Asset tracking in process control environments
First Claim
1. An asset tracking method used by an asset tracking device communicatively coupled to a communication network operating according to an industrial automation protocol, the method comprising:
- obtaining, by the asset tracking device, absolute positioning information associated with a global positioning system (GPS), the absolute positioning information indicative of an absolute spatial position of the asset tracking device;
determining, by the asset tracking device, a relative spatial position of the asset tracking device based on the absolute positioning information, the relative spatial position defined in terms of one or more measures of distance in one or more directions from a spatial location of a known point of reference in the communication network other than the location of the asset tracking device, wherein the known point of reference is a portion of a structure, fixture, or equipment within a process control environment;
determining, by the asset tracking device, positioning data indicative of the relative spatial position of the asset tracking device;
generating, by the asset tracking device, a message conforming to the industrial automation protocol and including a content corresponding to at least a portion of the positioning data; and
causing the message to be transmitted from the asset tracking device to an asset tracking host via the communication network using the industrial automation protocol, the industrial automation protocol including messages defined for communicating information corresponding to controlling or monitoring process variables in the process control environment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An asset tracking system for use in a process control environment may include one or more asset tracking devices and an asset tracking host. The asset tracking device may receive signals corresponding to a position or location of an asset to be tracked, and may communicate, using an industrial automation protocol such as wireless HART, an indication of the position to the asset tracking host. The signals may be GPS signals that are re-radiated into the process control environment. Other information, such as environmental data, may be communicated in conjunction with the position of the asset. The asset tracking host may store and/or display the data or information included in the message, and may send a different message to the asset tracking device. An asset tracking device may be included in a field device, a network device, or a portable communications device used in the process control environment.
20 Citations
43 Claims
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1. An asset tracking method used by an asset tracking device communicatively coupled to a communication network operating according to an industrial automation protocol, the method comprising:
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obtaining, by the asset tracking device, absolute positioning information associated with a global positioning system (GPS), the absolute positioning information indicative of an absolute spatial position of the asset tracking device; determining, by the asset tracking device, a relative spatial position of the asset tracking device based on the absolute positioning information, the relative spatial position defined in terms of one or more measures of distance in one or more directions from a spatial location of a known point of reference in the communication network other than the location of the asset tracking device, wherein the known point of reference is a portion of a structure, fixture, or equipment within a process control environment; determining, by the asset tracking device, positioning data indicative of the relative spatial position of the asset tracking device; generating, by the asset tracking device, a message conforming to the industrial automation protocol and including a content corresponding to at least a portion of the positioning data; and causing the message to be transmitted from the asset tracking device to an asset tracking host via the communication network using the industrial automation protocol, the industrial automation protocol including messages defined for communicating information corresponding to controlling or monitoring process variables in the process control environment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A asset tracking device operating in a communication network coupled to a process control environment, wherein the communication network operates according to an industrial automation protocol, the asset tracking device comprising:
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a network interface to communicate with the communication network according to the industrial automation protocol, the industrial automation protocol including messages defined specifically for communicating data related to controlling or monitoring process variables in process control environments; a positioning module coupled to a global positioning system (GPS) receiver to determine a spatial position of at least one of;
(i) the asset tracking device, or (ii) a target device that is operating as a first node in the communication network and (a) that is co-located with the asset tracking device, or (b) into which the asset tracking device is incorporated;wherein the positioning module determines the spatial position being a relative spatial position determined based on an absolute spatial position determined based on a plurality of satellite signals received at the GPS receiver and the relative spatial position defined in terms of one or more measures of distance in one or more directions from a spatial location of a known point of reference in the process control environment other than the locations of the asset tracking device and the target device, wherein the known point of reference is a portion of a structure, fixture, or equipment within the process control environment; and a message generation unit configured to; generate a message that conforms to the industrial automation protocol and that includes an indication of the determined spatial position, and cause the message to be transmitted, using the industrial automation protocol and via the network interface, to a host operating as a second node in the communication network. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An asset tracking method performed by a host communicatively coupled to a communication network that operates in a process control environment according to an industrial automation protocol, the method comprising:
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receiving, at the host from an asset tracking device incorporated into or co-located with an asset associated with the process control environment, a message conforming to the industrial automation protocol via the communication network, the industrial automation protocol including messages defined for transmitting data related to controlling or monitoring process variables in the process control environment, and the message including positioning data indicative of a spatial position of the asset, the positioning data based on a determination, made by the asset tracking device, of a relativity of the spatial position of the asset to a spatial position of a known exact location in the process control environment other than the locations of the asset tracking device and the asset, wherein such relativity is defined by one or more measures of distance in one or more directions from the spatial position of the known location, and wherein the known exact location indicates a portion of a structure, fixture, or equipment within the process control environment; automatically retrieving, using the host, an asset device description from a database, wherein the asset device description includes data descriptive of the asset; generating, by the host, asset tracking information based on the positioning data and the asset device description; and at least one of; storing, by the host, the asset tracking information in a data storage device, or presenting, by the host, the asset tracking information via a user interface. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An asset tracking host comprising:
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a network interface communicatively coupled to communication network operating in a process control environment according to an industrial automation protocol, wherein the industrial automation protocol includes messages defined specifically for communicating data related to controlling or monitoring process variables in the process control environment; and an asset tracking unit coupled to the communication network and configured to; receive, via the network interface, a message from an asset tracking device incorporated into or co-located with an asset, the message conforming to the industrial automation protocol and including positioning data indicative of a spatial position of the asset, the spatial position of the asset being a relative spatial location determined based on one or more measures of distance in one or more directions from a known absolute spatial location other than the locations of the asset tracking device and the asset, and the relative spatial location determined by the asset tracking device and indicated in terms of the absolute spatial location, and wherein the known absolute spatial location indicates a portion of a structure, fixture, or equipment within the process control environment; retrieve asset device description from a database, wherein the asset device description includes data descriptive of the asset; and generate asset tracking information based on the asset device description and the positioning data. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An asset tracking system operating in a process control environment, the asset tracking system comprising:
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a communication network including a plurality of nodes that communicate using an industrial automation protocol, the industrial automation protocol including messages defined specifically for communicating process data corresponding to one or more respective physical functions of one or more control loops in the process control environment, and the plurality of nodes in the communication network including; an asset tracking host, and a plurality of field devices, wherein each field device performs one or more respective physical functions corresponding to one or more control loops in the process control environment; and an asset tracking device configured to; determine a spatial position of the asset tracking device, the spatial position of the asset tracking device being a relative spatial location determined based on and indicated in terms of one or more measures of distance in one or more directions from a known absolute spatial position, wherein the known point of reference is a portion of a structure, fixture, or equipment within the process control environment; generate positioning data indicative of the spatial position of the asset tracking device; and provide the positioning data to one of the plurality of field devices when the asset tracking device is co-located with the one of the plurality of field devices; wherein the absolute spatial position is of a location in the process control environment other than the locations of the asset tracking device and the one of the plurality of field devices with which the asset tracking device is co-located, and wherein the one of the plurality of field devices transmits, to the asset tracking host, the positioning data in a message that conforms to the industrial automation protocol. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An asset tracking method performed by a host communicatively coupled to a communication network that operates in a process control environment according to an industrial automation protocol, the method comprising:
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receiving, at the host via the communication network, messages corresponding to a particular asset of the process control environment, the messages conforming to the industrial automation protocol, the industrial automation protocol including messages defined for transmitting data related to controlling or monitoring process variables in the process control environment, and the messages including positioning data indicative of spatial positions of the particular asset, the positioning data indicative of the spatial positions of the particular asset in relation to one or more measures of distance in one or more directions from one or more spatial positions of one or more exact locations, the spatial positions of the particular asset determined by an asset tracking device co-located with or incorporated into the particular asset, and at least one of the exact locations is a known exact location other than the locations of the asset tracking device and the particular asset, wherein the known location indicates a portion of a structure, fixture, or equipment within a process control environment; storing contents of each of the messages and a respective indication of a time stamp in a data storage device; and presenting at least a portion of the stored contents in response to a request. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification