SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONFIGURING FIELD DEVICES USING A CONFIGURATION DEVICE

• US 20190001484A1
• Filed: 08/22/2018
• Published: 01/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Parrott, Brian, Carrasco Zanini, Pablo
• Granted Patent: US 10,543,594 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0085 Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0084 comprising a plurality of manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23161 Hand held terminal PDA displays machine control program when user is near that machine
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23406 Programmer device, portable, handheld detachable programmer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31034 Component identifier and location indicator corresponding to component
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/695 for maintaining a fixed relative position of the vehicles, e.g. for convoy travelling or formation flight
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/6987 by centralised control off-board any of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2105/10 for cleaning, vacuuming or polishing
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2105/80 for information gathering, e.g. for academic research
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2107/75 Electric power generation plants
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2109/10 Land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2109/20 Aircraft, e.g. drones
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/10 Cleaning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• 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: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 : Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 : Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for configuring a group of mobile field devices using a configuration device (an HMI) is provided. In particular, the HMI is programmed to configure identically programmed field devices that are arbitrarily arranged in an application-dependent formation by defining and providing configuration parameters to the devices via wired and/or wireless communication. In particular, the HMI assigns a unique identifier to respective robots as a function of the position of the robot within the formation or the layout of the environment. Accordingly each robot can be efficiently configured by the HMI to operate independently yet as a coordinated member of the group and without requiring the robots to be placed in specific positions during the initial deployment. This obviates the need for constant independent control commands for each robot by a central controller or providing a customized control program to each robot during deployment.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a group of mobile robots for cleaning an array of solar panels to perform non-identical operations in a coordinated manner, comprising:

physically associating the mobile robots with respective solar panels in the array thereby forming an application-dependent formation of robots, wherein each robot includes a non-transitory computer readable memory storing a control program, a communication interface and a processor that is configured to control operation of the robot according to the control program;

configuring, with the HMI, a first robot associated with a first solar panel in the array, wherein the HMI is a hand-held computing device including a computer-readable storage medium having executable instructions stored therein, a communication interface and a processor that is configured by executing the instructions, and wherein configuring includes;

establishing, by the HMI using the communication interface, communication with the first robot,

determining, by the HMI, a respective starting position within the formation for the first robot, wherein the respective starting position is a relative position within the formation,

automatically defining, by the HMI, respective configuration settings for the first robot including at least a respective device identifier (ID), wherein the respective device ID is assigned as a function of the determined starting position and is defined irrespective of any pre-existing unique identifier assigned to the first robot,

transferring, by the HMI using the communication interface, the configuration settings to the first robot, and

repeating the configuring step for the remaining robots in the formation, wherein the HMI assigns a unique device ID to each of the robots as a function of respective starting positions and wherein the device IDs are assigned sequentially according to the application-dependent formation;

initiating coordinated operation of the group of robots according to the control program and the respective configuration settings.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the HMI communication interface is a wireless transceiver, and the method further comprising:

positioning the HMI in proximity to the first robot.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the HMI wireless transceiver is a radio frequency transceiver configured for short-range inductive wireless communication, and wherein repeating the configuring step for the remaining robots in the formation includes positioning the HMI in proximity to each of the remaining robots.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, at the HMI, application settings for the application; and

wherein the configuration settings are defined according to the determined starting position and the application settings.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one position sensor is included in one or more of:

the HMI and each of the robots include, and further comprising;

determining, by the HMI, a current position, wherein the current position is detected by the at least one position sensor;

wherein the respective starting position for the first robot is determined based on the current position detected by the at least one position sensor.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one position sensor is on-board the first robot, and

wherein the HMI queries the first robot for the current position detected by the at least one position sensor, and wherein the respective starting position is determined based on the current position.

7. The method of claim 4, receiving the application settings by the HMI from a base station associated with the solar panel array, and wherein the configuration settings are defined according to the respective starting position and the base station settings.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the control program is identical for each of the plurality of robots and wherein the respective device ID is unique such that, during operation according to the control program, the respective device ID enables independent operation of any one given robot and coordinated operation of the given robot relative to the operation of one or more other robots among the plurality of robots as a function of the respective starting position within the formation, and wherein the HMI incrementally assigns the device IDs according to a prescribed sequence that corresponds to the application-dependent formation.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the HMI determines the respective starting position within the formation as a function of the prescribed sequence and any preceding configurations of one or more other robots.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one position sensors are selected from the group consisting of:

a GPS receiver, an accelerometer, and a gravity magnetometer, and wherein determining the respective starting position further comprises;

comparing, with the processor, the current position to a reference layout of one or more of the formation and the operational environment; and

identifying, by the HMI, the respective starting position based on the comparison.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising, updating the reference layout in the memory according to the detected current position and the assigned device ID.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein defining configuration settings further comprises:

determining, by the HMI using the one or more position sensors, position data for the HMI; and

translating the position data into localization data for the particular field device for transmission to the field device, wherein the localization data includes one or more of an orientation, an absolute location, a direction, and a position relative to one or more other devices or landmarks in the reference layout.

13. A method for configuring a plurality of mobile field devices to perform non-identical operations in a coordinated manner according to a control program, comprising:

arranging, in an operational environment, a plurality of field devices to occupy respective starting positions in an application-dependent formation, wherein the field devices are programmed with the same control program and are arranged without regard to which particular field device occupies which starting position in the formation, and wherein the control program on each field device is configured to use a field-assigned respective device identifier (ID) to coordinate non-identical operation by a respective field device and coordinate application-dependent, formation-based operations by the plurality of field devices;

configuring each of the plurality of field devices, each field device including a non-transitory computer readable memory storing the control program, a wireless transceiver and a processor that is configured by executing the control program, wherein, for each of the plurality of field devices, configuring comprises;

positioning a human-machine interface (HMI) and a particular field device in proximity, wherein the HMI is a portable computing device including a computer-readable storage medium having executable instructions stored therein, one or more position sensors, a wireless transceiver and a processor that is configured by executing the instructions,

establishing, by the HMI using the transceiver, wireless communication between the HMI and the particular field device,

determining, by the HMI, the respective starting position occupied by the particular field device in the formation, wherein the respective starting position is a relative position within the formation,

automatically defining, by the HMI, configuration settings for the particular field device including at least a respective device identifier (ID), wherein the device IDs are defined incrementally and as a function of the respective starting position within the formation, and

transferring, by the HMI using the wireless transceiver, the configuration settings to the particular robot to configure the particular robot; and

initiating coordinated operation of the plurality of field devices according to the control program and the respective configuration settings.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the HMI wireless transceiver is a radio frequency transceiver configured for short-range inductive wireless communication.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the configuration settings also includes information concerning the formation including one or more of:

a number of field devices in the formation, relative positions of the plurality of field devices, a layout of the formation, a layout of the environment.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the respective device ID is defined irrespective of any pre-existing unique identifier assigned to the particular field device.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the control program is identical for each of the plurality of field devices and wherein the respective device ID is unique such that, during operation based on the control program, the respective device ID enables unique operation of the respective field devices and coordinated operation of the respective field device relative to the operation of one or more other field devices as a function of the particular position in the formation.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

prompting, with the HMI using an associated display, the operator to sequentially configure the plurality of robots according to a prescribed formation-dependent order beginning with a first starting position in the formation; and

wherein the HMI determines the respective starting position occupied by the particular field device as a function of the prescribed formation-dependent order and a record of any previous configurations of one or more field devices among the plurality of field devices, and wherein the device ID is incremented by the HMI as each field device is configured.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more position sensors are selected from the group consisting of:

a GPS receiver, an accelerometer, and a gravity magnetometer, and wherein determining the respective starting position further comprises;

detecting, with the HMI using the position sensor, a current position of the HMI;

comparing, with the processor, the current position to a reference layout of one or more of the formation and the operational environment; and

identifying, by the HMI, the respective starting position based on the comparison.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising, updating the reference layout in the memory according to the detected current position and the assigned device ID.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein defining configuration settings further comprises:

determining, by the HMI using the one or more position sensors, position data for the HMI; and

translating the position data into localization data for the particular field device for transmission to the field device, wherein the localization data includes one or more of an orientation, an absolute location, a direction, and a position relative to one or more other devices or landmarks in the reference layout.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining, at the HMI, application-dependent parameters relating to the particular position of the particular field device in the formation including one or more of;

a layout of at least a portion of the operational environment and control settings that serve to enable communication between the particular field device and other devices within the operational environment; and

transmitting, by the HMI using the wireless transceiver, the application-dependent parameters to the particular field device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the other devices include one or more stand-alone control computers configured to assist the operation of the plurality of robots according to the control program, and further comprising:

establishing, with the HMI using the wireless transceiver, communication with the one or more stand-alone control computers;

receiving, with the HMI from the one or more stand-alone control computers, the control settings.

24. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving, with the processor from the respective field device, data identifying a type of the field device; and

launching, with the HMI processor, a configuration application specific to the identified robot type, and wherein the configuration settings are defined according to the configuration application and as a function of any preceding configurations of one or more other field devices.

25. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

acquiring, with the HMI from the respective field device, operational data including one or more of;

an operational history, a power consumption level, an operational status, and sensor readings;

recording, with the HMI in the storage, the acquired operational data;

modifying, with the HMI, the configuration settings according to the acquired operational data; and

providing, with the HMI using the wireless transceiver, the operational data to one or more of stand-alone control computers and field devices.

26. The method of claim 13, wherein the field devices are identical mobile robotic devices.

27. The method of claim 13, wherein the field devices are multiple groups of different types of field devices and wherein each group of field devices is comprised of multiple robots of identical type, and further comprising:

performing the configuring step for each of the multiple groups of field devices, and wherein the control program coordinates application-dependent, formation-based operations by the plurality of groups of field devices based on the assigned device IDs and a respective type of field device.

28. The method of claim 13, wherein the HMI serves as a control station for the one or more field devices once configuration is complete.

29. The method of claim 13, wherein the control program coordinates non-identical operation by a respective field device and coordinates application-dependent, formation-based operations by the group of field devices as a function of one or more of:

deployment-specific configuration data, sensor data, data detected from a sensor on board the respective field device, and commands received by the respective field device from another device during operation.

30. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of determining the respective starting position occupied by the particular field device in the formation is determined as a function of a user input.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the HMI transmits operational commands to a particular field device that are addressed using a respective assigned device ID.

32. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving, by the HMI from one or more of the plurality of mobile devices, operational data;

displaying, the operational data with the HMI using an associated display.

33. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

replacing, a particular field device among the plurality of field devices with a replacement field device;

determining, with the HMI, a particular respective device ID assigned to the particular field device being replaced; and

repeating the steps of;

positioning the HMI and a replacement field device in proximity,

establishing, by the HMI using the transceiver, wireless communication between the HMI and the replacement field device,

automatically defining, by the HMI, configuration settings for the replacement field device including at least the particular respective device ID, and

transferring, by the HMI using the wireless transceiver, the configuration settings to the replacement field device to configure the replacement field device.