WIRELESS INDUSTRIAL PROCESS FIELD DEVICE WITH IMAGING

• US 20150085103A1
• Filed: 09/26/2013
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: McGuire, Chad Michael, Karschnia, Robert J., Rotvold, Eric Darrell, Beckmann, Robert Martin
• Granted Patent: US 10,638,093 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/86
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41855 by local area network [LAN], network structure
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31211 Communicate diagnostic data from intelligent field device controller to central
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31447 Process error event detection and continuous process image detection, storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A wireless field device for use in an industrial process control or monitoring system includes a controller configured to control operation of the wireless field device. Wireless communication circuitry is configured to wirelessly communicate with a remote location. An internal power source powers the wireless field device. An image capture device is coupled to the controller and configured to capture an image of an environment of the wireless field device. The controller is adapted to receive image information from the image capture device and transmit compressed image information to the remote location.

Claims

1. A wireless field device for use in an industrial process control or monitoring system, comprising:

a controller configured to control operation of the field device;

wireless communication circuitry configured to wirelessly communicate with a remote location;

an internal power source configured to power the field device; and

an image capture device coupled to the controller configured to capture an image of an environment of the field device;

wherein the controller is adapted to receive image information from the image capture device, compress the information and transmit compressed image information to the remote location.

2. The wireless field device of claim 1, further including a memory configured to store image information.

3. The wireless field device of claim 2, wherein the stored image information comprises baseline image information.

4. The wireless field device of claim 2, wherein the stored image information comprises current image information.

5. The wireless field device of claim 2, wherein the stored image information comprises compressed image information.

6. The wireless field device of claim 2, wherein the stored image information comprises image change information.

7. The wireless field device of claim 1, wherein the compressed image information includes higher resolution image information in response to a command received through the wireless communication circuitry.

8. The wireless field device of claim 1, wherein the compressed image information includes higher resolution image information in response to detection of a change in the image.

9. The wireless field device of claim 1, wherein the compressed image information includes higher frame rate image information in response to a command received through the wireless communication circuitry.

10. The wireless field device of claim 1, wherein the compressed image information includes higher frame rate image information in response to detection of a change in the image.

11. The wireless field device of claim 1, wherein the compressed image information comprises lossy compressed image information.

12. The wireless field device of claim 1, wherein the compressed image information comprises lossless compressed image information.

13. The wireless field device of claim 1, wherein the compressed image information comprises location information related to a location in the image at which the image has changed.

14. A wireless monitoring system including the wireless field device of claim 1 and an image management application at the remote location configured to receive the compressed image information.

15. The wireless monitoring system of claim 14, wherein the image management application includes a baseline image.

16. The wireless monitoring system of claim 14, wherein the image management application is configured to identify objects in the image.

17. The wireless field device of claim 1, including an actuator configured to reposition the image capture device.

18. The wireless field device of claim 1, further including a process variable sensor and wherein information related to a sensed process variable is communicated by the wireless communication circuitry.

19. The wireless field device of claim 1, including an image management application configured to display a plurality of captured images in an animation.

20. The wireless field device of claim 1, including an image management application configured to exaggerate image change information to thereby amplify changes in the captured images.

21. A wireless monitoring system including the wireless field device of claim 1 and a second wireless field device, the second wireless field device configured to wirelessly transmit process variable information on a same wireless network as the wireless field device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the compressed image information is transmitted with a reduced priority level.

24. The method of claim 21 including storing the compressed image information in a memory.

23. A method in a wireless field device in an industrial process control or monitoring system, comprising:

receiving an image from an image capture device, the image of an environment of the field device;

processing the image with a controller in the wireless field device and generating compressed image information;

powering the field device with a power source which is internal to the field device;

wirelessly communicating the compressed image information to a remote location using wireless communication circuitry in the wireless field device.