Digital LOTO

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12562008-B1
Application number	US-202418954817-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 21, 2024
Priority date	Nov 21, 2024
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

A method and system are provided facilitating worker safety in an electrical system. In the method and system, a request is received from a user to perform a lockout/tagout (LOTO) for equipment in the electrical system. An isolation device(s) is identified for electrically isolating the equipment from an electrical energy source(s) in the electrical system. A digital LOTO procedure is performed for the equipment, which includes controlling shutdown of the equipment; controlling an operation of the isolation device(s) to isolate the equipment from the energy source(s); performing digital lockout for the equipment by setting a lockout status for the equipment which prohibits or prevent unauthorized release of the lockout; and providing a digital record of the lockout which reflects a lockout status of the energy source(s) from the equipment, identifies the user responsible for the request, and provides notice of the lockout status for the equipment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computer-implemented method of facilitating worker safety in an electrical system, comprising:
receiving a request from a user to perform a lockout/tagout for equipment in the electrical system; identifying isolation device(s) for electrically isolating the equipment from electrical energy source(s) in the electrical system; and performing a digital lockout/tagout procedure for the equipment, including:
controlling shutdown of the equipment;
controlling an operation of the isolation device(s) to isolate the equipment from the electrical energy source(s);
performing a digital lockout for the equipment by setting a lockout status for the equipment which prohibits or prevents unauthorized release of the digital lockout; and
providing a digital record of the digital lockout which reflects a lockout status of the electrical energy source(s) from the equipment, identifies the user responsible for the request, and provides notice of the lockout status of the electrical energy source(s) from the equipment.

2 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the performing the digital lockout further comprises:
controlling a lockout device(s) to lock the isolation device(s), thereby preventing operation thereof and/or access thereto.

3 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the equipment is associated with a sub-process or sub-system of an industrial process, the method further comprising:
identifying other equipment for the sub-process or sub-system of the industrial process in the electrical system; and controlling shutdown of the other equipment, or performing a digital lockout/tagout for the other equipment.

4 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the performing the digital lockout/tagout procedure further comprises:
electronically notifying one or more entities of the lockout status of the electrical energy source(s) from the equipment.

5 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving identifier data from a user device identifying the equipment; and searching a database to identify the equipment from a plurality of equipment in the electrical system based on the identifier data, wherein the identifier data is obtained by the user device at a location of the equipment using one or more sensors of the user device.

6 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
controlling the isolation device(s) or an output device(s) associated therewith to perform a confirmation operation, from which information is obtained by the user for confirmation of the isolation device(s) or position thereof, wherein, the digital lockout/tagout procedure is performed after confirmation of the isolation device(s) or position thereof, in response to the request, and wherein the confirmation operation is a sequence of operations which are performed by the isolation device(s) or the output device(s) associated therewith.

7 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the digital record or lockout status for the equipment is stored in database as a public ledger on non-volatile memory.

8 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a release request for releasing the lockout status of the electrical energy source(s) from the equipment; checking whether the release request is from an authorized entity, the authorized entity including at least the user; and in response to the release request being from an authorized entity, releasing the digital lockout or state thereof to enable the electrical energy source(s) to be connected to the equipment via the isolation device(s).

9 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a unique digital key for the user; and providing the digital key to a user device for use in releasing the digital lockout of the electrical energy source(s) from the equipment.

10 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the request is to perform the lockout/tagout procedure for equipment for a sub-process or sub-system of an industrial process, the method further comprising:
identifying each of the equipment in the sub-process or sub-system of the industrial process, wherein the digital lockout/tagout procedure is performed for each of the identified equipment for the sub-process or subsystem.

11 . A system for facilitating arc fault detection on an electrical system, comprising:
a memory; and a processor, in communication with the memory, configured to:
receive a request from a user to perform a lockout/tagout for equipment in the electrical system;
identify an isolation device(s) for electrically isolating the equipment from an electrical energy source(s) in the electrical system; and
perform a digital lockout/tagout procedure for the equipment, including:
control shutdown of the equipment;
control an operation of the isolation device(s) to isolate the equipment from the electrical energy source(s);
perform a digital lockout for the equipment by setting a lockout status for the equipment which prohibits or prevents unauthorized release of the digital lockout; and
provide a digital record of the digital lockout which reflects a lockout status of the electrical energy source(s) from the equipment, identifies the user responsible for the request, and provides notice of the lockout status of the electrical energy source(s) from the equipment.

12 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein, to perform a digital lockout, the processor is further configured to control a lockout device(s) to lock the isolation device(s), thereby preventing operation thereof and/or access thereto.

13 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the equipment is associated with a sub-process or sub-system of an industrial process, the processor is further configured to:
identify other equipment for the sub-process or sub-system of the industrial process in the electrical system; and controlling shutdown of the other equipment, or performing a digital lockout/tagout for the other equipment.

14 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein, to perform the digital lockout/tagout procedure, the processor is further configured to:
implement electronic notification, to one or more entities, of the lockout status of the electrical energy source(s) from the equipment.

15 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive identifier data from a user device identifying the equipment; and search a database to identify the equipment from a plurality of equipment in the electrical system based on the identifier data, wherein the identifier data is obtained by the user device at a location of the equipment using one or more sensors of the user device.

16 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
control the isolation device(s) or an output device(s) associated therewith to perform a confirmation operation, from which information is obtained by the user for confirmation of the isolation device(s) or position thereof, wherein, the digital lockout/tagout procedure is performed after confirmation of the isolation device(s) or position thereof, in response to the request, and wherein the confirmation operation is a sequence of operations which are performed by the isolation device(s) or the output device(s) associated therewith.

17 . The system according to claim 11 ,

Assignees

• Schneider Electric Usa Inc

Inventors

• Jefferies Kevin M
• Edwards Benjamin W
• White Matthew L
• Freeman Alan E

Classifications

• G07C1/32 Primary

  Time-recording locks · CPC title