Using cloud-based data for virtualization of an industrial automation environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9989958-B2
Application number	US-201314087977-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2013
Priority date	May 9, 2013
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

A cloud-based virtualization generation service collects industrial-automation-system-related data from multiple industrial automation systems of multiple industrial customers for storage and analysis on a cloud platform. A virtualization management component analyzes the data and generates a virtualized industrial automation system of the industrial automation system based on the analysis results. The virtualization management component updates the virtualized industrial automation system based on operation of, and user interactions with, the industrial automation system. The virtualization management component receives user interactions with the virtualized industrial automation system to facilitate remotely interacting with and/or controlling the industrial automation system and/or generates corresponding control signals that it sends to the industrial automation system to facilitate controlling operation of the industrial automation system. The virtualization management component also customizes a user's view of the virtualized industrial automation system based on user's role, authorization, or location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a memory that stores computer-executable components;
a processor, operatively coupled to the memory, that executes computer-executable components, the computer-executable components comprising:
a collection component configured to collect a subset of industrial data from a set of industrial devices of an industrial automation system and store the industrial data in a cloud based data store on a cloud platform, wherein the industrial automation system is communicatively coupled to the cloud platform via a public network; and
a virtualization management component configured to:
generate a virtualized industrial automation system that corresponds to the set of industrial devices of the industrial automation system, based on a result of an analysis of the subset of industrial data,
generate a customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system for display on a communication device based on a determined distance of a user of the communication device to an industrial device of the set of industrial devices, and
remotely control operation of the set of industrial devices over the public network in response to an interaction with the virtualized industrial automation system.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the collection component or the virtualization management component are part of the cloud platform.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising an interface component configured to interface the cloud platform with the industrial automation system via a cloud gateway device of the industrial automation system to facilitate communication of the subset of industrial data from the industrial automation system to at least one of the collection component or the virtualization management component over the public network.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the virtualization management component is further configured to receive real-time data from the set of industrial devices.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the virtualization management component is further configured to generate one or more control signals, based on the interaction with the virtualized industrial automation system, and transmit the one or more control signals over the public network to the industrial automation system to remotely control the set of industrial devices.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the virtualization management component is further configured to monitor an operational response of the industrial automation system in response to the one or more control signals.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the collection component is further configured to collect a second subset of industrial data relating to the operational response of the industrial automation system.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the virtualization management component is further configured to update the virtualized industrial automation system based on a subset of data relating to the user interaction with the virtualized industrial automation system and the second subset of industrial data relating to the operational response of the industrial automation system.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the collection component is further configured to:
receive, over the public network from a newly added industrial device, an indication of the newly added industrial device being added to the industrial automation system, and
inform at least one industrial device of the set of industrial devices over the public network of the newly added industrial device being added to the industrial automation system.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the virtualization management component is further configured to share the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system to enable the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system to be displayed on a second communication device associated with a second user.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the virtualized industrial automation system presents at least one of a three-dimensional virtualized view of the industrial automation system or a two-dimensional virtualized view of the industrial automation system.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the virtualized industrial automation system presents a virtualized dashboard that comprises a set of operational data associated with operation of the industrial automation system, wherein the virtualized dashboard is displayed on a communication device associated with a user.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the virtualization management component is configured to customize the virtualized dashboard based on one or more customization factors associated with the user of the communication device, wherein the virtualization management component filters the set of operational data to generate a subset of operational data for display on the virtualized dashboard to facilitate the customization of the virtualized dashboard.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more customization factors comprise at least one of a device identifier associated with the communication device, a radio-frequency identification tag associated with the user, a location of the user in relation to the industrial automation system, a location of the communication device in relation to the industrial automation system, or a location of the radio-frequency identification tag associated with the user in relation to the industrial automation system.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the virtualized industrial automation system is further configured to overlay video images, recorded by one or more cameras, of a portion of the industrial automation system on the virtualized industrial automation system to generate a modified virtualized industrial automation system to facilitate providing a subset of visual data associated with the industrial automation system via the modified virtualized industrial automation system.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the collection component is further configured to collect a subset of data from a second industrial automation system of a set of industrial automation systems associated with the cloud platform, and wherein the virtualization management component is further configured to generate the virtualized industrial automation system, based on a result of an analysis of the subset of industrial data and the subset of data.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the subset of industrial data comprises at least one of data relating to an industrial device of the set of industrial devices, data relating to an industrial process associated with the set of industrial devices, data relating to an industrial asset, data relating to a network-related device of the set of industrial devices that facilitates data communications associated with the industrial automation system, 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.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the subset of industrial data comprises data relating to at least one interrelationship between the at least one industrial device and at least one other industrial device of the set of industrial devices, and wherein the virtualization management component is further configured to generate at least one virtualized interrelationship that virtualizes the interrelationship between the at least one industrial device and the at least one other industrial device, based on the data relating to

Assignees

• Rockwell Automation Tech Inc

Inventors

• Asenjo Juan
• Strohmenger John
• Nawalaniec Stephen
• Hegrat Bradford H
• Harkulich Joseph A
• Korpela Jessica Lin
• Wright Jenifer Rydberg
• Hessmer Rainer
• Dyck John
• Hill Edward Alan
• Conti Sal

Classifications

• G06F3/048

  Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] · CPC title

• G05B23/0272

  Presentation of monitored results, e.g. selection of status reports to be displayed; Filtering information to the user · CPC title

• G06Q10/06 Primary

  Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling · CPC title

• G05B19/4185 Primary

  characterised by the network communication · CPC title

• Y02P90/80

  Management or planning · CPC title