System and method for real-time activity-based accounting
AssigneeInvensys Systems, Inc.
InventorsPeter G. Martin, Janet Lee Casler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An accounting method and system is disclosed that provides for real time financial accounting of plant performance at a sub-plant level. A multiplicity of process variable transmitters is utilized to sense, in real time, the current state of the processes and process equipment used in a manufacturing plant. Sub-plant accounting modules utilize the sensed process data to calculate a plurality of sub-plant accounting measures, which are stored in one or more real time plant historian. The accounting measures are typically converted to a suitable format and subsequently stored in a production model accounting database where they are accessible to an accounting module.
Claims29
A real-time activity based accounting system for a manufacturing plant having at least one manufacturing process, said accounting system comprising:
- at least one sub-plant accounting module configurable to receive process data from one or more sensors associated with the manufacturing process;
- said sub-plant accounting module including computer readable program code for calculating one or more sub-plant accounting measures using the process data;
- a process historian coupled to at least one of said sub-plant accounting modules;
- a translation module coupled to said process historian;
- a production model accounting database configured to receive the accounting measures from said translation module;
- and
- an accounting port operatively associated with said production model accounting database, said accounting port being couplable with an accounting module.
A real-time activity based accounting system for a manufacturing plant having at least one manufacturing process, said accounting system comprising:
- a plurality of process variable transmitters coupled to process equipment in the manufacturing plant for providing process data associated with the manufacturing process;
- a plurality of sub-plant accounting modules configured to receive process data from one or more of said process variable transmitters;
- said sub-plant accounting modules including computer readable program code for calculating one or more sub-plant accounting measures from the process data;
- a process historian module, coupled to at least one of said plurality of sub-plant accounting modules;
- a translation module coupled to said process historian, said translation module including computer readable program code for formatting the sub-plant accounting measures stored in said process historian module into a suitable format;
- a production model accounting database configured for receiving, storing and partitioning accounting measures from said translation module;
- and
- an accounting module coupled to said production model accounting database, said accounting module configured to provide accounting and reporting functionality.
A method for providing real-time, sensor-based accounting in a manufacturing plant, said method comprising:
- capturing process data with a plurality of process variable transmitters, the process variable transmitters being coupled to process equipment in the manufacturing plant;
- computing in real-time, a plurality of sub-plant accounting measures using the process data;
- storing the sub-plant accounting measures in a process historian;
- translating the sub-plant accounting measures into a format useful for an accounting system;
- loading the accounting measures into a production model accounting database;
- selectively performing sub-plant and plant level accounting functions on the accounting measures loaded in the production model accounting database to acquire an accounting analysis;
- and
- displaying the accounting analysis.
A method for implementing a real-time activity based accounting system for a manufacturing plant having a plurality of manufacturing processes, said method comprising:
- analyzing plant production flow and manufacturing strategy;
- determining plant accounting requirements and required sub-plant accounting measures;
- installing process variable transmitters;
- building a plurality of sub-plant accounting modules, each of the plurality of sub-plant accounting modules including computer readable program code for receiving process data from at least one of the process variable transmitters and using the process data to compute one or more sub-plant accounting measures;
- configuring a process historian to receive real-time sub-plant accounting measures from the sub-plant accounting modules;
- programming a translation module for placing the real-time sub-plant accounting measures into a format suitable for the accounting system;
- structuring a production model accounting database to include a plurality of sections relating to the plurality of manufacturing processes;
- the plurality of sections being configured for storing the sub-plant accounting measures;
- and
- configuring an accounting module for selectively performing sub-plant and plant level accounting analysis from sub-plant accounting measures stored in the production model accounting database.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.