SMARTWATCH AND METHOD FOR THE MAINTENANCE OPERATING AN AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGY FACILITY

Abstract

The invention relates to a smartwatch having a transmitter/receiver unit and a display unit, wherein the smartwatch is configured for receiving diagnosis notifications of a plurality of automation technology field devices by means of the transmitter/receiver unit, for analysing the received diagnosis notifications and classifying same in predefined device statuses, in particular in device statuses according to the NAMUR recommendation, as well as for displaying the classified device statuses of the field devices by means of the display unit. The invention also relates to a method for maintaining an automation technology system, in which a plurality of field devices are integrated, by means of a smartwatch according to the invention.

Claims

1-17. (canceled)

18. A smartwatch, comprising: a transmitter/receiver unit; and a display unit, wherein the smartwatch is designed to receive diagnosis notifications of a plurality of automation technology field devices via the transmitter/receiver unit, to analyze the received diagnosis notifications, to classify the received diagnosis notifications into predefined device statuses, and to display the classified device statuses of the plurality of field devices via the display unit.

19. The smartwatch according to claim 18, wherein the transmitter/receiver unit is a radio unit according to the NFC/RFID standard, according to the Bluetooth standard, or according to the WLAN standard.

20. The smartwatch according to claim 18, wherein the smartwatch is designed to display only the device statuses of those field devices of the plurality of field devices that are located geographically within a predefined distance from the smartwatch.

21. The smartwatch according to claim 20, further comprising: a locating unit for determining the current geographic position of the smartwatch, wherein the smartwatch is connected via the transmitter/receiver unit to a server which holds the currently valid location information of the plurality of field devices.

22. The smartwatch according to claim 20, wherein the smartwatch is designed to compare a signal strength of the transmitted telegrams of the plurality of field devices using the transmitter/receiver unit and to determine the distance from the smartwatch to the each of the plurality of field devices via the signal strength.

23. The smartwatch according to claim 22, wherein the smartwatch is designed to transmit to a server identification information of a field device of the plurality of field devices located within the predefined distance from the smartwatch, wherein the server is designed to identify the respective measurement location of the field device and at least one further field device associated with the respective measurement location and notify the smartwatch of the respective measurement location with the corresponding further field device, wherein the smartwatch is designed to receive diagnosis notifications of the further field device and to display the classified device statuses sorted according to the respective measurement location.

24. The smartwatch according to claim 18, wherein the smartwatch is configurable in such a way that at least one permanent field device is set, the classified device status of which is displayed at all times, irrespective of a distance between the smartwatch and the permanent field device.

25. The smartwatch according to claim 18, wherein the smartwatch is designed to output an alarm signal, including a vibration signal or an acoustic signal, to the wearer of the smartwatch as soon as a defined device status is detected by one of the plurality of field devices.

26. The smartwatch according to claim 18, wherein the smartwatch is designed to read out the diagnosis notifications of the field devices directly from the plurality of field devices via the transmitter/receiver unit.

27. The smartwatch according to claim 18, wherein the smartwatch is designed to read out the diagnosis notifications of the plurality of field devices via the transmitter/receiver unit from a server which holds the respective diagnosis notifications.

28. The smartwatch according to claim 26, wherein the smartwatch is designed to compare the classified device statuses which are based on the diagnosis notifications read out directly from the plurality of field devices with the classified device statuses which are based on the diagnosis data read out from the server, and in the event of a discrepancy to inform a wearer of the smartwatch about the discrepancy.

29. The smartwatch according to claim 18, wherein the smartwatch is designed to show the classified device statuses as symbols, which symbols differ in shape, color, and/or size depending on the device status, wherein the symbols are designed to be selectable and wherein the smartwatch is designed to access the respective field device after selection of one of the symbols and to retrieve further maintenance-relevant information from this field device.

30. The smartwatch according to claim 29, wherein the smartwatch is designed to offer a wearer of the smartwatch further query options which are sent to the field device depending on the received maintenance-relevant information of the field device.

31. The smartwatch according to claim 29, wherein the smartwatch is designed to establish, after selection of one of the symbols, a communication connection to a location assigned beforehand to the respective field device, including a help desk or a service technician.

32. The smartwatch according to claim 29, wherein the symbols are selectable with one hand via the display unit, which contains a touchscreen, and/or via a crown attached to the smartwatch that serves as an operating element.

33. The smartwatch according to claim 18, further comprising: sensor elements, including pressure sensors, humidity sensors, temperature sensors, and/or body value sensors, which detect environmental parameters of the smartwatch and/or body functions, including a blood pressure or a pulse, of a wearer, wherein the smartwatch is designed to determine the environmental parameters and/or body functions at the point in time at which a diagnosis notification is received and to link them to the diagnosis data.

34. A method for maintaining an automation technology system in which a plurality of field devices is integrated, comprising: providing a smartwatch, including: a transmitter/receiver unit; and a display unit, wherein the smartwatch is designed to receive diagnosis notifications of a plurality of automation technology field devices via the transmitter/receiver unit, to analyze the received diagnosis notifications, to classify the received diagnosis notifications into predefined device statuses, and to display the classified device statuses of the plurality of field devices via the display unit; receiving diagnosis notifications of a plurality of field devices using the smartwatch; analyzing the received diagnosis notifications using the smartwatch; classifying the received diagnosis notifications into predefined device statuses, including into device statuses according to the NAMUR recommendation; and displaying the classified device statuses of the field devices.

Description

[0031] The invention is explained in greater detail with reference to the following figures. The following is shown:

[0032] FIG. 1: an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention; and

[0033] FIG. 2: an exemplary embodiment of the representation function of the smartwatch according to the invention.

[0034] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention. In this case, a process automation system AN is shown in which three field devices F1, F2, F3 are integrated. The field devices F1, F2, F3 are in communication with a superordinate unit SU, for example a PLC or a remote I/O, via a fieldbus FB. The superordinate unit itself is connected by means of an industrial Ethernet network to the control room of the system AN, which for example comprises a workstation PC WS for controlling and/or managing the field devices F1, F2, F3.

[0035] Furthermore, the fieldbus FB is in communication with a gateway GW. This gateway GW has access to the data traffic transmitted via the fieldbus FB and transmits the accessed data, for example measured values and/or diagnosis notifications of the field devices F1, F2, F3, to a server SE. A plant asset management application, for example, is implemented on the server SE.

[0036] If an error occurs in a field device F1, F2, F3, it creates a diagnosis notification. This diagnosis notification is forwarded to the control room, wherein a service technician is then informed and is ordered to correct the problem at the affected field device F1, F2, F3.

[0037] To accelerate this process, an operator who is already in the system AN can use a smartwatch SW. This offers the possibility of directly informing the operator about the device status of the field devices F1, F2, F3. For this purpose, the smartwatch SW has a transmitter/receiver unit TU which is used for retrieving diagnosis notifications of the field devices F1, F2, F3. The transmitter/receiver unit uses the radio standard Bluetooth LE, for example.

[0038] In principle, two methods are available for retrieving the diagnosis notifications. In a first variant, the smartwatch SW connects directly to the field devices F1, F2, F3 by means of the transmitter/receiver unit TU. The field devices F1, F2, F3 themselves have a radio unit for this purpose. This is especially not the main communication interface of the respective field device F1, F2, F3 but a communication interface for establishing an additional communication channel. After the connection has been established, the smartwatch SW retrieves said diagnosis notifications from the field devices F1, F2, F3 at regular time intervals.

[0039] In a second variant, the smartwatch SW connects to the server SE. It can be provided here for the smartwatch SW to directly contact the server SE by means of the transmitter/receiver unit TU, or to contact it indirectly, for example via an access to the gateway GW. Alternatively, the smartwatch SW can also access the server SE via the Internet by means of an additional radio module. After the connection has been established, the smartwatch SW retrieves said diagnosis notifications of the field devices F1, F2, F3 from the server SE at regular time intervals. For retrieval via the Internet, the operator does not have to be in the system.

[0040] Alternatively, the smartwatch SW is designed to receive the diagnosis notifications simultaneously by means of both variants. The smartwatch SW then checks the received data against each other and outputs an alarm in case of a discrepancy between the received data from the server SE and the data received directly from the field devices F1, F2, F3.

[0041] The retrieved diagnosis notifications are analyzed by the smartwatch SW and classified into different device statuses. For example, the classification is performed using the NAMUR recommendation. The classified device statuses are then displayed on a display unit AE of the smartwatch. FIG. 2 shows an example of such a display:

[0042] A plurality of symbols SY are shown on the display unit AE of the smartwatch. Each symbol SY corresponds to a field device F1, F2, F3. The appearance of the symbols SY, i.e. their shape, color and/or size, is determined by the respective current device status of a field device F1, F2, F3. In the example shown in FIG. 2, no diagnosis notification was received for the field devices F1 and F3; thus field devices F1 and F3 have the device status normal operation. The respective symbol SY for the field devices F1 and F3 is therefore displayed inconspicuously. For field device F2, a diagnosis notification was receivedthe field device F2 receives the device status malfunction. The symbol SY for the field device F2 is enlarged, undergoes a change in shape and is arranged prominently on the display unit AE. In addition, the smartwatch outputs an alarm signal, for example in the form of an acoustic signal and/or a vibration signal.

[0043] As a result, the operator immediately receives the indication that a malfunction has occurred at the field device F2 and can move directly to it. In order to receive further information about the malfunction in advance, the operator selects the symbol SY of the field device F2. For this purpose, he uses the crown KR of the smartwatch. Then, maintenance-relevant information is retrieved from the field device F2 and displayed on the display unit AE of the smartwatch SW. In the event that the operator is not in the system and has retrieved the diagnosis notifications via the Internet, he can inform a location assigned to the field device F2, for example a service technician currently located in the system, by selecting the symbol SY of the field device F2.

[0044] In a system AN in which a plurality of field devices F1, F2, F3 are located, the display of the symbols SY assigned to the field devices F1, F2, F3 may become unclear in certain circumstances. The smartwatch SW therefore offers the possibility to display only those field devices F1, F2, F3 which are located within a defined distance from the smartwatch SW. In this case, it can be provided that the symbols of the field devices F1, F2, F3 which are located outside of the distance are only hidden. However, it can also be provided that only the diagnosis notifications of those field devices F1, F2, F3 which are located within the distance are retrieved at all. In both cases, it is possible to determine so-called permanent field devices, the device status of which is constantly displayed irrespective of the distance of the field device F1, F2, F3 from the smartwatch SW. Since the transmitter/receiver unit TU of the smartwatch SW has a finite radio range in certain circumstances, it can be provided to adapt the distance to the radio range of the transmitter/receiver unit TU.

[0045] Alternatively, in the case where a plurality of field devices F1, F2, F3 are to be shown, the symbols may be shown as points on the smartwatch. The device status is shown here as a color. As the number of field devices F1, F2, F3 increases, the points are displayed smaller. However, as a result of the color coding of the device statuses, it can be seen whether, for example, a color/device status has proven dominant, which can indicate the general state of the system.

[0046] To determine the distance, the smartwatch has a locating unit OE, for example a GPS module. The current location position is transmitted to the server SE, wherein the server holds the location information of all the field devices. The server SE then sends to the smartwatch a list of all the field devices F1, F2, F3 which are located within the distance.

[0047] Alternatively, the smartwatch determines the distance to the field devices F1, F2, F3 by means of the transmitter/receiver unit via the signal strength of the transmitted Bluetooth telegrams of the individual field devices F1, F2, F3.

[0048] The smartwatch SW according to the invention allows the operator to view the status of the field devices F1, F2, F3 at a glance. The severity of the diagnosis case, and thus the urgency for correcting it, is displayed to the operator on the basis of the classified device statuses. Due to the typically small dimensions of the smartwatch, this is a convenient method; the operator is not prevented from executing his typical everyday activities.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0049] AE Display unit [0050] AN System [0051] F1, F2, F3 Field device [0052] FB Fieldbus [0053] GW Gateway [0054] KR Crown [0055] OR Locating unit [0056] TU Transmitter/receiver unit [0057] SR Server [0058] SW Smartwatch [0059] SY Symbols [0060] SU Superordinate unit [0061] WS Workstation PC