Plant operating apparatus and method

• US 7,110,833 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Suzuki, Junichi, Nagatsuka, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hartman, Jr., Ronald D
• Application Number:
  US10/247,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20030139820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.01, 340/540, 340/825, 701/100, 700/83, 700 19- 20, 700 28- 30, 700 47- 49, 700/17, 345/800, 702/19, 702/22, 702/33, 702/113, 702/183, 702188-189, 370/352, 370/401, 709/208, 709225-227, 710/4, 710/15
• US Class Current: 700/17
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23043 Remote and local control panel, programming unit, switch
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0267 Fault communication, e.g. human machine interface [HMI]

Abstract

In a CRT operation system for operation and monitoring of plant equipment in a plant worksite through a central control room and a network, an operation control personal computer is provided for monitoring and operating the plant equipment, and one or more wireless LAN transceivers or transmitting/receiving sections are provided to appropriate points in a patrol route around the plant equipment, for wireless communication with the operation control personal computer. The personal computer controls the plant equipment through a wireless transceiver and a network, and transmits therethrough information signals of on-site operation of the plant equipment to enable a display device and a sound/voice output device provided in the central control room.

Claims

1. A power plant operation system for operating power plant equipment at a plant worksite through a central control room, and a network, comprising:

an operation terminal positioned in the worksite for generating a request signal to operate the plant equipment at the plant worksite, the request signal including information concerning on-site operation at the worksite;

a plurality of wireless transceivers located at appropriate points at the plant worksite for carrying out wireless communication between the operation terminal and a nearer one of the transceivers to receive the request signal generated by the operation terminal, the wireless transceivers being operatively connected to the network for transmitting the received request signal to the central control room; and

a control device connected to the network for carrying out the operation of the plant equipment according to the request signal transmitted from the operation terminal through the network;

wherein when a tag for prohibiting the operation of the plant equipment is set/canceled by the request signal generated by the operation terminal, information concerning the setting/cancellation of the tag is transmitted to the central control room and is displayed and outputted by a display device and a sound device.

2. A plant operating system as claimed in claim 1 wherein a display device of the operation terminal displays an operating end image which is the same as an operating end image, displayed in the central control room.

3. A plant operating system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a status of the operation of the operation terminal at the plant worksite is displayed and outputted by a display device and a sound output device in the central control room.

4. A plant operating system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control device is configured so as to be operable independently of a location of a worksite operator.

5. A power plant operating system of a type capable of operating power plant equipment at a plant worksite through a central control room and a wired network, comprising:

an operations terminal for generating a request signal to control operation of the plant equipment at the plant worksite and able to be located in the plant worksite, said request signal including information concerning on-site operation at the worksite;

a plurality of wireless transceivers located at appropriate points at the plant worksite for carrying out wireless communication between said operation terminal and a near one of said transceivers to receive the request signal from the operation terminal, the wireless transceivers being operatively connected to the network thereby enabling transmission of the received request signal regardless of where said terminal is located in the worksite; and

a control device connected to said network for controlling the operation of the plant equipment according to the request signal transmitted from said operation terminal through the network;

wherein when a tag for prohibiting the operation of the plant equipment is set/canceled by the request signal generated by said operation terminal, information concerning the setting/cancellation of the tag is transmitted to the central control room and is displayed and outputted by a display device and a sound output device, and the operation of said plant equipment is also controllable by said control device timely and immediately without control through said central control room.

6. In a power plant operating system of a type operating a power plant equipment at a plant worksite through a central control room and a network, a method for operating the plant equipment by using an operation terminal positioned at the plant worksite, comprising:

generating a request signal to control operation of the plant equipment by the operation terminal;

carrying out wireless communication between said operation terminal and a nearer one of a plurality of wireless transceivers located at appropriate points at the plant worksite and operatively connected to the network, thereby transmitting the request signal generated by said operation terminal to the central control room; and

controlling the operation of the plant equipment by a control device connected to the network and according to the request signal transmitted through the network;

whereby information concerning on-site operation at the plant worksite is transmitted by the request signal to the central control room, wherein when a tag for prohibiting the operation of the plant equipment is set/canceled from the plant worksite by the request signal generated by the operation terminal, information concerning the setting/cancellation of the tag is transmitted to the central control room and is displayed and outputted by a display device and a sound output device.

7. In a power plant operating system of a type capable of operating power plant equipment at a plant worksite through a central control room and a wired network, a method for controlling operation of the plant equipment by using an operation terminal optionally positioned in the worksite, comprising:

generating a request signal to control the operation of said plant equipment, said request signal including information concerning on-site operation at said worksite;

carrying out wireless communication between said operation terminal and a nearer one of a plurality of wireless transceivers located at appropriate points at the plant worksite to receive the request signal from the operation terminal, the wireless transceivers being operatively connected to said network for transmitting the received request signal, thereby enabling transmission of the received request signal regardless of where said terminal is located in the worksite;

controlling the operation of said equipment by a control device connected to said network and according to the request signal transmitted through said network;

wherein when a tag for prohibiting the operation of the plant equipment is set/canceled by the operation terminal generated by said operation terminal, information concerning the setting/cancellation of the tag is transmitted to the central control room and is displayed and outputted by a display device and a sound output device in said central control room

wherein the operation of said plant equipment is also controllable by said control device timely and immediately without control through said central control room.