Patent ID: 7496591

Claim:
A method for using a computer to define, store and retrieve data of an industrial process, said method comprising: collecting with a monitor said data of said industrial process and providing said data of said industrial process to said computer; operating said computer with a program to define said industrial process by identifying, in response to input data entered by a user, one or more events and/or activities of said industrial process and one or more attributes of said events and/or said activities; classifying said identified events, activities and attributes according to a data structure that comprises at least a first event type or at least a first activity type and a plurality of attribute types therefore; and organizing a plurality of storage volumes of a database for said classified attribute types, wherein said plurality of storage volumes comprises first and second storage volumes that are organized by said attribute types for said first activity type or for said first event type and for storage of values of said attributes of said first and second attribute types, respectively, of said first activity type of said first event type, wherein values of first and second attributes of said first and second attribute types are stored only in said first and second volumes, respectively; and to store and retrieve said collected data of said industrial process when running by using said data structure in a manner that permits access to said organized storage volumes of said database by said activities, events and attributes that are identified by said identifying step to store said collected data of said industrial process in said storage volumes according to said data structure and, in response to a request, which identifies a first activity of said first activity type or a first event of said first event type and said first attribute type, to retrieve from said first storage volume at least one value of said first attribute type that corresponds to said first activity or said first event and, in response to a request, which identifies said first activity of said first activity type or said first event of said first event type and said second attribute type, to retrieve from said second storage volume at least value of said second attribute that corresponds to said first activity or said first event; and providing said retrieved values of said first and second attribute types to a client device.