Method of process monitoring in a machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021191370-A1
Application number	US-201816769916-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 4, 2018
Priority date	Dec 7, 2017
Publication date	Jun 24, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method is disclosed comprising retrieving captured process data comprising video and/or audio data capturing at least part of the execution of events in a machine, retrieving at least a first signal representing a measurable machine condition responsive to the events executed, wherein a first sequence of said machine control instructions is configured to trigger a respective first set of said events for execution thereof, determining first time stamps of the machine control instructions, aligning the first time stamps with second time stamps determined for at least one of; i) times of execution of said first set of events determined from the captured process data; ii) the first signal and associated measurable machine condition retrieved in response to execution of said first set of events, displaying a representation of the first sequence of machine control instructions, associated with the first time stamps, together with an output representation said second time stamps.

First claim

1 . A method of process monitoring in a machine being configured to execute a plurality of events, the events being associated with respective machine control instructions, the method comprising:
retrieving captured process data comprising at least one of video or audio data capturing at least part of the execution of the events, retrieving at least a first signal representing a measurable machine condition responsive to the events executed in the process being monitored, wherein a first sequence of said machine control instructions is configured to trigger a respective first set of said events for execution thereof, determining first time stamps of the machine control instructions in said sequence in response to triggering respective events in said first set, with reference to a master clock, aligning the first time stamps with second time stamps determined with reference to said master clock for at least one of: times of execution of said first set of events determined from the captured process data, or the first signal and associated measurable machine condition retrieved in response to execution of said first set of events, and displaying a representation of the first sequence of machine control instructions, associated with the first time stamps, together with an output representation of said second time stamps for a synchronous monitoring according to at least one of the master clock of the execution of said first set of events, determined from the captured process data, or of the first signal.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
aligning the first time stamps with the second time stamps determined with reference to said master clock for: times of execution of said first set of events determined from the captured process data, and the first signal and associated measurable machine condition retrieved in response to execution of said first set of events.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said representation comprises a visual control representation of the set of machine control instructions, wherein the method comprises:
receiving a user input to select a first machine control instruction in the visual control representation, whereby an associated first time stamp determined for the execution of the first machine control instruction is aligned with a second time stamp determined with reference to said master clock for a first event triggered by the first machine control instruction, and displaying an output representation of the captured process data of the first event at a time defined by the second time stamp as the user input to select the first machine control instruction is received.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said representation comprises a visual control representation of the set of machine control instructions, wherein the method comprises:
receiving a user input to select a first machine control instruction in the visual control representation, whereby an associated first time stamp determined for the execution of the first machine control instruction is aligned with a second time stamp determined with reference to said master clock for a first event triggered by the first machine control instruction, and displaying an output representation of the first signal as retrieved in response to execution of the first event at a time defined by the second time stamp as the user input to select the first machine control instruction is received.

5 . The method according to claim 3 , comprising:
receiving a sequence of said user input for a scrolling selection amongst the first sequence of machine control instructions in the visual control representation, whereby for each selection of a machine control instruction and an associated first time stamp, and displaying at least one of an output representation of said captured process data, or an output representation of said first signal, having an associated second time stamp, synchronously with the scrolling selection with reference to the master clock.

6 . A non-transitory storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method according to claim 1 .

7 . A system for process monitoring in a machine being configured to execute a plurality of events, the events being associated with respective machine control instructions in a controller, the system comprising:
a recorder configured to:
retrieve captured process data comprising at least one of video or audio data capturing at least part of the execution of the events, and
retrieve at least a first signal transmitted by a sensor and representing a measurable machine condition responsive to the events executed in the process being monitored, wherein a first sequence of said machine control instructions is configured to trigger a respective first set of said events for execution thereof,
a processor configured to communicate with the controller and further configured to:
determine first time stamps of the machine control instructions in said sequence in response to triggering respective events in said first set, with reference to a master clock, and
align the first time stamps with second time stamps determined with reference to said master clock for at least one of:
times of execution of said first set of events determined from the captured process data, or
the first signal and associated measurable machine condition retrieved in response to execution of said first set of events, and
a display configured to display a representation of the first sequence of machine control instructions, associated with the first time stamps, together with an output representation of said second time stamps for a synchronous monitoring according to at least one of the master clock of the execution of said first set of events, determined from the captured process data, or of the first signal.

8 . The system according to claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to align the first time stamps with the second time stamps determined with reference to said master clock for:
times of execution of said first set of events determined from the captured process data, and the first signal and associated measurable machine condition retrieved in response to execution of said first set of events.

9 . The system according to claim 7 , wherein said representation comprises a visual control representation of the set of machine control instructions, the system further comprising:
a user input device configured to receive a user input to select a first machine control instruction in the visual control representation, wherein the processor is configured to align an associated first time stamp, determined for the execution of the first machine control instruction, with a second time stamp determined with reference to said master clock for a first event triggered by the first machine control instruction, wherein the display is configured to display an output representation of the captured process data of the first event at a time defined by the second time stamp as the user input to select the first machine control instruction is received.

10 . The system according to claim 9 , wherein the user input device is configured to receive a sequence of said user input for a scrolling selection amongst the first sequence of machine control instructions in the visual control representation, whereby for each selection of a machine control instruction and an associated first time stamp, the display is configured to display an output representation of said captured process data, or an output representation of said first signal, having an associated second time stamp, synchronously with the scrolling selection with

Assignees

• Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance

Inventors

• Carlsson Magnus

Classifications

• G05B19/4184 Primary

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

• Y02P90/02

  Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] · CPC title

• G05B2219/31479

  Operator select part of process he wants to see, video image is displayed · CPC title