Systems and methods for virtually tagging and securing industrial equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11480949-B2
Application number	US-201916359804-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2019
Priority date	Mar 27, 2015
Publication date	Oct 25, 2022
Grant date	Oct 25, 2022

Abstract

In one embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable medium may include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, may cause processor to receive a set of user data associated with a user that is attempting to access an electronic lock, receive a request to actuate a locking mechanism of the electronic lock configured to prevent the user from accessing a machine in an industrial automation system, actuate the locking mechanism in response to the request and the set of user data corresponding to an expected set of data, store a log of the request and the set of user data, and send the log to a cloud-based computing system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, are configured to cause the processor to:
receive a set of user data associated with a user that is attempting to access an electronic lock;
receive a request to actuate a locking mechanism of the electronic lock configured to prevent the user from accessing a machine in an industrial automation system;
access a database comprising a plurality of user permissives, wherein each user permissive of the plurality of user permissives corresponds to one or more conditions associated with allowing an individual to actuate the locking mechanism;
determine whether the user is authorized to actuate the locking mechanism based on the set of user data and the plurality of user permissives;
send a second request to a computing device associated with another user in response to the user being unauthorized to actuate the locking mechanism, wherein the computing device is configured to receive a confirmation from the other user indicative of the user being authorized to actuate the locking mechanism in response to receiving the second request; and
actuate the locking mechanism in response to receiving the confirmation from the computing device.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the set of user data is indicative of the user having permission to independently access the machine.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the set of user data comprises sensor data acquired by one or more sensors, wherein the sensor data is indicative of an identity or location of the user.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the request comprises a notification to visually verify that an enclosure associated with the locking mechanism is not occupied.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the request comprises a notification to visually verify that a set of actions associated with actuating the locking mechanism has been performed.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more conditions is associated with one or more technical conditions, one or more credential conditions, or any combination thereof.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the one or more technical conditions comprise one or more operating conditions of the machine, a list of one or more types of machines, one or more enclosures configured to isolate the machine, or any combination thereof.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the one or more credential conditions comprises one or more skill levels, one or more job titles, one or more job functions, a current employment status, a first set of indications of one or more trainings or certifications completed by the user, a second set of indications of whether the one or more trainings or certifications correspond to an expected number of trainings or certifications to be completed by the user, or any combination thereof.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, are configured to cause the processor to actuate the locking mechanism by sending a command configured to cause the machine to adjust an operation of the machine in response to the user being unauthorized to actuate the locking mechanism.

10. A system, comprising:
an electronic lock comprising:
a first processor configured to receive a request to actuate the electronic lock from a user; and
a locking mechanism of the electronic lock configured to physically actuate the electronic lock; and
a cloud-based computing system comprising a second processor configured to:
receive the request from the first processor;
receive a user dataset associated with the user via one or more sensors disposed on the electronic lock;
access a database comprising a plurality of user permissives, wherein each user permissive of the plurality of user permissives corresponds to one or more conditions associated with allowing an individual to actuate the electronic lock;
determine whether the user is authorized to access equipment secured by the electronic lock based on a respective user permissive of the plurality of user permissives;
send a second request to a computing device associated with another user in response to the user being unauthorized to actuate the locking mechanism, wherein the computing device is configured to receive a confirmation from the other user indicative of the user being authorized to actuate the locking mechanism in response to receiving the second request; and
send an actuation signal to the electronic lock in response to receiving the confirmation from the computing device, wherein the actuation signal is configured to actuate the locking mechanism for the user.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a power source configured to supply current to a magnet to attract or repel an adjustable feature to lock or unlock the locking mechanism.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more conditions is associated with one or more technical conditions, one or more credential conditions, or any combination thereof.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more technical conditions comprise one or more operating conditions of a machine protected by the electronic lock, a list of one or more types of machines, one or more enclosures configured to isolate the machine, or any combination thereof.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more credential conditions comprises one or more skill levels, one or more job titles, one or more job functions, one or more indications of one or more trainings completed by each user of a plurality of users, or any combination thereof.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the second processor is configured to send a command to the equipment in response to the user being unauthorized to access the equipment, wherein the command is configured to adjust an operation of the equipment.

16. An electronic lock configured to selectively enable one or more users to access a machine in an industrial automation system, comprising:
a locking mechanism; and a processor configured to:
receive a current actuation request from a user to actuate the locking mechanism; and
actuate the locking mechanism in response to:
determining that the current actuation request corresponds to one or more expected actuation requests for the locking mechanism;
determining whether the user is authorized to access the machine secured by the electronic lock based on whether the current actuation request is associated with a plurality of conditions that correspond to a user permissive indicative of when the user can actuate the locking mechanism;
sending a request to a computing device associated with another user in response to the user being unauthorized to actuate the locking mechanism, wherein the computing device is configured to receive a confirmation from the other user indicative of the user being authorized to actuate the locking mechanism in response to receiving the request; and
sending an actuation signal to the electronic lock in response to receiving the confirmation from the computing device.

17. The electronic lock of claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to adjust an operation of the machine secured by the locking mechanism in response to determining that the current actuation request is not associated with the plural

Assignees

• Rockwell Automation Tech Inc

Inventors

• Main-Reade David
• Jones Derek
• Vasko David A

Classifications

• F16K31/00

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

• G06F17/18

  for evaluating statistical data {, e.g. average values, frequency distributions, probability functions, regression analysis (forecasting specially adapted for a specific administrative, business or logistic context G06Q10/04)} · CPC title

• G05B2219/50193

  Safety in general · CPC title

• G05B19/4185 Primary

  characterised by the network communication · CPC title

• G07C9/27

  with central registration · CPC title