Cloud computing for a manufacturing execution system

• US 9,412,137 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2009
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: McLaughlin, Paul F., Duca, Andrew, Burd, Matthew G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta, Kidest
• Application Number:
  US12/416,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20100256794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,687 Days
• Field of Search: 700/108, 709/99, 709/205, 709/226
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31282 Data acquisition, BDE MDE
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/04 Manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/30 Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

A computing cloud system includes at least one data storage unit configured to store information associated with at least one manufacturing execution system. The computing cloud system also includes at least one processing unit configured to execute instructions associated with the at least one manufacturing execution system and at least one communications interface configured to receive information from the at least one manufacturing site and to interpret the information.

Claims

1. A computing cloud system comprising:

at least one data storage configured to store first information associated with at least one manufacturing execution system, wherein information associated with the at least one manufacturing execution system is delineated between the first information stored remotely in the at least one data storage and second information to be stored at a local computer system, wherein the first information is not stored at the local computer system and the second information is not stored remotely in the at least one data storage and is different in functional use from the first information, wherein a simulation model is selected for the delineation, and wherein each of the first information and the second information has a characteristic indicating whether that information is to be stored at the local computer system or stored remotely in the at least one data storage;

at least one processor configured to;

in response to an identification of a process to be executed that is associated with the at least one manufacturing execution system, determine whether the process is to be executed by the at least one processor in the computing cloud system or by the local computer system; and

in response to a determination that the process is to be executed by the at least one processor in the computing cloud system, execute instructions of the process associated with the at least one manufacturing execution system; and

at least one communications interface configured to receive information from at least one manufacturing site, to interpret the received information from the at least one manufacturing site, and to provide information to the at least one manufacturing site.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one data storage is configured to store at least one manufacturing history, and wherein the provided information is provided to the at least one manufacturing site as if the information is stored at the at least one manufacturing site.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the received information from the at least one manufacturing site comprises information associated with at least one machine at the at least one manufacturing site.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the information associated with the at least one machine comprises information obtained by sensors at the at least one manufacturing site.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the information obtained by the sensors at the at least one manufacturing site is used by the at least one processor to predict future equipment failure.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the information obtained by the sensors at the at least one manufacturing site is used by the at least one processor to refine operating parameters of the at least one machine.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the provided information provided to the at least one manufacturing site comprises instructions associated with operation of at least one machine at the at least one manufacturing site.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine whether the process is to be executed by the at least one processor in the computing cloud system or by the local computer system based on storage resources and processor resources to execute the process.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine whether the process is to be executed by the at least one processor in the computing cloud system or by the local computer system based on whether the process is used by a real-time process.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one data storage is configured to store software that is not deployed locally at the at least one manufacturing site;

the at least one processor is configured to provide the software to the at least one manufacturing site through the at least one communications interface;

the first information stored remotely comprises information for use by the software for one or more non-real time functions; and

the second information stored at the local computer system comprises information for use in one or more real time functions.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to abstract consumers of cloud services from location services using a Service Oriented Architecture.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first information comprises higher level information, the higher level information comprising higher level data and functions from processes that obtain data from a number of lower level functions; and

the second information comprises lower level information, the lower level information comprising lower level data and the lower level functions.

10. A method comprising:

operating a manufacturing execution system;

connecting at least one client of the manufacturing execution system to a computing cloud system;

in response to an identification of a process to be executed that is associated with the at least one manufacturing execution system, determining whether the process is to be executed by at least one processor in the computing cloud system or by a local computer system that is local to the at least one client, and

in response to a determination that the process is to be executed by the at least one processor in the computing cloud system, executing instructions of the process associated with the at least one manufacturing execution system;

wherein the computing cloud comprises;

at least one data storage configured to store first information associated with the at least one client, wherein information associated with the at least one client is delineated between the first information stored remotely in the at least one data storage and second information to be stored at the local computer system that is local to the at least one client, wherein the first information is not stored at the local computer system and the second information is not stored remotely in the at least one data storage and is different in functional use from the first information, wherein a simulation model is selected for the delineation, and wherein each of the first information and the second information has a characteristic indicating whether that information is to be stored at the local computer system or stored remotely in the at least one data storage unit; and

the at least one processor configured to use the first information stored in the at least one data storage.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining whether the process is to be executed by the at least one processor in the computing cloud system or by the local computer system comprises determining whether the process is to be executed by the at least one processor in the computing cloud system or by the local computer system based on storage resources and processor resources to execute the process.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one data storage stores information associated with an operational history of the at least one client.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the manufacturing execution system is used to predict a hardware failure of an item within the at least one client.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein determining whether the process is to be executed by the at least one processor in the computing cloud system or by the local computer system comprises determining whether the process is to be executed by the at least one processor in the computing cloud system or by the local computer system based on whether the process is used by a real-time process.

15. An apparatus comprising:

at least one data storage comprising instructions associated with a manufacturing execution system, wherein the manufacturing execution system includes instructions for a plurality of applications that are delineated between a first application stored remotely in the at least one data storage and a second application to be stored at a local computer system that is local to at least one client, wherein the first application is not stored at the local computer system and the second application is not stored remotely in the at least one data storage and is different in process from the first application, wherein a simulation model is selected for the delineation, and wherein each of the first application and the second application has a characteristic indicating whether that application is to be stored at the local computer system or stored remotely in the at least one data storage unit;

at least one processor configured to;

in response to an identification of a process to be executed that is associated with the manufacturing execution system, determine whether the process is to be executed by the at least one processor in the computing cloud system or by the local computer system; and

in response to a determination that the process is to be executed by the at least one processor in the computing cloud system, execute instructions of the process associated with the manufacturing execution system; and

at least one communications interface configured to provide at least one communications link used to exchange information associated with the manufacturing execution system.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine whether the process is to be executed by the at least one processor in the computing cloud system or by the local computer system based on storage resources and processor resources to execute the process.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is configured to control the at least one client through the at least one communications interface.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is configured to provide a manufacturing history of every client connected to the apparatus.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is configured to interpret information from the manufacturing history to determine if a fault occurs.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine whether the process is to be executed by the at least one processor in the computing cloud system or by the local computer system based on whether the process is used by a real-time process.