Fluid control apparatus, fluid control device, and operation analysis system

A fluid controller, comprising a plurality of fluid supply lines, each comprising a respective plurality of control devices connected to one another in a manner forming a route for a fluid, two or more of the fluid control devices being valves, each configured to switch, responsive to a respective opening-closing actuating control, between an open position and a closed position, and one of the fluid control devices comprising a respective flow rate controller, and the fluid controller further comprises:

• an external terminal, comprising a terminal-based communication means, and configured to selectively perform a diagnosing process;
• arranged with each valve in each of the fluid supply lines an operation information acquisition mechanism comprising a plurality of sensors configured to acquire an operation information in the valve, the operation information including:
• a state of the respective opening-closing actuating control received by the valve,
• an open-close position of the valve, and
• an affecting data indicating a measurement of a flow into the valve and/or measurement of a pressure within the valve, the measurements being sufficient for an analysis process to quantify an affecting of the flow and the pressure caused by movements by another of the valves in the fluid supply line;
• an identification information storage means that includes a device information storage arranged in each of the fluid control devices, storing a self-identification information for the fluid control device;
• and
• a communication processing means configured to transmit to the external terminal the operation information acquired in each valve in each of the fluid supply lines, the transmissions including the self-identification information of the valves, and being at different timings for each of the valves,
• wherein the diagnosing process is configurable for a selectable subject valve among the valves in a subject one of the fluid supply lines, and is configured to:
• cause a diagnosing mode movement of the subject valve, the diagnosing mode movement being configured to affect a flow into and/or a pressure in a related other valve in the subject fluid supply line,
• request the respective operation information acquisition mechanism of the related other valve to acquire an update of the related other valve's operation information and to transmit the update to the external terminal, and
• discriminate, based at least in part on the update of the related other valve's operation information, in combination with the identification information of the related other valve, a condition of the subject valve.