Patent ID: 7463937

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for enabling the rapid appraisal of and for improving the accuracy of a Linear Program model relative to a corresponding continuous industrial process comprising the steps of: a) providing said continuous industrial process, said continuous industrial process having at least one measured input variable having a setting value for adjusting said continuous industrial process, and at least one measured output variable having a measurable value; b) providing a Linear Program model of said continuous industrial process, the Linear Program model having a first set of independent variables having a value for each of said measured input variables, the Linear Program model further having a first set of dependent variables having a value for each of said measured output variables; the Linear Program model further having a first set of Linear Program model coefficients comprising base coefficients; c) providing a historical record of operating conditions for said continuous industrial process, said historical record of operating conditions having at least one set of historical values for said first set of independent variables, and at least one corresponding set of historical values for said first set of dependent variables; d) screening said historical record according to at least one predetermined rule, the predetermined rule identifying screened operating data, said screened operating data comprising any of said historical record having a quality selected from the group consisting of bad and noisy, the predetermined rule further performing upon said screened operating data an action selected from the group of discard, correct, limit, and filter operating data so identified; e) calculating the uncorrected Linear Program predictions of said Linear Program model, said uncorrected Linear Program predictions comprising a first Linear Program calculation of said first set of dependent variables, said first Linear Program calculation performed using said first set of Linear Program model coefficients, and said at least one set of historical values for said first set of independent variables; f) using the information contained in said uncorrected Linear Program predictions together with the corresponding set of historical values for said first set of modeled dependent variables, in order to display verbal and numerical suggested actions to improve the accuracy of said Linear Program, whereby said method for evaluating the accuracy of a Linear Program model relative to a corresponding continuous industrial process results in substantially improved accuracy for said Linear Program model. Said Linear program model now having improved accuracy, more closely matches said continuous industrial process, thereby enabling improved operation, economic or otherwise of said continuous industrial process.