Position based machine control in an industrial automation environment
First Claim
1. A method for controlling machine operation in an automated industrial facility including at least one machine, the method for regulating machine operations as a function of location of a wireless information device (WID), the method comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one WID;
determining if at least one WID is at a restricted facility location; and
when at least one WID is at a restricted facility location, regulating operation of at least one machine.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for controlling machine operations in an automated industrial facility including at least one machine, the method for restricting machine operation when a wireless information device associated with a facility user is within a restricted facility location and comprising the steps providing at least one wireless information device, determining if the at least one wireless information device is within a restricted facility location and, where the at least one wireless information device is within a restricted facility location, regulating operation of the at least one machine.
185 Citations
151 Claims
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1. A method for controlling machine operation in an automated industrial facility including at least one machine, the method for regulating machine operations as a function of location of a wireless information device (WID), the method comprising the steps of:
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providing at least one WID;
determining if at least one WID is at a restricted facility location; and
when at least one WID is at a restricted facility location, regulating operation of at least one machine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method for controlling machine operation in an automated industrial environment including at least one machine, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) identifying at least one machine zone within the environment associated with at least one machine;
(b) providing at least one wireless information device (WID);
(c) enabling the at least one WID;
(d) determining if at least one WID is within the machine zone; and
(e) where at least one WID is within the machine zone;
(i) determining if the WID in the machine zone is enabled;
(ii) if the WID is enabled, regulating machine operation according to a first second;
else(iii) else, regulating machine operation according to a first regimen. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. A method for use in an automated industrial facility including at least one machine, the method for controlling machine operations as a function of location of a facility user, the method comprising the steps of:
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specifying at least one restricted location associated with the at least one machine;
providing at least one wireless information device (WID);
monitoring for facility user presence at the at least one restricted location;
monitoring for WID presence at the at least one restricted location;
controlling machine operations according to a first regimen when only a user is present at the restricted location; and
controlling machine operations according to a second regimen when both a user and a WID are present at the restricted location, wherein the first and second regimens are different. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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70. A method for controlling machine operation in an automated industrial facility including at least one machine and at least one machine zone associated with the machine, the method for restricting machine operation when a wireless information device (WID) associated with a facility user is within the machine zone, the method for use with a WID, an operator device and a processor linked to the machine for controlling machine operations, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining if a facility user is located within the machine zone;
(b) if a user is located within the machine zone, determining if the operator is activated;
(c) if the operator is activated, determining if a WID is located within the machine zone;
(d) if a WID is located within the machine zone;
(i) regulating machine operations according to a third regimen; and
(ii) repeating steps (a) through (d);
else regulating machine operations according to a second regimen;
else regulating machine operations according to a first regulating regimen. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79)
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80. A method for controlling machine operation in an automated industrial facility including at least one machine that performs machine operations including machine cycles, the method for restricting machine operation when a wireless information device (WID) associated with a facility user is within restricted facility locations, the method comprising the steps of:
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specifying at least one restricted facility location associated with at least one machine;
providing at least one WID;
determining if at least one WID is within a restricted facility location;
where the at least one WID is within a restricted facility location;
(i) identifying the extent of machine cycle completion of the at least one machine; and
(ii) regulating operation of at least one machine as a function of the extent of machine cycle completion. - View Dependent Claims (81, 82, 83)
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84. A method for controlling machine operation in an automated industrial facility including at least one machine, the method for restricting machine operation as a function of the location of a wireless information device (WID), the method comprising the steps of:
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providing at least one WID;
predicting a future location of the WID within the facility; and
regulating operation of the at least one machine as a function of the predicted WID location. - View Dependent Claims (85, 86, 87)
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88. A method for controlling machine operation in an automated industrial facility including at least one machine, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) specifying at least one machine zone associated with at least one facility machine;
(b) providing at least first and second wireless information devices (WIDs);
(c) determining if the first and second WIDs are located within the machine zone;
(d) when both the first and second WIDs are located within the machine zone, regulating machine operations according to a first regimen; and
(e) when only the first WID is located in the machine zone, regulating machine operation according to a second regimen that is different than the first regimen. - View Dependent Claims (89, 90, 91, 92)
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93. A method for controlling machine operation in an automated industrial facility including at least one machine and at least one associated machine zone, the method for restricting machine operation as a function of juxtaposition of a facility user with respect to the machine, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining if a facility user is within the at least one machine zone;
where a user is within the machine zone, determining user location within the machine zone; and
regulating operation of the at least one machine as a function of user location within the at least one machine zone. - View Dependent Claims (94, 95, 96, 97, 98)
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99. A system for controlling machine operations in an automated industrial facility including at least one machine, the system for restricting machine operations as a function of the location of facility users, the system comprising:
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at least one wireless information device (WID);
a monitor for obtaining information usable to determine if at least one WID is at a restricted facility location; and
a controller linked to the monitor and also to the at least one machine, the controller receiving the information from the monitor and determining if the at least one WID is at the restricted location and regulating operations of the machine associated with the restricted location when the WID is at the restricted location. - View Dependent Claims (100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127)
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128. An system for use in an industrial automation facility including at least one machine, the system for controlling machine operation as a function of location of a facility user, the system comprising:
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at least one wireless information device (WID);
a first monitor for obtaining information useable to determine if a user is present at the at least one restricted facility location;
a second monitor for obtaining information useable to determine if at least one WID is at a restricted facility location; and
a controller linked to the at least one machine and also linked to the first and second monitors, the controller using information from the first and second monitors to determine if a user and a WID are present at the restricted location, respectively, and controlling machine operations according to a first regimen when only a user is present at the restricted location and controlling machine operations according to a second regimen when both a user and a WID are present at the restricted location, wherein the first regimen is more restrictive than the second regimen. - View Dependent Claims (129, 130, 131, 132)
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133. A system for controlling machine operations in an automated industrial facility including at least one machine and at least one machine zone associated with the machine, the system for restricting machine operation when a wireless information device (WID) associated with a facility user is within the machine zone, the system comprising:
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at least one WID;
an operator device that may be activated by a system user;
a first monitor for obtaining information that can be used to determine if a user is present in the at least one machine zone;
a second monitor for obtaining information that can be used to determine if a WID is present within the at least one machine zone;
a controller linked to the machine for controlling machine operations and linked to the first and second monitors and to the operator, the controller;
(a) determining if a user is located in the machine zone;
(b) if a user is located within the machine zone, determining if the operator is activated;
(c) if the operator is activated, determining if a WID is located within the machine zone;
(d) if a WID is located within the machine zone;
(i) regulating machine operations according to a third regimen; and
(ii) repeating steps (a) through (d);
else regulating machine operations according to a second regimen;
else regulating machine operations according to a first regulating regimen. - View Dependent Claims (134, 135, 136, 137)
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138. A system for controlling machine operation in an automated industrial facility including at least one machine and an associated machine zone, the system comprising:
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at least first and second wireless information devices (WIDs);
a monitor for obtaining information useable to determine when each of the first and second WIDs is located within the machine zone;
a controller for receiving the monitor information and determining when each of the first and second WIDs is within the machine zone, when both the first and second WIDs are located within the machine zone, regulating machine operations according to a first regimen and when only the first WID is located in the machine zone, regulating machine operations according to a second regimen that is different than the first regimen. - View Dependent Claims (139)
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140. A system for controlling machine operation in an automated industrial facility including at least one machine and at least one associated machine zone, the system for restricting machine operation as a function of juxtaposition of a facility user with respect to the machine, the system comprising:
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a monitor for obtaining information useable to determine if a facility user is within the at least one machine zone;
a controller linked to the monitor and to the at least one machine, the controller using information from the monitor to determine when a user is located within the machine zone and, when a user is within the machine zone, determining user location within the machine zone and regulating operation of the at least one machine as a function of user location within the at least one machine zone. - View Dependent Claims (141)
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142. A method for controlling machine operation in an automated industrial facility including at least one machine, the method for restricting machine operations as a function of location of a wireless information device (WID), the method comprising the steps of:
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providing at least one WID;
establishing communication with at least one WID within a restricted facility location;
controlling at least one machine according to a first operating regimen;
determining when communication with the at least one WID within the restricted location ceases; and
controlling at least one machine according to a second regimen when communication with the at least one WID within the restricted location ceases. - View Dependent Claims (143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151)
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Specification