Cloud-based industrial controller

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11513477-B2
Application number	US-201514658365-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2015
Priority date	Mar 16, 2015
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

A cloud-based industrial controller that controls devices, processes, and other assets of an industrial automation system via control algorithms that execute on a cloud platform is presented. A cloud-based collection component collects information from the industrial automation system via cloud gateways associated with the industrial automation system or extrinsic data sources. The cloud-based industrial controller can monitor and analyze the information, generate control instructions based on the analysis results, and communicate the control instructions to the devices, processes, and/or other assets of the industrial automation system to control operation of the industrial automation system. The cloud-based industrial controller also can interface with a industrial plant-based industrial controller, wherein the cloud-based industrial controller can determine supplemental control instructions to the industrial plant-based industrial controller, based on the information, including extrinsic information, to assist in controlling the industrial automation system and control decision-making.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a memory that stores computer-executable components; and
a processor, operatively coupled to the memory, that executes computer-executable components, the computer-executable components comprising:
a collection component that executes on a cloud platform and is configured to collect, via at least one communication network, data from one or more devices of an industrial automation system within an industrial facility and from a local industrial controller that is located in the industrial facility and that controls a first portion of the industrial automation system in accordance with a control program that executes on the local industrial controller;
an analytics component configured to
determine, based on first analysis of the data, a first correlation between the data and a production goal to be achieved by the industrial automation system, wherein the production goal is at least one a level of product output by the industrial automation system or a reduction of maintenance downtime for the industrial automation system, and
determine, based on second analysis of the data and attention data that tracks focuses of attention of employees in connection with operation of the industrial automation system, a second correlation between the focuses of attention and the production goal; and
a cloud-based industrial controller that executes on the cloud platform, wherein the cloud-based industrial controller is configured to:
control, from the cloud platform, a second portion of the industrial automation system,
interface, from the cloud platform, with the local industrial controller, and
generate, based on the first correlation and the second correlation, a first control instruction and a second control instruction that are configured to, in response to execution on the cloud-based industrial controller and the local industrial controller, respectively, cause the cloud-based industrial controller and the local industrial controller to perform coordinated control of the first portion and the second portion of industrial automation system to bring a performance metric of the industrial automation system within a defined baseline associated with the production goal.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cloud-based industrial controller interfaces with the local industrial controller over a public network of the at least one communication network.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cloud-based industrial controller is further configured to send the second control instruction to the local industrial controller via a cloud gateway component.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the analytics component is further configured to generate a recommendation message defining a modification to an operation of the industrial automation system predicted to bring the performance metric within the defined baseline, and to send the recommendation message to a client device.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable components further comprise:
a virtualization component configured to generate the cloud-based industrial controller as a virtualized industrial controller based at least in part on a virtualization result of an analysis of at least a portion of the data.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the virtualization component is configured to generate a virtualized industrial automation system comprising one or more virtualized devices that correspond to the one or more devices of the industrial automation system based at least in part on the virtualization result.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cloud-based industrial controller operates in parallel with the local industrial controller to facilitate control of the industrial automation system.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cloud-based industrial controller operates in parallel with the local industrial controller to facilitate control of the industrial automation system at least until a determination that operation of the industrial automation system is in accordance with a defined control criterion.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cloud-based industrial controller is further configured to
determine at least one of a manufacturer or a model number of the local industrial controller based on information retrieved from the local industrial controller,
translate, based on at least one of the manufacturer or the model number, a control algorithm stored on the cloud platform in a controller-agnostic format to a controller-specific format to yield the control program, and
send the control program to the local industrial controller.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein an industrial device of the one or more devices is integrated with or associated with a cloud gateway component that sends a subset of the data from the industrial device to at least one of the cloud-based industrial controller or the collection component.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data comprises at least one of data relating to an industrial device of the one or more devices, data relating to an industrial process performed by the industrial automation system, data relating to an industrial asset, data relating to a network-related device of the one or more devices that facilitates data communications associated with the industrial automation system, data relating to an interrelationship between two devices of the one or more devices, data relating to an operating system associated with the industrial automation system, data relating to software associated with the industrial automation system, or data relating to firmware associated with the industrial automation system.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cloud-based industrial controller is further configured to:
in response to a determination that the local industrial controller has become incapable of controlling the industrial automation system, assume control of the first portion of the industrial automation system.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the production goal is at least one of reduction of energy costs associated with the industrial automation system, increase of production output by the industrial automation system, reduction of maintenance downtime for the industrial automation system, achievement of a revenue goal associated with the industrial automation system, or achievement of an efficiency goal.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein
the analytics component is further configured to determine, based on third analysis of the data, a third correlation between presence of an employee at the plant facility and a positive operation outcome of the industrial automation system, and to send a notification identifying the third correlation to a client device.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein
the analytics component is further configured to send a notification identifying the second correlation to a client device.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein
the collection component is further configured to collect extrinsic data from one or more extrinsic sources that are external to the industrial facility, wherein the extrinsic data indicates at least one of a forecasted weather condition, a price of energy, a shipment schedule for materials used by the industrial process, or an order for product produced by the industrial automation system,
the analytics component is configured to determine, as the first correlation, a correlation between the data, the extrinsic data, and the production goal.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the extrinsic data further comprises news determined to be relevant to operatio

Assignees

• Rockwell Automation Tech Inc

Inventors

• Strohmenger John
• Korpela Jessica L
• Fordenwalt Matthew W
• Pingel Jan
• Hickox Stephen L
• Weber Douglas B

Classifications

• G05B2219/23026

  Recognise user input pattern and present possible intended program · CPC title

• G05B23/0237

  based on parallel systems, e.g. comparing signals produced at the same time by same type systems and detect faulty ones by noticing differences among their responses · CPC title

• G05B11/01 Primary

  electric · CPC title

• Y02P90/80

  Management or planning · CPC title

• G05B2219/32007

  Operator is assisted by expert system for advice and delegation of tasks · CPC title