Using cloud-based data for virtualization of an industrial automation environment with information overlays

• US 9,709,978 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2013
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Asenjo, Juan, Nawalaniec, Stephen, Hegrat, Bradford H., Conti, Sal, Strohmenger, John, Harkulich, Joseph A., Korpela, Jessica Lin, Wright, Jenifer Rydberg, Hessmer, Rainer, Dyck, John, Hill, Edward Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Kenneth M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huntley, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US14/088,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20140336786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0272 Presentation of monitored results, e.g. selection of status reports to be displayed; Filtering information to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

A cloud-based virtualization generation service collects industrial data from multiple industrial automation systems of multiple industrial customers for storage and analysis on a cloud platform. A virtualization management component (VMC) generates a virtualized industrial automation system of an industrial automation system based on data analysis results. The VMC facilitates remotely controlling the industrial automation system based on user interactions with the virtualized industrial automation system, and updates the virtualized industrial automation system based on collected data relating to the industrial automation system. The VMC customizes a user'"'"'s view of the virtualized industrial automation system based on a user'"'"'s role, authorization, location, or preferences, wherein different views of the virtualized industrial automation system with different data overlays are presented on different communication devices of different users. The VMC enables a user to filter data of a virtualized view and share information, including virtual notes, with other users.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a memory that stores computer-executable components;

a processor, operatively coupled to the memory, that executes computer-executable components, the computer-executable components comprising;

a collection component configured to collect a subset of industrial data from a set of industrial devices of an industrial automation system in a facility and a subset of data relating to a user, and store the industrial data and the subset of data relating to the user in a data store; and

a virtualization management component configured to;

generate a customized view of a virtualized industrial automation system that corresponds to and interfaces with the industrial automation system, based on a result of an analysis of the subset of industrial data and the subset of data relating to the user, to facilitate remotely interacting with the industrial automation system in response to an interaction by the user with the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system, wherein the customized view comprises a customization of a view of a first portion of the virtualized industrial automation system that corresponds to a second portion of the industrial automation system, wherein the second portion is within a defined distance of a current physical location of the user in the facility; and

remotely control the industrial automation system in response to the interaction with the virtualized industrial automation system, wherein the remote control via the interaction is limited to only the first portion of the virtualized industrial automation system that corresponds to the second portion of the industrial automation system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the collection component, the virtualization management component, or the data store are part of a cloud platform.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising an interface component configured to interface the cloud platform with the industrial automation system via a cloud gateway device of the industrial automation system to facilitate communication of the subset of industrial data from the industrial automation system to at least one of the collection component or the virtualization management component.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtualization management component is further configured to determine the current physical location of the user is based upon location information of a mobile device associated with the user.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtualization management component is further configured to determine the current physical location of the user based upon location information of a radio-frequency identification tag associated with the user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the customization of the view comprises a customized subset of operational data to overlay on the view of the virtualized industrial automation system based on the second portion of the industrial automation system within the defined distance of the current physical location of the user.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtualization management component is further configured to update the customized view to comprise another view of a third portion of the virtualized industrial automation system that corresponds to a fourth portion of the industrial automation system within the defined distance of a new physical location of the user.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the virtualization management component is further configured to modify the customized subset of operational data to generate a subset of filtered operational data based on a filter in response to receiving filter selection information from a communication device of the user.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the virtualization management component is further configured to overlay a first subset of the subset of filtered operational data in proximity to a first virtualized object of the virtualized industrial automation system, and overlay a second subset of the subset of filtered operational data in proximity to a second virtualized object of the virtualized industrial automation system.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first virtualized object comprises at least one of a virtualized industrial device, a virtualized industrial process, a virtualized industrial asset, or a virtualized network-related device, and the second virtualized object comprises at least one of another virtualized industrial device, another virtualized industrial process, another virtualized industrial asset, or another virtualized network-related device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtualization management component is further configured to determine whether to communicate the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system to a communication device associated with a second user, based on information associated with the communication device or the second user, and a defined virtualization management criterion relating to sharing of the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system, in response to a request to share the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system with the communication device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the virtualization management component is further configured to communicate the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system to the communication device, in response to a determination that the communication device is authorized to access the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system, to facilitate display of the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system on the communication device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtualization management component is further configured to generate a virtual note comprising a set of information received from a communication device associated with the user, wherein the virtual note is a graphical representation of a note or a message associated with a virtualized industrial device of the virtualized industrial automation system that corresponds to an industrial device of the set of industrial devices.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the virtualization management component is further configured to receive note placement information from the communication device and place the virtual note on the virtualized industrial device of the virtualized industrial automation system based on the note placement information.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the virtualization management component is further configured to control viewability of the virtual note by a second communication device associated with a second user based on a viewability scope parameter received from the communication device associated with the user.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtualization management component is further configured to generate one or more control signals, based on the interaction with the virtualized industrial automation system, and transmit the one or more control signals to the industrial automation system to facilitate the remote control of the industrial automation system.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the collection component is further configured to collect a second subset of industrial data relating to an operational response of the industrial automation system in response to the one or more control signals.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the virtualization management component is further configured to update the virtualized industrial automation system based on a subset of data relating to the interaction with the virtualized industrial automation system and the second subset of industrial data relating to the operational response of the industrial automation system.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtualized industrial automation system presents at least one of a three-dimensional virtualized view of the industrial automation system, a two-dimensional virtualized view of the industrial automation system, or a virtualized dashboard that comprises a set of operational data associated with operation of the industrial automation system.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the collection component is further configured to collect a subset of data from a second industrial automation system of a set of industrial automation systems associated with a cloud platform and comprising the industrial automation system or from a device associated with an extrinsic entity, and wherein the virtualization management component is further configured to generate the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system that corresponds to and interfaces with the industrial automation system, based on a result of an analysis of the subset of industrial data and the subset of data, to facilitate remotely interacting with the industrial automation system in response to the interaction with the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the subset of industrial data comprises at least one of data relating to an industrial device of the set of industrial devices, data relating to an industrial process associated with the set of industrial devices, data relating to an industrial asset, data relating to a network-related device that facilitates data communications associated with the industrial automation system, data relating to an operating system associated with the industrial automation system, data relating to software associated with the industrial automation system, or data relating to firmware associated with the industrial automation system.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the subset of industrial data comprises data relating to at least one interrelationship between the at least one industrial device and at least one other industrial device of the set of industrial devices, and wherein the virtualization management component is further configured to generate at least one virtualized interrelationship that virtualizes the interrelationship between the at least one industrial device and at least one other industrial device, based on the data relating to the at least one interrelationship, to facilitate the generation of the virtualized industrial automation system.

23. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a system comprising a processor, a subset of industrial data from a set of industrial devices of an industrial automation system in a facility and a subset of data relating to a user associated with the industrial automation system for storage in a data store associated with the industrial automation system;

generating, by the system, a customized view of a virtualized industrial automation system that corresponds to a portion of the industrial automation system, based on a result of analyzing the subset of industrial data and the subset of data relating to the user, to facilitate remotely interacting with the industrial automation system in response to an interaction with the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system, wherein the customized view comprises a customization of a view of a first portion of the virtualized industrial automation system that corresponds to a second portion of the industrial automation system, wherein the second portion is within a defined distance of a current physical location of the user in the facility; and

remotely controlling, by the system, the industrial automation system in response to the interaction with the virtualized industrial automation system, wherein the remote control via the interaction is limited to only the first portion of the virtualized industrial automation system that corresponds to the second portion of the industrial automation system.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

interfacing, by the system, a cloud platform, comprising the data store, with the industrial automation system to facilitate interfacing the virtualized industrial automation system with the industrial automation system; and

monitoring, by the system, the industrial automation system via the interfacing to facilitate the receiving of the subset of industrial data from the set of industrial devices of the industrial automation system.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising determining, by the system, the current physical location of the user based upon location information of a mobile device associated with the user.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising determining, by the system, the current physical location of the user is based upon location information of a radio-frequency identification tag associated with the user.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the customization of the view comprises a customized subset of operational data to overlay on the view of the virtualized industrial automation system based on the second portion of the industrial automation system within the defined distance of the current physical location of the user.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

overlaying, by the system the customized subset of operational data on the view of the virtualized industrial automation system; and

communicating, by the system, the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system with the customized subset of operational data overlaid thereon to a communication device of the user for display on the communication device.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

filtering, by the system, data comprising the customized subset of operational data to generate a subset of filtered data relating to the industrial automation system based on a filter, in response to receiving filter selection information from a communication device of the user.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

overlaying, by the system, a first subset of the subset of filtered data in proximity to a first virtualized object of the virtualized industrial automation system; and

overlaying, by the system, a second subset of the subset of filtered data in proximity to a second virtualized object of the virtualized industrial automation system, wherein the first virtualized object comprises at least one of a virtualized industrial device, a virtualized industrial process, a virtualized industrial asset, or a virtualized network-related device, and the second virtualized object comprises at least one of another virtualized industrial device, another virtualized industrial process, another virtualized industrial asset, or another virtualized network-related device.

31. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

determining, by the system, whether to transmit the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system to a communication device associated with a second user, based on information associated with the communication device or the second user, and a defined virtualization management criterion relating to sharing of the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system, in response to a request to share the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system with the communication device.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

determining, by the system, that the communication device is authorized to access the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system; and

transmitting, by the system, the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system to the communication device, in response to determining that the communication device is authorized to access the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system, to facilitate displaying the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system on the communication device.

33. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

generating, by the system, a virtual note comprising a set of information received from a communication device associated with the user in response to note generation data received from the communication device, wherein the virtual note is a graphical representation of a note or a message associated with a virtual industrial device of the virtualized industrial automation system that corresponds to an industrial device of the set of industrial devices;

receiving, by the system, note placement data from the communication device; and

placing, by the system, the virtual note on the virtual industrial device of the virtualized industrial automation system based on the note placement information that indicates placing the virtual note on the virtual industrial device of the virtualized industrial automation system.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

controlling access to view the virtual note by a second communication device associated with a second user based on viewability scope information received from the communication device associated with the user.

35. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

generating, by the system, one or more control signals, based on the interaction with customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system; and

communicating, by the system, the one or more control signals to the industrial automation system to facilitate the remotely controlling the industrial automation system.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

monitoring, by the system, an operational response of the industrial automation system in response to the one or more control signals;

receiving, by the system, a second subset of industrial data relating to the operational response of the industrial automation system; and

updating, by the system, the virtualized industrial automation system and the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system based on a subset of data relating to the interaction with the virtualized industrial automation system and the second subset of industrial data relating to the operational response of the industrial automation system.

37. The method of claim 23, wherein the generating the customized view of the virtualized industrial automation system further comprises:

generating, by the system, at least one of a three-dimensional virtualized industrial automation system, a two-dimensional virtualized industrial automation system, or a virtualized dashboard that comprises a set of operational data associated with operation of the industrial automation system to facilitate respectively transmitting at least one of a three-dimensional customized virtualized view of the industrial automation system, a two-dimensional customized virtualized view of the industrial automation system, or a customized virtualized dashboard to a communication device associated with the user.

38. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause a system comprising a processor to perform operations, comprising:

collecting a subset of industrial data from a set of devices of an industrial automation system in a facility and a subset of data relating to a user associated with the industrial automation system for storage in a data store associated with the industrial automation system; and

generating a customized view of a virtualized industrial automation system that corresponds to the industrial automation system, based on a result of analyzing the subset of industrial data and the subset of data relating to the user, to facilitate remotely interacting with the industrial automation system in response to an interaction with the virtualized industrial automation system, wherein the customized view comprises a customization of a view of a first portion of the virtualized industrial automation system that corresponds to a second portion of the industrial automation system, wherein the second portion is within a defined distance of a current physical location of the user in the facility; and

remotely controlling the industrial automation system in response to the interaction with the virtualized industrial automation system, wherein the remote control via the interaction is limited to only the first portion of the virtualized industrial automation system that corresponds to the second portion of the industrial automation system.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 38, further comprising updating the customized view to comprise another view of a third portion of the virtualized industrial automation system that corresponds to a fourth portion of the industrial automation system within the defined distance of an updated physical location of the user.