Methods and apparatus to implement flexible bioreactor control systems

1. An apparatus for configuring a bioreactor control system comprising:

a memory device that stores a process task object that defines a process task to be executed by a first process control device of the bioreactor control system, the first process control device having an input mapped to an output of a second process control device of the bioreactor control system, the process task object including a map value that identifies a source location for an input value of the process task object, the input value defined by a third process control device of the bioreactor control system;

a hardware abstractor in electronic communication with a data bus disposed in the bioreactor control system that connects the hardware abstractor to the first, the second, and the third process control devices; and

a processor coupled to the memory device and the hardware abstractor and configured to:

determine whether the map value is a valid map value;

decode the map value to identify the source location;

pull a value from the source location via the hardware abstractor to update the input value; and

configure the process task to be executed with the input value via the first process control device and the hardware abstractor such that the input of the first process control device is mapped to an output of the third process control device; and

wherein the process task defines an action for producing a product,

the first process control device preforms the action defined by the process task, and

the first, the second, and the third process control devices are each one of a bioreactor, a pump, a flow control device, a valve, an agitator, a ph sensor, a temperature sensor, a dissolved oxygen sensor, a pressure gauge, a concentration gauge, and a flow meter.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the map value identifies an output of a second process task object.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the map value identifies a table entry.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the process task object is one of a plurality of process task objects included in a process recipe.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 , wherein the process recipe defines a sequence of actions within the bioreactor control system configuration to produce the product.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein decoding the map value further comprises determining, via the processor, a device type and a device number.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the process task transforms the input value into an output value when executed.

8. A method for configuring a bioreactor control system comprising:

determining, via a processor of an apparatus for configuring the bioreactor control system, whether a map value included in a process task object stored in a memory device of the apparatus for configuring the bioreactor control system is a valid map value, the process task object corresponding to a task executed by a first process control device of the bioreactor control system, the first process control device having an input mapped to an output of a second process control device of the bioreactor control system, and the map value identifying a source location for an input value of the process task object, the input value defined by a third process control device of the bioreactor control system;

responsive to determining the map value is a valid map value, pulling, via a hardware abstractor in electronic communication with a data bus disposed in the bioreactor control system and connected to the first, the second, and the third process control devices and operative to facilitate electronic communication between the processor and the first, the second, and the third process control devices, a value from the source location to update the input value of the process task object; and

configuring, via the processor and the hardware abstractor, the process task to be executed with the input value via the first process control device such that the input of the first process control device is mapped to an output of the third process control device; and

wherein the process task defines an action for producing a product,

the first process control device preforms the action defined by the process task, and

the first, the second, and the third process control devices are each one of a bioreactor, a pump, a flow control device, a valve, an agitator, a ph sensor, a temperature sensor, a dissolved oxygen sensor, a pressure gauge, a concentration gauge, and a flow meter.

9. A method as defined in claim 8 , wherein the map value identifies an output of a second process task object.

10. A method as defined in claim 8 , wherein the map value identifies a table entry.

11. A method as defined in claim 8 , wherein the process task object is one of a plurality of process task objects included in a process recipe.

12. A method as defined in claim 11 , wherein the process recipe defines a sequence of actions within the bioreactor control system configuration to produce the product.

13. A method as defined in claim 8 , wherein decoding the map value further comprises determining a device type and a device number of a process control device in the bioreactor control system.

14. A method as defined in claim 8 , wherein configuring, via the processor, the process task to be executed with the input value via the first process control device further comprises transforming the input value into an output value.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions that, when executed, cause a processor of an apparatus for configuring a bioreactor control system to at least:

determine whether a map value included in a process task object stored in a memory device of the apparatus for configuring the bioreactor control system is a valid map value, the process task object to correspond to a task executed by a first process control device of a bioreactor control system, the first process control device having an input mapped to an output of a second process control device of the bioreactor system, and the map value to identify a source location for an input value of the process task object, the input value defined by a third process control device of the bioreactor control system;

in response to determining the map value is a valid map value, decode the map value to identify the source location of a first input of the process task object;

pull a value from the source location to update the input value of the process task object via a hardware abstractor in electronic communication with a data bus disposed in the bioreactor control system and connected to the first, the second, and the third process control devices and operative to facilitate electronic communication between the processor and the first, the second, and the third process control devices; and

configure the process task, via the hardware abstractor, to be executed with the input value via the first process control device such that the input of the first process control device is mapped to an output of the third process control device; and

wherein the process task defines an action for producing a product,

the first process control device preforms the action defined by the process task, and

the first, the second, and the third process control devices are each one of a bioreactor, a pump, a flow control device, a valve, an agitator, a ph sensor, a temperature sensor, a dissolved oxygen sensor, a pressure gauge, a concentration gauge, and a flow meter.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 15 , wherein the map value identifies an output of a second process task object.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 15 , wherein the map value identifies a table entry.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 15 , wherein the process task object is one of a plurality of process task objects included in a process recipe.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 18 , wherein the process recipe defines a sequence of actions within the bioreactor control system configuration to produce the product.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 15 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to determine a device type and a device number.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim 15 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to transform the input value into an output value.