System and method for generating device work orders based on work patterns and plant location

• US 10,460,268 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2015
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TLV Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: TLV Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Tanaka, Yoshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Jarrett, Scott L
• Application Number:
  US15/529,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20170323238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,474 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 13/003 Arrangements for measuring or testing in general G01
• CPC Class Codes: F16T 1/48 Monitoring arrangements for inspecting, e.g. flow of steam and steam condensate
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24093 Display, show place of error, fault
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25062 Detect physical location of field device
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/02 Electric testing or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0216 Human interface functionality, e.g. monitoring system providing help to the user in the selection of tests or in its configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0267 Fault communication, e.g. human machine interface [HMI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06314 Calendaring for a resource
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance

Abstract

A device management system includes a storage unit which stores, in advance and in correlation with device identification information set in each steam controller, location information indicating a location of each steam controller. The storage unit further stores in advance work patterns for the steam controller according to a classification based on a device type and an installation state of the steam controller. The system further includes a data extraction unit configured to extract from the storage unit the location information from the device identification information based on detection information. The data extraction unit is further configured to extract a corresponding work pattern from the device type and the installation state specified from the device identification information. A work information generation unit is included for generating work information including the extracted location information and work pattern for each work-target device.

Claims

1. A device management system including:

a state detection unit configured to be connected to each steam controller in a plant of interest, wherein the each steam controller includes one of a steam trap, a valve, and a straightener, and wherein, when the state detection unit is connected to the one of the steam trap, the valve, and the straightener of the each steam controller, the state detection unit detects a state of the each steam controller including a temperature and a vibration of the each steam controller;

an input unit configured to input detection information from the state detection unit, wherein the detection information includes the temperature and the vibration of the each steam controller; and

a state determination unit configured to effect determination of whether the state of a target steam controller is normal or not;

for each steam controller in the plant of interest, device identification information for identifying the each steam controller being set in the each steam controller;

the state detection unit being configured to input the detection information including the corresponding device identification information to the input unit;

wherein the device management system comprises;

a storage unit which stores, in advance and in correlation with the device identification information set in each steam controller, location information indicating a location of each steam controller in the plant of interest, the storage unit further storing in advance work patterns for repair or replacement of the steam controller according to a classification based on a device type and an installation state of the steam controller;

a data extraction unit configured to extract from the storage unit the location information from the device identification information based on the detection information and to extract also a corresponding work pattern from the device type and the installation state specified from the device identification information, for a work-target device comprised of a steam controller whose state is determined as being not normal by the state determination unit;

a work information generation unit for generating work information including the extracted location information and work pattern for the work-target device; and

a mobile displaying body configured to display the work information of the respective work-target devices when executing a work including a repair or a replacement of the respective work-target device with reference to the work information,

wherein the state determination unit is configured to determine a degree of malfunction of the target steam controller, and

wherein the data extraction unit is configured further to effect selection of the steam controller as the work-target device, for which the extraction of the location information and the work pattern for repair or replacement are to be effected, based on the degree of malfunction determined by the state determination unit, from among one or more steam controllers determined as being malfunctioning.

2. The device management system of claim 1, wherein:

the state determination unit is configured to effect also determination of a type of malfunction of the target steam controller;

the storage unit is configured to store the work patterns according to a classification of type of malfunction, and the device type and installation state of the steam controller; and

the data extraction unit is configured to extract the work pattern, based on the malfunction type and the device type and installation state of the steam controller specified from the device identification information.

3. The device management system of claim 1, wherein the location information includes an image indicating a location of the steam controller corresponding to the device identification information in a layout plan of the plant and a photographic image of the steam controller.

4. The device management system of claim 1, wherein the work information generation unit is configured to generate a work execution order schedule that recommends an execution order of work-target devices to be worked on, based on the location information of the respective work-target devices.

5. The device management system of claim 4, wherein the work information generation unit is configured to calculate the work execution order, based on a total traveling distance or a total traveling time of the work for the respective work-target devices calculated from the location information.

6. The device management system of claim 4, wherein the work information generation unit is configured to generate the work execution order, with taking into consideration the work type based on the work pattern corresponding to the respective work-target device.

7. The device management system of claim 4, wherein the work information generation unit is configured to generate, as the work execution order schedule, a work execution order schedule in which the work information of the work-target devices are listed based on the recommended work execution order.

8. A maintenance work method, comprising:

detecting, with a state detection unit configured to be connected to each steam controller in a plant of interest, the each steam controller including one of a steam trap, a valve, and a straightener, and, when the state detection unit is connected to the one of the steam trap, the valve, and the straightener of the each steam controller, a state of the each steam controller including a temperature and a vibration of the each steam controller;

inputting, with an input unit, detection information from the state detection unit, wherein the detection information includes the temperature and the vibration of the each steam controller;

determining, with a state determination unit, whether the state of a target steam controller is normal or not, wherein, for each steam controller in the plant of interest, device identification information for identifying the each steam controller is set in the each steam controller;

inputting, with the state detection unit, the detection information including the corresponding device identification information to the input unit;

storing, with a storage unit in advance and in correlation with the device identification information set in each steam controller, location information indicating a location of each steam controller in the plant of interest, the storage unit further storing in advance work patterns for repair or replacement of the steam controller according to a classification based on a device type and an installation state of the steam controller;

extracting, with a data extraction unit from the storage unit, the location information from the device identification information based on the detection information;

extracting, with the data extraction unit, a corresponding work pattern from the device type and the installation state specified from the device identification information, for a work-target device comprised of a steam controller whose state is determined as being not normal by the state determination unit;

generating, with a work information generation unit, work information including the extracted location information and work pattern for the work-target device;

displaying, with a mobile displaying body, the work information of the respective work-target devices when executing a work including a repair or a replacement of the respective work-target device with reference to the work information;

determining, with the state determination unit, a degree of malfunction of the target steam controller;

selecting, with the data extraction unit, the steam controller as the work-target device, for which the extraction of the location information and the work pattern for repair or replacement are to be effected, based on the degree of malfunction determined by the state determination unit, from among one or more steam controllers determined as being malfunctioning;

carrying the mobile displaying body displaying the work information of the respective work-target devices; and

executing the work on the respective work-target device with reference to the work information.

9. The maintenance work method of claim 8, further comprising:

generating, with the work information generation unit, a work execution order schedule that recommends an execution order of work-target devices to be worked on, based on the location information of the respective work-target devices;

carrying the mobile displaying body displaying the work information and the work execution order schedule of the respective work-target devices; and

executing the work on the respective work-target device with reference to both of the work information and the work execution order schedule.

11. The maintenance work method of claim 8, further comprising:

installing a mark for the respective work-target device, prior to the execution of the work.

12. The maintenance work method of claim 11, wherein the mark comprises a printed matter of the work information corresponding to the work-target device for which the mark is installed.

10. A maintenance work method, comprising:

detecting, with a state detection unit configured to be connected to each steam controller in a plant of interest, the each steam controller including one of a steam trap, a valve, and a straightener, and, when the state detection unit is connected to the one of the steam trap, the valve, and the straightener of the each steam controller, a state of the each steam controller including a temperature and a vibration of the each steam controller;

inputting, with an input unit, detection information from the state detection unit, wherein the detection information includes the temperature and the vibration of the each steam controller;

determining, with a state determination unit, whether the state of a target steam controller is normal or not, wherein, for each steam controller in the plant of interest, device identification information for identifying the each steam controller is set in the each steam controller;

inputting, with the state detection unit, the detection information including the corresponding device identification information to the input unit;

storing, with a storage unit in advance and in correlation with the device identification information set in each steam controller, location information indicating a location of each steam controller in the plant of interest, the storage unit further storing in advance work patterns for repair or replacement of the steam controller according to a classification based on a device type and an installation state of the steam controller;

extracting, with a data extraction unit from the storage unit, the location information from the device identification information based on the detection information;

extracting, with the data extraction unit, a corresponding work pattern from the device type and the installation state specified from the device identification information, for a work-target device comprised of a steam controller whose state is determined as being not normal by the state determination unit;

generating, with a work information generation unit, work information including the extracted location information and work pattern for the work-target device;

displaying, with a mobile displaying body, the work information of the respective work-target devices when executing a work including a repair or a replacement of the respective work-target device with reference to the work information;

determining, with the state determination unit, a degree of malfunction of the target steam controller;

selecting, with the data extraction unit, the steam controller as the work-target device, for which the extraction of the location information and the work pattern for repair or replacement are to be effected, based on the degree of malfunction determined by the state determination unit, from among one or more steam controllers determined as being malfunctioning;

generating, with the work information generation unit, a work execution order schedule that recommends an execution order of work-target devices to be worked on, based on the location information of the respective work-target devices, wherein the work information generation unit generates, as the work execution order schedule, a work execution order schedule in which the work information of the work-target devices are listed based on the recommended work execution order;

carrying the mobile displaying body displaying the work execution order schedule of the respective work-target devices; and

executing the work on the respective work-target device with reference to the work execution order schedule.