System and Method for Distributed Reporting of Machine Performance

• US 20080201108A1
• Filed: 04/11/2008
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Large Drives LLC (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Corp. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Robertson, Daniel W., Madhavarao, Gopal, Furem, Ken
• Granted Patent: US 8,275,576 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/267 Diagnosing or detecting failure of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41875 characterised by quality surveillance of production
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34477 Fault prediction, analyzing signal trends
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45004 Mining
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0235 based on a comparison with predetermined threshold or range, e.g. "classical methods", carried out during normal operation; threshold adaptation or choice; when or how to compare with the threshold
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise obtaining and analyzing data from at least one discrete machine, automatically determining relationships related to the data, taking corrective action to improve machine operation and/or maintenance, automatically and heuristically predicting a failure associated with the machine and/or recommending preventative maintenance in advance of the failure, and/or automating and analyzing mining shovels, etc.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at an information device, rendering at least one report responsive to received representative data, said representative data generated by a set of sensors associated with an electric mining shovel, said representative data wirelessly transmitted to said information device responsive to a non-zero transmission rate selected from a plurality of non-zero transmission rates by a user of said information device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at said information device, wirelessly receiving dispatch data, said dispatch data associated with a mine dispatch system and responsive to receipt of said representative data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at said information device, wirelessly receiving dispatch data, said dispatch data associated with a mine dispatch system and related to said representative data.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at said information device, wirelessly receiving machinery scheduling information, said machinery scheduling information related to said representative data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

querying said representative data using a Machine Search Language engine.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a report comprising electric mining shovel production data.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a report comprising at least one deviation from an expected condition, said deviation determined from said representative data.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

exporting said representative data from said memory device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

via a user interface, rendering at least a portion of said representative data associated with a user-selected subset of sensors from said set of sensors.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

via a user interface, rendering at least a portion of said representative data in approximately real-time with respect to transmission of said at least a portion of said representative data from said electric mining shovel.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

via a user interface, rendering at least a portion of said representative data, wherein said rendering automatically updates said user interface.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

via a user interface, rendering at least a portion of said representative data, wherein the wirelessly receiving user selects a time period over which said at least a portion of said representative data pertains.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

via a user interface, rendering a portion of said representative data, wherein said user interface comprises a schematic model of said electric shovel.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

via a user interface, rendering at least a portion of said representative data, wherein said user interface comprises a schematic model of said electric shovel, said schematic model reflecting a position of an electric mining shovel component.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

via a user interface, rendering at least a portion of said representative data, wherein said user interface comprises a motion gauge.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

via a user interface, rendering at least a portion of said representative data, wherein said user interface comprises information indicative of performance of a dispatcher.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

via a user interface, rendering at least a portion of said representative data, wherein said user interface comprises at least one reset for a minimum acceptable value related to at least one of said set of sensors.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

via a user interface, rendering at least a portion of said representative data, wherein said user interface comprises at least one reset for a maximum acceptable value related to at least one of said set of sensors.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

via a user interface, rendering at least a portion of said representative data, wherein said user interface comprises a pan command.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

via a user interface, rendering at least a portion of said representative data, wherein said user interface comprises a zoom command.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

via a user interface, rendering at least a portion of said representative data, wherein said user interface comprises a rendering analogous to a panel viewable by an operator of said electric mining shovel.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a user interface comprising at least one Active X control associated with at least a portion of said representative data.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said representative data is stored in a database searchable by a Machine Search Language engine.

24. A machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for activities comprising:

at an information device, rendering at least one report responsive to received representative data, said representative data generated by a set of sensors associated with an electric mining shovel, said representative data wirelessly transmitted to said information device responsive to a non-zero transmission rate selected from a plurality of non-zero transmission rates by a user of said information device.

25. A method comprising:

at an information device, rendering at least one report responsive to wirelessly received representative data, said representative data generated by a set of sensors associated with an electric mining shovel, said representative data sampled responsive to a non-zero sampling rate selected from a plurality of non-zero sampling rates by a user of said information device.

26. A machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for activities comprising:

at an information device, rendering at least one report responsive to wirelessly received representative data, said representative data generated by a set of sensors associated with an electric mining shovel, said representative data sampled responsive to a non-zero sampling rate selected from a plurality of non-zero sampling rates by a user of said information device.