Patent ID: 7142929

Claim:
A process data management system comprising a machine interface for receiving process data of a process operation, and a processor for processing the data, wherein, the system comprises a plurality of modules, each module comprising a data collector component for capturing process source data, and a data logger component for saving data whereby each module is capable of operating independently to capture process source data, to process the source data to provide processed data, and to save the processed data; the data logger component saves the processed data in a format for storage in a universal storage structure used by all of the modules of the system; the universal storage structure comprises a hierarchy of process activities containing sub-activities, and leaf node activities containing event nodes for storing data; the top level of the hierarchy is an overall production process, and activity nodes represent specific process activities forming part of the production process; the data logger component saves both source data and processed data and links each item of processed data to the source data from which it is derived; each module comprises a messaging service for communication of data between modules; at least some modules comprise a data processor component for receiving source data from the data collector component and for generating processed data for output and for logging by the data logger component; and at least some data processor components transmit via the messaging service processed data to the data logger component or the data processor component of a different module of the system or receive data via the messaging service data from the data collector of a different module of the system.