WO2021122062A1

WO2021122062A1 - System for optical communication in a process plant, and process plant

Info

Publication number: WO2021122062A1
Application number: PCT/EP2020/084663
Authority: WO
Inventors: Martin Kastner; Guido König
Original assignee: Samson Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2019-12-16
Filing date: 2020-12-04
Publication date: 2021-06-24
Also published as: DE102019134580A1

Abstract

In a system (1) for optical communication in a process plant (2), such as a food-processing plant, for example a brewery, a power plant, a petrochemical plant or the like, said system comprising a plurality of stationary cameras (30, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39), which each have a field of view (40, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49) that captures a portion of the process plant (2) and which generate image data of their field of view, at least one field device (50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59) having at least one optical signaling means (60, 61, 63, 63*, 64, 65, 65*, 67, 68, 69), such as a display and/or an illuminant, is provided, which optical signaling means outputs an optical signal representing operating information of the field device (50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59), the signaling means (60, 61, 63, 63*, 64, 65, 65*, 67, 68, 69) being arranged in one or more of the fields of view, and a signal-processing apparatus (7) is provided in order recognize optical signals in image data of at least one of the stationary cameras (30, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39) and to determine operating information corresponding to the recognized optical signals, the signal-processing apparatus (7) having a signal input for image data of at least one of the stationary cameras (30, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39).

Description

System for optical communication in a process engineering system and process engineering system

The invention relates to a system for optical communication in a process engineering plant. The invention also relates to a process engineering plant, such as a food processing plant, for example a brewery, a power station, a petrochemical plant, or the like, with a system for optical communication.

Process engineering systems are generally equipped with a large number of field devices that ensure the function of the process engineering system. As a rule, there are monitoring personnel in a control room of the process engineering system who monitor the condition of the system and can intervene if necessary. For this purpose, the field devices of the process engineering system are connected to display, control and / or regulation devices in the control room via a bus system. In addition, process engineering systems are usually equipped with a large number of cameras. In this way, the monitoring staff can view a sub-area of the process engineering system in order to get an overview of the situation on site and to obtain information that goes beyond sensor values that are displayed by displays in the control room of the monitoring staff.

For example, US 2002/0075244 A1 describes a system with 40 or more cameras, the recordings of which are continuously observed by surveillance personnel. The monitoring staff can select single or multiple cameras for viewing and control the cameras remotely, for example control their zoom factor, tilt and pan alignment, if a section of the field of view of a camera is to be viewed more closely. DE 10 2008 010 853 A1 describes a method according to which the monitoring staff is to be supported in aligning cameras by automatically aligning a camera after an acoustic detection of possibly critical process states. With the aid of such known systems, plant areas can be viewed remotely from a control room in response to the detection of a critical condition. If error states are visually recognizable, however, they are often so critical that the system has to be switched off at least in part.

EP 2 535 781 Ai, EP 2 713 229 Bi and DE 10 2016 17 813 Ai describe portable diagnostic devices that make use of the capabilities of so-called smartphones so that maintenance personnel can interact with individual field devices on site within a process engineering system. They can communicate with field devices in a wired or wireless manner or, with the aid of the devices' own cameras, record information about the identity or the status of the field device, for example. However, in large process engineering systems there are often field devices from different manufacturers that require different portable diagnostic devices for interaction. Since the maintenance personnel only interacts sporadically with the individual field devices, cannot be exposed to critical dangerous situations and cannot easily access field devices in areas of a process engineering system that are difficult to access, the practical use of such devices can only be realized to a very limited extent in practice.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and, in particular, to provide a system that can provide operating information from one or more field devices in a process plant for further processing on an optical signal path, in particular regardless of the state of the process plant and / or the arrangement and type of field devices therein. This object is achieved by the subject matter of independent claim 1.

Accordingly, a system for optical communication is provided in a process engineering system with several stationary cameras. The cameras each have a field of view that covers a part of the process engineering system and they generate image data from their respective field of view. The process engineering plant can be, for example, a chemical plant, such as a petrochemical plant, a power plant, for example a nuclear power plant, or the like.

A camera can in particular be a CCD camera (Charge Coupled Device). CCD cameras can generate high-resolution images so that details on the camera's image data can be recognized even from a distance.

The system according to the invention comprises at least one field device with at least one optical signal transmitter. The optical signal transmitter can, for example, be a display such as an LCD display (Liquid Crystal Display) and / or a light source such as an LED. The optical signal transmitter emits an optical signal that represents operational information from the field device. The signal transmitter is arranged in one or more of the fields of view of the cameras of the process engineering system.

A field device of a process engineering system can be, for example, a sensor device, a control device, a regulating device, a measuring device or an actuator. A field device can, for example, be an adjusting valve for adjusting a process fluid flow. A control valve can be designed, for example, as a control valve or pump. A field device can be, for example, a pneumatic, electric or hydraulic control valve, in particular. The field device can, for example, be an in particular electrical setting actuator, such as a pump, a motor or the like. The The field device can be operated with auxiliary energy, such as pneumatic auxiliary energy, wherein in particular a preferably pneumatic actuator can be actuated via an in particular electropneumatic position controller.

A passive optical signal transmitter can be implemented, for example, by an analog display. Passive optical displays do not have their own illuminant. Active optical signal transmitters comprise at least one illuminant. The light source can be an LED or another light source. In particular, the optical signal transmitter can be designed with at least one lighting means to transmit optical signals, for example as an intermittent light signal, such as flashing sequences. An active optical signal transmitter can be an in particular digital display with a lighting means designed as a backlight.

Operating information can in particular be an error state, an emergency shutdown state or a maintenance state. Operating information can be an actual operating state, such as a distance measured value, a pressure measured value, a temperature measured value, a speed measured value, a noise measured value or the like. The measured path value can relate, for example, to a travel of an actuator or control valve. A measured pressure value can relate to a pressure in a process fluid of the process engineering system or in a pneumatic fluid for actuating a pneumatic actuator. A measured temperature value can relate, for example, to the temperature of the process fluid or the temperature of a component of the actuator. Alternatively, a target operating state can implement operating information. A target operating state can be represented, for example, by a control signal or a regulating signal.

Operating information can be, for example, operating data or operating states. In particular, an actual valve position, a target valve position, an actual pressure, a target pressure, a valve opening or closing state, an actual flow rate, a target flow rate or the like can be transmitted as the operating data of a field device. Operating data can be determined by a sensor of the field device or can be specified by a control device. Other operating data of a field device can relate to an operating state, such as active or inactive, in order, in need of maintenance, defective or the like. A specific defect can be assigned to an operating data item, such as control pressure that is too low, friction that is too high, temperature that is too low or too high, or the like. An operating state can generally be an operating state received by the field device, one to be output by the field device, or one that is measured, determined, determined or calculated in the field device. Operating information can alternatively be information transmitted to the field device, for example a control signal from a control room of the process engineering system, a warning signal to the control room or the like. An operating state can relate to the communication between individual components of the field device, for example the communication between a data processing device of the field device and sensors and / or actuators of the field device that communicate with it.

The field of view of a camera is determined by a particularly conical area from which the camera captures image data. The field of view can denote the area in front of a lens of the camera. The camera is mounted in a stationary manner in the process engineering system, for example on a stationary holder, such as a stationary tripod or a stationary receptacle. The camera can have a changeable field of view, in particular a field of view that can preferably be moved horizontally and / or vertically. According to one embodiment, the stationary camera can be designed to perform a tilting movement in the vertical direction relative to its holder. The camera can comprise tilting means for rotating the camera in the vertical direction. Alternatively or additionally, according to one embodiment, the stationary camera can be designed to be pivoted in order to move the field of view of the camera in the horizontal direction. The camera can comprise pivoting means for horizontally rotating the camera. It should be understood that the camera can include an opto-mechanical magnification, such as a telephoto lens, in order to shift a focus area away from the camera and / or towards the camera. Alternatively, the camera can be mounted rigidly in relation to the other components of the process engineering system and / or with an immovable field of view.

The system according to the invention further comprises a signal processing device for recognizing optical signals in image data of at least one of the stationary cameras and for determining operating information corresponding to the recognized optical signals, the signal processing device having a signal input for image data from at least one of the stationary cameras.

The signal processing device is preferably an electronic signal processing device such as a computer, a microprocessor or a microcontroller. The signal processing device includes one or more GPUs (Graphics Processing Unit; dt .: Graphics Processor) and / or CPU (Central Processing Unit; dt .: Main Processor). The signal processing device can be arranged locally in the process engineering system. The signal processing device can be accommodated in the same housing as a camera. A signal processing device can be provided in a control room of the process engineering system. The signal processing device can alternatively be implemented remotely from the process engineering system, for example as a cloud computer. The signal processing device can use methods for image recognition and image processing known to the person skilled in the art implement in order to recognize optical signals in the image data of at least one of the stationary cameras and to determine operating information corresponding to these recognized optical signals.

The signal input of the signal processing device for image data from at least one of the stationary cameras is provided for the signal transmission connection with one or more cameras. The signal input can comprise a wired or wireless communication interface to one or more of the stationary cameras. In particular, a single signal processing device can be set up to be connected to several of the stationary cameras of the process engineering system in accordance with signal transmission in order to recognize optical signals in the image data of the several stationary cameras and to determine operating information that corresponds to the recognized optical signals.

The signal processing device is preferably set up to recognize different types of, in particular active and / or passive, optical signals. In particular, the signal processing device is set up to determine operating information from optical signals of different types and / or from different types of optical signal transmitters. For example, a passive optical signal can be implemented, for example, by an analog display of a field device. An active optical signal can be, for example, an intermittent light signal, wherein the intermittent light signal can comprise, for example, a pulsating or pulse-width modulated signal. Alternatively, an optical signal can be implemented by a display display, in particular a luminous display, for example an LED display, an LCD display, an e-ink display or the like. The optical signal can be implemented in the form of characters such as letters, numbers and / or pictograms of the display.

The optical communication system according to the invention enables the monitoring personnel in the control room of a process-engineering system to obtain a quick overview of the field device status in a sub-area or the entire process-engineering system. The system for optical communication can take into account the topology of the process engineering system or parts of the process engineering system, in particular with regard to the individual field devices of the process engineering system, and prepare and provide this for communication, for example with a mobile diagnostic device, in order to enable maintenance personnel to quickly and accurately move to a sub-area a process engineering system or to a specific field device. The system according to the invention for optical communication makes it possible to efficiently, quickly and securely record, evaluate and evaluate operating information that was previously unused but existed in a process engineering system to prepare. The system according to the invention for optical communication makes it possible, in particular, to take into account process-related operating data from field devices that are present in areas of the process-related installation that are difficult or inaccessible for maintenance personnel.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the system comprises a plurality of field devices, each with at least one optical signal transmitter, which emits an optical signal that represents operating information of the respective field device, the signal transmitter of each of the field devices being arranged in one or more of the fields of view. It is clear that the field devices are arranged at different positions in the process engineering system in accordance with a specific topology of the process engineering system. The field devices of the process engineering system can, for example, be arranged offset from one another in a horizontal longitudinal direction L and / or in a horizontal transverse direction Q. Alternatively and / or additionally, field devices in a process engineering system can be offset relative to one another in the vertical direction.

It should be clear that the field of view of a camera can be limited in terms of process engineering by components of the process engineering system, for example building parts, pipes, field devices, housings, panels, etc. Several stationary cameras of a process engineering system can have disjoint and / or overlapping fields of view relative to one another exhibit. Alternatively or additionally, it is conceivable that two or more cameras capture the same sub-area of a process engineering system in their respective field of view. The same sub-area in process engineering systems is recorded by different cameras from different perspectives. For example, the fields of view of two cameras of the process engineering system can be offset from one another transversely, in particular orthogonally in a horizontal direction; For example, a first camera can be oriented in a horizontal longitudinal direction and a second stationary camera in a horizontal transverse direction, the viewing areas of the first camera and the second viewing field of the second camera defining an intersection area. The optical signal transmitter of a field device can be arranged in the intersection area of two or more cameras of the process engineering system.

It is conceivable that a process engineering system has several cameras, the fields of view of which are completely independent, disjoint and / or free of intersection areas relative to one another. In process engineering systems with cameras arranged in this way, a clear assignment of a camera to a field of view and the field devices arranged therein can be implemented. It is clear to a person skilled in the art that each field of view of a camera of the process engineering system covers a sub-area of the process engineering system within which no field devices, one field device, two field devices or more field devices are present their respective optical signal transmitter can be arranged. It is conceivable that a field device comprises an optical signal transmitter or several optical signal transmitters, the optical signals of which are recorded by one or more cameras.

Such a system with a large number of field devices implements an optical communication network for acquiring the operating information of the multiple field devices of the process engineering system.

According to a further development of the system for optical communication, the signal processing device is set up to recognize optical signals from a first field device in image data from a number of cameras and to process them in relation to the first field device, in particular with regard to its operating situations. For example, the signal processing device can be set up to recognize when an additional field device with an optical signal transmitter is arranged in a sub-area of the process engineering system, or when a field device with an optical signal emitter receives a changed position within the process engineering system. The signal processing device can detect the new or changed position of the field device on the basis of the image data from several cameras, taking into account the known process engineering system topology. The signal processing device can update the topology data of the process engineering system on the basis of the acquired actual position information of the relocated field device. Alternatively or additionally, the signal processing device can be set up to check the position of a field device against reference specifications or plausibility specifications, and in particular to output a corresponding diagnostic result, for example a warning message in the event of a faulty installation of a field device. Alternatively or additionally, a signal processing device which is set up to recognize optical signals of a first field device in image data of a plurality of cameras and to process them in relation to the first field device with regard to its operating information.

According to one embodiment of a system for optical communication, a field device is arranged at least in sections or completely outside a field of view and the optical signal transmitter of the field device has a mechanical positioning device, such as a tripod, a telescopic rod, a hinged rod and / or a gooseneck, by means of which the optical Signal transmitter is arranged in one or more of the fields of view. The field device can have a housing which is arranged in the process engineering system in such a way that it is arranged outside an in particular static field of view of one or all of the cameras. The design of the optical signal transmitter with a mechanical positioning device makes it possible to expand the system for optical communication in a process engineering system and to expand it to field devices, their Position within the process plant would prevent the detection of optical signals directly from the field.

In another embodiment of a system for optical communication, which can be combined with the previous ones, the optical signal transmitter of the at least one field device has at least one optical directional element, such as a prism and / or a mirror, for influencing the beam path of the optical signal. For example, an optical directional element such as a prism can provide the optical signal, for example a point light source such as an LED, on a circumference or part of the circumference of a housing of the field device and / or a mechanical positioning device away from the housing of the field device. It is particularly conceivable that a mirror or other reflector is arranged in the vicinity of the optical signal transmitter of the field device in order to bring the optical signal from the optical signal transmitter into the field of view of one or more cameras. In this way it can be ensured that in the case of field devices that are concealed relative to at least one field of view of a camera, detection by one or more cameras is possible. In particular, it can be made possible that the optical signals of a field device can be recorded from several directions, for example from several cameras.

According to one embodiment, the optical signal transmitter can be set up to emit optical signals outside the visible spectrum, in particular in the infrared spectrum and / or in the ultraviolet spectrum. The person skilled in the art knows that the spectrum of visible light comprises wavelengths of at least 380 nm to 750 nm. The infrared spectrum can denote light with wavelengths in the range from about 750 nm to 1 mm wavelength. According to a preferred embodiment, the optical signal transmitter can be designed to emit optical signals in the so-called near infrared spectrum (NIR) between 780 nm and 2.5 pm. The signal transmitter can preferably emit optical signals in the IR-A spectrum from 780 nm to 1400 nm and / or in the IR-B spectrum from 1.4 pm to 3.0 pm wavelength. The optical signal transmitter can be designed to emit optical signals in wavelengths in the ultraviolet spectrum between 100 nm and 380 nm, in particular in the so-called UV-A spectrum between 150 nm and 380 nm Maintenance personnel can be avoided by signal transmitters who do not work in the optically visible spectrum.

According to an alternative embodiment, it can be preferred that the optical signal generators are set up to emit optical signals in a narrow-band spectral range, with the light of the optical signal generator, for example, completely or at least 95% within a spectral band of less than 100 nm, less than 50 nm is less than 20 nm. The spectral band can be in the infrared range or in the UV range. It is conceivable that the narrow-band spectral band lies in the spectrum of visible light. It is also conceivable that several different systems for optical communication within the same process engineering system use different spectral ranges for optical communication in order to transmit different information or situations redundantly. It is conceivable that a camera is equipped with a bandpass filter, the filter characteristics of which are matched to the spectrum of the optical signal transmitter. Alternatively or additionally, the signal processing device and / or the camera electronics can comprise an electronic or software-based bandpass filter.

According to one embodiment of a system according to the invention, the signal processing device is set up to extract operating information from image data of an optical signal transmitter implemented as a display device, such as an LCD display or an analog display. The signal processing device can use a known image processing routine in order, for example, to recognize characters on an LCD display, such as letters, numbers or pictograms, in the image data of an optical signal transmitter implemented as a display device, and to use the recognized characters to provide operational information for the field device, for example actual values, a target value, a status value or the like of the field device to be read. According to known image processing routines, the signal processing device can be set up to recognize a passive optical signal of the field device by means of an analog display, such as a pointer position, and to read operating information from a pointer position or the like.

Alternatively or additionally, in one embodiment of the system, the signal processing device can be set up to extract operating information from image data of an optical signal transmitter which emits operating information as an intermittent light signal, such as a flashing LED. In particular, in such a system, the image acquisition rate of the camera and a maximum rate of change, such as a maximum flashing frequency, of the optical signal transmitter can be coordinated in such a way that the camera records the image data with a sufficiently high recording frequency to ensure a loss-free optical signal transmission from the optical signal transmitter to ensure the camera to the signal processing device.

According to one embodiment of a system, the signal processing device is set up to correlate the optical signals of at least one field device, in particular a plurality of field devices, with topology information of the process engineering system in order to determine and / or the position of the one field device in the process engineering system to update the topology information. For example, the signal processing device can use the optical signals to recognize a position of the field device within the process engineering system and carry out a plausibility check with regard to predetermined topology information related to the process engineering system. For example, based on a correlation between detected optical signals and predetermined topology information, the signal processing device can be used to generate an error signal if the field device or its optical signal transmitter is arranged deviating from a position corresponding to the predetermined topology information. Alternatively or additionally, the signal processing device of the system can be set up to update topology information, for example if at least one new or changed field device is added to the process engineering system.

According to one embodiment, the invention relates to a system that further comprises at least one stationary camera mounted in the process engineering system, which has a field of view that captures a partial area of the process engineering system and generates image data from its field of view, the camera being assigned at least one field device whose optical signal transmitter is arranged in the field of view of the at least one camera, and wherein the camera is coupled to the signal processing device in accordance with signal transmission and transmits image data from its field of view to the signal processing device. The camera can be connected to the signal processing device in a wired manner or wirelessly with a signal transmission.

The camera can be a CCD camera and / or a CMOS camera. In particular, a camera can be designed to generate image data of individual recordings (photographs) and / or to generate image data as a sequence of successive recordings (film). The image data can be generated in a common image data format (e.g. TIFF, JPG, GIF, PNG, WMF, EPS, CDA, SVG, RAW or the like). The image data can alternatively be generated in a common film data format (e.g. MPEG, MOV, MP4 or another file type).

According to a further development of the system, several field devices are assigned to a first camera, the respective optical transmitter of which is arranged in the field of view of the first camera. The signal processing device can be set up to recognize different optical signals from different field devices independently of one another in the image data of the first camera. The signal processing device can determine operating information of the same different field devices corresponding to the different optical signals of the different field devices. Several field devices can be assigned to the first camera, the optical transmitters of which are arranged in the field of view of the first camera. For example, the first camera can have two field devices three field devices or several field devices can be assigned, each of which has at least one optical transmitter. The multiple, for example two, three or more optical signal transmitters of the multiple field devices can be arranged in the field of view of the first camera. The signal processing device is preferably designed to process the optical signals emitted by the various field devices by means of their respective optical signal transmitters independently of one another. For example, the signal processing device can be set up to exclusively assign the optical signals recorded in a specific subsection of the image data of the field of view of the camera to a specific field device. Optical signals from a second optical transmitter in a second sub-area of the image data of the field of view can be assigned exclusively to another, second field device by the signal processing device.

Even if the different field devices send optical signals of the same type or similar, the signal processing device can differentiate the optical signals of the different field devices from one another in order to determine the operating information assigned to the respective field device. The signal processing device can be designed to distinguish different field devices from one another on the basis of topology information of the process engineering system. The signal processing device can, for example, identify individual field devices and / or optical signals from a specific individual field device automatically or taking into account a manual input. For example, different field devices can provide optical signals of different types in the field of view of a camera, which signals are recorded by the camera and processed by the signal processing device. It is conceivable that a first field device with a first, active optical signal transmitter provides an intermittent light signal in the field of view of the first camera, while the second optical signal transmitter of a field device has a continuously illuminated display that is captured by the camera and its image data processed by the signal processing device.

According to a further development, a system comprises a multiplicity of cameras mounted stationary in the process engineering system, each of the stationary cameras mounted in the system having a single field of view that covers a respective sub-area of the process engineering system. In particular, the multiple fields of view of the multiple cameras can intersect one another in sections. For example, 2, 3 or more fields of view of the multiple cameras can overlap. A process engineering system can have 5 or more, preferably 10 or more, in particular 20 or more cameras, the fields of view of which intersect at least in pairs in sections. It should be clear that in the case of the execution with a large number of stationary in the process engineering system mounted cameras, with it a field of view, not every field of view of the multitude of cameras intersects every other field of view.

The invention also relates to a process engineering system with a system according to the invention, which also includes a control device for controlling and / or regulating the process engineering system, and a communication device for transmitting field device-specific operating information, which connects the control device to at least one field device according to signal transmission. The communication system and the communication device transmit operating information independently of one another. For example, the communication device can connect the at least one field device or several field devices in a wired manner using a BUS line, for example a fieldbus line or a HART line, to a control room of the process engineering system in order to communicate actuator-specific operating information between the field devices and the control room. The system for optical communication (communication system for short) is provided as a redundant communication network, which optically transmits the operating information from at least one actuating device at least in sections from the field device to the control room. It should be clear that a system according to the invention for optical communication transmits optical signals or the optical signals from at least one field device, at least in sections, wirelessly, in particular without fiber optic cables. Preferably, the optical communication system can be completely free of fiber optic cables for transmitting optical signals. It should be clear that the communication device transmits operating information between at least one field device and the control room, the communication path being free of optical signals. In particular, the communication device exclusively transmits electronic signals and / or electromagnetic radio signals.

Thanks to the parallel transmission of operating information on the one hand by the communication device and on the other hand by the optical communication system, the operating data are transmitted redundantly so that incorrectly transmitted data or poor data quality can be compensated for. The system for optical communication always has an independent information retrieval system available within a process engineering system, so that even in the event of a critical malfunction of another communication device, proper operation of the process engineering system is guaranteed at least to achieve a safe state of the system by means of the optical communication system.

A control room that monitors and / or controls several field devices is provided for the central control of the processes in a process engineering system. Between For this purpose, communication takes place between field devices and the control room. The field device can have an electronic interface for receiving and / or sending operating information. It is conceivable that in the process engineering system a control room communicates with individual field devices via a communication device implemented as a network, which has interfaces through which communication between field devices and control room can take place.

A field device can have an electronic, preferably wired or wireless, signal output and / or input for electronic signals. For example, the field device can have a HART and / or a FIELDBUS communication device. It is conceivable that the communication includes a wireless radio signal output and / or input, for example a Bluetooth, WLAN or WIFI transceiver.

Further properties, advantages and features of the invention will become clear from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a process engineering installation in a system according to the invention for optical communication.

The optical communication system 1 according to the invention comprises, as its main components, field devices 50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57 and 59 with optical signal transmitters 60, 61, 63, 63 *, 64, 65, 65 * and a signal processing device 7 arranged in a process engineering system. The process engineering system is generally designated with reference number 2.

In the example shown, the process engineering system 2 comprises six stationary cameras 30, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, each of which has a field of view 40, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49. Each field of view 40, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49 captures a partial area of the process engineering system 2 and the respective camera 30, 31, 33, 35, 37 or 39 assigned to the field of view 40, 41, 43, 45, 47 or 49 generates image data from its field of view 40, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49. It should be clear that the number of 6 cameras is purely exemplary and has been selected to make the invention easier to understand. A process engineering system 2 generally has several cameras, for example 10, 20, 30, 40 or more.

The fields of view 40, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49 of the cameras 30, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39 are partially aligned with different and partially with the same components of the process engineering system 2. Subareas of the process engineering system 2 that are only captured by a field of view 40, 41, 43, 45, 47 or 49 are only assigned to the corresponding camera 30, 31, 33, 35, 37 or 39. Field devices that are arranged in the field of view 40, 41, 43, 45, 47 and / or 49 of several cameras 30, 31, 33, 35, 37 and / or 39 are these several Assigned to cameras. Detection of a sub-area of a process engineering system 2 by two or more cameras can be desired in order to have different viewing angles of the sub-area of the field device or in order to redundantly detect the information from a specific field device.

The field devices 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57 and 59 of the process engineering system 2 can be connected by a communication device 9 to a control device 10 for controlling and / or regulating the process engineering system 2. The field devices 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57 and 59 and the control device 10 can be connected to one another in a wired and / or at least in sections wirelessly, for example with a radio link, for signal transmission. The communication device can be implemented in a known manner, for example as a HART or FIELDBUS communication device.

It is conceivable that a stationary camera 31, which is arranged in a stationary manner in the process engineering system 2, comprises pivoting means and / or tilting means which enable a movement for aligning the field of view 41 of the camera 31. When using one or more alignable cameras 31 with a movable field of view 41 in a process engineering system 2, it is conceivable that the fields of view 41, 45 and 47 only overlap in sections and / or that one field device 51, 54, 57, 59 only overlaps temporarily located in the field of view 41 of the camera 31.

A large number of field devices 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57 and 59 are arranged in the process engineering system 2, each of which has at least one optical signal transmitter 60, 61, 62, 63, 63 *, 64, 65, 65 * , 67, 69 have. An optical signal transmitter can be formed, for example, as a display and / or lighting means of the field device. The various field devices 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57 and 59 can perform a wide variety of tasks in a process engineering system 2. Field devices 54, 58 and 59 can have setting actuators for controlling and / or regulating process fluid flows in the process engineering system. Other field devices 51, 50, 53, 55 can have sensors for measuring properties of the process fluid, for example pressure, temperature, composition or the like.

In the system 1, field devices 50 with an optical signal transmitter 60 are provided, which emit an optical signal that represents operational information from the field device 50. The operating information can relate, for example, to an operating state of the field device. For example, the optical signal transmitter can generate an error warning.

The signal transmitter 60, 61, 62, 63, 63 *, 64, 65, 65 *, 67, 69 of a field device 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, 59 of the process engineering system 2 is in the field of view 40, 41 , 43, 45, 47, 49 of at least one camera 30, 31, 33, 35, 47, 39 of the process engineering system. thanks to the Arrangement of the optical signal transmitters 60, 61, 62, 63, 63 *, 64, 65, 65 *, 67, 69 in the fields of view 40, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49 of one or more cameras 30, 31, 33, 35 , 47, 39, the optical signals from the field devices 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, 59 can be detected by the cameras 40, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49 and processed in a signal processing device 7.

The system 1 according to the invention for optical communication in a process engineering system 2 comprises a signal processing device 7 for recognizing optical signals in image data of at least one of the stationary cameras 40, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49 to determine operating information corresponding to the detected optical signals. For example, the signal processing 7 and the optical signal transmitters 60, 61, 62, 63, 63 *, 64, 65, 65 *, 67, 69 can be coordinated with one another in such a way that all signal transmitters 60, 61, 62, 63, 63 *, 64 , 65, 65 *, 67, 69 transmit optical signals of the same type, for example as an intermittent light signal, according to the same coding. The signal processing device can recognize this coding in order to recognize which operating information is represented by the optical signals which are output by the optical signal transmitter 60.

Alternatively or additionally, the signal processing device 7 can be set up to interpret different types of optical signals and / or different codings of optical signals in order to extract operating information from optical signals. A signal processing device 7 can be set up, for example, to extract operating information from different field devices, in particular from different manufacturers, which output different, respectively specific optical signals.

In the process engineering system 2, stationary cameras 30, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39 are distributed in order to detect serious problems such as leakages, destruction, accidents or fire. With cameras, which can be implemented as CCD cameras, for example, and which generate high-resolution images with at least 5 megapixels, 10 megapixels more, details can also be recognized over a relatively large distance. In particular, the cameras 30 may be able to change their orientation, i. H. to identify their angular position and / or their zoom range and to link information about the alignment with the image data. The signal processing device 7 can be set up to take into account alignment information linked to image data of the cameras during the analysis.

The signal processing device 7 can have data on the topology of the process engineering installation 2. This topology information of the process engineering system 2 can WO 2021/122062-16-PCT / EP2020 / 084663 include, for example, the position and type of field devices and / or cameras. The topology information can be subdivided in relation to the entire process engineering plant 2 or in relation to the plant part or individual field devices 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, 59. The signal processing device can have a non-volatile storage medium in which the topology information is stored. It is conceivable that the process engineering system obtains data via communication, for example Internet communication, from a storage medium at another location, for example a cloud storage device.

With the aid of the optical signals emitted by the optical signal transmitter 60, 61, 62, 63, 63 *, 64, 65, 65 *, 67 or 69 of the respective field device 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57 or 59 the signal processing device 7 can identify individual field devices 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57 or 59. For example, each field device 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, 59 can have a certain optical identification signal which is transmitted to the optical signal transmitter 60, 61, 62, 63, 63 *, 64, 65, 65 *, 67, 69 can be output so that the identification of the field device 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, 59 can be recorded by a camera 40, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49 assigned to it and communicated to the signal processing device 7 . In the system 1 for optical communication within a process engineering installation 2, the arrangement of new field devices or the position of field devices can be recorded and recognized by the signal processing device 7.

The signal processing device 7 can be connected to the routing device 10, for example in order to notify the routing device 10 of information that has been transmitted via the optical communication system 1, or to communicate information that has been determined by optical signals from the signal color to direction 7.

The optical signal generators 63 *, 68 and 69 can be set up, for example, to imitate optical signals in the form of flashing sequences. The optical signals of the signal transmitters 63 *, 68 and 69 are detected by the camera 39 in the field of view 49, for example. The camera 39 is connected to the signal processing device 7 for signal transmission. The signal processing device 7 has signal inputs 70, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79 for the various cameras.

The stationary camera 39 can in particular be rigidly, ie immovably, attached in the process engineering system 2. The stationary, in particular rigid, optical signal transmitters 63 *, 68 and 69 of the same image point are located in the two-dimensional image data of the camera 39. The image location can be determined, for example, with the aid of a grid with reference to the image data. On the basis of the clear image position of the various optical signal transmitters, the signal processing device can identify the respective signal transmitter Recognize 63 *, 69 or 68, and thus identify the respective field device 58, 53 or 59 to which the operating information is to be assigned by the optical signals means.

The optical signal transmitters 60 can be set up to imitate optical signals for the system 1 for optical communication in the process engineering installation 2 in a specific, narrow-band spectral range. For example, the optical signal transmitters 60 can be set up to emit the optical signals for the system 1 for optical communication outside the visible light spectrum. For example, the transmission spectrum of the optical signal transmitter can be in the infrared spectrum and / or in the UV spectrum.

In some cases it may be desirable to transmit optical signals from a field device, for example 57, which is arranged outside the field of view 45 of a camera 35, to this camera 35. For this purpose, positioning devices 11, 13 and / or optical alignment elements can be provided in the system for optical communication in a process engineering installation.

For example, the field device 57 can be equipped with a mirror 27 to reflect the optical signals from the optical signal transmitter 67 and in this way bring them into the comb field of view of the camera 35. According to an alternative embodiment, a prism 23 can be arranged on the outer circumference of a housing of a field device 53. The prism 23 can be selected to output an optical signal in different different directions, so that it can easily be captured by one or more cameras 33, 39.

In particular in the case of field devices 53, 57 and 55 whose optical signal transmitters are arranged outside the field of vision of cameras, positioning devices such as a tripod 11, a telescopic rod, a hinged rod and / or a gooseneck 13 can be provided which have an optical signal transmitter 63 *, 65 * wear. In this way, the arrangement of the optical signal transmitter 63 * or 65 * can be chosen to be decoupled from the position of a field device 53, 55. In this way, optical signals from field devices 53, 55 can also be recorded which, due to their arrangement of the process engineering system, are not in the field of view of a specific camera. For example, the use of a positioning device is suitable for bringing optical signal transmitters from field devices that are concealed behind other components of the process engineering system 2 into a field of view of a camera.

In such field devices, the optical signal transmitter 63 *, 65 * of which is arranged remotely from the rest of the field device 53, 55, the optical signal transmitter 63 *, 65 * can be connected to the field device 53, in particular via a standardized connection for transmitting data. WO 2021/122062-18-PCT / EP2020 / 084663

65 connected. For example, such signal transmitters 63 *, 65 * can be connected to a bus interface of the field device 53, 55 with the aid of an intermediate adapter. A bus interface can be provided, for example, at the connection of the field device 53, 55 to the communication device 9.

In a preferred development of the invention, the field device comprises a plug connector for connecting to an intermediate plug and / or an optical signal transmitter. The connector can be designed, for example, as a two-wire connector, RS-232 connector, USB connector, M8 connector, Mi2 connector, device socket or the like. Instead of connecting a transmission unit according to a so-called DIN cube plug according to DIN EN 175301-803, a so-called Mi2 sensor plug, preferably according to DIN standard IEC 61076-2-101, can also be used (not shown) to connect the actuator and Monitoring unit.

An intermediate adapter, not shown in detail, is designed to be arranged between a device plug of the positioner and a device socket from which a communication connection 9 extends in the direction of the control room 10. The device plug and the device socket can in particular be designed in accordance with the standard DIN EN 175301-803. The device plug can be referred to as a valve plug connector or angled plug, for example. The device socket or device socket can also be referred to as a cable socket or line socket. Such a device plug has a pin with a U-shaped cross-section at the three o'clock position and the nine o'clock position and, if necessary, another U-shaped pin in the six o'clock position and a bar-shaped pin in the twelve o'clock position. Position.

To accommodate the pins of the device plug, the device socket has appropriately shaped and positioned receptacles. The contact surfaces between the opposing surfaces from which the pins protrude or into which the pin receptacles are embedded can be provided with one or two seals in order to prevent, for example, condensation from reaching the current-carrying pins. For this purpose, a sealing washer can be provided between the plug and the socket.

The features disclosed in the above description, the figures and claims can be important both individually and in any combination for realizing the invention in the various configurations. List of reference symbols

1 communication system

2 process engineering system

7 signal processing device

9 Communication facility

10 guidance system

11 tripod

13 gooseneck

23 prism

27 mirrors

30, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39 stationary camera

40, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49 field of view

50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57, field device 58, 59

60, 61, 63, 63 *, 64, optical signal transmitter 65, 65 ^* , 67, 68, 69

Claims

Expectations:

1. System (l) for optical communication in a process-related plant (2), such as a food processing plant, for example a brewery, a power plant, a petrochemical plant, or the like, with several stationary cameras (30, 31,

33, 35, 37, 39), each of which has a field of view (40, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49) that covers a sub-area of the process engineering system (2) and generates image data from their field of view, comprising: at least a field device (50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59) with at least one optical signal transmitter (60, 61, 63, 63 *, 64, 65, 65 *, 67, 68, 69), such as a Display and / or a light source that emits an optical signal that represents operational information from the field device (50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59), the signal transmitter (60, 61, 63, 63 *, 64, 65, 65 *, 67, 68, 69) is arranged in one or more of the fields of view; and a signal processing device (7) for recognizing optical signals in image data of at least one of the stationary cameras (30, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39) and for determining operating information corresponding to the recognized optical signals, the signal processing device (7) having a Signal input for image data from at least one of the stationary cameras (30, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39).

2. System (1) according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of field devices (50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59) each with at least one optical signal transmitter (60, 61, 63, 63 *, 64, 65, 65 *, 67, 68, 69), which emits an optical signal that represents operational information from the respective field device (50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59), the signal transmitter (60, 61 , 63, 63 *, 64, 65, 65 *, 67, 68, 69) each of the field devices (50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59) in one or more of the fields of view (40, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49) is arranged.

3. System (1) according to claim 2, wherein the signal processing device (7) is set up to convert optical signals from a first field device (50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59) into image data from several cameras (30, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39) to be recognized and processed in relation to the first field device (50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59) with regard to its operating information.

4. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a field device (53, 55) is arranged at least partially or completely outside of a field of view (43, 45) and wherein the optical signal transmitter (63 *, 65 *) is a mechanical positioning device, such as a tripod (11), a telescopic rod, a hinged rod and / or a gooseneck (13), by means of which the optical signal transmitter (63 *, 65 *) in one or more of the fields of view (40, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49) is arranged.

5. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the optical signal transmitter (63 *, 67) of the at least one field device (53, 57) has at least one optical directional element, such as a prism (23) and / or a mirror (27) , for influencing the beam path of the optical signal.

6. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the optical signal transmitter (60, 61, 63, 63 *, 64, 65, 65 *, 67, 68, 69) for emitting optical signals outside the visible spectrum, in particular is established in the infrared spectrum and / or in the ultraviolet spectrum.

7. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the signal processing device (7) is set up to extract operating information from image data of an optical signal transmitter (60, 61, 63 implemented as a display device, such as an LCD display or an analog display) , 63 *, 64, 65, 65 *, 67, 68, 69).

8. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the signal processing device (7) is set up to extract operating information from image data of an optical signal transmitter (60, 61, 63, 63 *, 64, 65, 65 *, 67, 68, 69), which represents operating information as an intermittent light signal, such as a flashing LED.

9. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the signal processing device (7) is set up to the optical signals of at least one field device (50, 51, 53,

54, 55, 57, 58 _? 59) to correlate with topology information of the process plant (2) in order to determine the position of the field device (50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59) in the process plant (2) and / or to Update the topology information.

10. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one stationary camera (30, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39) with a field of view (40, 41, 43, 45) mounted in the process engineering system (2) , 47, 49), which covers a partial area of the process engineering system (2) and generates the image data from its field of view (40, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49), the camera (30, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39) at least one field device (50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59) is assigned, the optical signal transmitter (60, 61, 63, 63 *, 64, 65, 65 *, 67, 68 , 69) is arranged in the field of view of the at least one camera (30, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39), and wherein the camera (30, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39) transmits signals to the signal processing device (7) is coupled and the

Signal processing device (7) transmits image data from its field of view (40, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49).

11. System (l) according to claim io, wherein a first camera (30, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39) several field devices (50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59) are assigned, their respective optical transmitter is arranged in the field of view (40, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49) of the first camera (30, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39) and wherein the signal processing device (7) is set up to receive different optical Signals from different field devices (50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59) can be recognized independently of one another in the image data of the first camera (30, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39), and to the different optical ones To determine signals corresponding operating information of the different field devices (50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59).

12. System (1) according to claim 10 or 11, comprising a multiplicity of cameras (30, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39) which are stationary in the process engineering system (2) and each have a field of view (40, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49) that covers a partial area of the process engineering system (2), whereby the fields of view (40, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49) of several cameras (30, 3h 33, 35, 37, 39) correspond to one another overlap in sections.

13. Process engineering plant, such as a food processing plant, for example a brewery, a power plant, a petrochemical plant, or the like, with a system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a control device (10) for controlling and / or regulating the process engineering system (2) and a communication device (9) for the transmission of field device-specific operating information, which connects the control device (10) according to signal transmission with at least one field device (50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59), the communication system ( 1) and the communication device (9) transmit operating information independently of one another.