US 7,020,876 B1 · Campaign management for batch processes

Abstract

A campaign management technique for batch processes enables a process control system user to flexibly create, edit and execute batch process campaigns. The campaign management technique uses a campaign management function that sends messages requesting batch information to a batch executive function. The batch executive function extracts the requested batch information from a database and sends responsive messages containing the requested batch information to the campaign management function. The campaign management function displays the requested batch information to a user via a graphical display and enables the user to select batch information to be included within a batch process campaign. The user can create a campaign having multiple types of batches, which can include special startup and cleanup batches. The campaign management function releases batches of a campaign for execution by the batch executive function according to a user-specified batch execution mode, which may queue a ready batch in the batch executive function prior to the completion of a currently executing batch. A user can add batches to a campaign and/or can modify or delete unreleased batches of a currently executing campaign. Additionally, the campaign management function is tightly integrated with a data historian function and a security function and automatically sends campaign execution messages to the data historian and uses the security function to control user access to the campaign management function.

Claims45

Dependent claims

A method of creating a batch process campaign including a plurality of batches for use in a process control system having a batch executive and a graphical user interface, the method comprising the steps of:

sending a first message requesting batch information to the batch executive, the batch executive configured to send instructions to a process controller for directing a set of field devices to carry out process steps associated with a batch being executed by the batch executive, the batch executive having a database containing batch information;
receiving from the batch executive a second message containing a set of batch information in response to the first message requesting batch information, the set of batch information including recipe information, the set of batch information retrieved from the database of the batch executive;
displaying the set of batch information using the graphical user interface;
prompting a user to enter a first input identifying a subset of the set of batch information from the displayed set of batch information to be included within at least one batch from the plurality of batches;
prompting the user to enter a second input specifying campaign information to be included within the batch process campaign;
using the first and second inputs to create the batch process campaign;
and
executing the batch process campaign by releasing batch process instructions to the batch executive.

5 more elements

A system that creates a batch process campaign including a plurality of batches for use in a process control system having a batch executive, a graphical user interface and a processor, the system comprising:

a computer readable medium;
a plurality of routines stored on the computer readable medium and adapted to be executed by the processor, wherein the plurality of routines comprises:
a first routine adapted to send a first message requesting batch information to the batch executive, the batch executive configured to send instructions to a process controller for directing a set of field devices to carry out process steps associated with a batch being executed by the batch executive, the batch executive having a database containing batch information;
a second routine adapted to receive a second message from the batch executive containing a set of batch information in response to the first message requesting batch information, the set of batch information including recipe information, the set of batch information retrieved from the database of the batch executive;
a third routine adapted to display the set of batch information using the graphical user interface;
a fourth routine adapted to prompt a user to enter a first input identifying a subset of the set of batch information from the displayed set of batch information to be included within at least one batch from the plurality of batches;
a fifth routine adapted to prompt the user to enter a second input specifying campaign information to be included within the batch process campaign;
and
a sixth routine adapted to use the first and second inputs to create the batch process campaign;
and
a seventh routine adapted to release batch process instructions to the batch executive, the batch process instructions configured to cause the batch process campaign to be executed.

8 more elements

A method of executing a batch process campaign including a plurality of batches for use in a process control system having a batch executive, the method comprising the steps of:

sending a first message requesting batch information to the batch executive, the batch executive configured to send instructions to a process controller for directing a set of field devices to carry out process steps associated with a batch being executed by the batch executive, the batch executive having a database containing batch information;
receiving from the batch executive a second message containing a set of batch information in response to the first message requesting batch information, the set of batch information retrieved from the database of the batch executive;
creating the batch process campaign using at least a portion of the set of batch information retrieved from the database of the batch executive;
determining a batch execution mode associated with the batch process campaign;
releasing one or more batches from the plurality of batches to the batch executive based on the batch execution mode;
and
sending messages to the batch executive to cause the batch executive to execute one or more of the released batches.

4 more elements

A system that executes a batch process campaign including a plurality of batches for use in a process control system having a processor and a batch executive, the system comprising:

a computer readable medium;
and
a plurality of routines stored on the computer readable medium and adapted to be executed by the processor, wherein the plurality of routines comprises:
a first routine adapted to send a first message requesting batch information to the batch executive, the batch executive configured to send instructions to a process controller for directing a set of field devices to carry out process steps associated with a batch being executed by the batch executive, the batch executive having a database containing batch information;
a second routine adapted to receive from the batch executive a second message containing a set of batch information in response to the first message requesting batch information, the set of batch information retrieved from the database of the batch executive;
a third routine adapted to create the batch process campaign using at least a portion of the set of batch information retrieved from the database of the batch executive;
a fourth routine adapted to determine a batch execution mode associated with the batch process campaign;
a fifth routine adapted to release one or more batches from the plurality of batches to the batch executive based on the batch execution mode;
and
a sixth routine adapted to send messages to the batch executive to cause the batch executive to execute one or more of the released batches.

7 more elements

A method of editing a batch process campaign including a plurality of batches for use in a process control system having a graphical user interface and a data store, the method comprising the steps of:

sending a first message requesting batch information to a batch executive, the batch executive configured to send instructions to a process controller for directing a set of field devices to carry out process steps associated with a batch being executed by the batch executive, the batch executive having a database containing batch information;
receiving from the batch executive a second message containing a set of batch information in response to the first message requesting batch information, the set of batch information retrieved from the database of the batch executive;
creating the batch process campaign using at least a portion of the set of batch information retrieved from the database of the batch executive;
prompting a user to enter a first input via the graphical user interface identifying one or more unreleased batches from the batch process campaign;
prompting the user to enter a second input via the graphical user interface specifying a change to batch information associated with the identified one or more unreleased batches, including prompting the user to enter an input specifying a recipe change to the batch information;
and
storing the change to the batch information together with the batch process campaign in the data store before sending a batch of the batch process campaign to the batch executive.

4 more elements

A system that edits a batch process campaign for use in a process control system having a processor, a graphical user interface and a data store, the system comprising:

a computer readable medium;
and
a plurality of routines stored on the computer readable medium and adapted to be executed by the processor, wherein the plurality of routines comprise:
a first routine adapted to send a first message requesting batch information to a batch executive, the batch executive configured to send instructions to a process controller for directing a set of field devices to carry out process steps associated with a batch being executed by the batch executive, the batch executive having a database containing batch information;
a second routine adapted to receive from the batch executive a second message containing a set of batch information in response to the first message requesting batch information, the set of batch information retrieved from the database of the batch executive;
a third routine adapted to create the batch process campaign using at least a portion of the set of batch information retrieved from the database of the batch executive;
a fourth routine adapted to prompt a user to enter a first input via the graphical user interface identifying one or more unreleased batches from the batch process campaign;
a fifth routine adapted to prompt the user to enter a second input via the graphical user interface specifying a change to batch information associated with the identified one or more unreleased batches, the second routine adapted to prompt the user to enter an input specifying a recipe change to the batch information;
and
a sixth routine adapted to store the change to the batch information together with the batch process campaign in the data store.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Campaign management for batch processes

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Campaign management for batch processes

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Abstract

Claims45