Patent · US Expired

Smart process modules and objects in process plants

US7146231B2 · kind B2 · utility

129Cited by
72References
61Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 22, 2002
Grant dateDec 5, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 25, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02P90/02
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An operator interface within a process plant includes an execution engine that implements process flow modules made up of interconnected smart process objects that are aware of devices and other entities within the plant and that can perform methods to detect conditions within the plant, especially on a system-level basis. The smart process objects include a display element to be displayed to the operator, data storage for storing data pertaining to and/or received from an associated entity within a plant, inputs and outputs for communicating with other smart process objects and methods that may be executed on the stored and received data to detect plant conditions, including system-level conditions, such as leaks, errors and other conditions. Process flow modules, which may be made up of numerous interconnected smart process objects, may also include flow algorithms associated therewith to calculate mass balances, flows, etc. for the process elements within the process flow modules.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.