Control System for Process Equipment with Prioritized Instructions

#This disclosure relates to a control system for process equipment. In particular, the disclosure relates to a system controlling process equipment wherein instructions are prioritized on the basis of pre-determined criteria.

#Control systems are widely used to control and regulate factory machinery. Applications for control systems include municipal water plants, sewage treatment plans, power plants, residential and commercial pools, as well as environmental control systems. Control systems are designed to transmit system status information such that the systems can be appropriately monitored by human operators. Control systems typically collect information on a variety of parameters, including fluid pressures, flow rates, temperatures, and various operational or non-operational statuses. Audible or visual alarms may be triggered when one or more of these parameters is not within pre-set limits.

#Currently, control systems enjoy a limited degree of automation via the use of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC). PLCs are used to read a set of digital or analog inputs. One or more logic statements are applied to the inputs to generate analog or digital outputs. Larger and more complex systems can be controlled via Distributed Control Systems (DCS). It is also known within the art to use a central master computer to monitor and control an array of module drivers inside a Remote Terminal Unit (RTU). The modules collect and transmit sensor data in the form of analog signals and in turn actuate switches, solenoids, and the like to the process equipment.

#For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following descriptions, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the system of the present disclosure.

#FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the main system loop of the present disclosure.

#Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

#The present disclosure relates to system for controlling process equipment. In particular, the disclosure relates to system for prioritizing instructions to process equipment over a common serial or parallel port. By way of the system, process equipment can be monitored and controlled by one or more remote users. The prioritized instructions can relate to, for example, data logging and control functions. The system also employs a web client that permits the requesting user to monitor the process equipment via a web browser. The various features of the present disclosure are more fully described hereinafter.

#FIG. 1 is a schematic depiction of the system 20 of the present disclosure. As illustrated, system 20 includes one or more computers/servers 30 that communicate with a processor 26 over a network 40. Processor 26, in turn, communicates with process equipment 22 via a controller 24. In the depicted embodiment, processor 26 communicates with two different pieces of equipment (22a and 22b) via separate controllers (24a and 24b). The present system 20 can be used in connection with one or more individual pieces of equipment and one or more individual controllers. Computers 30 may communicate with processor 26 via an Ethernet connection 36. Alternatively, computers 30 may communicate with processor 26 via a cellular connection 38 or WiFi connection 42.