System for monitoring and controlling an industrial plant

• US 10,310,472 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2015
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comau SPA (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Comau SPA (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Matergia, Francesco, Rumiano, Guido, Cultrona, Pietro Alberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Vincent H
• Application Number:
  US15/520,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20170308050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/056 Programming the PLC
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13004 Programming the plc
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23406 Programmer device, portable, handheld detachable programmer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring and controlling an industrial plant having a plurality of assembly/processing stations (ST) divided into separate control areas (A), each control area having an electronic control and processing unit (PLC). A portable computer (TAB) selectively serves as the industrial plant global monitoring device and the human machine interface (HMI) for the processing stations through one or more applications or programs.

The portable computer is selectively placed in communication with selective of the electronic control and processing units for selected global monitoring of the industrial plant operations, local monitoring of at least one of the assembly/processing stations and/or control of at the assembly/processing stations through sending of signals to the electronic control and processing unit(s).

In one example, identification devices (DK) or network access points (AP) are used in each control area to detect the presence of the portable computer in or near a given control area to establish communication between the portable computer and the electronic control and processing unit(s).

Claims

1. A system for monitoring and controlling an industrial plant (1) having a plurality of assembly and/or processing stations (ST) divided into a plurality of control areas (A), said system comprising:

a plurality of electronic control and processing units (PLC), wherein associated to each control area (A) is at least one electronic control and processing unit (PLC) for selective monitoring or control of at least one of the plurality of stations (ST) that belong to the respective control area (A);

a communication network (LAN) that connects said electronic control and processing units (PLC) together;

at least one human-machine-interface unit configured for selectively monitoring or controlling said stations (ST), said at least one human-machine-interface unit comprises a portable computer (TAB) having a wireless transceiver (12), wherein said portable computer (TAB) is programmed for selectively executing a plurality of functions, including global monitoring of the industrial plant (1), local monitoring of at least one of said stations (ST), or local control of at least one of said stations (ST), wherein each portable computer (TAB) comprises a code that uniquely identifies the respective portable computer (TAB);

means (AP, R, SRV) configured for enabling access of said portable computer (TAB) to said communication network (LAN) through said wireless transceiver (12) in such a way that said portable computer (TAB) can selectively send at least one of monitoring or control commands to said electronic control and processing units (PLC);

a plurality of identification devices (DK;

AP), wherein associated to each control area is a respective identification device (DK;

AP) for detecting the presence of said portable computer (TAB) in the respective control area (A), wherein, for detecting the control area (A) in which said portable computer (TAB) is located, each said identification device (DK;

AP) comprises a reader (20) configured for detecting the presence of said portable computer (TAB) and reading the code that uniquely identifies the respective portable computer (TAB), and wherein each identification device (DK;

AP) has stored (20) within it a code that uniquely identifies the respective identification device (DK;

AP) and consequently the control area (A) associated to the respective identification device (DK;

AP), wherein each identification device (DK;

AP) is connected to said respective at least one programmable-logic controller (PLC) and configured to send said code that uniquely identifies the respective identification device (DK;

AP) to the respective at least one programmable-logic controller (PLC) signaling in this way the control area (CA) where said portable computer (TAB) is located;

said system is configured for executing the control command generated by said portable computer (TAB) and directed to the respective one of the plurality of stations (ST) only if said portable computer (TAB) and said respective station (ST) are located in the same control area (A), wherein the control command is an instruction that comprises a field that identifies the portable computer (TAB) that has sent the control request, a field that identifies the processing stations (ST) to which the command is addressed and a field that contains the instruction; and

said plurality of programmable-logic controllers (PLC) are configured for executing the control command generated via said portable computer (TAB) and addressed to a given processing station (ST) only if said portable computer (TAB) and said given processing station (ST) are located in the same control area (A).

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein said portable computer (TAB) further comprises a reader (10) configured for detecting the presence of an identification device (DK;

AP) and reading the code that uniquely identifies the respective identification device (DK;

AP) for detecting the control area (A) in which the portable computer (TAB) is located, and wherein said portable computer (TAB) is configured for including said code that uniquely identifies the respective identification device (DK;

AP) in each control command.

3. The system according to claim 2 wherein the portable computer (TAB) comprises a plurality of individual portable computers (TAB).

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein each portable computer (TAB) comprises a code that uniquely identifies the respective portable computer (TAB).

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said identification device (DK;

AP) further comprises a reader (20) configured for detecting the presence of a respective one of the portable computers (TAB) and reading the respective portable computer code, wherein said system is configured for executing the control command generated by said portable computer (TAB) and directed to the respective one of the plurality of stations (ST) only if said identification device (DK;

AP) has detected the presence of said portable computer (TAB) in the control area (A) in which said respective station (ST) is located.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein said identification device (DK;

AP) and said portable computer (TAB) communicate by one of a short-range wireless communication or a wired communication.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein:

said portable computer (TAB) or each identification device (DK;

AP) comprises a radiofrequency identifier tag (RFID);

or

said portable computer (TAB) is physically set in contact with a terminal positioned on a respective one of said identification devices (DK;

AP).

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said means (AP, R, SRV) configured for enabling access of said portable computer (TAB) to said communication network (LAN) comprise at least one of an access point (AP) or a router (R) connected to the Internet (INET).

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein a respective access point (AP) is associated to one of the plurality of control areas (A) in such a way that said portable computer (TAB) can selectively send the at least one of the monitoring or the control commands to said at least one electronic control and processing unit (PLC) associated to said associated one control area (A).

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said access point (AP) represents said identification devices (DK;

AP) for detecting the presence of said portable computer (TAB) in the respective control area (A).

11. The system according to claim 1 wherein the means configured for enabling access of said portable computer (TAB) to said communication network (LAN) comprises a central computer (SRV) of a server type, wherein said portable computer (TAB) is configured for communicate with said central computer (SRV) for selectively sending said monitoring or control commands to said electronic control and processing units (PLC).

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said central computer (SRV) is configured for sending the control command generated by the portable computer (TAB) and directed to the respective station (ST) only if said portable computer (TAB) and said respective station (ST) are located in the same control area (A).

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein said communication network (LAN) that connects said plurality of electronic control and processing units (PLC) together comprises means (FW) configured for transmitting the control command generated by the portable computer (TAB) and addressed to the respective station (ST) only if said portable computer (TAB) and said given station (ST) are located in the same control area (A).

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein said portable computer (TAB) is configured for managing various user profiles.

15. A system for selective monitoring and controlling a plurality of assembly line processing stations organized in a plurality of control areas in an industrial plant, the system comprising:

an electronic control and processing unit in communication with the plurality of assembly line processing stations, each processing station positioned in one of the plurality of control areas;

one of an identification device or an access point positioned in each of the plurality of control areas and in communication with the electronic control and processing unit each of the one of an identification device or an access point has stored within it a code that uniquely identifies the respective one of an identification device or an access point; and

a portable computer in selective communication with the electronic control and processing unit and the one of the identification device or access point in each of the plurality of control areas, wherein each portable computer includes a code that uniquely identifies the respective portable computer;

the one of an identification device or an access point includes a reader operable to detect the presence of the portable computer and read the code that uniquely identifies the respective portable computer;

the one of an identification device or an access point operable to send the code that uniquely identifies the one of an identification device or an access point to the electronic control and processing unit signalling in this way a control area where the portable computer is located;

the portable computer operable to selectively send signals to the electronic control and processing unit to selectively monitor or control the respective processing stations in the respective control areas;

the portable computer is operable to send a control signal to the electronic control and processing unit to control of one of the plurality of assembly line process stations positioned in the respective control area, wherein the control signal is an instruction that includes a field that identifies the portable computer that has sent a control request, a field that identifies the stations to which the control signal is addressed and a field that contains the instruction; and

the electronic control and processing unit operable to execute the control signal directed to the respective processing station only on recognition by the respective identification device or access point that the portable computer is positioned in a predetermined proximity location to the respective control area for the respective processing station to be controlled.

16. A system for monitoring and controlling an industrial plant (1) having a plurality of assembly and/or processing stations (ST) divided into a plurality of control areas (A), said system comprising:

a plurality of electronic control and processing units (PLC), wherein associated to each control area (A) is at least one electronic control and processing unit (PLC) for selective monitoring or control of at least one of the plurality of stations (ST) that belong to the respective control area (A);

a communication network (LAN) that connects said electronic control and processing units (PLC) together;

at least one human-machine-interface unit configured for selectively monitoring or controlling said stations (ST), said at least one human-machine-interface unit comprises a portable computer (TAB) having a wireless transceiver (12), wherein said portable computer (TAB) is programmed for selectively executing a plurality of functions, including global monitoring of the industrial plant (1), local monitoring of at least one of said stations (ST), or local control of at least one of said stations (ST);

means (AP, R, SRV) configured for enabling access of said portable computer (TAB) to said communication network (LAN) through said wireless transceiver (12) in such a way that said portable computer (TAB) can selectively send at least one of monitoring or control commands to said electronic control and processing units (PLC);

the means configured for enabling access of said portable computer (TAB) to said communication network (LAN) comprises a central computer (SRV) of a server type, wherein said portable computer (TAB) is configured to communicate with said central computer (SRV) for selectively sending said monitoring or control commands to said electronic control and processing units (PLC);

said central computer (SRV) configured for sending the control command generated by the portable computer (TAB) and directed to the respective station (ST) only if said portable computer (TAB) and said respective station (ST) are located in the same control area (A);

a plurality of identification devices (DK;

AP), wherein associated to each control area is a respective identification device (DK;

AP) for detecting the presence of said portable computer (TAB) in the respective control area (A); and

said system is configured for executing the control command generated by said portable computer (TAB) and directed to the respective one of the plurality of stations (ST) only if said portable computer (TAB) and said respective station (ST) are located in the same control area (A).