Location Based Programming And Data Management In An Automated Environment

• US 20080319567A1
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ThinkLogix, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Brandt, David D., Farchmin, David Walter
• Granted Patent: US 8,032,250 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/99
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4188 characterised by CIM planning or realisation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32085 Layout of factory, facility, cell, production system planning
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A method and system for providing information related to a set of automated resources that may cooperate in an environment to perform an automated process, the method comprising the steps of associating a specific environment location with the automated process, determining the locations of resources with respect to the specific location and, where resources are proximate the specific location, providing information related to the automated process. Also a method for facility communication between distributed resources where location or an attribute akin thereto is used to tag data and to monitor network data for specific required data.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating resource configuration where a set of resources are to be combined to perform a process within a space wherein the process includes a plurality of sub-processes, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying resource locations within the space; and

associating the sub-processes with the resources as a function of the resource locations.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least a sub-set of the resources are programmable and wherein each sub-process is associated with a sub-process program code and wherein the step of associating includes the step of programming the programmable resources with the sub-process program codes.

3. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of, after sub-process association, monitoring resource locations and, when at least one resource location is altered, providing an indication that the locations have been altered.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein at least a sub-set of the resources are programmable and each sub-process is associated with a sub-process program code and wherein the step of associating includes the step of programming the programmable resources with the sub-process program codes and, wherein, the step of providing an indication includes re-programming at least one of the programmable resources as a function of the location change.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the process is an automated process and wherein the step of associating the sub-processes with the resources includes associated separate automated sub-processes as a function of the resource locations.

6. The method of claim 1 further including the step of providing a transmitter for each of the resources to be combined, the step of identifying resource locations including causing the resources to transmit signals within the space, receiving the signals and using the transmitted signals to identify resource locations.

7. The method of claim 6 further including the step of providing access points within the space, the step of receiving the transmitted signals including receiving the signals at the access points.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of identifying resource locations includes the steps of, for each resource, providing a wireless information device that includes a transmitter, positioning the wireless information device proximate the resource, causing the wireless information device to transmit a signal, receiving the transmitted signal and using the received signal to identify resource location.

9. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of, for each sub-process associated with a resource, providing information about the sub-process to a system operator.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the information provided includes at least one of (i) information confirming that the resource is to be combined with other proximate resources, (ii) information instructing the operator how to combine the resource, (iii) information usable by a controller to control the resource, (iv) information regarding required I/O linkages, (v) information to configure at least one interface to be associated with the resource, (vi) information for performing diagnostics on the resource, and (vii) information for programming the resource to perform a portion of the process.

11. A system for facilitating resource configuration where a set of resources are to be combined to perform a process within a space wherein the process includes a plurality of sub-processes, the system comprising:

a processor programmed to;

identify resource locations within the space; and

associate the sub-processes with the resources as a function of the resource locations.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein at least a sub-set of the resources are programmable and wherein each sub-process is associated with a sub-process program code and wherein the processor associates by programming the programmable resources with the sub-process program codes.

13. The system of claim 11 further including a location determiner and an indicator, each of the determiner and indicator linkable to the processor, the determiner for determining resource locations, wherein, the processor is further programmed to, after sub-process association, monitor resource locations and, when at least one resource location is altered, provide an indication via the indicator that the locations have been altered.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein at least a sub-set of the resources are programmable and each sub-process is associated with a sub-process program code and wherein the processor associates by programming the programmable resources with the sub-process program codes, the processor further re-programming at least one of the programmable resources as a function of a location change.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein each of the resources includes a transmitter that transmits signals within the space, the processor receiving the signals and using the transmitted signals to identify resource locations.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein access points are located within the space and are linked to the processor, the processor receiving the transmitted signals via the access points.

17. The system of claim 11 further including a wireless information device that includes a transmitter that can transmit a signal from a location proximate a resource, the processor identifying resource location by receiving the transmitted signal and using the received signal to identify resource location.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the processor further, for each sub-process associated with a resource, providing information about the sub-process to a system operator.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the information provided includes at least one of (i) information confirming that the resource is to be combined with other proximate resources, (ii) information instructing the operator how to combine the resource, (iii) information usable by a controller to control the resource, (iv) information regarding required I/O linkages, (v) information to configure at least one interface to be associated with the resource, (vi) information for performing diagnostics on the resource, and (vii) information for programming the resource to perform a portion of the process.