or transferring its useful functions by calculating the values of and ranking the operations or functions to identify the best-to-least function candidate for elimination or transfer, and (v) a trimming routine that generates a recommended list, in priority, of problem, to be solved to achieve the function trimming.

Claims

1. A digital computer system having a computer readable storage medium comprising a process system analysis module for analyzing a process system, said process analysis system module comprising:

a component model unit responsive to user entered component model data for storing said component model data and generating on the computer screen a visual representation of a component model of the process system including said functional model components, manufacturing operations that produce each manufacturing component, and functions that form each operation,

each function comprising an element or tool that performs an action and an element or tool that receives the action,

a process analysis unit including a link analysis routine which is responsive to user entry to store and display logic links between functions of each operation and between functions of each operation and functions of other operations and to store and display link data representing one of at least three types for each link,

a trimming unit comprising a stored set of rules, analyzing component model data and link data against said rules for generating recommendations for the elimination or transfer of some of said functions and designation of the relative importance to the modification of the process system of each recommendation, and wherein

said process system analysis module displays said representation of said some of said functions and representations of said designation.

2. The digital computer system as set forth in claim 1 wherein

said component model data includes a sequence of said functions in each said operation, at least one of cost, energy consumption, actuation time of each function.

3. The digital computer system as set forth in claim 1 wherein

said link data includes four types including Harmful, Providing, Corrective and Productive.

4. The digital computer system as set forth in claim 1 wherein

said link data includes function performance data.

5. The digtal computer systems set in claim 1 wherein

said link data includes time, space, and parameter dependencies.

6. The digital computer system as set forth in claim 5 wherein

said link data includes a quantitative representation of the significance of each function.

7. The digital computer system as set forth in claim 5 wherein

said component model data includes a quantitative representation of the actual and required behavior for each parameter of each function.

8. The digital computer system as set forth in claim 1 wherein

said model data includes for each function, function rank, problem rank, and cost data.

9. The digital computer system as set forth in claim 1 wherein

said process analysis unit includes (i) a trimming/transfer set criterion routine including a trimming/transfer algorithm and (ii) an integrated operation evaluation routine for determining and displaying in table form or graphically the priority order of each function of each operation as a candidate for transfer or elimination and in response to the function rank, problem rank, and cost of the trimming factor of each function.

10. The digital computer system as set forth in claim 1 wherein

said trimming unit displays portions of said component model displaying the operation from which a function is recommended or selected for transfer and the operation to which a function is transferred and representations showing the transfer.

11. The digital computer system as set forth in claim 1 wherein

said trimming unit displays portions of said component model displaying one or more trimming conditions in rank order of significance to process improvement which trimming conditions can be selected selectively by the user.

12. The digital computer system as set forth in claim 1 wherein

said trimming unit displays portions of said component model displaying the operation from which a function is recommended or selected for elimination and the operation and function which is effected by said elimination.

13. The digital computer system as set forth in claim 1 wherein

said trimming unit displays portions of said component model displaying the operations and functions between which a link is recommended or selected for elimination.

14. The digital computer system as set forth in claim 1 wherein

the trimming unit generates representations of a modified component model showing transferred and eliminated operations, functions, and links.

15. The digital computer system as set forth in claim 1 wherein

said process analysis system further comprises a problem manager unit for generating representations of a list of problems to be solved with indications of the most significant to least significant function transfer or elimination problems which if solved would yield the most to the least improvement to the process system.

16. In a digital computer system, a method of analyzing a process system comprising:

storing user entered component model data,

using at least a portion of stored component model data for generating and displaying on the computer monitor a visual representation of a component model of the process system including functional model components, manufacturing operations that produce each component, and functions that form each manufacturing operation, each function comprising an element or tool that performs an action and an element or tool that receives the action, storing and displaying logic links between functions of each operation and between functions of each operation and functions of other operations, and storing and displaying link data representing one of at least three types for each link,

storing a set of trimming rules,

analyzing component model data and link data against said rules and generating recommendations for the elimination or transfer to other operations of some of said functions and designating the relative importance to the modification of the process system of each recommendation, and

displaying said representation of said some of said functions and representations of said importance designations.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein

said component model data and said component model includes a sequence of said functions in each said operation, and at least one of cost, energy consumption, actuation time of each function.

18. The method according to claim 16 wherein

said link data includes four types including Harmful, Providing, Corrective and Productive.

19. The method according to claim 16 wherein

said link data includes function performance data.

20. The method according to claim 16 wherein

said link data includes time, space, and parameter dependencies.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein

said link data includes a quantitative representation of the significance of each function.

22. The method according to claim 20 wherein

said component model data includes a quantitative representation of the actual and required behavior for each parameter of each function.

23. The method according to claim 16 wherein

said component model data includes for each function, function rank, problem rank, and cost data.

24. The method according to claim 16 further comprising storing function rank, problem rank, and cost data for each function, storing a trimming/transfer algorithm for generating a trimming factor using the stored function rank, problem rank, and cost data, and

determining and displaying in table form or graphically the trimming factor priority order of each function of each operation as a candidate for transfer or elimination.

25. The method according to claim 16 further comprising displaying portions of said component model showing the operation from which a function is recommended or selected for transfer and the operation to which a function is transferred and representations showing the transfer.

26. The method according to claim 16 further comprising displaying portions of said component model showing one or more trimming conditions in rank order of significance to process improvement with trimming conditions can be selected selectively by the user.

27. The method according to claim 16 further comprising displaying portions of said component model showing the operation from which a function is recommended or selected for elimination and the operation and function which is effected by said elimination.

28. The method according to claim 16 further comprising displaying portions of said component model showing the operations and functions between which a link is recommended or selected for elimination.

29. The method according to claim 16 further comprising generating representations of a modified component model showing transferred and eliminated operations, functions, and links.

30. The method according to claim 16 further comprising generating and displaying representations of a list of problems to be solved with indications of the most significant to least significant function transfer or elimination problems which if solved would yield the most to the least improvement to the process system.