Icon based process design and control system

A control system for creating a recipe for and controlling a variable manufacturing process comprised of a plurality of discrete process elements performed on manufacturing equipment, comprising:

• display means including a digital computer for creating and displaying icons on a video display terminal, wherein each icon depicts with a single graphical representation a plurality of process elements, some of which may have variable process and alarm setpoints;
• first selection means for an operator to select, manipulate, and arrange selected icons on the display terminal in an array from a library of icons on the display terminal, said icons being predetermined for a particular physical process equipment to be controlled, thereby allowing the operator the latitude to place the selected icons in any desired order in the array representing the sequential order of the recipe for carrying out the process elements represented by the icons to accomplish the manufacturing process without having to reprogram any underlying programmable controller programs;
• second selection means for an operator to adjust the variable process setpoints associated with each selected icon and its associated process elements;
• and
• means for interpreting the information represented by the icon array with its selected process setpoints, and applying it to control the manufacturing equipment for accomplishing the manufacturing process.