METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING A WORK FLOW IN A PROCESS PLANT

• US 20140277596A1
• Filed: 09/17/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Nixon, Mark J., Beoughter, Ken J., Christensen, Daniel D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,671,028 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/17
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 11/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• 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 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

An automated method for managing a work flow in a process plant includes determining the steps of performing a work item and generating associated displays for an operator or other personnel to perform the steps of the work item. A work item is created specifying a task to be performed in the process plant and determining from the specified task a set of procedures for execution of the work item. For each procedure, an associated display is generated and the associated displays are displayed on a mobile user interface device sequentially in an order in which the set of procedures are to be performed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented, automated method of managing a work flow in a process plant, the method comprising:

creating a work item specifying a task to be performed in the process plant;

determining from the specified task a set of procedures for execution of the work item;

generating for each of the procedures in the set of procedures an associated display; and

displaying on a mobile user interface device the set of associated displays sequentially in an order in which the set of procedures are to be performed.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein creating a work item comprises receiving data from an expert system and specifying a task according to the data received from the expert system.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein receiving data from an expert system comprises receiving an instruction to perform a particular action with respect to a process control device.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein creating a work item specifying a task to be performed in the process plant comprises specifying a maintenance task, a calibration task, a replacement task, an inspection task, or a repair task.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein creating a work item specifying a task to be performed in the process plant comprises specifying a task that requires a safety lockout procedure.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein creating a work item specifying a task to be performed in the process plant comprises specifying a task that requires a shut-down procedure and a start-up procedure.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein generating for each of the procedures in the set of procedures an associated display comprises generating a display presenting a set of steps for performing the procedure.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein generating for each of the procedures in the set of procedures an associated display comprises generating a display including one or more images depicting the performance of the procedure.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein generating for each of the procedures in the set of procedures an associated display comprises generating a display comprising an image of a target piece of equipment in the context of its surroundings to assist a person viewing the display in locating the target piece of equipment.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein generating for each of the procedures in the set of procedures an associated display comprises generating a display comprising a parameter entry field for recording a parameter associated with a target piece of equipment.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein generating for each of the procedures in the set of procedures an associated display comprises generating a display including a set of standard operating procedures.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising depicting on a display of the mobile user interface device the location of a target piece of equipment in the context of the process plant.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein depicting on a display of the mobile user interface device the location of a target piece of equipment in the context of the process plant comprises providing a user interface control that causes the display to zoom in on the target piece of equipment.

14. A method according to claim 1, further comprising providing a set of user interface controls to allow a user of the mobile user interface device to navigate between the set of associated displays.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein displaying on a mobile user interface device the set of associated displays comprises displaying a procedure context pane indicating which procedure of the set of procedures associated with the specified task is currently being executed.

16. A method according to claim 1, further comprising providing access to documentation related to a target piece of equipment associated with the specified task.

17. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining a set of tools and equipment necessary to perform the set of procedures;

generating a checklist display including a list of the determined set of tools and equipment; and

displaying the checklist display.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein creating a work item specifying a task to be performed in the process plant comprises creating a work item specifying a manual data collection task.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein determining a set of procedures for execution of the work item comprises determining a route to collect the manual data.