Systems and methods for configuring field devices using a configuration device
First Claim
1. A method for configuring a plurality of mobile field devices to perform non-identical operations in a coordinated manner according to a control program, comprising:
- arranging, in an operational environment, a plurality of field devices to occupy respective starting positions in an application-dependent formation, wherein the field devices are programmed with the same control program and are arranged without regard to which particular field device occupies which starting position in the formation, and wherein the control program on each field device is configured to coordinate non-identical operation by a respective field device and coordinate application-dependent, formation-based operations by the plurality of field devices;
configuring each of the plurality of field devices, each field device including a non-transitory computer readable memory storing the control program, a wireless transceiver and a processor that is configured by executing the control program, wherein, for each of the plurality of field devices, configuring comprises;
positioning a human-machine interface (HMI) and a particular field device in proximity, wherein the HMI is a portable computing device including a computer-readable storage medium having executable instructions stored therein, one or more position sensors, a wireless transceiver and a processor that is configured by executing the instructions,establishing, by the HMI using the transceiver, wireless communication between the HMI and the particular field device,determining, by the HMI, the respective starting position occupied by the particular field device in the formation, wherein the respective starting position is a relative position within the formation,automatically defining, by the HMI, configuration settings for the particular field device including assigning at least a respective device identifier (ID) as a function of the respective starting position of the particular field device within the formation, andtransferring, by the HMI using the wireless transceiver, the configuration settings to the particular field device to configure the particular field device; and
initiating coordinated operation of the plurality of field devices according to the control program and the respective configuration settings including at least the respective device ID.
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Abstract
A system and method is disclosed for configuring a group of mobile field devices using a configuration device (an HMI) is provided. In particular, the HMI is programmed to configure identically programmed field devices that are arbitrarily arranged in an application-dependent formation by defining and providing configuration parameters to the devices via wired and/or wireless communication. In particular, the HMI assigns a unique identifier to respective robots as a function of the position of the robot within the formation or the layout of the environment. Accordingly each robot can be efficiently configured by the HMI to operate independently yet as a coordinated member of the group and without requiring the robots to be placed in specific positions during the initial deployment. This obviates the need for constant independent control commands for each robot by a central controller or providing a customized control program to each robot during deployment.
20 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for configuring a plurality of mobile field devices to perform non-identical operations in a coordinated manner according to a control program, comprising:
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arranging, in an operational environment, a plurality of field devices to occupy respective starting positions in an application-dependent formation, wherein the field devices are programmed with the same control program and are arranged without regard to which particular field device occupies which starting position in the formation, and wherein the control program on each field device is configured to coordinate non-identical operation by a respective field device and coordinate application-dependent, formation-based operations by the plurality of field devices; configuring each of the plurality of field devices, each field device including a non-transitory computer readable memory storing the control program, a wireless transceiver and a processor that is configured by executing the control program, wherein, for each of the plurality of field devices, configuring comprises; positioning a human-machine interface (HMI) and a particular field device in proximity, wherein the HMI is a portable computing device including a computer-readable storage medium having executable instructions stored therein, one or more position sensors, a wireless transceiver and a processor that is configured by executing the instructions, establishing, by the HMI using the transceiver, wireless communication between the HMI and the particular field device, determining, by the HMI, the respective starting position occupied by the particular field device in the formation, wherein the respective starting position is a relative position within the formation, automatically defining, by the HMI, configuration settings for the particular field device including assigning at least a respective device identifier (ID) as a function of the respective starting position of the particular field device within the formation, and transferring, by the HMI using the wireless transceiver, the configuration settings to the particular field device to configure the particular field device; and initiating coordinated operation of the plurality of field devices according to the control program and the respective configuration settings including at least the respective device ID. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for configuring a plurality of mobile field devices to perform non-identical operations in a coordinated manner according to a control program, comprising:
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a plurality of field devices, each field device including a non-transitory computer readable memory storing a control program, a wireless transceiver and a processor that is configured by executing the control program, wherein the plurality of field devices, wherein the field devices are programmed with the same control program and thereby are configured to be arranged, in an operational environment, to occupy respective starting positions in an application-dependent formation without regard to which particular field device occupies which starting position in the formation, and wherein the control program on each field device is configured to coordinate non-identical operation by a respective field device and coordinate application-dependent, formation-based operations by the plurality of field devices; a human-machine interface (HMI), wherein the HMI is a portable computing device including a computer-readable storage medium having executable instructions stored therein, one or more position sensors, the display, a wireless transceiver and a processor that is configured by executing the instructions, and wherein the instructions executing in the processor cause the processor to configure each of the plurality of field devices by; establishing, using the transceiver, wireless communication between the HMI and a particular field device in response to the HMI being placed in proximity to the particular field device, determining the respective starting position occupied by the particular field device in the formation, wherein the respective starting position is a relative position within the formation, automatically defining configuration settings for the particular field device including assigning at least a respective device identifier (ID) as a function of the respective starting position of the particular field device within the formation, and transferring, using the wireless transceiver, the configuration settings to the particular field device to configure the particular field device; and wherein the plurality of field devices are configured to perform non-identical operations in a coordinated manner according to the control program and the respective configuration settings including at least the respective device ID. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification