Method And System For Managing And Linking Machines With Users Or Other Machines Which Are Remote

• US 20070266117A1
• Filed: 09/13/2005
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Oktalogic Company
• Original Assignee: Okatlogic
• Inventors: Lotoux, Romain, Pomies, Stephane, Catagnia, Francois
• Application Number:
  US11/662,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20070266117A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/169 Special adaptations of TCP, UDP or IP for interworking of IP based networks with other networks protocols for interworking, protocol conversion H04L69/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

Method and system of managing and linking fixed or mobile machines with users or other machines that are remote. The invention also relates to a system includes at least one machine device (D) which is connected to a given machine, a central co-ordinator (C) and at least one fixed or mobile station (P) belonging to a given user. Each machine device (D) and each user station (P) includes an element for remotely connecting to the central co-ordinator and for generating algorithms that are intended to maintain a permanent transmission using a proprietary communication protocol, whereby communication between a machine device and the central co-ordinator is wireless. The central co-ordinator (C) includes a server-type unit which can instantaneously and simultaneously process orders intended for the machines and enable each machine to access a common database.

Claims

1. Method for managing and linking machines with users or other machines which are remote, intended to collect and process technical data provided by said machines, comprising:

capture of technical data by at least one machine device (D) connected to a given machine,

at least one so-called machine communication which is remote and wireless, between a machine device (D) and a central coordinator (C), of the IP server type,

at least one so-called user communication which is remote, between a user station (P) belonging to a user and the central coordinator (C), and

saving data,

characterized in that it further comprises an implementation, at the level of each machine device and of each user station, of a proprietary communication protocol comprising;

a permanent maintenance of each machine communication,

a permanent maintenance of each user communication,

reducing the volume of data, and

securing the saving of data.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a dialogue of one or more users with one or more machines.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the saving of data comprises a recording of technical data and of associated timestamping data.

4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the saving of data comprises:

a transmission, by machine communication, of technical data to the central coordinator, and

recording the data in a common database and/or in a subdirectory for the creation of saving files.

5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that securing the saving comprises:

a detection of a fault of a machine communication between a machine device and the central coordinator,

a local recording of technical data at the level of the machine device while the machine communication is faulty, then

once the machine communication is no longer faulty, a transmission to the central coordinator of the data recorded locally, and

recording the data in a common database and/or in a subdirectory for the creation of saving files.

6. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the reduction of data volume comprises a cyclical implementation of the saving of the data.

7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the saving of the data records data only if said data are different from those recorded previously.

8. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the reduction of data volume comprises an encoding of variation of at least one item of data on less than four octets.

9. Method according to claim 1, implemented for a group of machines comprising at least one or more mobile machines, characterized in that it comprises locating at least one mobile machine, and a transmission to the central coordinator (C) of location data.

10. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises a calculation of the instantaneous speed of at least one mobile machine.

11. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises an analysis by the central coordinator of geographical zones of the location data.

12. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises:

an establishment, at the level of a machine device (D), of a correspondence between technical data originating from a given machine and an exchange table between the device (D) and the coordinator (C), and

a transfer of said exchange table to said coordinator.

13. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises the establishment, at the level of the central coordinator (C), of a correspondence between technical data originating from a given machine and an exchange table between a machine device (D) connected to the machine and the coordinator (C).

14. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises:

writing, at the level of the central coordinator (C), of fault-detection and adjustment scripts,

sending said scripts to a machine device (D), and

executing said scripts at the level of the machine device.

15. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises, at the level of the central coordinator (C), a programming and/or a downloading of messaging scripts to a machine device (D) and a management of acknowledgements.

16. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises, at the level of the central coordinator (C), a programming and/or a downloading of scripts intended to automatically establish a link between machines.

17. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a display on at least one user station (P), of the technical data in graphical form or an analysis of said data by specific scripts.

18. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises, at the level of at least one user station (P), a programming and/or a downloading of messaging scripts to a machine device (D) according to a proprietary protocol.

19. System for managing and linking machines with users or other machines which are remote, using a method according to claim 1, and intended to collect and process technical data provided by said machines, comprising:

at least one machine device (D), connected to a given machine, comprising remote communication means and means for connection to data sensors which said machine is equipped with;

at east one user station (P) belonging to a user and comprising remote communication means; and

a central coordinator (C), of the IP server type, connected via communication means to said machine device(s) (D) and to the user station(s) (P), characterized in that;

each machine device (D) further comprises means (Dl) for generating algorithms intended to permanently maintain a wireless communication according to a proprietary communication protocol;

each user station (P) comprises means (P1) for generating algorithms intended to permanently maintain a communication according to a of proprietary communication protocol;

the central coordinator (C) comprises first server means (C1) arranged to allow an access for each machine device to a common database (B1) and to a subdirectory for the creation of saving files, and seconds server means (C2) arranged to allow one or more users to dialogue with one or more selected machines and to access the common database (B1) and the subdirectory in order to read the saving files; and

the system also comprises means for securing the saving of data and for reducing the data volume.

20. System according to claim 19, characterized in that the means for securing the saving include for each machine device (D) means (D2) for recording and timestamping technical data originating from the machines.

21. System according to claim 20, characterized in that the recording and timestamping means (D2) are arranged in order to carry out a cyclical recording.

22. System according to claim 21, characterized in that the recording and timestamping means (D2) are arranged to record data only if said data are different from those recorded previously.

23. System according to claim 19, implemented for a group of machines comprising at least one or more mobile machines, characterized in that the machine device (D) of each mobile machine further comprises means (D3) for locating said mobile machine and for transmitting location data to the central coordinator (C).

24. System according to claim 23, characterized in that the locating means are arranged to calculate the instantaneous speed of the mobile machine.

25. System according to claim 23, characterized in that the central coordinator (C) further comprises means (C3) for analyzing the geographical zones location data and interacting as a function of the information which will have been given to it.

26. System according to claim 19, characterized in that each machine device (D) further comprises means (D4) for establishing a correspondence between technical data originating from a given machine and an exchange table between said device (D) and the coordinator (C) and for transferring said exchange table to said coordinator.

27. System according to claim 19, characterized in that the central coordinator (C) further comprises means (C4) for establishing a correspondence between technical data originating from a given machine and an exchange table between a machine device (D) connected to the machine and the coordinator (C).

28. System according to claim 19, characterized in that the central coordinator (C) also comprises means (C5) for writing fault-detection and adjustment scripts and sending them to a machine device (D), in order to remotely execute them there.

29. System according to claim 19, characterized in that the central coordinator (C) also comprises means (C6) for programming and downloading messaging scripts to a machine device (D) provided with a display means of the interactive type or another type, and for managing acknowledgements.

30. System according to claim 19, characterized in that the central coordinator (C) comprises means which are able to program and download scripts intended to automatically establish a link between machines.

31. System according to claim 19, characterized in that each user station (P) comprises means (P2) which are able to instantaneously display the technical data in graphical form and means (P3) which are able to analyze said data by specific scripts.

32. System according to claim 19, characterized in that each user station (P) comprises means (P4) which are able to program and download messaging scripts to a machine device (D) provided with display means of the interactive type or another type, according to a proprietary protocol.

33. System according to claim 19, characterized in that the central coordinator is installed directly in the company.

34. System according to claim 19, characterized in that at least one of the machines is a factory production machine, mobile handling machine, a production robot, or an analysis, storage or preservation machine.