Systems and methods for virtually assessing an industrial automation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10054934-B2
Application number	US-201514788504-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2015
Priority date	Mar 27, 2015
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

An industrial automation system includes a first computing device that communicatively couples to a second computing device via a communication network. The first computing device receives image data capturing a visual representation of industrial automation equipment in operation via the communication network, in which the image data is acquired by the second computing device; determines an identity of the industrial automation equipment based at least in part on the image data; determines relevant information regarding the industrial automation equipment based at least in part on the identity of the industrial automation equipment; and instructs the industrial automation equipment, the second computing device, the first computing device, the industrial automation system, a user, or any combination thereof to perform one or more operations in the industrial automation system based at least in part on the relevant information.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An industrial automation system, comprising:
a first computing device configured to be communicatively coupled to a second computing device via a communication network, wherein the first computing device is configured to:
receive image data capturing a visual representation of industrial automation equipment in operation via the communication network, wherein the image data is acquired by the second computing device;
determine an identity of the industrial automation equipment based at least in part on the image data, wherein the identity of the industrial automation equipment is determined based on the image data, audio data comprising an audio representation of the industrial automation equipment, or both;
determine relevant information regarding the industrial automation equipment based at least in part on the identity of the industrial automation equipment, wherein the relevant information comprises operational parameters related to the industrial automation equipment, operational parameters related to a facility that includes the industrial automation equipment, procedure instructions to be implemented in the industrial automation system, assessment information, or any combination thereof; and
instruct the industrial automation equipment, the second computing device, the first computing device, a control and monitoring system in the industrial automation system, a user, or any combination thereof to perform one or more operations in the industrial automation system based at least in part on the relevant information, wherein the one or more operations comprise a step in the procedure instructions, instructing the industrial automation equipment to execute the step in the procedure instructions, prompting a user to perform the step in the procedure instructions, displaying received operational parameters, displaying received assessment information, or any combination thereof.

2. The industrial automation system of claim 1 , wherein the first computing device comprises a display configured to:
display a real object based at least in part on the image data, wherein the real object is configured to visually represent physical features of the industrial automation equipment; and
display one or more virtual objects based at least in part on the relevant information, wherein the one or more virtual objects are configured to visually represent the relevant information.

3. The industrial automation system of claim 1 , wherein the first computing device is configured to:
display a prompt requesting input of the identity of the industrial automation equipment from a user physically remote from the facility; and
determine the identity of the industrial automation equipment based at least in part on a user input, wherein the relevant information comprises the identity of the industrial automation equipment.

4. The industrial automation system of claim 3 , wherein the first computing device is configured to determine the identity of the industrial automation equipment by:
searching a storage component based at least in part on the image data to determine identity suggestions; and
displaying one or more graphical objects on a display to present one or more suggestions associated with the identity of the industrial automation equipment.

5. The industrial automation system of claim 1 , wherein the first computing device is configured to:
display a prompt requesting input of assessment information related to the industrial automation system from a user physically remote from the facility; and
determine the assessment information based at least in part on a user input, wherein the relevant information comprises the assessment information.

6. The industrial automation system of claim 5 , wherein the first computing device is configured to determine the assessment information by:
searching a storage component based at least in part on the image data to determine criteria used to determine the assessment information; and
display one or more graphical objects to present the criteria.

7. The industrial automation system of claim 1 , wherein the first computing device is configured to:
display a prompt requesting input of one or more procedure instructions to be implemented in the industrial automation system from a user physically remote from the facility; and
determine the one or more procedure instructions based at least in part on a user input, wherein the relevant information comprises the procedure instructions.

8. The industrial automation system of claim 7 , wherein the procedure instructions comprise one or more lockout-tagout procedure instructions, one or more service procedure instructions, one or more maintenance procedure instructions, one or more troubleshooting procedure instructions, or any combination thereof.

9. The industrial automation system of claim 1 , wherein the second computing device comprises a mobile computing device and the first computing device comprises a cloud-based computing system.

10. A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium configured to store instructions executable by a processor in a first computing device, wherein the instructions comprise instructions to:
receive, using the processor, first image data capturing a visual representation of industrial automation equipment in an industrial automation system, wherein the first image data is acquired by a second computing device separate from the first computing device;
determine, using the processor, an identity of the industrial automation equipment via a first automated search of a storage component based at least in part on the first image data, wherein the identity of the industrial automation equipment is determined based on the first image data, audio data comprising an audio representation of the industrial automation equipment, or both;
determine, using the processor, relevant information based at least in part on the identity of the industrial automation equipment, wherein the relevant information comprises operational parameters related to the industrial automation equipment, operational parameters related to a facility that includes the industrial automation equipment, procedure instructions to be implemented in the industrial automation system, assessment information, or any combination thereof; and
instruct, using the processor, the first computing device, the second computing device, the industrial automation equipment, a user, a control and monitoring system in the industrial automation system, or any combination thereof to perform one or more operations in the industrial automation system based at least in part on the relevant information, wherein the one or more operations comprise a step in the procedure instructions, instructing the industrial automation equipment to execute the step in the procedure instructions, prompting a user to perform the step in the procedure instructions, displaying received operational parameters, displaying received assessment information, or any combination thereof.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions to determine the identity of the industrial automation equipment comprise instructions to:
determine physical dimensions of the industrial automation equipment based at least in part on the first image data; and
search the storage component based at least in part on the physical dimensions to determine the identity of the industrial automation equipment, wherein the storage component is configured to associate a plurality of industrial automation equipment with corresponding sets of physical dimensions.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , comprising instru

Assignees

• Rockwell Automation Tech Inc

Inventors

• Michalscheck Jimi R
• Korpela Jessica L
• Reissner Kyle K
• Vasko David A
• Fordenwalt Matthew W
• Jauquet John J
• Ericsson Matthew R
• Wilber Andrew
• Michalscheck Kelly A

Classifications

• G07C9/28

  the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence · CPC title

• G05B19/41875

  characterised by quality surveillance of production · CPC title

• G05B19/4184

  characterised by fault tolerance, reliability of production system · CPC title

• G07C3/00

  Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles · CPC title

• F16K31/00

  Actuating devices;} Operating means; Releasing devices {(regulating means G05D) · CPC title