Social network and safety features for process control systems

• US 8,954,187 B1
• Filed: 02/18/2011
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Myletx LLC
• Original Assignee: Loadout Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Mylet, Neil T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOGAN, KYLE O
• Application Number:
  US13/030,869
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• Field of Search: 700/214
• US Class Current: 700/214
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A system for improving process awareness, safety, security, efficiency, and other aspects of industrial and non-industrial processes for participants associated with the processes. The system includes a control device associated with the process, and for each participant, a mobile client device and participant profile. The system improves safety, security, and efficiency by the control device enabling remote monitoring of participants and the process, implementing participant profile limitations, and authorizing participants to remotely monitor and control aspects of the process. The control device incorporates social network features to validate compliance and/or consent of all designated participants in order for control aspects of the process to be enabled. A participant'"'"'s use of the mobile client device to collect, distribute, view, and interact with data and the process, including visual/video feeds of the process and/or participants, enables real-time interaction with the process and participants regardless of physical proximity of the participant to the process or other participants. The mobile client devices include a GUI for displaying visual feeds and participant interacting with the control device, process, participant profile, and other participants.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring and controlling a tangible process and monitoring and authorizing participants associated with the process, comprising:

at least one communication network;

a control device coupled to the at least one communications network and adapted to selectively interact with a first process controller associated with a first process, the first process including process control elements and process sensor elements, the selective interaction including the control device receiving data from the sensor elements and actuating the control elements;

a first client device that is mobile, coupled to the at least one communications network, and having an application and a GUI enabling a first participant to selectively interact with the first process through the first control device;

a first participant profile associated with the first participant, including a plurality of first limitations regarding the first participant'"'"'s interaction with the first process;

at least one of the application of the first mobile client device and the control device limiting the selective interaction of the first participant with the first process based on the plurality of first limitations;

a second client device coupled to the at least one communications network, and having an application and a GUI enabling a second participant to selectively interact with the first process through the first control device;

a second participant profile associated with the second participant, including a plurality of second limitations regarding the second participant'"'"'s interaction with the first process and the first participant; and

at least one of the application of the second client device and the control device limiting the selective interaction of the second participant with the first process and the first participant based on the plurality of first limitation and the plurality of second limitations;

wherein the plurality of second limitations defines the second participant as a supervisor of the first participant'"'"'s interaction with the first process thereby requiring the second participants consent for the first participant to selectively interact with the first process.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one communication network includes a wireless communications link.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first process sensor elements include an imaging device capable of providing a visual feed of at least a portion of the first process; and

the application and GUI of at least one of the first and second mobile client device is adapted to display the visual feed for viewing by the respective one of the first and second participant.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control device requires authentication of the identity of the first participant before providing the selective interaction with the first process.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a first process profile associated with the first process, including a plurality of process limitations, the control system adapted to modify the selective interaction with the first process controller based on the data received from the sensor elements and the plurality of process limitations.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a logistics module associated with the control device and adapted to log logistics data;

a logistics profile having a plurality of logistics limitations; and

wherein at least one of the application of the first mobile client device and the logistics module are adapted to modify the selective interaction of the participant with the first process controller based on a comparison of the logistics data and the plurality of logistics limitations.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third participant;

a transactional module associated with the control device and adapted to log transactional data;

a transactional profile having a plurality of transactional limitations; and

wherein at least one of the application of the first mobile client device and the transactional module are adapted to initiate transactions with the third participant based on a comparison of the transactional data and transactional limitations.

8. A system for monitoring and controlling a tangible process and monitoring and authorizing participants associated with the process, comprising:

at least one communication network;

a control device coupled to the at least one communications network and adapted to selectively interact with a first process controller associated with a first process, the first process including process control elements and process sensor elements, the selective interaction including the control device receiving data from the sensor elements and actuating the control elements;

a first client device that is mobile, coupled to the at least one communications network, and having an application and a GUI enabling a first participant to selectively interact with the first process through the first control device;

a first participant profile associated with the first participant, including a plurality of first limitations regarding the first participant'"'"'s interaction with the first process;

at least one of the application of the first mobile client device and the control device limiting the selective interaction of the first participant with the first process based on the plurality of first limitations;

a second client device coupled to the at least one communications network, and having an application and a GUI enabling a second participant to selectively interact with the first process through the first control device;

a second participant profile associated with the second participant, including a plurality of second limitations regarding the second participant'"'"'s interaction with the first process and the first participant; and

at least one of the application of the second client device and the control device limiting the selective interaction of the second participant with the first process and the first participant based on the plurality of first limitation and the plurality of second limitations;

wherein the plurality of second limitations defines the second participant as a peer of the first participants interaction with the first process thereby requiring mutual consent of the first and second participants for at least some of the first and second participants selective interaction with the first process.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one communication network includes a wireless communications link.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the first process sensor elements include an imaging device capable of providing a visual feed of at least a portion of the first process; and

the application and GUI of at least one of the first and second mobile client device is adapted to display the visual feed for viewing by the respective one of the first and second participant.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the control device requires authentication of the identity of the first participant before providing the selective interaction with the first process.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising a first process profile associated with the first process, including a plurality of process limitations, the control system adapted to modify the selective interaction with the first process controller based on the data received from the sensor elements and the plurality of process limitations.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a logistics module associated with the control device and adapted to log logistics data;

a logistics profile having a plurality of logistics limitations; and

wherein at least one of the application of the first mobile client device and the logistics module are adapted to modify the selective interaction of the participant with the first process controller based on a comparison of the logistics data and the plurality of logistics limitations.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a third participant;

a transactional module associated with the control device and adapted to log transactional data;

a transactional profile having a plurality of transactional limitations; and

wherein at least one of the application of the first mobile client device and the transactional module are adapted to initiate transactions with the third participant based on a comparison of the transactional data and transactional limitations.

15. A system for monitoring and controlling a tangible process and monitoring and authorizing participants associated with the process, comprising:

at least one communication network;

a control device coupled to the at least one communications network and adapted to selectively interact with a first process controller associated with a first process, the first process including process control elements and process sensor elements, the selective interaction including the control device receiving data from the sensor elements and actuating the control elements;

a first client device that is mobile, coupled to the at least one communications network, and having an application and a GUI enabling a first participant to selectively interact with the first process through the first control device;

a first participant profile associated with the first participant, including a plurality of first limitations regarding the first participant'"'"'s interaction with the first process;

at least one of the application of the first mobile client device and the control device limiting the selective interaction of the first participant with the first process based on the plurality of first limitations; and

a first process profile associated with the first process, including a plurality of process limitations, the control system adapted to modify the selective interaction with the first process controller based on the data received from the sensor elements and the plurality of process limitations;

wherein the plurality of process limitations includes a predetermined location relative to the first process; and

one of the application of the first mobile client device and the control device limiting the selective interaction of the first participant with the first process based on the outcome of a verification of the first participant proximity to the predetermined location.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the verification is provided by comparing the GPS location of the first mobile client device with the first predetermined location.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the verification is provided by display of a verification code in the vicinity of the first predetermined location, the transmission of the verification code to the control device using the first mobile client device, and validation of the verification code by the control device.

18. A system for monitoring and controlling a tangible process and monitoring and authorizing participants associated with the process, comprising:

at least one communication network;

a control device coupled to the at least one communications network and adapted to selectively interact with a first process controller associated with a first process, the first process including process control elements and process sensor elements, the selective interaction including the control device receiving data from the sensor elements and actuating the control elements;

a first client device that is mobile, coupled to the at least one communications network, and having an application and a GUI enabling a first participant to selectively interact with the first process through the first control device;

a first participant profile associated with the first participant, including a plurality of first limitations regarding the first participant'"'"'s interaction with the first process;

at least one of the application of the first mobile client device and the control device limiting the selective interaction of the first participant with the first process based on the plurality of first limitations; and

a first process profile associated with the first process, including a plurality of process limitations, the control system adapted to modify the selective interaction with the first process controller based on the data received from the sensor elements and the plurality of process limitations;

wherein the process limitations include a preset period of time and the control device includes a lost communication timer adapted to modify the process upon the absence of a predetermined communication from the first mobile client device for greater than a preset period of time.

19. A system for monitoring and controlling a tangible process and monitoring and authorizing participants associated with the process, comprising:

at least one communication network;

a control device coupled to the at least one communications network and adapted to selectively interact with a first process controller associated with a first process, the first process including process control elements and process sensor elements, the selective interaction including the control device receiving data from the sensor elements and actuating the control elements;

a first client device that is mobile, coupled to the at least one communications network, and having an application and a GUI enabling a first participant to selectively interact with the first process through the first control device;

a first participant profile associated with the first participant, including a plurality of first limitations regarding the first participant'"'"'s interaction with the first process;

at least one of the application of the first mobile client device and the control device limiting the selective interaction of the first participant with the first process based on the plurality of first limitations; and

at least one health sensor associated with the first participant and providing health data to the first mobile client device; and

wherein the first participant profile includes a heath profile and the plurality of first participant limitations includes a plurality of health limitations; and

one of the application of the first mobile client device or the control system are adapted to modify the selective interaction of the participant with the first process controller based on a comparison of the health data and the plurality of health limitations.

20. A system for monitoring and controlling a tangible process and monitoring and authorizing participants associated with the process, comprising:

at least one communication network;

a control device coupled to the at least one communications network and adapted to selectively interact with a first process controller associated with a first process, the first process including process control elements and process sensor elements, the selective interaction including the control device receiving data from the sensor elements and actuating the control elements;

a first client device that is mobile, coupled to the at least one communications network, and having an application and a GUI enabling a first participant to selectively interact with the first process through the first control device;

a first participant profile associated with the first participant, including a plurality of first limitations regarding the first participant'"'"'s interaction with the first process; and

at least one of the application of the first mobile client device and the control device limiting the selective interaction of the first participant with the first process based on the plurality of first limitations;

at least one environmental sensor providing environmental data to at least one of the first mobile client device and the control device; and

wherein at least one of the first participant profile and a first process profile includes an environmental profile having a plurality of environmental limitations; and

one of the application of the first mobile client device or the control system are adapted to modify the selective interaction of the participant with the first process controller based on a comparison of the environmental data and the plurality of environmental limitations.

21. A system for monitoring and controlling a tangible process and monitoring and authorizing participants associated with the process, comprising:

at least one communication network;

a control device coupled to the at least one communications network and adapted to selectively interact with a first process controller associated with a first process, the first process including process control elements and process sensor elements, the selective interaction including the control device receiving data from the sensor elements and actuating the control elements;

a first client device that is mobile, coupled to the at least one communications network, and having an application and a GUI enabling a first participant to selectively interact with the first process through the first control device;

a first participant profile associated with the first participant, including a plurality of first limitations regarding the first participant'"'"'s interaction with the first process;

at least one of the application of the first mobile client device and the control device limiting the selective interaction of the first participant with the first process based on the plurality of first limitations;

a regulatory participant;

a regulatory module associated with the control device and adapted to log regulatory data; and

a regulatory profile having a plurality of regulatory limitations; and

wherein at least one of the application of the first mobile client device and the regulatory module are adapted to modify the selective interaction of the participant with the first process controller based on a comparison of the regulatory data and the plurality of regulatory limitations.