Patent ID: 8392028

Claim:
A fluid monitoring and control system comprising a network of a plurality of modular components having different functions and a system-wide distributed memory storing distributed variables, wherein each modular component performs the respective function of said modular component without external guidance and wherein at least one first modular component comprises: means for measuring a variable to be controlled; means for controlling the variable to be controlled; and means for broadcasting the value of said controlled variable over the network wherein the fluid monitoring and control system uses a broadcast message to inform all said modular components within the system of the current value of a distributed variable, said broadcast message comprising an address for the distributed variable within the system-wide distributed memory and a value for the distributed variable; and wherein the fluid monitoring and control system uses a set-point request message to request a change in the value of a distributed variable, said set-point request message comprising an address for the distributed variable within the system-wide distributed memory and a value for the distributed variable.