Product sensor, product with the product sensor, system and method for allowing communication between the product sensor and the system

• US 9,696,179 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2012
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Hubauer, Thomas, Legat, Christoph, Seitz, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Brian
• Application Number:
  US14/110,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20140022093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,924 Days
• Field of Search: 34087002, 340676, 700108, 700109, 700110, 700112, 700113, 700117, 700213, 700222, 700229
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/00 Tariff metering apparatus in taximeters G07B13/00; apparatus actuated by coins, cards or the like with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas, or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31095 Read write intelligent chip on workpiece, pallet, tool for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31283 Communication memory, storage, ram, eprom on workpiece or pallet
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33192 Radio link, wireless
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A product may be provided with a product sensor, thus making it possible to determine, together with the product, data relating to a system or a machine with the aid of the product sensor. The data determined can be used to diagnose and/or control the system or machine. In this case, it is advantageous that the data are obtained at the location of the product and it is thus possible to directly determine a desirable or undesirable effect (for example of environmental parameters or of the system itself) on the product. This system can be used, for example, in automation, in systems or machines or in different product manufacture variants.

Claims

1. An installation, the installation being a manufacturing installation or an automation installation and comprising:

a device to transport, produce or machine a plurality of products, the plurality of products including tremor-sensitive and tremor-insensitive products;

a product sensor movable with a respective product of the plurality of products as the respective product is being subjected to a production process in which the respective product is transported, produced or machined, the product sensor having

a sensing unit to measure a physical parameter associated with the respective product to thereby obtain measured data, and

a communication interface to transmit the measured data or data derived from the measured data, to a diagnosis device of the installation during the production process;

an installation sensor configured to measure an operational parameter of the device to transport, produce or machine the plurality of products;

the diagnosis device configured to receive (a) the measured data or data derived from the measured data from the product sensor and (b) the operational parameter measured by the installation sensor during the production process, and to diagnose a problem of the installation based on both (a) the measured data or the data derived from the measured data and (b) the operational parameter measured by the installation sensor, wherein the problem is identified as a conveyer belt vibration problem identified from vibration; and

a controller to, in response to the diagnosis device having diagnosed the problem, automatically control the installation during the production process by limiting the production process based on the problem diagnosed by the diagnosis device to reduce probability of machine and/or product damage, including rerouting the tremor-sensitive products away from an identified conveyer belt to another conveyer belt in the installation while maintaining the tremor-insensitive products on the identified conveyer belt.

2. The installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the product sensor further includes a processor to ascertain a symptom of the problem of the installation based on the measured data or the data derived from the measured data, and the product sensor transmits the ascertained symptom to the diagnosis device through the communication interface.

3. The installation as claimed in claim 2, wherein

the product sensor comprises a memory, and

the processor stores the measured data or the data derived from the measured data in the memory.

4. The installation as claimed in claim 2, wherein the product sensor provides the ascertained symptom to the diagnosis device on a realtime basis.

5. The installation as claimed in claim 2, wherein the processor monitors the measured data and/or the data derived from the measured data.

6. The installation as claimed in claim 2, wherein the diagnosis device uses the ascertained symptom transmitted from the product sensor to diagnose the problem of the installation.

7. The installation as claimed in claim 2, wherein the problem of the installation is associated with a not-yet-detected symptom, the processor makes an assumption regarding the not-yet-detected symptom, and the assumption is used to determine the diagnosis for the problem of the installation.

8. The installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the product sensor is incorporated in or mounted on the respective product.

9. The installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the product sensor is incorporated into a material carrier for the respective product.

10. The installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication interface is a wireless communication interface.

11. The installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication interface is a wired communication interface.

12. The installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the physical parameter measured by the sensing unit is selected from the group consisting of:

a temperature;

a relative or absolute position of the product sensor;

a movement, acceleration or orientation of the product sensor; and

a vibration of the product sensor.

13. A method of using a product sensor, comprising:

moving a plurality of product sensors, each respective product sensor associated with a respective product of a plurality of products as each product is transported, produced or machined in a production process performed in an installation, the installation being a manufacturing installation or an automation installation, the plurality of products including tremor-sensitive and tremor-insensitive products;

measuring, using each respective product sensor, a physical parameter associated with each respective product to thereby obtain measured data;

transmitting the measured data or data derived from the measured data, to a diagnosis device of the installation during the moving;

measuring, using an installation sensor, an operational parameter of an installation device used in the production process to transport, produce or machine the plurality of products;

transmitting the measured operational parameter to the diagnosis device of the installation;

diagnosing, by the diagnosis device, a problem of the installation based on both (a) the measured data or the data derived from the measured data and (b) the operational parameter measured by the installation sensor, wherein the problem is identified as a conveyer belt vibration problem identified from vibration; and

in response to the problem having been diagnosed, controlling the installation, automatically using a controller, during the production process by limiting the production process based on the problem diagnosed by the diagnosis device to reduce probability of machine and/or product damage, including rerouting the tremor-sensitive products away from an identified conveyer belt to another conveyer belt in the installation while maintaining the tremor-insensitive products on the identified conveyer belt.