# US 10,501,719 B2 · Methods and apparatus to implement flexible bioreactor control systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,501,719 B2 - Document ID: US10501719B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/424,699 - Filed: 2013-09-16 - Published: 2015-08-06 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2012-09-14 - Assignees: GE Healthcare Bio-Sciences AB - Applicants: Ge Healthcare Bio-Sciences Corp. - Inventors: Scott A. Mangiacotti - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10501719B2 ## CPC - C12M 41/48: {Automatic or computerized control (automatic analysis G01N35/00)} - B67D 1/0027: {control of the amount of one component, the amount of the other components(s) being dependent on that control} - B67D 1/0041: {Fully automated cocktail bars, i.e. apparatuses combining the use of packaged beverages, pre-mix and post-mix dispensers} - C12M 1/36: including condition or time responsive control, e.g. automatically controlled fermentors (controlling or regulating in general G05) - G05B 19/00: Program-control systems - G05B 19/0426: {Programming the control sequence} - G06F 8/36: Software reuse - G05B 2219/32097: Recipe programming for flexible batch - C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS} - B67D: DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes B08B9/02; emptying or filling of bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels, or similar containers, not otherwise provided for B67C; water supply E03; pipe systems F17D; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D; measuring volume, volume flow, mass flow or liquid level, metering by volume G01F; coin-freed or like apparatus G07F) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed herein to implement flexible bioreactor control systems. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes a processor coupled to a memory, the processor programmed to determine whether the map value included in the process task object is a valid map value, the process task object to correspond to a task executed by a bioreactor, a control device or a measurement device of the bioreactor control system configuration, in response to determining the map value is a valid map value, decode the map value to identify the source location of a first input of the process task object, pull a value from the source location to update the input value of the process task object, and facilitate execution of the process task with the input value. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for configuring a bioreactor control system comprising: a memory device that stores a process task object that defines a process task to be executed by a first process control device of the bioreactor control system, the first process control device having an input mapped to an output of a second process control device of the bioreactor control system, the process task object including a map value that identifies a source location for an input value of the process task object, the input value defined by a third process control device of the bioreactor control system; a hardware abstractor in electronic communication with a data bus disposed in the bioreactor control system that connects the hardware abstractor to the first, the second, and the third process control devices; and a processor coupled to the memory device and the hardware abstractor and configured to: determine whether the map value is a valid map value; decode the map value to identify the source location; pull a value from the source location via the hardware abstractor to update the input value; and configure the process task to be executed with the input value via the first process control device and the hardware abstractor such that the input of the first process control device is mapped to an output of the third process control device; and wherein the process task defines an action for producing a product, the first process control device preforms the action defined by the process task, and the first, the second, and the third process control devices are each one of a bioreactor, a pump, a flow control device, a valve, an agitator, a ph sensor, a temperature sensor, a dissolved oxygen sensor, a pressure gauge, a concentration gauge, and a flow meter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the map value identifies an output of a second process task object. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the map value identifies a table entry. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the process task object is one of a plurality of process task objects included in a process recipe. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the process recipe defines a sequence of actions within the bioreactor control system configuration to produce the product. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein decoding the map value further comprises determining, via the processor, a device type and a device number. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the process task transforms the input value into an output value when executed. ### Claim 8 A method for configuring a bioreactor control system comprising: determining, via a processor of an apparatus for configuring the bioreactor control system, whether a map value included in a process task object stored in a memory device of the apparatus for configuring the bioreactor control system is a valid map value, the process task object corresponding to a task executed by a first process control device of the bioreactor control system, the first process control device having an input mapped to an output of a second process control device of the bioreactor control system, and the map value identifying a source location for an input value of the process task object, the input value defined by a third process control device of the bioreactor control system; responsive to determining the map value is a valid map value, pulling, via a hardware abstractor in electronic communication with a data bus disposed in the bioreactor control system and connected to the first, the second, and the third process control devices and operative to facilitate electronic communication between the processor and the first, the second, and the third process control devices, a value from the source location to update the input value of the process task object; and configuring, via the processor and the hardware abstractor, the process task to be executed with the input value via the first process control device such that the input of the first process control device is mapped to an output of the third process control device; and wherein the process task defines an action for producing a product, the first process control device preforms the action defined by the process task, and the first, the second, and the third process control devices are each one of a bioreactor, a pump, a flow control device, a valve, an agitator, a ph sensor, a temperature sensor, a dissolved oxygen sensor, a pressure gauge, a concentration gauge, and a flow meter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the map value identifies an output of a second process task object. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the map value identifies a table entry. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the process task object is one of a plurality of process task objects included in a process recipe. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A method as defined in claim 11, wherein the process recipe defines a sequence of actions within the bioreactor control system configuration to produce the product. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) A method as defined in claim 8, wherein decoding the map value further comprises determining a device type and a device number of a process control device in the bioreactor control system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) A method as defined in claim 8, wherein configuring, via the processor, the process task to be executed with the input value via the first process control device further comprises transforming the input value into an output value. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions that, when executed, cause a processor of an apparatus for configuring a bioreactor control system to at least: determine whether a map value included in a process task object stored in a memory device of the apparatus for configuring the bioreactor control system is a valid map value, the process task object to correspond to a task executed by a first process control device of a bioreactor control system, the first process control device having an input mapped to an output of a second process control device of the bioreactor system, and the map value to identify a source location for an input value of the process task object, the input value defined by a third process control device of the bioreactor control system; in response to determining the map value is a valid map value, decode the map value to identify the source location of a first input of the process task object; pull a value from the source location to update the input value of the process task object via a hardware abstractor in electronic communication with a data bus disposed in the bioreactor control system and connected to the first, the second, and the third process control devices and operative to facilitate electronic communication between the processor and the first, the second, and the third process control devices; and configure the process task, via the hardware abstractor, to be executed with the input value via the first process control device such that the input of the first process control device is mapped to an output of the third process control device; and wherein the process task defines an action for producing a product, the first process control device preforms the action defined by the process task, and the first, the second, and the third process control devices are each one of a bioreactor, a pump, a flow control device, a valve, an agitator, a ph sensor, a temperature sensor, a dissolved oxygen sensor, a pressure gauge, a concentration gauge, and a flow meter. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the map value identifies an output of a second process task object. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the map value identifies a table entry. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the process task object is one of a plurality of process task objects included in a process recipe. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 18, wherein the process recipe defines a sequence of actions within the bioreactor control system configuration to produce the product. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 15, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to determine a device type and a device number. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 15, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to transform the input value into an output value.