System for sensing factory workspace

• US 6,633,821 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2001
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Zhao, Feng, Rai, Sudhendu, Jackson, Warren B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sun, Xiuqin
• Application Number:
  US09/756,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20020091491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 702/183, 702/185, 702/56, 235/376, 709/238, 704/275, 101/477, 340/10.1, 340/572.4, 340/572.1, 116/308, 395/200, 700/275, 358/1.5
• US Class Current: 702/56
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4065 Monitoring tool breakage, life or condition
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37252 Life of tool, service life, decay, wear estimation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37435 Vibration of machine

Abstract

A method and apparatus for collecting and using data is disclosed. There is at least one sensor that placed within a workspace for sensing vibrations associated with at least one machine operating in the workspace. In addition, there is at least one tag associated with a particular job. The tag indicates the contemporaneous status of tasks relating to the job. At least one processor is in communication with each of the at least one acoustic sensors and at least one tag. This processor receives data relating to acoustic and task status from the at least one acoustic sensor and at least one tag. The acoustic sensor senses vibration and/or sound. Workflow analysis and fault diagnosis and prediction are then based on data collected.

Claims

1. A system for collecting data, comprising:

at least one acoustic sensor for sensing acoustical signals associated with at least one machine, the at least one acoustic sensor being placed remotely from the at least one machine within a workspace;

at least one tag associated with a job, said tag indicating a status of tasks; and

at least one processor in communication with said at least one acoustic sensor and said at least one tag;

wherein said at least one processor receives acoustical data and task data from said at least one acoustic sensor and said at least one tag and analyzes the acoustical data and/or task data to determine one or more of workflow status, job status, optimal size of interprocess buffers and machine status.

2. The system for collecting data according to claim 1, wherein said acoustic sensor senses at least one of vibration and sound.

3. The system for collecting data according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of machines is contained within said workspace, and a plurality of acoustic sensors is placed in an array throughout said workspace.

4. The system for collecting data according to claim 1, wherein said at least one tag is placed in association with each of a plurality of jobs throughout said workspace.

5. The system for collecting data according to claim 1, wherein said acoustic sensor comprises a microphone.

6. The system for collecting data according to claim 5, wherein said workspace is a printshop and said job is a print job.

7. The system for collecting data according to claim 1, wherein said at least one tag comprises a passive or active RF tag.

8. The system for collecting data according to claim 7, further comprising a passive tag reader to read said task data associated with said at least one passive tag, and communicate said task data to said processor.

9. The system for collecting data according to claim 7, further comprising an active tag reader to read said task data associated with said at least one active tag and communicate said task data to said processor.

10. The system for collecting data according to claim 1, wherein said at least one tag is an infrared tag.

11. The system for collecting data according to claim 10, further comprising an infrared tag reader to read said task data associated with said at least one infrared tag and communicate said task data to said processor.

12. The system for collecting data according to claim 1, wherein said at least one tag is a sonic tag.

13. The system for collecting data according to claim 12, wherein said at least one acoustic sensor reads said at least one sonic tag and communicates said task data to said processor.

14. The system for collecting data according to claim 1, wherein said at least one tag includes a bar code.

15. The system for collecting data according to claim 14, further comprising a bar code reader to read said at least one tag and communicate said task data to said processor.

16. The system for collecting data according to claim 1, wherein said processor is a computing apparatus coupled to a computer network.

17. The system for collecting data according to claim 16, wherein said computer network is the Internet.

18. The system for collecting data of claim 1 wherein at least one of the at least one processors is operative as a classifier for analyzing said acoustical data and said task data to determine a state of at least one of a machine, a task, a plurality of machines and a plurality of tasks within said workspace.

19. A system for collecting data, comprising:

a processor;

a plurality of devices for remotely sensing an acoustic signal, said plurality of devices placed in a workspace for recording acoustical signals emanating from at least one machine in said workspace, said at least one device in periodic communication with said processor; and

a plurality of tags associated with a plurality of jobs, said plurality of tags indicating a status of tasks relating to said plurality of jobs, said plurality of tags in periodic communication with said processor;

wherein said device collects acoustic data and sends said acoustic data to said processor, and wherein said plurality of tags collect task data and send said task data to said processor, said processor storing said acoustic data and said task data for analysis to determine one or more of workflow status, job status, optimal size of interprocess buffers and machine status.

20. The system according to claim 19, further comprising means for transferring said acoustic data and said task data to a second processor, said second processor being adapted to perform at least one analytical calculation.

21. The system according to claim 19, wherein said acoustic data and said task data are sent through a computer network to said second processor.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said computer network is the Internet.

23. A method of collecting data in a printshop, comprising the steps of:

arranging at least one remote acoustic sensor in said printshop for sensing acoustical signals radiating from at least one machine in said printshop;

arranging at least one tag associated with a job, said tag indicating a status of tasks;

sensing said acoustical signals with said at least one acoustic sensor;

tracking said status of tasks with said at least one tag;

transferring data acquired from said sensing and tracking steps to a processor; and

,

analyzing said data to determine one or more of workflow status, job status, optimal size of interprocess buffers and machine status.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of transferring said data through a network to a second processor.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising the step of analyzing said data to determine one or more of workflow status, job status, and machine status.

26. A method of analyzing workflow in a workspace, comprising the steps of;

placing a plurality of acoustic sensors in a workspace having machinery;

placing a tag on each of a collection of jobs to be processed by said machinery;

sensing at least one of a vibration and a sound with said plurality of acoustic sensors as said machinery is in process;

recording acoustic data;

sensing said tag and obtaining task data;

recording said task data; and

sending said acoustic data and said task data to a processor for analysis and determination of at least one of workflow conditions, job status, optimal size of interprocess buffers and machine status.

27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of analyzing said data to determine one or more of job status, and machine status.

28. The method according to claim 26 further comprising:

obtaining at least one of a start-up signature, shutdown signature, a normal operation signature and a failure mode signature of said machine.