Patent ID: 7756657

Claim:
A system for monitoring and controlling a batch process having field instruments and a sample system connected thereto, the field instruments being operable to measure process variables of the batch process and the sample system being operable to obtain a sample of material being produced by the batch process, the system comprising: a control system for controlling the batch process, the control system being connectable to the field instruments to receive the measured process variables therefrom; an analyzer connectable to the sample system to receive the material sample therefrom, the analyzer being operable to analyze the material sample and to generate array data representative of the composition of the material sample; an analyzer controller connectable to the analyzer and to the control system and operable to collect the array data from the analyzer and the measured process variables from the control system; at least one computer connectable to the analyzer controller and the control system; a software data server stored on the at least one computer and executable to retrieve the array data and the measured process variables from the analyzer controller; and a software information management system stored on the at least one computer and including a database, the information management system being executable to receive the measured process variables and the array data from the data server and to store the measured process variables and the array data in the database in an associated manner; and a batch software system stored on the at least one computer and executable to store the identities of equipment used to monitor and control a batch run of the batch process, thereby associating the equipment with the batch run, and wherein the equipment used to monitor and control the batch run includes the analyzer; and wherein the array data and the measured process variables are each stored in the database so as to be associated with the analyzer, thereby causing the array data to be associated with the measured process variables.