Cloud Process Flow Diagrams With Live Data Web Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional process simulation systems are limited by their desktop-bound nature, restricting access to process flow diagrams and limiting the ability to display live data from industrial environments in a web browser-accessible format.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for generating a cloud-hosted process flow diagram that converts desktop-bound graphic representations of industrial processes into web browser-accessible formats, linked to a time series database, enabling live data display and user-editability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If process simulation systems are kept as desktop-bound applications, then system complexity and data security are maintained, but accessibility and ease of operation are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a web server as an intermediary component that sits between the process simulation system and web browsers. This web server receives requests from web browsers, retrieves data from the process simulation system, and returns formatted web pages. This intermediary architecture enables web-based access without requiring the entire simulation system to be rewritten as a web application, thus improving accessibility while managing complexity through layered architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into distinct functional modules: the core process simulation system, a data export interface, a web server, and web browser clients. This segmentation allows the complex simulation system to remain unchanged while new web-based access capabilities are added through separate modules. Each segment handles specific tasks, reducing the complexity burden on any single component while improving overall accessibility.
2Ease of operation
If process flow diagrams are converted to web browser-accessible format, then accessibility and ease of operation improve, but data processing complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-processing simulation data into standardized formats that can be easily consumed by the web server. Data is exported in advance from the simulation system in a structured format, and the web server pre-loads and caches frequently accessed process flow diagram data. This preliminary preparation reduces the processing time required when web pages are requested, as the heavy data transformation work has already been completed.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of rendering the entire complex process simulation system in the web browser, the patent creates simplified web-based copies or representations of the process flow diagrams. These web copies contain the essential visual and data elements needed for monitoring and analysis, but are optimized for web delivery. The copying approach allows rapid generation of web pages from simulation data without requiring the full simulation engine to run in the browser, thus reducing processing time while maintaining accessibility.
3Productivity
If live data from industrial environments is integrated into web format, then information completeness and productivity improve, but system complexity and security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The web server acts as a secure intermediary that handles all data integration between the industrial environment and web clients. It receives live data from the process simulation system, validates and processes the data, then delivers it to web browsers in a controlled manner. This intermediary layer simplifies the overall architecture by centralizing data integration logic in one secure component, rather than requiring complex integration at multiple points in the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates web-based copies of live process data that are displayed in the browser without requiring the actual industrial control systems to be directly connected to the web. The web server retrieves data from the simulation system and creates replicated representations suitable for web display. This copying approach enables real-time monitoring productivity while maintaining security boundaries, as the web interface works with data copies rather than direct connections to industrial equipment.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for generating a process flow diagram that digitally represents one or more assets of a process or subprocess within an industrial environment are provided. For example, a computer-implemented method may include receiving a first graphic representation of the process or subprocess and one or more assets of the process or subprocess, accessing a data model database corresponding to the process or subprocess and the one or more assets of the process or subprocess, converting the first graphic representation into a second graphic representation linked to the data model database and including values from the data model database for one or more attributes corresponding to the one or more assets, and storing the second graphic representation in one or more servers or one or more cloud computing devices and providing web browser access to the second graphic representation by one or more user devices.