Process Control System and Method for Operating a Process Control System
OwnerSahid Abu-Bakarr Sesayinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process control system comprising: a programmable automation controller (“PAC”) (12); and at least one process control peripheral device (14). The peripheral devices are controlled by the PAC depending upon user-configured settings. The PAC uses an operating system which comprises a kernel, a configuration process and run-time processes. The run-time processes comprises a number of sub-processes that allow the PAC to monitor and log the peripheral devices and/or environment and control the peripheral devices in accordance with the configurations and any changes to the environment in which the peripheral devices are located.
Claims67
1-69. (canceled)
A process control system comprising a programmable automation controller and at least first and second process control peripheral devices coupled thereto, each process control peripheral device being in data and control communication with the programmable automation controller, wherein the programmable automation controller is operable to:
- monitor a current situation of an environment in which the at least one of the first or second process control peripheral devices is located;
- log a previous situation;
- and control at least one of the first or second process control peripheral devices depending upon the current and previous situations, the programmable automation controller being further operable to:
- configure the first and second process control peripheral devices;
- to perform data acquisition on at least one of the first and second process control peripheral devices;
- and to provide controlling operations by writing data to at least one of the first and second process control peripheral devices coupled to the programmable automation controller in response to the data acquisition and in accordance with the configuration of the first and second process control peripheral devices, the programmable automation controller comprising an operating system comprising a kernel, an interface process for implementation of a configuration process and a core engine for implementation of a run-time process, each of the configuration and run-time processes comprising a plurality of sub-processes having a specific functionality associated therewith, the configuration process being operable to configure the first and second process control peripheral devices through end user inputs to the programmable automation controller, these end user inputs being stored in memory of the programmable automation controller for use by the run-time process.
A method for operating a process control system, the process control system comprising a programmable automation controller and first and second process control peripheral devices coupled thereto, each process control peripheral device being in data and control communication with the programmable automation controller, the method comprising the, steps of:
- monitoring a current situation of an environment in which at least one of the first or second process control peripheral devices is located;
- logging a previous situation;
- and controlling at least one of the first or second process control peripheral devices depending upon the current and previous situations, the method comprising the further steps of:
- configuring the first and second process control peripheral devices;
- performing data acquisition on at least one of the first and second process control peripheral devices;
- and providing controlling operations by writing data to at least one of the first and second process control peripheral devices coupled to the programmable automation controller in response to the data acquisition and in accordance with the configuration of the first and second process control peripheral devices, and wherein the configuration, data acquisition and controlling are provided by a configuration process and a run-time process, the configuration process being implemented through an interface process and the run-time process being implemented through a core engine, each of the configuration and run-time processes comprising a plurality of sub-processes having a specific functionality associated therewith, the configuration process being operable to configure the first and second process control peripheral devices through end user inputs to the programmable automation controller, these end user inputs being stored in memory of the programmable automation controller for use by the run-time process.
A method according to 112, wherein one of the sub-processes is a Benchmarking Process for benchmarking data against other similar criteria.
A process control system comprising a programmable automation controller and at least one process control peripheral device coupled thereto, the at least one process control peripheral device being in data and control communication with the programmable automation controller, wherein the programmable automation controller is operable to:
- monitor the current situation of an environment in which the at least one process control peripheral device is located;
- log a previous situation;
- and control the at least one process control peripheral device depending upon the current and previous situations, the programmable automation controller being further operable to:
- configure the at least one process control peripheral device;
- to perform data acquisition on the at least one process control peripheral device;
- and to provide controlling operations by writing data to the at least one process control peripheral device coupled to the programmable automation controller.
A programmable automation controller for a process control system having at least one process control peripheral device coupled thereto, the at least one process control peripheral device being in data and control communication with the programmable automation controller, wherein the programmable automation controller is operable to:
- monitor the current situation of an environment in which the at least one process control peripheral device is located;
- log a previous situation;
- and control the at least one process control peripheral device depending upon the current and previous situations, the programmable automation controller being further operable to:
- configure the at least one process control peripheral device;
- to perform data acquisition on the at least one process control peripheral device;
- and to provide controlling operations by writing data to the at least one process control peripheral device coupled to the programmable automation controller.
A method for operating a process control system, the process control system comprising a programmable automation controller and at least one process control peripheral device coupled thereto, the at least one process control peripheral device being in data and control communication with the programmable automation controller, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
- monitoring the current situation of an environment in which the at least one process control peripheral device is located;
- logging a previous situation;
- and controlling the at least one process control peripheral device depending upon the current and previous situations, the method including comprising the further steps of;
- configuring the at least one process control peripheral device;
- performing data acquisition on the at least one process control peripheral device;
- and providing controlling operations by writing data to the at least one process control peripheral device coupled to the programmable automation controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.