IoT-ENABLED PROCESS CONTROL AND PREDECTIVE MAINTENANCE USING MACHINE WEARABLES

• US 20160209831A1
• Filed: 01/17/2015
• Published: 07/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Machinesense LLC
• Original Assignee: Machinesense LLC
• Inventors: Pal, Biplab
• Granted Patent: US 9,826,338 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 13/065 of powder or pellets
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 9/16 Auxiliary treatment of granules
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 17/14 the materials moving through a counter-current of gas
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/06 Controlling, e.g. regulating, parameters of gas supply F26B21/14 takes precedence; control in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31457 Factory remote control, monitoring through internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• 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

Disclosed is an IoT-based system for overseeing process control and predictive maintenance of a machine or a network of machines by employing machine wearable sensors. The system comprises a plurality of IR temperature sensors, each of which secured to the exterior of the machine; each IR sensor capable of transmitting captured temperature data wirelessly over a communications network, an algorithm engine capable of receiving data from the IR sensors, the algorithm engine for further processing the received data to recognize real-time temperature patterns, deviations, etc., and based on the same issuing control commands pertaining to the machine, and one or more control modules disposed in operative communication with the control panel of the machine, the control module capable of receiving, over a communications network, the control commands and executing the same resulting in accomplishing process control or predictive maintenance of the machine or both.

Claims

1. An Internet of Things (IoT) based system for overseeing process control and predictive maintenance of a machine or a network of machines by employing machine wearable sensors, the system comprising:

(a) a plurality of machine-wearable infrared (IR) temperature sensors, each of which secured to the exterior of the machine;

each IR sensor capable of transmitting captured temperature data wirelessly over a communications network;

(b) an algorithm engine capable of receiving data from the IR sensors, the algorithm engine for further processing the received data to recognize real-time temperature patterns, deviations, etc., and based on the same and, at times, in combination with other factors, promptly issuing control commands pertaining to the machine; and

(c) one or more control modules disposed in operative communication with the control panel of the machine, the control module capable of receiving, over a communications network, the control commands and executing the same resulting in accomplishing process control or predictive maintenance of the machine or both.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein, the communications network comprises one of WiFi, 2G, 3G, 4G, GPRS, EDGE, Bluetooth, ZigBee, Piconet of BLE, Zwave, or a combination thereof.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein, the algorithm engine is run by a machine learning algorithm.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein, the algorithm engine is run by a relational database algorithm.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a sensor network for receiving and transmitting the captured data therethrough to the algorithm engine over a communications network.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein, the communications network comprises one of WiFi, 2G, 3G, 4G, GPRS, EDGE, Bluetooth, ZigBee, Piconet of BLE, Zwave, or a combination thereof.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a monitoring module disposed in operative communication with the algorithm engine, the monitoring module for displaying in real time:

(a) data received by the algorithm engine; and

(b) one or more control commands transmitted by the algorithm engine in response to the received data;

the monitoring module accessible via a user terminal over a communications network.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein, the machine comprises a hopper dryer comprising an elongate, vertical sight glass;

the plurality of infrared (IR) temperature sensors secured over the sight glass for capturing the IR radiation therethrough, each of the plurality of IR sensors vertically disposed over one another, each IR sensor to capture temperature within the hopper dryer at the vertical level thereof.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein, each IR sensor is magnetically secured to the hopper dryer.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein, each IR sensor is encased within a holder comprising a magnet;

the magnet about which, the IR sensor is attached to the hopper dryer.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein, each IR sensor is secured to the hopper dryer by means of a screw mounting.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein, the plurality of IR sensors comprises two IR sensors.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein, the plurality of IR sensors comprises three IR sensors.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein, the plurality of locations comprise:

a first location of the inlet of the dry air flow, a second location of the outlet of the air flow, and a third location disposed between the first and second locations;

the second location comprising the return hose neck location of the dryer device.

15. The system of claim 8 wherein, the plurality of IR sensors are vertically spaced-apart from one another.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein, the machine comprises a pump.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein, the algorithm engine comprises a distributed Big Data system such as, Hadoop, Storm or Spark.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein, the conditions recognized by the algorithm engine based on the data received by the same include:

overheating, clogged filters and malfunctioning motor or motors.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the algorithm engine comprises:

(a) a database comprising at least one anomalous temperature pattern, each of which associated with a control command;

(b) a mapping module for mapping the received temperature data into a real-time temperature pattern;

(c) a first relational module for comparing the real-time temperature pattern against one or more normal temperature patterns;

(d) a second relational module for comparing the real-time temperature pattern against the at least one anomalous temperature pattern in the event of the real-time temperature pattern not being matched with any of the one or more normal temperature patterns; and

(e) a command module for issuing a corresponding control command upon recognizing an anomalous temperature pattern with which, the real-time temperature pattern matches.

20. An Internet of Things (IoT) based system for overseeing process control and predictive maintenance of a machine or a network of machines by employing machine wearable sensors, the system comprising:

(a) a plurality of machine-wearable infrared (IR) temperature sensors, each of which secured to the exterior of the machine;

each IR sensor capable of transmitting captured temperature data wirelessly over a communications network;

(b) a sensor network for receiving and transmitting the captured data over a communications network;

(c) an algorithm engine capable of receiving data from the sensor network, the algorithm engine for further processing the received data to recognize real-time temperature patterns, deviations, etc., and based on the same and, at times, in combination with other factors, promptly issuing control commands pertaining to the machine; and

(d) one or more control modules disposed in operative communication with the control panel of the machine, the control module capable of receiving, over a communications network, the control commands and executing the same resulting in accomplishing process control or predictive maintenance of the machine or both.