SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR OPTIMIZING THE ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT

Abstract

An energy management system or plugin thereto includes a graphical user interface that displays visual elements corresponding to at least one manufacturing component and an energy management module instantiated in the graphical user interface. The energy management module is enabled to receive and display energy consumption status information from the manufacturing component and can control and modify the energy consumption of the manufacturing component by instructions sent from the energy management system to the component. The instructions can comprise a throttle instruction, an orchestrate instruction, or a disabled instruction which can be configured as predetermined presets corresponding to a desired energy protocol. The energy management module can also be used to group or sequence the components to distribute energy consumption to avoid exceeding the energy capacity of the manufacturing setting.

Claims

1. An energy management system, comprising: graphical user interface displaying one or more visual elements corresponding to at least one manufacturing component; and an energy management module instantiated in the graphical user interface and enabled to receive and display energy consumption status information from the manufacturing component; and the energy management module enabled to control and modify the energy consumption of the manufacturing component.

2. The energy management system of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface enables the addition, removal, or modification of the visual elements corresponding to the manufacturing component.

3. The energy management system of claim 1, wherein the energy consumption of the manufacturing component is controlled and modified by instructions sent from the energy management system to the component.

4. The energy management system of claim 3, wherein the instructions comprise a throttle instruction, an orchestrate instruction, or a disabled instruction.

5. The energy management system of claim 3, wherein the instructions comprise one or more presets comprising a predetermined energy management protocol.

6. A plugin for an energy management system, comprising: graphical user interface displaying one or more visual elements corresponding to at least one manufacturing component; an energy management module instantiated in the graphical user interface and enabled to receive and display energy consumption status information from the manufacturing component; and the energy management module enabled to control and modify the energy consumption of the manufacturing component.

7. The plugin of claim 6, wherein the graphical user interface enables the addition, removal, or modification of the visual elements corresponding to the automation controls component.

8. The plugin of claim 6, wherein the energy consumption of the manufacturing component is controlled and modified by instructions sent from the energy management system to the component.

9. The plugin of claim 8, wherein the instructions comprise a throttle instruction, an orchestrate instruction, or a disabled instruction.

10. The plugin of claim 8, wherein the instructions comprise one or more presets comprising a predetermined energy management protocol.

11. A method of controlling the energy consumption of a manufacturing component, comprising: a. providing an energy management system comprising: (i) a graphical user interface and (ii) an energy management module instantiated in the graphical user interface; b. adding, through the graphical user interface, one or more visual elements corresponding to at least one manufacturing component; c. receiving, from the manufacturing component, data corresponding to the energy consumption of the manufacturing component; d. displaying, on the graphical user interface, the data corresponding to the energy consumption of the manufacturing component; and e. controlling and modifying, via the energy management system, the energy consumption of the manufacturing component by transmitting instructions thereto.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the instructions comprise a throttle instruction, an orchestrate instruction, or a disabled instruction.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the instructions comprise one or more presets comprising a predetermined energy management protocol.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Those of skill in the art will recognize that the following description is merely illustrative of the principles of the disclosure, which may be applied in various ways to provide many different alternative embodiments. This description is made for illustrating the general principles of the teachings of this disclosure invention and is not meant to limit the inventive concepts disclosed herein.

[0020] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and together with the general description of the disclosure given above and the detailed description of the drawings, given below, explain the principles of the disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 1 is snippet of a graphical user comprising an information message panel enabled by the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a snippet of a graphical user interface comprising a property panel enabled by the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 3 is another snippet of a graphical user interface comprising an energy management module enabled by the present invention.

[0024] The drawings are not necessarily to scale. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the disclosure or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the disclosure is not necessarily limited to the embodiments illustrated herein.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0025] The present invention provides its benefits across a broad spectrum of endeavors. It is applicant's intent that this specification and the claims appended hereto be accorded a breadth in keeping with the scope and spirit of the invention being disclosed despite what might appear to be limiting language imposed by the requirements of referring to the specific examples disclosed. Thus, to acquaint persons skilled in the pertinent arts most closely related to the present invention, a preferred embodiment of the system is disclosed for the purpose of illustrating the nature of the invention. The exemplary method of operating the system is described in detail according to the preferred embodiment, without attempting to describe all the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied. As such, the embodiments described herein are illustrative, and as will become apparent to those skilled in the art, can be modified in numerous ways within the scope and spirit of the invention, the invention being measured by the appended claims and not by the details of the specification.

[0026] Although the following text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments, the legal scope of the description is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the end of this disclosure. The description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment since describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims.

[0027] It should also be understood that, unless a term is expressly defined herein, there is no intent to limit the meaning of that term, either expressly or by implication, beyond its plain or ordinary meaning, and such term should not be interpreted to be limited in scope based on any statement made in any section of this patent (other than the language of the claims). To the extent that any term recited in the claims at the end of this patent is referred to in this patent in a manner consistent with a single meaning, that is done for sake of clarity only so as to not confuse the reader, and it is not intended that such claim term by limited, by implication or otherwise, to that single meaning. Finally, unless a claim element is defined by reciting the word means and a function without the recital of any structure, it is not intended that the scope of any claim element be interpreted based on the application of 35 U.S.C. 112, subparagraph (f).

[0028] FIG. 1 depicts the typical components and interfaces of a manufacturing setting shown as visual elements within an energy management system comprising a graphical user interface in accordance with the present invention. In some embodiments, the user interface (101) comprises an informative message panel (102) that displays messages related to the execution of the process for the manufacturing setting, debugging tools (103) that allow the user to manipulate the components connected to the energy management system and a layout panel (105) which contains multiple components representing physical and logical functions and the components of the manufacturing setting. An energy management module (104) is integrated into the layout to enable users to view and determine the different states of energy consumption in the manufacturing setting. Based on settings, the energy management module (104) can control the amount of power consumed by the component interfaced with the controlling computer executing the energy management system.

[0029] FIG. 2 depicts an embodiment of the property panel of the energy management system. The default property panel for any component (201) in the energy management system is augmented with a property section (202) specific to the component. The maximum power available (103) for the manufacturing setting is highlighted and, in this example, is limited to 3200 Watts. The energy consumption management preset PreferredPowerMode is currently disabled, while other presets (104) are available: Throttle and Orchestrate. Accordingly, the property panel permits the user to access one or more presets which reflect or corresponding to a predetermined energy management protocol to be sent to one or more of the components.

[0030] FIG. 3 is a screenshot of an energy management module instantiated in the user interface enabled by the energy management system. Here, the manufacturing setting controls a 35-Watt electric motor driving a small conveyor and a stack light. The left-hand module (301) shows a monitoring mode which reflects a peak power consumption (303) of 36 W and an average power consumption over a cycle (304) of 7.91 Watts. The righthand module (302) shows settings of a predetermined limit not to consume more than 20 Watts by limiting the peak power consumption (307) while the average power consumption over a cycle was just over 6 Watts.

[0031] The described energy management system (or extension, addition, or plugin thereto) can be implemented within a single processing device but can also be distributed across multiple processing devices or sub-systems that cooperate in executing program instructions. Examples of processing system include general purpose central processing units, application specific processors, and logic devices, as well as any other type of processing device, combinations of processing devices, or variations thereof. Storage system can comprise any storage media readable by processing system, and capable of storing software. Storage system can include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information, such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Storage system can be implemented as a single storage device but may also be implemented across multiple storage devices or sub-systems. Storage system can comprise additional elements, such as a controller, capable of communicating with the system. Examples of storage media include random access memory, read only memory, magnetic disks, optical disks, flash memory, virtual memory, and non-virtual memory, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and that may be accessed by an instruction execution system, as well as any combination or variation thereof, or any other type of storage media. In some implementations, the storage media can be a non-transitory storage media. In some implementations, at least a portion of the storage media may be transitory. In no case is the storage media a propagated signal.

[0032] The included descriptions and figures depict specific implementations to teach those skilled in the art how to make and use the best mode. For the purpose of teaching inventive principles, some conventional aspects have been simplified or omitted. Those skilled in the art will appreciate variations from these implementations that fall within the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the features described above can be combined in various ways to form multiple implementations. As a result, the invention is not limited to the specific implementations described above, but only the claims and equivalents.

[0033] The foregoing discussion of the disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The foregoing is not intended to limit the disclosure to the form or forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description for example, various features of the disclosure are grouped together in one or more embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed disclosure requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the disclosure.

[0034] Moreover, though the present disclosure has included description of one or more embodiments and certain variations and modifications, other variations and modifications are within the scope of the disclosure, e.g., the use of a certain component described above alone or in conjunction with other components may comprise a system, while in other aspects the system may be the combination of all of the components described herein, and in different order than that employed for the purpose of communicating the novel aspects of the present disclosure. Other variations and modifications may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure. This method of disclosure is intended to obtain rights which include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps to those claimed, whether such alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter.