US5862052A — Process control system using a control strategy i…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 173 words

A control system for controlling a process comprising: a controller coupled to the process; and a software system executing on the controller and implementing a control strategy for controlling the process, the control strategy being defined by a layered hierarchy of modules in a configuration architecture including: a process site layer; one or more physical plant areas in a layer contained within the process site layer, the physical plant areas representing a geographical segmentation or logical segmentation of the process site layer; one or more equipment modules contained within a physical plant area of the one or more physical plant areas, the equipment modules being associated to a specific object of plant equipment; and one or more control modules contained within a physical plant area of the one or more physical plant areas or contained within an equipment module of the one or more equipment modules, the equipment modules and the control modules being elemental modules that contain exclusively one or more primitives, and composite modules that contain one or more elemental modules.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 173 words

A control system for controlling a process comprising: a controller coupled to the process; and a software system executing on the controller and implementing a control strategy for controlling the process, the control strategy being defined by a layered hierarchy of modules in a configuration architecture including: a process site layer; one or more physical plant areas in a layer contained within the process site layer, the physical plant areas representing a geographical segmentation or logical segmentation of the process site layer; one or more equipment modules contained within a physical plant area of the one or more physical plant areas, the equipment modules being associated to a specific object of plant equipment; and one or more control modules contained within a physical plant area of the one or more physical plant areas or contained within an equipment module of the one or more equipment modules, the equipment modules and the control modules being elemental modules that contain exclusively one or more primitives, and composite modules that contain one or more elemental modules.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 31 words

A control system according to claim 1 wherein: the process includes a field device; and an elemental module is an elemental function block defined in accordance with a Fieldbus standard protocol.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 18 words

A control system according to claim 2 wherein: the Fieldbus standard protocol is defined by an attribute set.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 28 words

A control system according to claim 1 wherein: the layered hierarchy of modules further includes a composite module that contains an elemental module and one or more primitives.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 51 words

A control system according to claim 1 further comprising: a user interface coupled to the controller for specifying the control strategy, the control strategy being user-specified by a module type of constituent elemental modules and composite modules, by interconnections between the constituent modules and by input/output connections of the constituent modules.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 21 words

A control system according to claim 5 wherein: the control strategy is user-modifiable by altering input/output connections of a constituent module.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 29 words

A control system according to claim 5 wherein: the control strategy is user-modifiable by extending input/output connections of a lower-level module to input/output connections of a higher level module.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 26 words

A control system according to claim 5 wherein: the user interface for modifying the control strategy is implemented in a plurality of process control programming languages.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 36 words

A control system according to claim 1 wherein the software system further includes: a configuration program for defining the control strategy and installing the control strategy on the controller, the controller retaining the configuration until reconfigured.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 30 words

A control system according to claim 1 wherein the software system implements a control strategy that is scaled in size depending on the size of the process that is controlled.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 22 words

A control system according to claim 1, wherein the control strategy is defined by downloading a control strategy module to the controller.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 24 words

A control system according to claim 1, wherein the control strategy is defined by control strategy modules that are objects in an objectoriented environment.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 206 words

A process control system for controlling a plurality of field devices, the process control system comprising: a plurality of distributed controllers coupled to the field devices for controlling a process; and a distributed software system executing on the plurality of distributed controllers and implementing a control strategy for controlling the process, the control strategy being defined by a layered hierarchy of modules distributed for execution among the plurality of distributed controllers, the hierarchy of modules in a configuration architecture including: a process site layer; one or more physical plant areas in a layer contained within the process site layer, the physical plant areas representing a geographical segmentation or logical segmentation of the process site layer; one or more equipment modules contained within a physical plant area of the one or more physical plant areas, the equipment modules being associated to a specific object of plant equipment; and one or more control modules contained within a physical plant area of the one or more physical plant areas or contained within an equipment module of the one or more equipment modules, the equipment modules and the control modules being elemental modules that contain exclusively one or more primitives, and composite modules that contain one or more elemental modules.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 206 words

A process control system for controlling a plurality of field devices, the process control system comprising: a plurality of distributed controllers coupled to the field devices for controlling a process; and a distributed software system executing on the plurality of distributed controllers and implementing a control strategy for controlling the process, the control strategy being defined by a layered hierarchy of modules distributed for execution among the plurality of distributed controllers, the hierarchy of modules in a configuration architecture including: a process site layer; one or more physical plant areas in a layer contained within the process site layer, the physical plant areas representing a geographical segmentation or logical segmentation of the process site layer; one or more equipment modules contained within a physical plant area of the one or more physical plant areas, the equipment modules being associated to a specific object of plant equipment; and one or more control modules contained within a physical plant area of the one or more physical plant areas or contained within an equipment module of the one or more equipment modules, the equipment modules and the control modules being elemental modules that contain exclusively one or more primitives, and composite modules that contain one or more elemental modules.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 25 words

A process control system according to claim 13 wherein: an elemental module is an elemental function block defined in accordance with a Fieldbus standard protocol.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 19 words

A process control system according to claim 14 wherein: the Fieldbus standard protocol is defined by an attribute set.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 29 words

A process control system according to claim 13 wherein: the layered hierarchy of modules further includes a composite module that contains an elemental module and one or more primitives.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 59 words

A process control system according to claim 13 further comprising: a user interface coupled to the plurality of distributed controllers for specifying the control strategy, the control strategy being user-specified by distribution among controllers, by a module type of constituent elemental modules and composite modules, by interconnections between the constituent modules and by input/output connections of the constituent modules.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 22 words

A process control system according to claim 17 wherein: the control strategy is user-modifiable by altering input/output connections of a constituent module.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 30 words

A process control system according to claim 17 wherein: the control strategy is user-modifiable by extending input/output connections of a lower-level module to input/output connections of a higher level module.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 27 words

A process control system according to claim 17 wherein: the user interface for modifying the control strategy is implemented in a plurality of process control programming languages.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 44 words

A process control system according to claim 13 wherein the distributed software system further includes: a configuration program for defining the control strategy and installing the control strategy on the plurality of distributed controllers, the plurality of distributed controllers retaining the configuration until reconfigured.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 31 words

A process control system according to claim 13 wherein the software system implements a control strategy that is scaled in size depending on the size of the process that is controlled.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 30 words

A process control system according to claim 13, wherein the control strategy is defined by downloading a control strategy module to a selected controller of the plurality of distributed controllers.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 25 words

A process control system according to claim 13, wherein the control strategy is defined by control strategy modules that are objects in an object-oriented environment.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 215 words

A process control system comprising: a plurality of field devices; a plurality of distributed controllers coupled to the field devices for controlling a process; and a distributed software system executing on the plurality of distributed controllers and implementing a control strategy for controlling the process, the control strategy being defined by a layered hierarchy of modules distributed for execution among the plurality of distributed controllers and the plurality of field devices, the hierarchy of modules in a configuration architecture including: a process site layer; one or more physical plant areas in a layer contained within the process site layers the physical plant areas representing a geographical segmentation or logical segmentation of the process site layer; one or more equipment modules contained within a physical plant area of the one or more physical plant areas, the equipment modules being associated to a specific object of plant equipment; and one or more control modules contained within a physical plant area of the one or more physical plant areas or contained within an equipment module of the one or more equipment modules, the equipment modules and the control modules being elemental modules containing exclusively one or more primitives and composite modules that contain exclusively one or more primitives, and composite modules that contain one or more elemental modules.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 215 words

A process control system comprising: a plurality of field devices; a plurality of distributed controllers coupled to the field devices for controlling a process; and a distributed software system executing on the plurality of distributed controllers and implementing a control strategy for controlling the process, the control strategy being defined by a layered hierarchy of modules distributed for execution among the plurality of distributed controllers and the plurality of field devices, the hierarchy of modules in a configuration architecture including: a process site layer; one or more physical plant areas in a layer contained within the process site layers the physical plant areas representing a geographical segmentation or logical segmentation of the process site layer; one or more equipment modules contained within a physical plant area of the one or more physical plant areas, the equipment modules being associated to a specific object of plant equipment; and one or more control modules contained within a physical plant area of the one or more physical plant areas or contained within an equipment module of the one or more equipment modules, the equipment modules and the control modules being elemental modules containing exclusively one or more primitives and composite modules that contain exclusively one or more primitives, and composite modules that contain one or more elemental modules.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 22 words

A process control system according to claim 25 wherein: the plurality of field devices include smart-type field devices and non-smart-type field devices.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 22 words

A process control system according to claim 25 wherein: the plurality of field devices include Fieldbus-standard field devices and non-Fieldbus-standard field devices.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 25 words

A process control system according to claim 25 wherein: an elemental module is an elemental function block defined in accordance with a Fieldbus standard protocol.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 19 words

A process control system according to claim 28 wherein: the Fieldbus standard protocol is defined by an attribute set.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 29 words

A process control system according to claim 25 wherein: the layered hierarchy of modules further includes a composite module that contains an elemental module and one or more primitives.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 59 words

A process control system according to claim 25 further comprising: a user interface coupled to the plurality of distributed controllers for specifying the control strategy, the control strategy being user-specified by distribution among controllers, by a module type of constituent elemental modules and composite modules, by interconnections between the constituent modules and by input/output connections of the constituent modules.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 22 words

A process control system according to claim 31 wherein: the control strategy is user-modifiable by altering input/output connections of a constituent module.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 30 words

A process control system according to claim 31 wherein: the control strategy is user-modifiable by extending input/output connections of a lower-level module to input/output connections of a higher level module.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 27 words

A process control system according to claim 31 wherein: the user interface for modifying the control strategy is implemented in a plurality of process control programming languages.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 44 words

A process control system according to claim 25 wherein the distributed software system further includes: a configuration program for defining the control strategy and installing the control strategy on the plurality of distributed controllers, the plurality of distributed controllers retaining the configuration until reconfigured.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 31 words

A process control system according to claim 25 wherein the software system implements a control strategy that is scaled in size depending on the size of the process that is controlled.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 168 words

A control system for controlling a process under direction of a user, the control system comprising: a controller coupled to the process; and a software system executing on the controller and implementing a control strategy for controlling the process, the control strategy being defined by an hierarchy of layers including: a site layer; a plurality of physical plant areas allocated within the site layer; a plurality of equipment modules allocated within the plurality of physical plant areas, the equipment modules including composite equipment modules that contain other equipment modules; and a plurality of control modules allocated within a plant area of the plurality of physical plant areas or within an equipment module of the plurality of equipment modules, the control modules being objects of a container class, a control module of the plurality of control modules having a specified task and a predefined external interface, the control module being encapsulated in the software system and accessed through the predefined external interfaces so that the control module is user-modifiable.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 168 words

A control system for controlling a process under direction of a user, the control system comprising: a controller coupled to the process; and a software system executing on the controller and implementing a control strategy for controlling the process, the control strategy being defined by an hierarchy of layers including: a site layer; a plurality of physical plant areas allocated within the site layer; a plurality of equipment modules allocated within the plurality of physical plant areas, the equipment modules including composite equipment modules that contain other equipment modules; and a plurality of control modules allocated within a plant area of the plurality of physical plant areas or within an equipment module of the plurality of equipment modules, the control modules being objects of a container class, a control module of the plurality of control modules having a specified task and a predefined external interface, the control module being encapsulated in the software system and accessed through the predefined external interfaces so that the control module is user-modifiable.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 17 words

A control system according to claim 37, wherein the specified task of the control module is user-modifiable.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 15 words

A control system according to claim 37, wherein the predefined external interfaces a re user-modifiable.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 35 words

A control system according to claim 1 wherein: the configuration architecture is defined by a defined and specific set of users for visualizing system object relationships and locations, and for communicating or navigating among modules.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 36 words

A process control system according to claim 13 wherein: the configuration architecture is defined by a defined and specific set of users for visualizing system object relationships and locations, and for communicating or navigating among modules.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 36 words

A process control system according to claim 25 wherein: the configuration architecture is defined by a defined and specific set of users for visualizing system object relationships and locations, and for communicating or navigating among modules.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-01-18	2002-07-20	2003-01-19	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-01-18	2006-07-20	2007-01-19	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-01-18	2010-07-20	2011-01-19	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Process control system using a control strategy implemented in a layered hierarchy of control modules

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