JP2003186531A - System and apparatus for remote monitoring of industrial equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve convenience for an equipment administrator by obtaining repair and/or purchase related information of the equipment, as well as operation status data information and failure prediction information of the equipment. <P>SOLUTION: The system always monitors the operation status of a target equipment or a facility 1 to be monitored, existing at the side of monitored means 22 via a communication line, such as the Internet, sends to an equipment administrator 21 at the side of monitoring means 23 these monitored data in the form of monthly reports or the like that are arranged at prescribed periods, and also sends failure prediction information of the equipment. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote monitoring system for industrial equipment and a remote monitoring apparatus therefor, and more particularly to transmitting data information relating to the operating status of equipment and failure prediction information, and information relating to equipment repair and purchase. The present invention relates to a remote monitoring system and a remote monitoring device for industrial equipment, in which the convenience of equipment managers is improved by transmitting the information collectively.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various proposals have been made for remote monitoring of industrial equipment, for example, JP-A-11-16856.
According to the publication No. 9, if there is an abnormality in the equipment, if the distance is increased from the automatic notification device to the terminal device when the terminal device side is notified via the analog telephone network via the automatic notification device, it will be expensive if the number of notifications is repeated. In order to prevent the above, an automatic notification device has been disclosed which transmits the abnormality information and the like from the access point onward as a communication means by using the Internet which requires a call charge determined only by a contract with a provider.

Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-177576 discloses a monitoring system for transmitting and receiving data between a monitoring control device and a monitored control device via a communication cable to monitor the target equipment in the monitored control device. In order to reduce the communication cable cost and the like, there is disclosed a wireless monitoring system configured to transmit and receive between a monitored device and a monitoring device that manages the operation of monitoring equipment via a wireless communication line.

Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-266328 discloses an automatic notification system. This automatic reporting system is a device that reports the abnormal state detected by various sensors in order to monitor the state of each equipment equipment installed on site such as unmanned robot factory equipment of the monitored equipment, and the terminal of the monitoring center in advance. According to the data set by, read the data of the area that should be referenced by the blog programmable controller, compare it with the judgment standard,
An automatic notification device that automatically reports when it is determined to be abnormal is on display.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As disclosed in the above-mentioned conventional publication, an abnormal state of industrial equipment / equipment is monitored, and abnormal data information is automatically transmitted to a monitoring center side. Although the system and the monitoring device have been disseminated, there has not yet been reported what has been done for the convenience of the manager on the monitoring center side by transmitting the transmission data as shown in the following items.

(1) The monitoring data is integrated in a total daily report, weekly report, etc., and the operating status of the facility / equipment is reported to the administrator. (2) The failure prediction information of the monitored device is reported to the administrator in advance based on the monitoring data. (3) Based on the monitoring data, when the failure prediction information of the monitored device is reported to the administrator in advance, the maintenance information of the monitored device and the device product information are simultaneously reported. (4) The repair request information or the product quotation request information is automatically provided when the administrator attempts to repair or purchase the device based on the maintenance information or the device product information received by the administrator. It is sent to the seller. (5) Charges related to actions (1) to (4)

That is, in monitoring the operating status of the remote monitoring apparatus for industrial equipment, it is difficult to grasp the operating status of the equipment / facility as a whole by reporting only the abnormal condition and the time of occurrence.

[0008] Further, there is a problem in that when the device to be monitored suddenly causes an accident, the response is delayed when failure prediction information is not reported in advance.

Further, if maintenance information or equipment product information of the equipment to be monitored is not reported, it is not possible to promptly respond to equipment repair or purchase, but also a repair request or a product estimate request or a repair request at the time of execution of purchase. However, there was a problem that repairs, purchases, and billing of remotely monitored equipment / equipment could not be performed quickly and accurately.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and the problem to be solved by the invention is that the manager receives the above-mentioned various data, and the profits and services received by the device manager are The present invention provides a system and a device with improved convenience in regard to the consideration payment of the service.

[0011]

According to the present invention of claim 1, data relating to the operating state of industrial equipment / equipment or a sensor arranged in the vicinity of the equipment is detected by a wired line or data. Is a remote monitoring system for industrial equipment that transmits to at least one manager of the industrial equipment / equipment via at least one of the wireless lines, and indicates the operating status of the industrial equipment / equipment detected by the sensor. Data related to daily report,
Industry characterized by reporting comprehensive data information integrated during the period such as weekly reports, or prior failure prediction information of industrial equipment / equipment based on data related to operating status detected by sensors to the manager It is a remote monitoring system for equipment.

The present invention according to claim 2 provides a remote monitoring system for industrial equipment according to claim 1, wherein an administrator is automatically charged according to the usage pattern of the remote monitoring system. is there.

The present invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that when the advance failure information is reported to the administrator, the maintenance information of the industrial equipment / equipment and / or the equipment product information is simultaneously reported. It is a remote monitoring system for industrial equipment according to claim 1 or claim 2.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when the administrator attempts to repair the equipment or purchase the equipment based on the maintenance information or / and the equipment product information received by the administrator, the repair request information and the product quotation are automatically provided. The remote monitoring system for industrial equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that the request information is transmitted to a repairer or equipment dealer.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the operating data relating to the operating state of the industrial equipment / equipment or a sensor arranged in the vicinity of the industrial equipment / equipment is detected by the monitored means to detect a wired line or In a remote monitoring device for industrial equipment, which transmits operation data to a monitoring means on the manager side of industrial equipment / equipment via at least one or more wireless lines,
It has a comprehensive data information creation means that integrates the data information related to the operating status of industrial equipment / equipment detected by the sensor during the period of daily report, weekly report, etc., and the integrated data information obtained by this integrated data information creation means is a monitoring means. The remote monitoring device for industrial equipment is characterized in that it is transmitted to the administrator side.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the operating data relating to the operating state of the industrial equipment / equipment is detected by the monitored means by the industrial equipment / equipment or a sensor arranged in the vicinity thereof, and the wired line or the In a remote monitoring device for industrial equipment, which transmits operation data to a monitoring means on the manager side of industrial equipment / equipment via at least one or more wireless lines,
It has a failure prediction creation unit that creates advance failure prediction information for industrial equipment and facilities based on the operation data related to the operation status detected by the sensor, and manages the advance failure prediction information obtained by this failure prediction information creation unit. This is a remote monitoring device for industrial equipment, which is characterized in that it is transmitted to the person side.

According to the remote monitoring system for industrial equipment and the apparatus therefor according to claims 1 to 6, reports such as daily reports and monthly reports regarding the operating status of the equipment are automatically created and issued, and the equipment manager Labor and equipment management costs can be reduced. In addition, it is possible to predict failures over a medium- to long-term span based on a database that stores the operating status and failure status of equipment, and to avoid unexpected situations such as production line stoppages due to sudden equipment failures. It is possible,
As a result, it leads to reduction of production cost. Furthermore, information related to maintenance and new equipment is automatically collected in conjunction with equipment failure status, and repair requests and parts ordering operations are executed based on the collected information, reducing equipment management operations and management costs. The effect that can be produced.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing the overall configuration of a remote monitoring system for industrial equipment.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a monitored device, which is a factory or plant machine, unmanned robot factory equipment, refrigeration equipment, boiler equipment, water supply equipment, building disaster prevention equipment, unmanned contract machine, substation, power plant equipment, etc. And these constitute the monitored equipment / equipment.

A sensor element 2 is attached to the monitored device 1 on the monitored means 22 side. Alternatively, the detection signal of the sensor element 2 arranged in the vicinity of the device to be monitored (hereinafter referred to as device) 1 is supplied to the transceiver 4 in the detecting means 5 via the preamplifier 3 in the detecting means 5. The signal is received by the antenna 7 on the signal amplifier 8 side disposed near the device 1 via the antenna 6.

The above-described structure shows a structure in which a sufficient output signal is obtained from the preamplifier 3. Normally, as shown by a virtual line, the sensor element 2 → preamplifier 3 → signal amplifier 8 transmits a signal by wire. It is done like this.

An analog signal from the signal amplifier 8 is converted into digital data via an ADC (analog-digital converter) in an interface (I / F) 9 and mounted on a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as CPU ₁ ) 10. RO real time clock or the operation unit (ALU) or the like is usually incorporated in the CPU ₁ 10 in a pre-specified sampling time the CPU ₁ 10 in synchronization with the time signal generated
It is stored in the memory 11 such as M and RAM. CPU ₁ 1
An operating unit 12 such as a keyboard and a CRT (not shown)
And so on. Output data of the CPU ₁ 10 is output to the transceiver 13.

The digital output data from the CPU ₁ 10 is supplied to the transceiver 13 in the form of analog or digital. In order to perform analog conversion, it is supplied to an analog transceiver 13 via an ADC (analog-digital converter) (not shown) or the like, and the monitoring signal information on the monitored means 22 side is sent to the monitored means 23 side via the antenna 14. Transceiver 16
It is transmitted as radio signal information to the antenna 15 on the side through a communication line 30 such as PHS.

Alternatively, it is digitally transmitted to the communication terminal device 16 'via a communication line 30 forming a wired line such as the Internet.

The transmission device of the monitoring means 23 side via the CPU ₁ 10 of the monitoring unit 22 side 16 or the communication terminal device 16 '
The monitoring signal information transmitted to the transmitter / receiver 16 or the communication terminal device 1 is transmitted in real time or with a slight time delay.
6'is transmitted to a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as "CPU _2" ) 17 and the CPU ₂ 17 normally has the RO
It is stored in the memory 18 such as M and RAM. CPU ₂ 17
Has an operation unit 19 such as a keyboard and a display unit 12 such as a CRT or LCD.

Further, this monitoring communication information is stored in the portable telephone or portable information terminal device (PDA: Perso) of the administrator 21.
nal Digital Assistants) 24
In some cases, it may be directly transmitted via.

The determined monitoring signal information stored in the memory 11 based on the failure criterion software monitored device 1 which has been previously installed on the CPU ₁ 10 is numerical processing in CPU ₁ 10 is in the failure state Failure prediction information, such as when the failure occurs and when it continues to operate in the future.

The monitoring signal information and failure information of the monitored device 1 is linked to CPU ₂ 17 and memory 18, failure prediction information of each of the monitored device 1 is updated daily, accuracy of the failure prediction information Is being pursued. In addition, the daily report, weekly report, and other period reports of the monitored device 1 are also created by the CPU.
Performed by ₂ 17.

When the failure prediction information is transmitted to the administrator, the maintenance information of the monitored device 1 and the device product information are also reported at the same time. The maintenance information and the device associated with each of the monitored devices 1 are also reported. Product information is CPU ₂
17 and is reported to the administrator 21 via the communication line 30 such as the Internet. When each information is updated, the updated information is collected via the Internet or the like and recorded in the memory 18. It When the administrator 21 accesses the transmitted maintenance information and product device information, the home page on which the maintenance information and product device information are posted is displayed on the information terminal device 24 such as a PDA owned by the administrator 21, The administrator 21 can access the desired information.

FIG. 2 shows a remote monitoring system of the present invention, which is a private PHS (Personal Handyphone).
The communication system in the example of another form applied to System) is shown. A signal amplifier 8 and a PHS transceiver 25 that transmits the amplified signal are attached to the sensor element 2. The PHS transceiver 25 transmits a signal to the terminals 26 installed in various places on the premises. A signal from each terminal 26 is transmitted via a repeater 28 to a PBX (Priv) in the premises.
ate Branch Exchange) 29. The PBX 28 on the premises is connected to a comprehensive monitoring processing system 29 that executes processing such as data monitoring, collection, recording, analysis, and material creation. In addition, the PHS owned by each person from the PBX 28 through the repeater 27 and the terminal 26.
It is connected to the terminal 33. In addition, comprehensive monitoring system 29
There is also a case where a public line 30a such as the Internet is connected to and the monitoring signal information measured by the sensor element is distributed to the information terminal device 31 such as a personal computer owned by the contractor via the public line 30a. Furthermore, a website 3 operated by a maintenance company or a facility company via the public line 30a.
0a to automatically obtain and distribute information regarding maintenance of the monitored device 1 and new products.

FIG. 3 shows the remote monitoring system of the present invention as a public P.
The system diagram of the communication system in the example of another form applied to HS is shown. The sensor element 2, the signal amplifier 8, the PHS transmitter / receiver 25 that transmits the amplified signal, the terminals 26 and the relays 27 installed at various places in the premises are the same as those in FIG.
7 to the public PHS line 34. Directly from the public PHS line 34 or via the public ISDN line 35, the supervisory signal information is sent to the DSU (Digital Serv).
ice Unit) 36. Further, the supervisory signal information and various data from the general supervisory system 29 detailed in FIG. 2 are transmitted through the terminal adapter 37. When the PHS terminal device 31 of the contractor is notified directly from the public PHS line 34, or when the information terminal device 31 of the contractor is notified via the public ISDN line 35 and the Internet line 30a, further comprehensive In some cases, the monitoring system 29 may comprehensively analyze and judge the information and then issue the information to the contractor's information terminal 31. By connecting to a website 32 operated by a maintenance company or a facility company via a public line 30a such as the Internet, information on maintenance of the monitored device 1 and new products is automatically obtained.
It is the same as that of FIG. 2 that it is configured to deliver.

The operation in the case of monitoring the failure and operating state of the motor in the factory line will be described below with reference to FIG. For example, 80 motors are operating in the business site owned by the contractor. In this case, a failure of one motor leads to the stoppage of the entire line. Therefore, the motor fails before it stops. Is detected and it is necessary to switch to the alternative motor. For this reason, the sensor element 2 is installed in all of the 80 motors, each of which has a management number. For each motor, the temperature of the bearing and the vibration state of the rotating shaft are constantly measured, and the measurement data is stored in a memory (not shown) attached to the sensor element 2 (see FIG. 4, FIG.
Step ST ₁ ).

The operating state of the motor is a normal state or a transition state.
State and abnormal state.
Thresholds are set for both degrees and vibrations and compared with measured values
Done (second step ST₂). Both temperature and vibration conditions
Is the third step ST ₃Normal condition like NO
If the sensor element 2 attached to each motor
Measurement result is sent to the comprehensive monitoring system 29 once every hour
Done (4th step ST_Four).

When the measurement result of either the temperature or the vibration state exceeds the threshold value of the normal state like YES in the third step ST ₃ and the transition state (abnormal state) is entered, the measurement result is transmitted every 10 minutes. (5th step ST ₅ ). If the measurement result transmitted once every 10 minutes is in the transition state three times in a row (sixth step ST ₆ ), the comprehensive monitoring system 29 informs the relevant motor that the inspection is necessary. Is transmitted (seventh step ST ₇ ). When the warning is sent, a person in charge will go to the place where the motor is installed for on-site observation of the motor operating condition and emergency repair (8th Step S).
At the same time as T ₈ ), the transmission of the measurement result is leveled up once per minute (9th step ST ₉ ).

When the operating state of the motor returns to the normal state by a simple measure such as lubricating oil replenishment (10th step ST
_{In the case} of (YES in ₁₀ ), the process is returned to the fourth step ST ₄ and the transmission of the measurement result is returned once / hour. If the operating state is not recovered and the measurement result changes from the transition state to the abnormal state due to the emergency repair of the person in charge, the comprehensive monitoring system 29 issues an alarm to the information terminal 33 such as PHS carried by the person in charge. Then, the replacement motor is switched to the alternative motor (twelfth step ST ₁₂ ).

[0036] Incidentally, the outgoing and the warning or alarm, changing the measurement conditions with the change in the operating state of the motor is performed by the firmware written in the ALU of CPU ₁ 10 incorporated in the monitoring unit 22 side That is, it is also possible to directly issue a measurement condition change command from the monitored means 22 side instead of the comprehensive monitoring system 29. Replacing the replacement motor (12 step ST _12), confirmation of the operation state of the replacement motor is performed (fourteenth step ST _14), originating once / 1 minute is performed at this initial operating condition (13
Step ST ₁₃ ). After that, in order to correctly repair or replace the abnormal operation state motor, it connects to the website 32 of the dealer in charge through the comprehensive monitoring system 29 and executes processing such as ordering a repaired product, requesting a repair, and requesting a quote for a new product. It is (15th step ST _15).

In the comprehensive monitoring system 29, based on the measurement results sequentially transmitted from the sensor elements 2 attached to the respective motors, the above-mentioned warnings and warnings are issued, and the results after the repair are integrated. , A daily report and a monthly report are automatically created and transmitted via the Internet or the like (16th step ST ₁₆ ).

Further, the measurement results and failure information accumulated over a long period of time are accumulated in the comprehensive monitoring system as a database. By collating the measurement results sequentially transmitted from the sensor element 2 with this database, the medium and long term The failure prediction information determined in advance is created.

As described above, the preparation and transmission of reports, the preparation and transmission of failure prediction information, the transmission and reception of various information related to the operating status, the automatic collection of information related to maintenance and new equipment linked to the operating status of equipment. It is also possible to charge a predetermined fee to the contractor for service activities such as automatic processing such as ordering.

The CPU for outputting the above-mentioned failure prediction information can use a failure prediction system using a self-learning method in which the accuracy of judgment relating to the operating state of the equipment is improved as the data storage amount is increased. In addition, the issue of data to be aggregated in a daily report or monthly report is largely dependent on the data storage device and the data calculation / analysis / judgment function.

[0041]

The effects of the remote monitoring system for industrial equipment and the apparatus thereof according to the present invention are listed below. 1) Automatically creating and issuing reports such as daily and monthly reports on the operating status of equipment,
Equipment management costs can be reduced. 2) It is possible to predict failures over a medium- to long-term span based on a database that stores the operating status and failure status of equipment, and avoid unexpected situations such as production line stoppages due to sudden equipment failures. It is possible to reduce the production cost as a result. 3) Information related to maintenance and new equipment is automatically collected in conjunction with equipment failure status, and repair requests and parts ordering work are executed based on the collected information, which reduces equipment management work and management costs. it can.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall system diagram of a remote monitoring system for industrial equipment and an apparatus therefor according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a system diagram showing an example of a communication system to which the remote monitoring system for industrial equipment of the present invention and the device thereof are applied.

FIG. 3 is a system diagram showing one form example of another communication system applied to the remote monitoring system for industrial equipment of the present invention and the device thereof.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the system operation of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Monitored device, 2 ... Sensor element, 3 ... Preamplifier, 4 ... Radio transceiver, 5 ... Amplifier, 10 ... Microcomputer (CPU ₁ ), 11, 18 ... Memory, 13 ... Transceiver, 17 ... Microcomputer (CPU ₂ ), 21 ... Device manager, 25 ... PHS transceiver, 26 ... Terminal, 27 ... Repeater, 28 ...
PBX, 29 Total monitoring system, 30 Communication line, 30a Public line (Internet), 31
Information terminal device owned by the contractor, 32 ... Website of maintenance company, etc., 33 ... PHS terminal, 34 ...
Public PHS line, 35 ... Public ISDN line, 36 ...
DSU, 37 ... Terminal adapter

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. Data relating to an operating state of industrial equipment / equipment or a sensor arranged in the vicinity of the industrial equipment / equipment is used for at least one of a wired line and a wireless line.
In a remote monitoring system for industrial equipment, which transmits to the manager of the industrial equipment / equipment via one or more lines, the above-mentioned data relating to the operating state of the industrial equipment / equipment detected by the sensor Reported to the manager the comprehensive data information that is integrated in the daily report, weekly report, etc., or the prior failure prediction information of the industrial equipment / equipment based on the data related to the operating state detected by the sensor. A remote monitoring system for industrial equipment characterized by: 2. The remote monitoring system for industrial equipment according to claim 1, wherein the administrator is automatically charged according to the usage pattern of the remote monitoring system. 3. The maintenance information of the industrial equipment / equipment or / and equipment product information is reported at the same time when the advance failure information is reported to the manager. The remote monitoring system for industrial equipment according to claim 2. 4. The repair request information or the product quotation request information is automatically obtained when the administrator tries to repair or purchase the device based on the maintenance information or / and the device product information received by the administrator. The remote monitoring system for industrial equipment according to claim 3, wherein the remote monitoring system is transmitted to a repairer or equipment dealer. 5. An industrial device / equipment or a sensor arranged in the vicinity thereof detects operating data relating to the operating state of the industrial device / equipment by a monitored means, and at least one of a wired line or a wireless line is detected. Industrial equipment via one or more lines
In a remote monitoring device for industrial equipment, which transmits the operation data to the monitoring means on the side of the equipment manager, the data information relating to the operation state of the industrial equipment / equipment detected by the sensor is used for daily report, weekly report, etc. Industrial data characterized by having a comprehensive data information creating means integrated in the period of, and transmitting the comprehensive data information obtained by the comprehensive data information creating means to the manager side of the monitoring means. Equipment remote monitoring device. 6. An industrial device / equipment or a sensor arranged in the vicinity thereof detects operating data relating to the operating state of the industrial device / equipment by a monitored means, and at least one of a wired line or a wireless line is detected. Industrial equipment via one or more lines
In a remote monitoring device for industrial equipment that transmits the operation data to the monitoring means on the side of the equipment manager, a prior failure of the industrial equipment / equipment based on the operation data related to the operation state detected by the sensor The remote of the industrial equipment is characterized by having a failure prediction creating means for creating the prediction information, and transmitting the advance failure prediction information obtained by the failure prediction information creating means to the manager side. Monitoring equipment.