Digitization of work processes through the use of a wireless network with user wearable end devices

• US 20020159441A1
• Filed: 04/30/2001
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Rao, Kotesh, Travaly, Andrew, House, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,266,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/41 Remote control of gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A system for digitization of work processes in a power plant having a gas turbine including at least one processor system having a controller. The processor receives power plant data and the controller preferably controls the gas turbine. At least one interface device is communicatively coupled to the processor system for communicating the data received from the processor system to at least one of a mobile computing system and a computer system carried by a mobile user. The controller is capable of receiving instructions from the mobile user to control the gas turbine. The system further includes a local area network (LAN) in communication with the at least one interface device. At least one antenna assembly having a transceiver system for transmitting and receiving signals from the at least one interface device is provided. A network server system is communicatively coupled to the at least one antenna assembly via a wireless communication network, the server computer including a database for storing application data accessible by the mobile user.

Claims

1. A system for digitization of work processes in a power plant having a gas turbine, comprising:

at least one processor system having a controller, said at least one processor receiving power plant data, and said controller controlling said gas turbine;

at least one interface device communicatively coupled to said processor system for communicating the data received from the processor system to at least one of a mobile computing system and a computer system carried by a mobile user;

said controller capable of receiving instructions from the mobile user to control the gas turbine;

a local area network (LAN) in communication with said at least one interface device;

at least one antenna assembly having a transceiver system for transmitting and receiving signals from the at least one interface device; and

a network server system communicatively coupled to said at least one antenna assembly via a wireless communication network, said server computer including a database for storing application data accessible by the mobile user.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one interface device is a wireless access point device, and said computer system carried by said user is a wearable computer.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said access point device is capable of communicating the data received from the processor system to the server computer via said LAN.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said LAN comprises:

a wireless network; and

a router.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said wireless network is linked to said at least antenna assembly via an internet protocol (IP) data interface.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprises:

a private branch exchange network (PBX);

a voice over IP (VOIP) gateway coupled to said PBX; and

an ethernet interface coupled said VOIP gateway and said IP data interface.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said server system comprises:

at least one router; and

an ATM network communicatively coupled to said at least one router.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprises:

a wide area network (WAN) coupled to said at least one router for communicating data from said server system to said antenna assembly via an orbiting satellite.

9. The system of claim 2 wherein said wireless access point is capable of operating on DC power.

10. A communication network for controlling a power plant having a gas turbine, said network comprising:

a controller coupled to said power plant to control the gas turbine; and

at least one interface communicatively coupled to said controller, said interface communicating with at least one of a mobile computing system and a wearable computer carried by a mobile user, said controller receiving instructions from one of said mobile unit and the mobile user for controlling said gas turbine.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprises:

a local area network (LAN) in communication with said at least one interface device;

at least one antenna assembly having a transceiver system for transmitting and receiving signals from the at least one interface device; and

at least one network server communicatively coupled to said at least one antenna assembly via a wireless communication network, said server including a database for storing application data accessible by the mobile user.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said LAN comprises:

a wireless network; and

a router.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said wireless network is linked to said at least antenna assembly via an internet protocol (IP) data interface.

14. The system of claim 10 further comprises:

a private branch exchange network (PBX);

a voice over IP (VOIP) gateway coupled to said PBX; and

an ethernet interface coupled said VOIP gateway and said IP data interface.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein said server comprises:

at least one router;

a packet switching network communicatively coupled to said at least one router; and

a wide area network (WAN) coupled to said at least one router for communicating data from said server computer to said antenna assembly via an orbiting satellite.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprises:

forwarding plant data to a remote user via a wireless communication network.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the power plant operation is varied by varying the operation of the gas turbine.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said interface device is a wireless access point.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein said wireless communication network includes an antenna assembly and an orbiting satellite system.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the application data is received by a mobile user.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein the power plant is controlled from at least the mobile unit and the wearable computer.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein said interface device is a wireless access point interface.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein said access point is capable of communicating the data received from the processor system to the server computer via said LAN.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

forwarding the received data from said first wearable computer carried by said first mobile user to a second wearable computer carried by a second mobile user;

receiving feedback information from said second mobile user; and

fine tuning the machine operation based on the feedback information.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein said received data is video data.

16. In a power plant of the type having a gas turbine, a method of controlling the power plant comprising:

receiving power plant data by at least one processor system having a controller;

forwarding the received data to at least one of a mobile unit and a wearable computer carried by a mobile user via an interface device;

inspecting the received data to determine power plant operability;

receiving, by the wearable computer via a wireless network, software application data stored in a remote server;

instructing the controller to vary the power plant operation.

23. A system for digitization of work processes in a machinery, comprising:

at least one processor system having a controller, said at least one processor receiving machine data, and said controller controlling the machinery;

at least one interface device communicatively coupled to said processor system for communicating the data received from the processor system to at least one of a mobile computing system and a wearable computer carried by a mobile user;

said controller capable of receiving instructions from the mobile user to control the machinery;

a local area network (LAN) in communication with said at least one interface device;

at least one antenna assembly having a transceiver system for transmitting and receiving signals from the at least one interface device; and

a network server system communicatively coupled to said at least one antenna assembly via a wireless communication network, said server computer including a database for storing application data accessible by the mobile user.

26. A method of controlling a machine apparatus by a remote user, comprising:

receiving machine data by at least one processor system having a controller;

forwarding the received data to at least one of a mobile unit and a first wearable computer, said first wearable computer carried by a first mobile user via an interface device;

inspecting the received data to determine machine operational characteristics;

forwarding the received data to a remote server via a wireless communication network;

receiving, by said first wearable computer, application data stored in said remote server via said wireless communication network; and

instructing the controller to vary the machine operation.