Patent Application
20240309874
This disclosure generally relates to operational control and surveillance of electrical submersible pump (ESP) assemblies used in oil and gas explorations.
ESP assemblies are often present at wellbore locations of an oil and gas exploration site. The ESP assemblies for each wellbore location can be monitored manually, by paying a weekly visit to each wellbore location to physically inspect an ESP assembly.
In one aspect, implementations provide a system comprising: one or more electrical submersible pump (ESP) assemblies, each ESP assembly arranged in a downhole of an oil and gas exploration site, each ESP assembly comprising: a centrifugal pump enclosed by a shaft and configured to raise a pressure of fluid within the shaft for extraction from the downhole; a motor connected to the centrifugal pump and configured to drive the centrifugal pump at a configurable speed; and one or more sensors, wherein each sensor is configured to measure an operational parameter of the ESP assembly when the centrifugal pump is being driven by the motor; and a control panel in communication with the one or more ESP assemblies, the control panel comprising a computer processor and a user-interactive display coupled to each other, wherein the computer processor is configured to: receive the measured operational parameters of the one or more ESP assemblies; and calculate at least one performance indicator for a ESP assembly selected by a user, and wherein the user-interactive display is configured to: generate a display for the measured operational parameters and the calculated at least one performance indictor for the ESP assembly selected by the user; and receive an input from the user so that one or more operational parameters of the ESP assembly selected by the user can be adjusted in accordance with the input.
Implementations may include one or more of the following features.
In this system, the display for the measured operational parameters and the calculated at least one performance indictor may be generated as the selected ESP assembly continues to operate with no downtime. Generating the display may include: continuously displaying the measured operational parameters and the calculated at least one performance indictor as a function of time. Generating the display may include: displaying the measured operational parameters and the calculated at least one performance indictor on a speedometer layout that spans a range. The range may include a first segment deemed normal, and a second segment deemed not normal. The operational parameters being measured may include at least one of: a temperature, a rotating speed, a pressure, a current, and wherein the calculated at least one performance indictor may include at least one of: a flow rate, a production rate, a ratio of water and oil. The computer processor may be further configured to: generate, based on, at least in part, the calculated at least one performance indictor, a recommended adjustment to one or more operational parameters of the ESP assembly selected by the user, and wherein the user-interactive display is further configured to: display, to the user, the recommended adjustment, and receive the input from the user in response to recommended adjustment being displayed. The centrifugal pump may include a multi-stage centrifugal pump. The multi-stage centrifugal pump may be configured to incrementally raise the pressure of the fluid within the shaft after each stage. Each stage of the multi-stage centrifugal pump may include a rotating impeller and stationary diffuser, wherein the rotating impeller may be configured to rotate at the configurable speed so that when the fluid within the shaft travels through the rotating impeller, a kinetic energy of the fluid is increased and the fluid is subsequently discharged from the stationary diffuser with raised pressure. The one or more sensors may include at least one of: a video camera, a vibrational sensor, a pressure sensor, a power meter, a current meter, and a flow meter.
In another aspect, some implementations include a computer-implemented method comprising: operating one or more electrical submersible pump (ESP) assemblies, each ESP assembly arranged in a downhole of an oil and gas exploration site, each ESP assembly comprising: a centrifugal pump enclosed by a shaft and configured to raise a pressure of fluid within the shaft for extraction from the downhole, a motor connected to the centrifugal pump and configured to drive the centrifugal pump at a configurable speed, and one or more sensors each configured to measure an operational parameter of the ESP assembly when the centrifugal pump is being driven by the motor; receiving the measured operational parameters of the one or more ESP assemblies; calculating at least one performance indicator for a ESP assembly selected by a user; generating a display for the measured operational parameters and the calculated at least one performance indictor for the ESP assembly selected by the user; and receiving an input from the user so that one or more operational parameters of the ESP assembly selected by the user can be adjusted in accordance with the input.
The display for the measured operational parameters and the calculated at least one performance indictor may be generated as the ESP assembly continues to operate with no downtime. Generating the display may include: continuously displaying the measured operational parameters and the calculated at least one performance indictor as a function of time. Generating the display may include: displaying the measured operational parameters and the calculated at least one performance indictor on a speedometer layout that spans a range. The range may include a first segment deemed normal, and a second segment deemed not normal. The operational parameters being measured may include at least one of: a temperature, a rotating speed, a pressure, a current, and wherein the calculated at least one performance indictor may include at least one of: a flow rate, a production rate, a ratio of water and oil. The method may further include: generating, based on, at least in part, the calculated at least one performance indictor, a recommended adjustment to one or more operational parameters of the ESP assembly selected by the user; displaying the recommended adjustment to the user; and receive the input from the user in response to recommended adjustment being displayed. The method may further include: incrementally raising a pressure of the fluid within the shaft after each of multiple stages of the centrifugal pump. The method may further include: rotating a rotating impeller of the centrifugal pump at the configurable speed so that when the fluid within the shaft travels through the rotating impeller, a kinetic energy of the fluid is increased and the fluid is subsequently discharged from a stationary diffuser with raised pressure.
Implementations according to the present disclosure may be realized in computer implemented methods, hardware computing systems, and tangible computer readable media. For example, a system of one or more computers can be configured to perform particular actions by virtue of having software, firmware, hardware, or a combination of them installed on the system that in operation causes or cause the system to perform the actions. One or more computer programs can be configured to perform particular actions by virtue of including instructions that, when executed by data processing apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform the actions.
The details of one or more implementations of the subject matter of this specification are set forth in the description, the claims, and the accompanying drawings. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter will become apparent from the description, the claims, and the accompanying drawings.
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.
The disclosed technology is directed to system and method incorporating a smart control engine that integrates all electrical submersible pump (ESP) parameters and variables in one platform capable of performing diagnostics, optimization, and performance tracking of ESP assemblies (e.g., at an oil and gas exploration site) prior to and post inspection trips/operational failures. The smart control engine for performing diagnostic testing and troubleshooting of the ESP device can facilitate a thorough review of historical data and current trends at the oil and gas exploration site, thereby leading to a robust design for a ESP system capable of handling the inherent challenges of a heterogeneous reservoir and complex geological structure. The integrated ESP system with the smart control engine can play a major role in achieving real-time monitoring and surveillance of ESP assemblies at the oil and gas exploration site. For example, the integrated ESP system can reduce down time or deferred production when an ESP assembly needs to be shut down in the presence of a potential failure, unify operational data for visualization on an integrated platform, optimize monthly production, and extend ESP life expectancy by scheduling maintenance tailored to each ESP assembly in a timely manner.
Implementations may provide a user-interactive graphical user interface (GUI) with a dynamic and fully customizable panel. Like the cockpit of an aircraft, or the instrument panel on a vehicle, the interactive GUI presents a panel that allows the user to navigate through various selections so that the user is presented with information from, e.g., a selected ESP assembly within the oil and gas exploration site. The panel can allow real-time measurements from various sensors on the selected ESP assembly to be streamed and projected to the user, e.g., as a rolling curve, a usage bar, a progress bar, or a speedometer layout. Moreover, the interactive GUI provides operational guidance on the panel based on the real-time measurements, much like navigational guidance on a GPS device. For example, the user-interactive GUI can project trend information and forecast a behavior of an ESP parameter (e.g., time left before next maintenance or replacement of a pump component) on the selected ESP assembly. In this example, the panel may receive measurements from the ESP assembly, downhole sensors of the ESP assembly, and electrical instruments provided by the manufacturer, and model the ESP performance along with the well performance using these measurements. Additionally, the modeling may factor in fluid properties of the downhole where the ESP is operating.
The implementations may also incorporates a closed-loop mechanism to, for example, adjust an ESP parameter based on user input on the user-interactive GUI. For example, the implementations may evaluate well performance and provide prediction results in-situ on the panel of the interactive GUI. The visualization tool is programmable to allow prediction results to be provided almost instantaneously so that the user can interactively and iteratively adjust one or more ESP parameters to take corrective actions in accordance with the updated predictions.
As illustrated in diagram 100 of
Given these issued alerts, diagram 100 may then proceed to determine whether additional actions have been taken to evaluate the well (102). If no action is taken, diagram 100 may proceed to repeat the alerts in an escalating manner. As illustrated, the implementations may escalate the alert into a warning 101A after two weeks of no action taken. After that, the implementations may escalate the earlier warning (101B) if three weeks have passed, and may further escalate the earlier warning (101C), if four weeks go by with no logged actions. When actions have been taken to evaluate conditions of the well, diagram 100 may proceed to providing recommendations in an interactive manner (103).
In some cases, an operator, after seeing the alerts, may adjust a setting of the ESP assembly of the well. As further explained below in association with
Referring to
In more detail, the ESP system may include a downhole sensor 201 that communicates real-time measurements from the downhole, including, for example, pump intake and discharge pressures, temperatures, and vibration. For context, the ESP pumps can be monitored using a SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) interface. When the SCADA interface detects a pump reading that is outside the set point, the sensor 201 can generate an alert in real time so that changes can be made remotely or automatically (e.g., at control panel 210 at the surface). For example, sensor 201 can include a downhole video camera to inspect the inside of the wellbore and the pump and other components. The visual inspection may reveal any signs of wear or damage to the pump and other downhole equipment. Sensor 201 may also include vibration sensors (for example, placed on the well casing or tubing) to detect sounds or vibrations coming from the pump. The recordings can help identify operational issues with the pump's bearings or other components. Sensor 201 may also include speed meters to detect changes in pump speed, power meters to measure power consumption, or flow meters to measure fluid flow rate of fluid flowing into or out of the pump.
Electric motor 202 may provide power to the ESP system. The size of the motor and horsepower rating may be determined by the number of stages included by the design of the ESP system generate sufficient head pressure to lift the liquid to the surface. Because the size of the motor varies, the overall length and diameter of ESP downhole equipment may vary accordingly. In various implementations, the motor temperature may increase during operation but can be cooled by the passing fluid being drawn into the pump. Moreover, motor 202 can be filled with synthetic oil for electrical protection and lubrication that also helps to evenly disperse the heat generated during operation.
Seal-chamber 203 can isolate and protect motor 202 from damaging well fluids by, for example, equalizing the pressure in the wellbore with the oil pressure inside the motor 202. Seal-chamber 203 may also absorb the axial thrust produced by pump 204 and dissipates the heat that the thrust bearing generates.
Pump input 204 can include a shaft, an intake, and a gas separator. The shaft can connect motor 202 to the pump impellers through the seal-chamber 203. The shaft may be designed with a small in diameter without compromising strength to allow for greater volumes to pass through the pump intake. The pump intake is where the well fluid enters the submersible pump and is directed into the impellers. Various types of intakes may be used depending on fluid properties, particularly the gas-liquid ratio (GLR). Some designs may not separate gas and are therefore used in wells that produce a very low gas-to-liquid ratio. The implementations can incorporate either a reverse-flow or rotary pump intake. In a reverse-flow pump intake, the produced fluid with free gas flows up the outside of the reverse-flow intake screen then turns to enter through the perforations at the top of the screen. The fluid then flows down to the intake ports and then back up to the first pump stage. These reversals in direction can allow for a natural separation of the lighter gases from the liquid. The separated gas travels up the casing annulus and exits the casing at the wellhead. Longer reversing paths can be utilized to increase the separation of the gas from the liquids. The rotary pump intake, also known as a dynamic gas separator, uses force to help separate the gas. The rotary separator works similar to a centrifuge by utilizing a rotating chamber, paddle wheel, or induced vortex to impart centrifugal force on the fluid. The rotor or induced vortex forces the heavier fluid to the outside & allows the free gas to migrate to the center of the chamber and exits through the discharge ports back into the well. Gas separator assemblies are often connected in tandem to improve the overall efficiency in high gas applications.
Multi-stage centrifugal pump 205 generally includes multiple stages that increase the pressure of the fluid. Each stage can be made up of a rotating impeller and stationary diffuser. The stages can be stacked to incrementally increase the pressure until the desired flow rate is achieved. During operation, the fluid travels through a rotating impeller which increases the kinetic energy, or velocity. The fluid then enters the diffuser, thereby converting the kinetic energy to potential energy which raises the discharge pressure. The fluid repeats the process in each stage of the pump. This operation will continue until the fluid reaches the designed discharge pressure. The increase in pressure may also be known as the total developed head (TDH) of the pump. In these assemblies, the impellers can determine the flow rate. Radial flow impellers have vane angles close to 90 degrees and are usually for lower flow rates. Mixed flow impellers have vane angles close to 45 degrees and are for higher flow rates.
Check valve 206 may be threaded into the tubing, a few joints above the multi-stage pump 204. Check valve 206 may be installed to keep the tubing above the pump full of liquid when the pump is not operating.
Electrical cable 207 generally delivers the electricity to the ESP system including the multi-stage motor 205. Electrical cable 207 hangs from the surface and may be banded or strapped to the production tubing in intervals from below the wellhead to the motor to support the weight and keep mechanical wear from occurring. Electrical cable 207 is generally made for harsh environments with a durable outermost layer impervious to physical and electrical deterioration.
In the ESP system, surface components can include wellhead 208, junction box 209, control panel 210, electrical supply including transformers 211, and communication equipment. Controller panel 210 may communicate with the downhole components to assert control by, for example, maintaining the proper flow of electricity to motor 202. Depending on the application, variable speed or soft-start controllers are used. Some configurations include a variable speed drive (VSD), which can be either manual or automated. An automated VSD reads the downhole data recorded by the SCADA system and adjusts the motor speed to optimize production rates. The VSD allows the pump to be operated continuously or intermittently. In comparison, a soft-start controller generally operates at only one speed. To prevent the motor from being under a heavy load at the start, the controller can slowly bring the pump motor up to the designed operation speed and maintains at that single speed.
Referring to
Panel 220B shows real-time measurements (e.g., in pounds per square inch absolute, or PSIA) from downhole sensors (e.g., sensor 201) presenting pressure readout and temperature readout of the motor. These recordings can track ESP downhole variables from downhole sensors. As used, Pi refers to pump intake pressure, Pd refers to pump discharge pressure, motor temp refers to ESP motor temperature. This motor temperature can refer to a motor winding temperature or motor oil temperature. Monitoring motor winding temperature can be advantageous, as the winding temperature generally increases more rapidly in response to ESP problems, and hence can be a more sensitive indicator.
Panel 220C likewise shows real-time pressure recordings. As used, “U/S” refers to choke valve up-stream pressure, and “D/S” refers to choke valve down-stream pressure. In various implementations, the wellhead choke valve can be located at surface on production line to control flow rate so that ESP can be controlled to operate within a pump envelop.
Panel 220D shows real-time measurements of the current driving motor 202. The measurements can be taken at the motor 202, as illustrated in
The operation of the pump, and the performance of the ESP configuration, can be estimated based on the measurements of the fluid composition (e.g., water/oil), the flow rate (e.g., barrels per unit time), the pressure readout (e.g., at pump intake and output), and the driving current (e.g., amperage). Additionally, parameters such as water/oil mix, pressure at pump intake, and driving current can be adjusted from the control panel. For example, some implementations may provide navigational guidance to an operator so that user input can be entered on the interactive GUI on the control panel to adjust operational parameters of the ESP configuration. In another example, the temperature readout can be used to drive a closed-loop control feedback to adjust the driving current, the fluid mix, and/or the flow rate output so that the overheating of the motor can be avoided, thereby increasing the life-span of the motor, and reducing potential downtime of the ESP configuration.
Some implementations provide the display much like a speedometer on a vehicle, thus rendering these implementations more akin to a GPS device on the vehicle. As shown in panels 230A, these implementations can present the percentage of motor loading as a speedometer with, for example, two segments corresponding to a first region where user attention is needed, and a second region where the loading condition is deemed acceptable. Here, the 71% loading is deemed acceptable. Similarly, in panel 230B, the percentage of pump rating is also presented on a speedometer layout with distinct regions. The 90% rating corresponds to an acceptable pump rating. In panel 230C, the amperage of the driving current of the motor is presented on a speedometer layout with distinct regions. As shown, the amperage of 36 is squarely within an acceptable segment. In panel 230D, the production rate as a barrels per day (BPD) is presented on a speedometer layout with distinct regions. As shown, the production rate of 2147 barrels per day is within an acceptable range according to design. In these speedometer layouts, the needle is updated according to current readout, much like the speed of the vehicle. In this manner, the user is kept abreast of the operational status of the ESP configuration so that the user can choose to slow down, or speed up, to maintain operational status of the EPS configuration within an acceptable range according to design.
Implementations may then estimate the performance of the ESP configuration based on, at least in part, the measurements from sensors (302). For example, the implementations can estimate the operational performance of the pump using real-time measurements of the fluid composition (e.g., water/oil mix), the flow rate (e.g., barrels per unit time), the pressure readings (e.g., at pump intake and output), and the current driving the pump. The estimation may also infer a trend of an operational parameter based on the input stream of real-time measurements and past records using, for example, machine learning algorithms such as linear regression. Various measurements and predictions can be presented on an interactive GUI for an operator, as illustrated in examples shown in
The implementations may then determine whether an operational parameter is need of adjustment (303). In some cases, when the determination reveals no operational parameter is outside a normal range, flow chart may revert to continued data collection (301). When the implementations determine that an operational parameter is outside a normal range, or about to fall outside a normal range, flow chart 300 may proceed to adjust an operation of the ESP assembly (304). Significantly, the implementations not only can indicate whether the operational parameter is within a normal, the implementations can also incorporate a closed-loop mechanism in which an operator can adjust a parameter on the interactive GUI so that the operation of ESP assembly can be adjusted accordingly, as discussed about in association with
The computer 402 can serve in a role in a computer system as a client, network component, a server, a database or another persistency, another role, or a combination of roles for performing the subject matter described in the present disclosure. The illustrated computer 402 is communicably coupled with a network 430. In some implementations, one or more components of the computer 402 can be configured to operate within an environment, including cloud-computing-based, local, global, another environment, or a combination of environments.
The computer 402 is an electronic computing device operable to receive, transmit, process, store, or manage data and information associated with the described subject matter. According to some implementations, the computer 402 can also include or be communicably coupled with a server, including an application server, e-mail server, web server, caching server, streaming data server, another server, or a combination of servers.
The computer 402 can receive requests over network 430 (for example, from a client software application executing on another computer 402) and respond to the received requests by processing the received requests using a software application or a combination of software applications. In addition, requests can also be sent to the computer 402 from internal users, external or third-parties, or other entities, individuals, systems, or computers.
Each of the components of the computer 402 can communicate using a system bus 403. In some implementations, any or all of the components of the computer 402, including hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software, can interface over the system bus 403 using an application programming interface (API) 412, a service layer 413, or a combination of the API 412 and service layer 413. The API 412 can include specifications for routines, data structures, and object classes. The API 412 can be either computer-language independent or dependent and refer to a complete interface, a single function, or even a set of APIs. The service layer 413 provides software services to the computer 402 or other components (whether illustrated or not) that are communicably coupled to the computer 402. The functionality of the computer 402 can be accessible for all service consumers using this service layer. Software services, such as those provided by the service layer 413, provide reusable, defined functionalities through a defined interface. For example, the interface can be software written in JAVA, C++, another computing language, or a combination of computing languages providing data in extensible markup language (XML) format, another format, or a combination of formats. While illustrated as an integrated component of the computer 402, alternative implementations can illustrate the API 412 or the service layer 413 as stand-alone components in relation to other components of the computer 402 or other components (whether illustrated or not) that are communicably coupled to the computer 402. Moreover, any or all parts of the API 412 or the service layer 413 can be implemented as a child or a sub-module of another software module, enterprise application, or hardware module without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
The computer 402 includes an interface 404. Although illustrated as a single interface 404 in
The computer 402 includes a processor 405. Although illustrated as a single processor 405 in
The computer 402 also includes a database 406 that can hold data for the computer 402, another component communicatively linked to the network 430 (whether illustrated or not), or a combination of the computer 402 and another component. For example, database 406 can be an in-memory, conventional, or another type of database storing data consistent with the present disclosure. In some implementations, database 406 can be a combination of two or more different database types (for example, a hybrid in-memory and conventional database) according to particular needs, desires, or particular implementations of the computer 402 and the described functionality. Although illustrated as a single database 406 in
The computer 402 also includes a memory 407 that can hold data for the computer 402, another component or components communicatively linked to the network 430 (whether illustrated or not), or a combination of the computer 402 and another component. Memory 407 can store any data consistent with the present disclosure. In some implementations, memory 407 can be a combination of two or more different types of memory (for example, a combination of semiconductor and magnetic storage) according to particular needs, desires, or particular implementations of the computer 402 and the described functionality. Although illustrated as a single memory 407 in
The application 408 is an algorithmic software engine providing functionality according to particular needs, desires, or particular implementations of the computer 402, particularly with respect to functionality described in the present disclosure. For example, application 408 can serve as one or more components, modules, or applications. Further, although illustrated as a single application 408, the application 408 can be implemented as multiple applications 408 on the computer 402. In addition, although illustrated as integral to the computer 402, in alternative implementations, the application 408 can be external to the computer 402.
The computer 402 can also include a power supply 414. The power supply 414 can include a rechargeable or non-rechargeable battery that can be configured to be either user-or non-user-replaceable. In some implementations, the power supply 414 can include power-conversion or management circuits (including recharging, standby, or another power management functionality). In some implementations, the power-supply 414 can include a power plug to allow the computer 402 to be plugged into a wall socket or another power source to, for example, power the computer 402 or recharge a rechargeable battery.
There can be any number of computers 402 associated with, or external to, a computer system containing computer 402, each computer 402 communicating over network 430. Further, the term “client,” “user,” or other appropriate terminology can be used interchangeably, as appropriate, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Moreover, the present disclosure contemplates that many users can use one computer 402, or that one user can use multiple computers 402.
Implementations of the subject matter and the functional operations described in this specification can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, in tangibly embodied computer software or firmware, in computer hardware, including the structures disclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents, or in combinations of one or more of them. Software implementations of the described subject matter can be implemented as one or more computer programs, that is, one or more modules of computer program instructions encoded on a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable computer-storage medium for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus. Alternatively, or additionally, the program instructions can be encoded in/on an artificially generated propagated signal, for example, a machine-generated electrical, optical, or electromagnetic signal that is generated to encode information for transmission to a receiver apparatus for execution by a data processing apparatus. The computer-storage medium can be a machine-readable storage device, a machine-readable storage substrate, a random or serial access memory device, or a combination of computer-storage mediums. Configuring one or more computers means that the one or more computers have installed hardware, firmware, or software (or combinations of hardware, firmware, and software) so that when the software is executed by the one or more computers, particular computing operations are performed.
The term “real-time,” “real time,” “realtime,” “real (fast) time (RFT),” “near(ly) real-time (NRT),” “quasi real-time,” or similar terms (as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art), means that an action and a response are temporally proximate such that an individual perceives the action and the response occurring substantially simultaneously. For example, the time difference for a response to display (or for an initiation of a display) of data following the individual's action to access the data can be less than 1 millisecond (ms), less than 1 second (s), or less than 5 s. While the requested data need not be displayed (or initiated for display) instantaneously, it is displayed (or initiated for display) without any intentional delay, taking into account processing limitations of a described computing system and time required to, for example, gather, accurately measure, analyze, process, store, or transmit the data.
The terms “data processing apparatus,” “computer,” or “electronic computer device” (or equivalent as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art) refer to data processing hardware and encompass all kinds of apparatus, devices, and machines for processing data, including by way of example, a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple processors or computers. The apparatus can also be, or further include special purpose logic circuitry, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), an FPGA (field programmable gate array), or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit). In some implementations, the data processing apparatus or special purpose logic circuitry (or a combination of the data processing apparatus or special purpose logic circuitry) can be hardware-or software-based (or a combination of both hardware- and software-based). The apparatus can optionally include code that creates an execution environment for computer programs, for example, code that constitutes processor firmware, a protocol stack, a database management system, an operating system, or a combination of execution environments. The present disclosure contemplates the use of data processing apparatuses with an operating system of some type, for example LINUX, UNIX, WINDOWS, MAC OS, ANDROID, IOS, another operating system, or a combination of operating systems.
A computer program, which can also be referred to or described as a program, software, a software application, a unit, a module, a software module, a script, code, or other component can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, or declarative or procedural languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including, for example, as a stand-alone program, module, component, or subroutine, for use in a computing environment. A computer program can, but need not, correspond to a file in a file system. A program can be stored in a portion of a file that holds other programs or data, for example, one or more scripts stored in a markup language document, in a single file dedicated to the program in question, or in multiple coordinated files, for example, files that store one or more modules, sub-programs, or portions of code. A computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers that are located at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network.
While portions of the programs illustrated in the various figures can be illustrated as individual components, such as units or modules, that implement described features and functionality using various objects, methods, or other processes, the programs can instead include a number of sub-units, sub-modules, third-party services, components, libraries, and other components, as appropriate. Conversely, the features and functionality of various components can be combined into single components, as appropriate. Thresholds used to make computational determinations can be statically, dynamically, or both statically and dynamically determined.
Described methods, processes, or logic flows represent one or more examples of functionality consistent with the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the disclosure to the described or illustrated implementations, but to be accorded the widest scope consistent with described principles and features. The described methods, processes, or logic flows can be performed by one or more programmable computers executing one or more computer programs to perform functions by operating on input data and generating output data. The methods, processes, or logic flows can also be performed by, and apparatus can also be implemented as, special purpose logic circuitry, for example, a CPU, an FPGA, or an ASIC.
Computers for the execution of a computer program can be based on general or special purpose microprocessors, both, or another type of CPU. Generally, a CPU will receive instructions and data from and write to a memory. The essential elements of a computer are a CPU, for performing or executing instructions, and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to, receive data from or transfer data to, or both, one or more mass storage devices for storing data, for example, magnetic, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks. However, a computer need not have such devices. Moreover, a computer can be embedded in another device, for example, a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile audio or video player, a game console, a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, or a portable memory storage device.
Non-transitory computer-readable media for storing computer program instructions and data can include all forms of media and memory devices, magnetic devices, magneto optical disks, and optical memory device. Memory devices include semiconductor memory devices, for example, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), phase change memory (PRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and flash memory devices. Magnetic devices include, for example, tape, cartridges, cassettes, internal/removable disks. Optical memory devices include, for example, digital video disc (DVD), CD-ROM, DVD+/-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-ROM, HD-DVD, and BLURAY, and other optical memory technologies. The memory can store various objects or data, including caches, classes, frameworks, applications, modules, backup data, jobs, web pages, web page templates, data structures, database tables, repositories storing dynamic information, or other appropriate information including any parameters, variables, algorithms, instructions, rules, constraints, or references. Additionally, the memory can include other appropriate data, such as logs, policies, security or access data, or reporting files. The processor and the memory can be supplemented by, or incorporated in, special purpose logic circuitry.
To provide for interaction with a user, implementations of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented on a computer having a display device, for example, a CRT (cathode ray tube), LCD (liquid crystal display), LED (Light Emitting Diode), or plasma monitor, for displaying information to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device, for example, a mouse, trackball, or trackpad by which the user can provide input to the computer. Input can also be provided to the computer using a touchscreen, such as a tablet computer surface with pressure sensitivity, a multi-touch screen using capacitive or electric sensing, or another type of touchscreen. Other types of devices can be used to interact with the user. For example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback. Input from the user can be received in any form, including acoustic, speech, or tactile input. In addition, a computer can interact with the user by sending documents to and receiving documents from a client computing device that is used by the user.
The term “graphical user interface,” or “GUI,” can be used in the singular or the plural to describe one or more graphical user interfaces and each of the displays of a particular graphical user interface. Therefore, a GUI can represent any graphical user interface, including but not limited to, a web browser, a touch screen, or a command line interface (CLI) that processes information and efficiently presents the information results to the user. In general, a GUI can include a plurality of user interface (UI) elements, some or all associated with a web browser, such as interactive fields, pull-down lists, and buttons. These and other UI elements can be related to or represent the functions of the web browser.
Implementations of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented in a computing system that includes a back-end component, for example, as a data server, or that includes a middleware component, for example, an application server, or that includes a front-end component, for example, a client computer having a graphical user interface or a Web browser through which a user can interact with an implementation of the subject matter described in this specification, or any combination of one or more such back-end, middleware, or front-end components. The components of the system can be interconnected by any form or medium of wireline or wireless digital data communication (or a combination of data communication), for example, a communication network. Examples of communication networks include a local area network (LAN), a radio access network (RAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX), a wireless local area network (WLAN) using, for example, 802.11 a/b/g/n or 802.20 (or a combination of 802.11x and 802.20 or other protocols consistent with the present disclosure), all or a portion of the Internet, another communication network, or a combination of communication networks. The communication network can communicate with, for example, Internet Protocol (IP) packets, Frame Relay frames, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) cells, voice, video, data, or other information between networks addresses.
The computing system can include clients and servers. A client and server are generally remote from each other and typically interact through a communication network. The relationship of client and server arises by virtue of computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship to each other.
While this specification contains many specific implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of what can be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features that can be specific to particular implementations. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate implementations can also be implemented, in combination, in a single implementation. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single implementation can also be implemented in multiple implementations, separately, or in any sub-combination. Moreover, although previously described features can be described as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can, in some cases, be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination can be directed to a sub-combination or variation of a sub-combination.
Particular implementations of the subject matter have been described. Other implementations, alterations, and permutations of the described implementations are within the scope of the following claims as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. While operations are depicted in the drawings or claims in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed (some operations can be considered optional), to achieve desirable results. In certain circumstances, multitasking or parallel processing (or a combination of multitasking and parallel processing) can be advantageous and performed as deemed appropriate.
Moreover, the separation or integration of various system modules and components in the previously described implementations should not be understood as requiring such separation or integration in all implementations, and it should be understood that the described program components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single software product or packaged into multiple software products.
Furthermore, any claimed implementation is considered to be applicable to at least a computer-implemented method; a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions to perform the computer-implemented method; and a computer system comprising a computer memory interoperably coupled with a hardware processor configured to perform the computer-implemented method or the instructions stored on the non-transitory, computer-readable medium.
