System for monitoring a continuous manufacturing process

• US 5,821,990 A
• Filed: 09/03/1997
• Issued: 10/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Monitoring Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Champion International Corporation (International Paper Company)
• Inventors: Rudt, Robert J., Grapes, Kenneth D., Fiore, Leonard F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Tommy P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Vu
• Application Number:
  US08/929,231
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• Field of Search: 348/88, 348/86, 348/125, 348/92, 348/94, 348/128, 356/429, 356/430, 356/240, 382/141
• US Class Current: 348/88
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8903 using a multiple detector array
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4184 characterised by fault tolerance, reliability of production system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31442 Detect if operation on object has been executed correctly in each station
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31447 Process error event detection and continuous process image detection, storage
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/146 during manufacturing process
• 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 for continuously monitoring a process such as a paper making process wherein a plurality of video cameras are positioned at various positions along the process to monitor one or more pre-determined characteristics of the process. The system further includes device for converting the monitored characteristics into digital format and a digital data storage device, such as a circular memory, for storage of such data such that as new data is stored earlier stored data is removed. The system includes a control device such as a computer which is capable of communicating with the data storage device and with a detector for detecting deviations from the monitored predetermined characteristic such that on receipt of a deviation signal the control device extracts from the digital data storage device digitized data corresponding to the deviation and displays such extracted deviation digitized data as for example on a video monitor.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for continuously monitoring a process comprising:

a plurality of monitoring means for continuously monitoring a predetermined characteristic of the process and collecting monitored data, each monitoring means addressing a different location of interest of said process, and each said monitoring means for monitoring and collecting data relative to said location;

data converting means for converting said collected data into digitized data;

digital data storage means for storing segments of said digitized data, each of said segments comprised of one or more digitized data clips, said segments which cover the operations of said process over a predetermined period of time, said digitized data segments being stored such that as new digitized data is stored in one of said segments, earlier prior stored digitized data in said segment is removed from said segment to maintain said segment at or about said pre-determined length; and

control means for controlling said monitoring system, said control means for communicating with said digital data storage means and for communicating with one or more deviation detectors for detecting a deviation from said predetermined characteristic and for transmitting a deviation signal of said detected deviation to said control means, wherein on receipt of said deviation signal said control means for extracting a deviation clip from said segments stored in said digital data storage means and means for displaying said extracted clip.

2. System of claim 1 wherein said process is a continuous process for the manufacture of a product, and said deviation is a deviation in a pre-determined characteristic of said product.

3. System of claim 2 wherein said process comprises a plurality of monitoring steps and wherein there is at least one monitoring means for each of said steps.

4. System of claim 1 which comprises a plurality of storage means, each of which comprises at least one of said digitized data segment, at least one of said storage means for storing digitized data monitored and collected from first monitoring means at a first location of the process and at least one of said storage means for storing data monitored and collected from a second monitoring means at a second location of the process.

5. System of claim 4 wherein each of said plurality of storage means stores digitized data monitored and collected by a single monitoring means.

6. System of claim 1 wherein a plurality of monitoring means address a single location, each in communication with a digital data converting means which is in communication with a digital data storage means, said control means for extracting one or more digitized data clips from each of said storage means and for displaying said extracted clips.

7. A system of claim 6 wherein each of said monitoring means monitors a different pre-determined characteristic.

8. A system of claim 7 wherein each of said monitoring means is different.

9. System of claim 1 wherein said process is controlled totally or in part by a distributive control system in communication with said control means, said distributive control system comprising said one or more deviation detectors, said distributive control system for communicating a signal of said detected deviation and the time, location or time and location of said deviation to said control means;

wherein on receipt of said deviation signal said control means for identifying the stored segment containing a digitized data clip corresponding to said deviation, extracting the deviation clip to form a display clip and displaying said display clip.

10. System of claim 9 wherein said distributive control system is also for communicating process data relating to the operation of the process to said control means.

11. System of claim 10 which further comprises:

library means in communication with said control means for storage of display clips and process data relating to the operation of the process at the time of said deviation, said library means also for providing said stored display clips and process data for display.

12. System of claim 1 wherein on receipt of said deviation signal said control means is for extracting the deviation clip recording said deviation and one or more preceding clips preceding said deviation clip in time or time and location, such that said extracted clips are time synchronized to chronologically show the predetermined characteristics as said product passes by each monitored location of the digitized data in said extracted clips, said control means for splicing said extracted clips in chronological order to form a display clip and displaying said display clip.

13. System of claim 12 wherein said control means for extracting the deviation clip recording said deviation, the clip immediately preceding said deviation clip in time or in time and location, the clip immediately following said deviation clip in time or time and location, splicing said extracted clips in chronological order to form a display clip and displaying said display clip.

14. System of claim 1 wherein said monitoring means are video cameras and wherein at least one digital converting means is in communication with at least one video camera and at least one digital data storage means is in communication with at least one digital converting means.

15. System of claim 14 wherein on receipt of said deviation signal at the time of said deviation, said control means identifies a video camera proximate to said deviation detector detecting said deviation, freezes operations of digital memory storage means for such camera, identifies the digitized data segment corresponding to said deviation by correlating the time of said segment with the time of said deviation event, extracting the deviation event clip which correlates to the time of said deviation event and the preceding clip preceding said deviation event clip and the subsequent clip following said deviation event clip, splicing said deviation event clip, said preceding clip and said subsequent in chronological order to form a display clip and displaying said display clip on said display means.

16. System of claim 15 which further comprises:

means for transmitting process data from a distributive control system with a break event signal;

library means for storage of display clips and associated process data; and

means for accessing said display clips and process data stored in said library means.

17. System of claim 1 wherein said process is a continuous product and said deviation is selected from the group consisting of a break in said continuous product, a hole in said continuous product and a change in a surface characteristic of said continuous product.

18. System of claim 1 wherein each of said monitoring means and said data converting means are combined in a digital camera.

19. System for claim 1 wherein said control means is a computer.

20. System of claim 1 wherein:

a product of said process is a continuous web of paper and said process is for printing or manufacturing said web of paper;

said plurality of monitoring means comprises one or more cameras for monitoring said web of paper, each monitoring means for addressing said product at a different location of interest along said process and for producing an image of said product at the location of interest;

digital converting means for converting the image into a digitized image;

digital data storage means for receiving said digitized image and storing said digitized image in a digitized segment comprising one or more digitized images, said digitized segment of a predetermined length covering real time operation of said process, said digitized images being stored such that earlier prior stored digitized images in said digitized segment are displaced as new digitized images are stored in said digitized segment to maintain said stored digitized segment at or about said predetermined length;

computer control means for controlling the operations of said system, said computer control means for communicating with said digital data storage means and for communicating with a distributive control system for controlling all or a portion of said process, said distributive control system having said one or more deviation detectors for detecting deviations from predetermined characteristics of said product as said product passes through said process, said distributive control system for communicating to said computer control system information comprising the time, location or time and location of said deviations, information relative to said operations of said process or a combination thereof; and

one or more monitors in communication with said computer control means for displaying said digitized images under the control of said computer control means;

wherein on occurrence of said deviation said distributive control system transmits said deviation signal comprising the location or time, and location of said deviation to said computer control means, and in response thereto said computer control means identifies said digitized segment or said digitized image corresponding to said deviation or a combination thereof, extracts said digitized image comprising said deviation and displays said extracted digitized image on a monitor.

21. System of claim 20 wherein each of said monitoring means and digital converting means are combined in a digital camera.

22. System of claim 1 wherein each of said monitoring means and one or more of said detectors are combined in a camera.

23. System of claim 1 wherein said deviation signal comprises the time, location or time and location of said detected deviation.

24. System of claim 23 wherein said deviation signal comprises the location of said detected deviation.

25. A monitoring system for continuously monitoring a process comprising:

a plurality of monitoring means for continuously monitoring a pre-determined characteristic of the process and collecting monitored data, each monitoring means addressing a different location of interest of said process, and each said monitoring means for monitoring and collecting data relative to said location;

digital converting means for converting said collected data into digitized data;

digital data storage means for storing segments of said digitized data, said segments of which cover the operations of said process at a relevant location over a pre-determined period of time, said digitized data segments being stored such that as new digitized data is stored in a segment, earlier prior stored digitized data in said segment is removed from said segment to maintain said segment at or about a pre-determined length; and

control means for controlling said monitoring system, said control means for communicating with said digital data storage means and for communicating with one or more deviation detectors for detecting a deviation from said predetermined characteristic and for transmitting a deviation signal of said detected deviation to said control means;

wherein on receipt of said deviation signal said control means for extracting from said digital data storage means deviation digitized data corresponding to said detected deviation to form extracted digitized data and said control means for displaying said extracted digitized data.

26. System of claim 25 wherein said system further comprises a monitor and wherein said extracted digitized data is displayed visually on said monitor.

27. System of claim 25 wherein on receipt of said deviation signal said control means for extracting the deviation digitized data and preceding digitized data preceding said digitized data in time or time and location such that said extracted preceding and deviation digitized data are time synchronized to chronologically show the monitored predetermined characteristics as said process passes by each monitored location of the digitized data in said extracted clips, and said control means for controlling said means for displaying said extracted clips.

28. System of claim 27 wherein said control means for extracting the deviation digitized data, the preceding digitized data, and the digitized data immediately following extracting said deviation digitized data in time or time and location and said control means for controlling said means for displaying said extracted digitized data.

29. System of claim 25 wherein said data converting means and each of said monitoring means are combined in a digital camera.

30. System of claim 25 wherein said monitoring means is a video camera.

31. System of claim 25 wherein said pre-determined characteristic is a characteristic of said process.

32. System of claim 25 wherein said control means is a computer.

33. System of claim 25 wherein:

a product of said process is a continuous web of paper and said process is a process for printing or manufacturing said web of paper;

said plurality of monitoring means comprises one or more cameras, each camera addressing said product at a different location of interest along said process and producing an image of said product at said location of interest;

digital converting means for converting the image into a digitized image;

digital data storage means for receiving said digitized image and storing said digitized image in a digitized data segment comprising one or more digitized images, said digitized data segment of a pre-determined length covering real time operation of said process, said digitized images being stored such that earlier prior stored digitized images in said digitized segment are displaced as new digitized images are stored in said digitized segment to maintain said stored digitized segment at or about said predetermined length;

computer control means for controlling the operations of said system, said computer control means for communicating with said digital data storage means and for communicating with a distributive control system for controlling all or a portion of said process, said distributive control system having said one or more deviation detectors for detecting deviations from predetermined characteristics of said product as said product passes through said process, said distributive control system for communicating to said computer control system information comprising the location or time and location of said deviations;

information relative to the operations of said process or a combination thereof; and

one or more monitors in communication with said computer control means for displaying the digitized images under the control of said computer control means;

wherein on occurrence of said deviation, said distributive control system transmits said deviation signal comprising the location or time and location of said deviation to said computer control means, and in response thereto said computer control means identifies said digitized segment or said digitized image corresponding to said deviation or a combination thereof, extracts said digitized image comprising said deviation and displays said digitized image on said monitor.

34. System of claim 33 wherein each of said monitoring means and digital converting means are combined in a digital camera.

35. System of claim 25 wherein each of said monitoring means and one or more of said detectors are combined in a camera.

36. System of claim 25 wherein said deviation signal comprises the time, location or time and location of said detected deviation.

37. System of claim 36 wherein said deviation signal comprises the location of said detected deviation.

38. A monitoring system for continuously monitoring a process for manufacturing a product comprising:

a plurality of monitoring means for continuously monitoring a pre-determined characteristic of the process and collecting monitored data, and each said monitoring means for monitoring and collecting data relative to said process;

data converting means for converting said collected data into digitized data;

digital data storage means for storing segments of said digitized data, said segments which cover the operations of said process over a predetermined period of time, said digitized data segments being stored such that as new digitized data is stored in a segment, earlier prior stored digitized data in said segment is removed from said segment to maintain said segment at or about a pre-determined length;

one or more deviation detectors for monitoring said pre-determined characteristic, and for detecting a deviation therefrom; and

control means for controlling each of said monitoring means, said control means in communication with said digital data storage means and with said deviation detectors, wherein on receipt of a deviation signal said control means for extracting deviation digitized data corresponding to said detected deviation from said digital data storage means to form extracted deviation digitized data and said control means for controlling the display said extracted deviation digitized data.

39. System of claim 38 wherein said monitoring means is a camera.

40. System of claim 38 wherein each of said monitoring means and said data converting means are combined in a digital camera.

41. System of claim 38 wherein each of said monitoring means and said one or more detectors are combined in a camera.

42. System of claim 38 wherein said control means is one or more computers.

43. System of claim 38 wherein said deviation signal comprises the time, location or time and location of said detected deviation.

44. System of claim 43 wherein said deviation signal comprises the location of said detected deviation.

45. A monitoring system for continuously monitoring a process for manufacture of a product comprising:

a plurality of monitoring means for continuously monitoring a pre-determined characteristic of the process and collecting monitored data, each monitoring means addressing a different location of interest of said process, and each said monitoring means for monitoring and collecting data relative to said location;

digital converting means for converting said collected data into digitized data;

digital data storage means for storing segments of said digitized data, said segments which cover the operations of said process at a relevant location over a pre-determined period of time, said digitized data segments being stored such that as new digitized data is stored in a segment, earlier prior stored digitized data in said segment is removed from said segment to maintain said segment at or about a pre-determined length;

one or more deviation detectors for monitoring said pre-determined characteristics and for detecting a deviation therefrom; and

control means for controlling each of said monitoring means, said control means in communication with said digital data storage means and with said deviation detectors, wherein on receipt of a deviation signal said control means for identifying a deviation digitized data corresponding to said deviation and extracting said identified deviation digitized data from said stored segments of digitized data in said digital data storage means to form extracted deviation digitized data, and said control means for controlling the display said extracted deviation digitized data.

46. System of claim 45 wherein said monitoring means is a camera.

47. System of claim 45 wherein each of said monitoring means and said data converting means are combined in a digital camera.

48. System of claim 45 wherein each of said monitoring means and said one or more detectors are combined in a camera.

49. System of claim 45 wherein each of said control means is one or more computers.

50. System of claim 45 wherein said deviation signal comprises the time, location or time and location of said detected deviation.

51. System of claim 50 wherein said deviation signal comprises the location of said detected deviation.

52. A monitoring system for continuously monitoring a process for the manufacture of a product comprising a continuous web of paper, said system comprising:

a plurality of monitoring means comprising a plurality of video cameras for monitoring a predetermined characteristic of the process and collecting monitored data, said cameras addressing locations of interest of said process and said cameras for producing video images relative to said locations;

digital data converting means for converting said video images into digitized video signals;

digital data storage means for receiving said digitized video signals and for storing segments of said digitized video signals, said segments which cover the operations of said process over a predetermined period of time, said digitized video signals being stored such that as new digitized video signals are stored in a segment, earlier prior stored digitized video signals in said segment are removed from said segment to maintain said segment at or about a pre-determined length; and

control means for controlling each of said monitoring means, said control means comprising one or more computers, said control means for communicating with said digital data storage means and for communicating with one or more deviation detectors for detecting a deviation from said predetermined characteristics and for transmitting a deviation signal of said detected deviation to said control means, wherein on receipt of said deviation signal said control means for extracting a deviation digitized video signal from said segments stored in said digital data storage means and for controlling the display of said extracted deviation digitized video signal or an image thereof.

53. System of claim 52 wherein said system further comprises one or more video monitors for displaying said image of said extracted deviation digitized video signal and said control means for controlling the display of an image of said extracted deviation digitized video signal on one or more of said one or more video monitors.

54. System of claim 52 wherein said system further comprises one or more deviation detectors for monitoring said predetermined characteristics and for detecting deviations therefrom.

55. System of claim 54 wherein said monitoring means and said one or more detectors are combined in said video cameras.

56. System of claim 52 wherein said process is for printing said web of paper.

57. System of claim 52 wherein said process is for manufacturing said web of paper.

58. System of claim 57 wherein each predetermined characteristic is a characteristic of said product.

59. System of claim 58 wherein said predetermined characteristic is a continuity of said web.

60. System of claim 59 wherein said deviation is a break or hole in said web.

61. System of claim 60 wherein said deviation detectors further comprises one or more deviation detectors for monitoring said predetermined characteristics and for detecting deviations therefrom.

62. System of claims 61 whereas each of said monitoring means and said deviation detectors are combined in said video camera.

63. System of claim 61 wherein said deviation signal comprises the time, location or time and location of said detected deviation.

64. System of claim 52 wherein said predetermined characteristic is a characteristic of said product.

65. System of claim 52 wherein each of said monitoring means and said data converting means are combined in a digital camera.

66. System of claim 52 wherein said deviation signal comprises the time, location or time and location of said detected deviation.