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US 6,879,325 B1Granted
Multi-variable processes
AssigneeCurvaceous Software Limited
InventorsRobin William Brooks, John Gavin Wilson
Life of this patent
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AssigneeCurvaceous Software Limited
InventorsRobin William Brooks, John Gavin Wilson
Estimating the term…
Control and output-quality variables of a process plant (1) are plotted against parallel axes in a display unit (7). Convex hulls between pairs of variables are calculated from sets of the variable-values accumulated historically in stores (7, 9) during successive runs of the process, and hulls (HH; TC, BC) between successive axis-pairs are displayed. New variable-values for process optimization are fixed for the variables taken in turn, each selection being made within displayed ranges (Rn—Rn) derived from the hulls effective between the respective variable and the variables already fixed. A display unit (13) provides on-line parallel-axis display of variable-values from the plant (1), showing alarm carets (DC, UC) where values violate limits (UL, LL) determined by the convex hulls, and allowing variation in the displayed-value for observing the resultant effect in avoiding alarm situation and towards optimization.
A method for displaying process-variables of a multi-variable process, comprising the steps of accumulating a multiplicity of data-sets during multiple runs of the process, each data-set comprising values of the process-variables in an individual one of the multiple runs, deriving a multi-dimensional graphic display representation of a feasible region of the process-variables, the multi-dimensional graphic display representation being derived from the accumulated data-sets of values for the process-variables, deriving a further set of values for the process-variables within the region and displaying them graphically within the graphic display representation, and defining within the graphic display representation available ranges for the process-variables according to the values of other process-variables within the further set of values, the graphic display representation comprising a multiplicity of mutually-spaced coordinate axes which are identified individually in the graphic display representation with respective ones of the process-variables, and the feasible region being defined as an area of the graphic display representation between upper and lower boundaries extending through the coordinate axes, the upper and lower boundaries being derived in accordance with bounds of value that exist between the process-variables in the accumulated data-sets.
A method for selection of values for process-variables of a multi-variable process, comprising a first step of deriving a multi-dimensional graphic display representation of a feasible region of the process-variables, the multi-dimensional graphic display representation comprising a multiplicity of mutually-spaced coordinate axes which are identified individually with respective ones of the process-variables, the first step including accumulating a multiplicity of data-sets during multiple runs of the process, each data-set comprising the values of the process-variables in an individual one of the multiple runs of the process, a second step of selecting, so as to fix, a value within the region for one of the process-variables the step of selecting a value for the one process-variable being carried out by selecting a position along the axis which is identified individually with that one process-variable within the multiplicity of mutually-spaced coordinate axes, and the second step including defining available ranges for the other process-variables in accordance with the selection made, and a third step of selecting, so as to fix, a value within the available range defined for one of the remaining unfixed-value process-variables, the third step including re-defining the available ranges for the other unfixed-value process-variables in accordance with the selections so far made, this third step being repeated until values for all unfixed-value process-variables have been fixed by the selections made.
The method according to claim of 7, wherein the available ranges are defined for each process-variable by convex hulls between that individual process-variable and each other process-variable, each convex hull being calculated as a bound applicable as between that individual process-variable and another process-variable within the accumulated data-sets.
A system for displaying variables of a multi-variable process, comprising means for accumulating a multiplicity of data-sets during multiple runs of the process, each of the data-sets comprising the values of the process-variables in an individual one of the multiple runs, means for providing a multi-dimensional graphic display representation of a feasible region of the process-variables, the multi-dimensional graphic display representation being derived from the accumulated data-sets of values for the process-variables, means for deriving a further set of values for the process-variables within the region and displaying them graphically within the graphic display representation, and means for defining within the graphic display representation available ranges for the process-variables according to the values of other process-variables within the further set of values, the graphic display representation comprising a multiplicity of mutually-spaced coordinate axes which are identified individually in the graphic display representation with respective ones of the process-variables, and the feasible region being defined as an area of the graphic display representation between upper and lower boundaries extending through the coordinate axes, the upper and lower boundaries being derived in accordance with bounds of value that exist between the process-variables in the accumulated data-sets.
A system for providing a display representation for use in selection of values for process-variables of a multi-variable process, comprising means for storing a multiplicity of data-sets accumulated during multiple runs of the process, each data-set comprising the values of the process-variables in an individual one of the multiple runs of the process, display means for providing a multi-dimensional graphic display representation comprising a multiplicity of mutually-spaced coordinate axes which are identified individually with respective ones of the process-variables, the graphic display representation including in accordance with the stored data-sets of values, display of a feasible region of the process-variables, and selection means that is operable successively to select, so as to fix, values within the region for all the process-variables in turn, the display means being operative upon each operation of the selection means to define available ranges for such of the other process-variables that remain of un-fixed value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.