Factor Graph Automation Tool for Process Control Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In automation systems, the lack of integration between process and control engineering domains leads to inefficiencies, as process engineers struggle to utilize application software and ensure that control system outputs align with their designs, due to different perspectives and non-integrated databases, resulting in duplicated data entry and increased troubleshooting efforts.
Innovation Solution
A multi-role and multi-phase engineering tool that uses factor graphs to capture deployment constraints and communication designs natively within the algorithm model, allowing for a unified graphical notation for signal processing, estimation, and control algorithms, enabling proper scheduling and execution of executable functions across computing nodes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If separate programming environments are used for control and HMI areas, then each area can be developed independently, but the final application does not necessarily correlate to the process initially designed and the tools do not cooperate well
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines control and HMI programming environments into a single integrated development tool. This allows process engineers to work with both control logic and HMI design in one unified environment, ensuring that the final application correlates with the original process design while maintaining the ability to develop different areas independently through modular design elements.
2Device complexity
If non-integrated databases are used for process and control domains, then data can be managed separately, but data entry is duplicated and troubleshooting becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an integrated database structure that unifies process and control domain data management. This single database eliminates duplicate data entry requirements while maintaining organized data relationships, directly improving productivity by reducing redundant work and simplifying troubleshooting through centralized data access.
3Ease of manufacture
If process engineers use application software specialists' tools, then software development can be handled by experts, but process engineers find it difficult to utilize the software and determine if it matches their needs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal programming environment that serves both process engineers and application software specialists. The tool provides process-engineer-friendly interfaces and modeling capabilities while maintaining the power and flexibility needed by software experts, allowing process engineers to independently develop and verify that the software matches their process requirements.
Data Source
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Figure 4a~4b
AI summary
Method of configuring an automation system (10), the method comprising and/or initiating the steps of: Determining (S1) a factor graph model (11) representing an operating process of the automation system (10), the operating process comprising one or more executable functions (f1, f2, f3), Determining (S2) an execution schedule for executing the one or more executable functions (f1, f2, f3) based on the factor graph model (11).