Path management for a process system

Claim 2

A path management system for regulating equipment resources and operations thereof which moves process material through a process system, said process system including a control procedure for implementing a specific process application, said path management system comprising: path editor means for building a plurality of path specifications for a specific process application, each path specification defining a different set of equipment resources and sequences of respective equipment resource operations for the specific process application, such that there are multiple path specifications for each specific process application of the process system; at least one database, interconnected to said path editor means, for storing said plurality of path specifications; path selector means for selecting in real-time a single path specification for the specific process application from the plurality of path specifications stored in said database for the specific process application, and for validating in real-time the availability of equipment resources defined by the selected single path specification at a particular instance in time, send path selector means operating in real-time; and path actuator means, initiated by the control procedure, for regulating the equipment resources, based on the selected and validated path specification, to coordinate the sequence of equipment resource operations defined by the selected and validated path specification.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 wherein said path selector means includes means for selecting an alternate path specification from the plurality of path specifications stored in said database if said single path specification is unavailable for the particular instance in time.

Claim 4

In a process system having a plurality of equipment controlled by a digital processor to perform a plurality of processes for providing various products, digital processor apparatus for path management comprising: a database for holding indications of path of the process system, the paths defined from sets of equipment of the process system and sequences of equipment operations of the equipment, such that each path is formed of a specific equipment set and a sequence of corresponding equipment operations to perform the respective desired process of the process system, for each desired process of the process system, there being plural paths indicated in the database, each of the plural paths being defined from at least different sets of equipment than the other paths of said plural paths, such that there are plural different paths for performing the desired process; path selector means coupled between the digital processor and the database for selecting in real-time paths from the database for processes desired to be performed in the process system, for each said desired process, the path selector means operating in real-time by (a) selecting one of the plural paths indicated in the database for that desired process, the path selector means selecting the one path as a function of at least current status of equipment of the path, and (b) providing an indication of the selected path to the digital processor; and at least one path actuator means coupled to the digital processor for receiving therefrom an indication of the path selected by the selector means for a desired process, and the path actuator means operating equipment of the process system according to the selected path to perform the desired process in the process system, such that real-time selection of paths by the path selector means enables the digital processor to control process system equipment to perform desired processes independent of selection of specific equipment for each desired process.

Claim 5

In a process system having a plurality of equipment controlled by a digital processor to perform a plurality of processes for providing various products, digital processor apparatus for path management comprising: a database for holding indications of path of the process system, the paths defined from sets of equipment of the process system and sequences of equipment operations of the equipment, such that each path is formed of a specific equipment set and a sequence of corresponding equipment operations to perform the respective desired process of the process system, for each desired process of the process system, there being plural paths indicated in the database, each of the plural paths being defined from at least different sets of equipment than the other paths of said plural paths, such that there are plural different paths for performing the desired process; path selector means coupled between the digital processor and the database for selecting in real-time paths from the database for processes desired to be performed in the process system, for each said desired process, the path selector means operating in real-time by (a) selecting one of the plural paths indicated in the database for that desired process, the path selector means selecting the one path as a function of at least current status of equipment of the path, and (b) providing an indication of the selected path to the digital processor; and at least one path actuator means coupled to the digital processor for receiving therefrom an indication of the path selected by the selector means for a desired process, and the path actuator means operating equipment of the process system according to the selected path to perform the desired process in the process system, such that real-time selection of paths by the path selector means enables the digital processor to control process system equipment to perform desired processes independent of selection of specific equipment for each desired process.

Claim 6

Digital processor apparatus as claimed in claim 3 where a plurality of path actuator means is coupled to the digital processor for receiving therefrom indications of paths selected by the path selector means for a multiplicity of desired processes, each path actuator means operating equipment of the process system according to a respective selected path to perform a different desired process and coordinating equipment operation with equipment operation of other path actuator means, such that the multiplicity of desired processes are performed simultaneously in the process system.

Claim 7

Digital processor apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the equipment of the process system includes valves, pumps, transfer means and holding means.

Claim 8

Digital processor apparatus as claimed in claim 3 further comprising a path editor for defining paths of the process system, the path editor being connected to the database for transfer of indications of defined paths from the path editor to the database for storage therein.

Claim 9

Digital processor apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the path selector means selects a path as a function of current status of equipment and indications of a source equipment and destination equipment of the desired process.