Managing information related to industrial equipment

• US 7,974,741 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2008
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dresser, LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: Dresser Incorporated (Nagano Keiki Company Limited)
• Inventors: Watson, David B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Ramesh B
• Application Number:
  US12/100,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20090259344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,181 Days
• Field of Search: 700/275, 700/282, 73/11.6, 73/12.1, 73/13.6, 137/2, 137/8, 137/9, 702 45- 47
• US Class Current: 700/282
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32196 Store audit, history of inspection, control and workpiece data into database
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• 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: Y10T 137/0324 With control of flow by a condition or characteristic of a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0357 For producing uniform flow

Abstract

An electronics module for an industrial device is associated with an individual industrial device. Audit data for the industrial device is stored in a memory of the electronics module. The audit data includes information related to one or more steps that have been performed while making the individual industrial device. Operating instructions for the industrial device are stored in the memory of the electronics module. The operating instructions are operable to enable the electronics module to control and/or monitor one or more aspects of the flow control device operation.

Claims

1. A method of managing information related to a flow control device, the method comprising:

associating a flow control device electronics module with an individual flow control device;

storing audit data for the individual flow control device in a memory of the electronics module, the audit data comprising information related to at least one step that has been performed while making the individual flow control device; and

storing flow control device operating instructions in the memory of the electronics module, the operating instructions operable to enable the electronics module to at least one of control or monitor one or more aspects of the flow control device operation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising mounting the electronics module to the flow control device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving at least a portion of the audit data from the memory of the electronics module.

4. The method of claim 1, the audit data further comprising logistics data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

information related to at least one step that has been performed while making the individual flow control device comprises information about at least one of quality control checks performed on the individual flow control device;

modifications made to the individual flow control device;

dimensions of the individual flow control device;

steps performed to build the individual flow control device;

or components incorporated into the individual flow control device; and

logistics data comprises information related to at least one of warehousing of the individual flow control device or transportation of the individual flow control device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing manufacturing instructions for manufacturing the flow control device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the manufacturing instructions comprise at least one of:

an identification of parts of the flow control device;

general manufacturing instructions for the flow control device;

manufacturing instructions related to the individual flow control device;

worker-specific instructions;

or

station-specific instructions.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the flow control device is a valve.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the valve comprises at least one of a pressure relief valve, a control valve, a ball valve, a globe valve, a rotary control valve, a pneumatically controlled valve, or a hydraulically controlled valve.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the flow control device is a pump.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the pump comprises at least one of a positive displacement pump or a centrifugal pump.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the flow control device is a compressor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the compressor comprises at least one of a positive displacement compressor or a centrifugal compressor.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the flow control device is a blower.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the blower comprises a positive displacement blower.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting the audit data comprising information concerning at least one step performed while making the individual flow control device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronics module further comprises a processor;

and

wherein the memory stores instructions operable to cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

associating the flow control device electronics module with the individual flow control device;

storing the audit data for the individual flow control device in the memory of the electronics module; and

storing the flow control device operating instructions in the memory of the electronics module.

18. A method of managing information related to a measurement device, the method comprising:

associating a measurement device electronics module with an individual measurement device;

storing audit data for the individual measurement device in a memory of the electronics module, the audit data comprising information related to at least one step that has been performed while making the individual measurement device; and

storing measurement device operating instructions in the memory of the electronics module, the operating instructions operable to enable the electronics module to at least one of control or monitor one or more aspects of the measurement device operation.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising mounting the electronics module to the measurement device.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising retrieving at least a portion of the audit data from the memory of the electronics module.

21. The method of claim 18, the audit data further comprising logistics data.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein:

information related to at least one step that has been performed while making the individual measurement device comprises information about at least one of quality control checks performed on the individual measurement device;

modifications made to the individual measurement device;

dimensions of the individual measurement device;

steps performed to build the individual measurement device;

or components incorporated into the individual measurement device; and

logistics data comprises information related to at least one of warehousing of the individual measurement device or transportation of the individual measurement device.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising storing manufacturing instructions for manufacturing the measurement device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the manufacturing instructions comprise at least one of:

an identification of parts of the measurement device;

general manufacturing instructions for the measurement device;

manufacturing instructions related to the individual measurement device;

worker-specific instructions;

or

station-specific instructions.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the measurement device is a flow meter.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the flow meter comprises a positive displacement impeller meter.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the measurement device is operable to measure a flow of a fluid through a fluid transportation pipeline.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the fluid comprises at least one of oil, natural gas, food, or beverage.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein the measurement device measures at least one of pressure, volume, temperature, electrical voltage, electrical current, electrical charge, force, mass, or displacement.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein the measurement device comprises a wireless transmitter for transmitting measurement data.

31. The method of claim 18, further comprising collecting the audit data comprising information concerning at least one step performed while making the individual measurement device.

32. The method of claim 18, wherein the electronics module further comprises a processor;

and

wherein the memory stores instructions operable to cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

associating the measurement device electronics module with the individual flow control device;

storing the audit data for the individual measurement device in the memory of the electronics module; and

storing the measurement device operating instructions in the memory of the electronics module.

33. A method of managing information related to a fuel dispensing device, the method comprising:

associating a fuel dispensing device electronics module with an individual fuel dispensing device;

storing audit data for the individual fuel dispensing device in a memory of the electronics module, the audit data comprising information related to at least one step that has been performed while making the individual fuel dispensing device; and

storing fuel dispensing device operating instructions in the memory of the electronics module, the operating instructions operable to enable the electronics module to at least one of control or monitor one or more aspects of the fuel dispensing device operation.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising mounting the electronics module to the fuel dispensing device.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising retrieving at least a portion of the audit data from the memory of the electronics module.

36. The method of claim 33, the audit data further comprising logistics data.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein:

information related to at least one step that has been performed while making the individual fuel dispensing device comprises information about at least one of quality control checks performed on the individual fuel dispensing device;

modifications made to the individual fuel dispensing device;

dimensions of the individual fuel dispensing device;

steps performed to build the individual fuel dispensing device;

or components incorporated into the individual fuel dispensing device; and

logistics data comprises information related to at least one of warehousing of the individual fuel dispensing device or transportation of the individual fuel dispensing device.

38. The method of claim 33, further comprising storing manufacturing instructions for manufacturing the fuel dispensing device.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the manufacturing instructions comprise at least one of:

an identification of parts of the fuel dispensing device;

general manufacturing instructions for the fuel dispensing device;

manufacturing instructions related to the individual fuel dispensing device;

worker-specific instructions;

or

station-specific instructions.

40. The method of claim 33, wherein the fuel dispensing device comprises a variable proportion blending component.

41. The method of claim 33, wherein the fuel dispensing device comprises a human-and-machine interface for displaying and receiving information.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the interface comprises a credit card reader to read a magnetic strip of a credit card.

43. The method of claim 33, wherein the fuel dispensing device comprises a master and blend ratio meter.

44. The method of claim 33, wherein the fuel dispensing device is operable to monitor fuel dispensed from a plurality of fluid sources using a common meter.

45. The method of claim 33, wherein the fuel dispensing device is operable to detect the octane level of a fluid.

46. The method of claim 33, wherein the fuel dispensing device is operable to dispense natural gas.

47. The method of claim 33, wherein the fuel dispensing device is operable to charge a battery.

48. The method of claim 33, further comprising collecting the audit data comprising information concerning at least one step performed while making the individual fuel dispensing device.

49. The method of claim 33, wherein the electronics module further comprises a processor;

and

wherein the memory stores instructions operable to cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

associating the measurement device electronics module with the individual fuel dispensing device;

storing the audit data for the individual fuel dispensing device in the memory of the electronics module; and

storing the fuel dispensing device operating instructions in the memory of the electronics module.