Remote monitoring of real-time information of a selected item and transmitting information to selected destination

• US 7,880,634 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2007
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fuller, Bruce Gordon, Salehmohamed, Mohamed, Gordon, Kevin George, Hobbs, Mark David
• Primary Examiner(s): HOFSASS, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US11/864,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20090085753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,221 Days
• Field of Search: 34053922-53929, 3406911-6916
• US Class Current: 340/691.6
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0267 Fault communication, e.g. human machine interface [HMI]

Abstract

A method for remote monitoring of real-time information is provided. In the method, a representation is displayed of each of a plurality of items configured to generate the real-time information. Also displayed is a representation of each of a plurality of destinations configured to receive the real-time information. The real-time information is received from the items. A command is received which selects one of the items and one of the destinations. After receiving the command, at least a portion of the real-time information received from the selected item is transmitted to the selected destination.

Claims

1. A method for remote monitoring of real-time information, the method comprising:

displaying a representation of each of a plurality of items configured to generate the real-time information;

displaying a representation of each of a plurality of destinations configured to receive the real-time information;

receiving the real-time information from the items;

receiving a command selecting one of the items and one of the destinations; and

after receiving the command, transmitting at least a portion of the real-time information received from the selected item to the selected destination.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second command selecting a data type;

wherein transmitting at least a portion of the real-time information comprises transmitting the selected data type of the real-time information after receiving the second command.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a third command selecting a threshold for the selected data type; and

after receiving the third command, monitoring the real-time information received from the selected item to detect when the selected data type surpasses the selected threshold;

wherein transmitting at least a portion of the real-time information comprises transmitting the real-time information received from the selected item to the selected destination in response to the selected data type surpassing the selected threshold.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the selected data type comprises data associated with an industrial process.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the selected data type comprises at least one of temperature, pressure, and flow rate.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second command selecting an update interval;

wherein transmitting at least a portion of the real-time information comprises transmitting the real-time information no more often than the selected update interval after receiving the second command.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected destination comprises a communication device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the communication device comprises at least one of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant, a landline phone, a cell phone, and a pager.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected destination comprises at least one of a telephone number, a fax number, an e-mail address, and a uniform resource locator.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected destination comprises a user associated with a communication device configured to receive the real-time information received from the selected item.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected item comprises a processing unit of an automated process line.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the processing unit comprises at least one of a pump, a valve, a compressor, a condenser, and a container.

13. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions executable on a processor for employing a method for remote monitoring of real-time information, the method comprising:

displaying a representation of each of a plurality of items configured to generate the real-time information;

displaying a representation of each of a plurality of destinations configured to receive the real-time information;

receiving the real-time information from the items;

receiving a command selecting one of the items and one of the destinations; and

after receiving the command, transmitting at least a portion of the real-time information received from the selected item to the selected destination.

14. A computer system, comprising:

a display;

communication circuitry configured to receive real-time information from a plurality of items;

a user interface configured to receive a command selecting one of the items and one of a plurality of destinations; and

a processor coupled with the display, the communication circuitry, and the user interface, wherein the processor is configured to present a representation of each of the plurality of items and of each of the plurality of destinations on the display, to receive the command from the user interface, and in response to the command, to transmit at least a portion of the real-time information received from the selected item to the selected destination through the communication circuitry.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein:

the communication circuitry is configured to receive the command; and

wherein the processor is configured to receive the command from the communication circuitry.

16. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising a contact database coupled with the processor and comprising contact information for each of the plurality of destinations, wherein the processor accesses the contact information for the selected destination to transmit the real-time information received from the selected item.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the contact information comprises at least one of a telephone number, a fax number, and an e-mail address.

18. The computer system of claim 14, wherein:

the user interface is configured to receive a second command selecting a data type; and

the processor is configured to receive the second command from the user interface, and in response to the second command, to transmit the selected data type of the real-time information to the selected destination through the communication circuitry.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein:

the user interface is configured to receive a third command selecting a threshold for the selected data type; and

the processor is configured to receive the third command from the user interface, and in response to the third command, to monitor the real-time information received from the selected item through the communication interface to detect when the selected data type surpasses the selected threshold, and to transmit the real-time information received from the selected item to the selected destination through the communication circuitry in response to the selected data type surpassing the selected threshold.

20. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the selected data type comprises data associated with an industrial process.

21. The computer system of claim 20, wherein the selected data type comprises at least one of temperature, pressure, and flow rate.

22. The computer system of claim 14, wherein:

the user interface is configured to receive a second command selecting an update interval; and

the processor is configured to receive the second command from the user interface, and in response to the second command, to transmit the real-time information no more often than the selected update interval.

23. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the selected destination comprises a communication device.

24. The computer system of claim 23, wherein the communication device comprises at least one of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant, a landline phone, a cell phone, and a pager.

25. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the selected destination is a user associated with a communication device configured to receive the real-time information received from the selected item.

26. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the selected item comprises a processing unit of an automated process line.

27. The computer system of claim 26, wherein the processing unit comprises at least one of a pump, a valve, a compressor, a condenser, and a container.