Patent ID: 8265794

Claim:
A knowledge based control method associated with a valve package having a process valve, an actuator and a controller, the method comprising: obtaining a baseline signature for said valve corresponding to an operating characteristic value of said valve as the valve moves from a first position to a second position in-line as process media is flowing through the valve, the baseline signature comprising a torque profile for the valve; storing said baseline signature in a memory; obtaining an operating signature for said valve corresponding to values associated with said baseline signature each time the valve moves from said first position to said second position in-line as process media is flowing through the valve; comparing said operating signature to the baseline signature; and determining if one or more of the values associated with the operating signature is within an acceptable tolerance deviation from the corresponding one or more values in the baseline signature; wherein said baseline signature is calculated from a rolling average of said operating characteristic determined only after a defined break-in period, the break-in period defined by a period of N cycles, wherein a cycle is defined as movement of the valve from said first position to said second position and from said second position to said first position where N>1.