REMOTE MAINTENANCE SYSTEM HAVING A MOBILE REMOTE MAINTENANCE UNIT, AND CONFIGURATION METHOD

Abstract

The invention relates to a remote monitoring system (1) comprising a technical device (2) to be maintained or operated, a mobile remote maintenance unit (3), a communications network (4) and at least one communications remote station (5). The remote maintenance unit (3) is a computer system (18) designed for mobile operation and, among other things, has a sensor interface (8), a communications interface (9) and a human-machine interface (15). A data connection (10) between the communications interface (9) of the remote maintenance unit (3) and the communications remote station (5) exists via the communications network (4). A contactlessly readable data memory (11) is provided on the technical device (2) to be maintained, in which configuration data (12) of the communications interface (9) and configuration data (13) of the communications remote station (5) are stored. Further, the mobile remote maintenance unit (3) has a reading means (14) for reading out the data memory (11). The invention further relates to a configuration method of a mobile remote maintenance unit (3) in a remote maintenance system (1).

Claims

1-25. (canceled)

26. A remote monitoring system (1) comprising a technical device (2) to be maintained or operated, a mobile remote maintenance unit (3), a communications network (4), and at least one communications remote station (5), wherein the remote maintenance unit (3) comprises a computer system (18) designed for mobile operation and at least one main processor (6), volatile and non-volatile storage means (7), a sensor interface (8) and a communications interface (9), and wherein, further, the mobile remote maintenance unit (3) has a human-machine interface (15), and wherein a data connection (10) between the communications interface (9) of the remote maintenance unit (3) and the communications remote station (5) exists via the communications network (4), and wherein a contactlessly readable data memory (11) is provided on the technical device (2) to be maintained, and wherein the mobile remote maintenance unit (3) has a reading means (14) for reading out the data memory (11), wherein configuration data (12) of the communications interface (9) and configuration data (13) of the communications remote station (5) are stored in the data memory (11), and wherein the configuration data of the communications interface (9) are designed as at least one of the group comprising network identifier, user name, password, network parameters and VPN parameters.

27. The remote maintenance system according to claim 26, wherein the data memory (11) is designed as optically readable 2D code.

28. The remote maintenance system according to claim 26, wherein the data memory (11) is designed as a wirelessly readable code element.

29. The remote maintenance system according to claim 26, wherein the data connection (10) is designed as a packet network connection.

30. The remote maintenance system according to claim 26, wherein the mobile maintenance unit (3) is connected to an audio-visual input-output device carried by the operator of the remote maintenance unit (3).

31. The remote maintenance system according to claim 30, wherein the audio-visual input-output device has an image capturing and/or an audio capturing and/or an audio output device.

32. The remote maintenance system according to claim 30, wherein, furthermore, the audio-visual input-output device has an image output device.

33. The remote maintenance system according to claim 30, wherein the reading means (14) is formed by the image capturing device.

34. The remote maintenance system according to claim 28, wherein the reading means (14) is formed by a high-frequency transmitting and receiving device.

35. The remote maintenance system according to claim 26, wherein the configuration data are designed for exclusively one-off use.

36. The remote maintenance system according to claim 26, wherein time-related and/or operator-related range information is stored in the configuration data.

37. The remote maintenance system according to claim 26, wherein the configuration data stored in the data memory (11) are encrypted.

38. The remote maintenance system according to claim 37, wherein the configuration data are encrypted with a public key of a public-key key pair, wherein the private key is stored in the computer system (18) of the mobile remote maintenance unit (3), in particular in the non-volatile storage means (7) or in a storage means which can be connected to the computer system (18).

39. The remote maintenance system according to claim 26, wherein a protocol memory is connected to the remote maintenance unit (3), wherein the connection is possibly formed by the communications network (4).

40. The remote maintenance system according to claim 26, wherein a contactlessly writable protocol memory is arranged at the technical device (2) to be maintained or operated.

41. A configuration method of a mobile remote maintenance unit (3) in a remote maintenance system (1) according to claim 26, comprising the following steps: Alignment of the reading means (14) of the mobile remote maintenance unit (3) with the data memory (11) by the operator and activation of the reading means (14); Reading of the configuration data from the data memory (11); Configuration of the communications interface (9) of the mobile remote maintenance unit (3) with the read-out configuration data of the data connection (10); Display of a data record (20) of the configuration data of the communications remote station (5) at the human-machine interface (15); Selection of the data record (20) of the communications remote station (5) at the human-machine interface (15) by the operator; Configuration of the communications interface (9) of the mobile remote maintenance unit (3) with the configuration data of the selected communications remote station (5); Establishment of the data connection (10) between the communications interface (9) of the mobile remote maintenance unit (3) and the communications remote station (5); and Transmission of audio and/or visual information packets (22) between the communications remote station (5) and the remote maintenance unit (3), in particular display and/or recording at the human-machine interface.

42. The configuration method according to claim 41, wherein, on completion of the remote maintenance, the data connection (10) is dismantled and the configuration data are deleted from the remote maintenance unit (3).

43. The configuration method according to claim 41, wherein access by the operator to the configuration data stored in the remote maintenance unit (3) is made impossible by means of access restrictions.

44. The configuration method according to claim 41, wherein, in the alignment step, the remote maintenance unit (3) is moved by the operator into the vicinity of the data memory (11).

45. The configuration method according to claim 41, wherein the read-out configuration data are decrypted with the private key stored in the storage means (7) of the remote maintenance unit (3).

46. The configuration method according to claim 41, wherein, at least before establishing the data connection (10), an authentication of the operator of the remote maintenance unit (3) is carried out.

47. The configuration method according to claim 46, wherein an identification of the authenticated user is stored in the protocol memory.

48. The configuration method according to claim 41, wherein at least some of the transmitted audio and/or visual information packets (22) are stored in the protocol memory.

49. The configuration method according to claim 41, wherein sensor and/or actuator data are transmitted via the data connection (10).

Description

[0041] In the drawings, in each case in greatly simplified schematic form:

[0042] FIG. 1 shows the remote maintenance system in question;

[0043] FIG. 2 shows the basic steps for configuring the remote maintenance unit in question.

[0044] FIG. 1 shows the remote monitoring system 1 in question, comprising a technical device 2 to be maintained or operated, a mobile remote maintenance unit 3, a communications network 4 and at least one communications remote station 5. The remote maintenance unit 3 has at least one main processor 6 as well as volatile and non-volatile storage means 7. Further, the remote maintenance unit 3 has a sensor interface 8 and a communications interface 9. Between the communications interface 9 of the remote maintenance unit 3 and the communications interface 5 is a data connection 10. A contactlessly readable data memory 11 is provided on the technical device 2 to be maintained, in which data memory 11 configuration data 12 of the communications interface 9 and configuration data 13 of the communications remote station 5 are stored. The remote maintenance unit 3 has a reading means 14 for reading out the configuration data 12, 13. For interaction with the operator, the remote maintenance unit 3 also has a human-machine interface 15 which is preferably formed by a screen, in particular by a contact-sensitive screen. A plurality of sensors 16 can be connected to the sensor interface 8, which sensors can be designed, for example, for recording physical quantities and/or be optical sensors, for example thermographic or endoscopic cameras.

[0045] The communications network can be designed as any packet-oriented communications network which supports the Internet protocol (IP, preferably TCP/IP). A multiplicity of different wireless and cabled communications networks or communications media can therefore be used, so that with very great probability it can be assumed that a communications network of this kind will be available at the maintenance location and the remote maintenance unit will connect to the communications network and be able to establish a data connection.

[0046] The communications remote station 5 will in most cases be a computer system which is operated by a specialist and preferably has full access to all resources of the manufacturer of the component to be maintained. Because of the data connection 10 which has been established, the location at which the communications remote station 5 is situated is of no importance, so that the main advantage for the manufacturer of the component is that the specialists for the system to be maintained can be based centrally or in the vicinity of the manufacturer and, in spite of this, the response time for the customer is very fast.

[0047] FIG. 2 shows schematically a process sequence of the method in question for configuring a mobile remote monitoring unit 3 in a remote monitoring system 1 in question. In a first step 17, the reading means 14 is brought by the operator of the remote maintenance unit 3 into the vicinity of the technical device 2, in particular into the vicinity of the data memory 11, and, after activating the reading means 14, the data memory 11, in particular the configuration data 12 of the communications interface 9, is/are read out. The instructions contained in the configuration data 12 are decoded by the computer system 18, and the communications interface 9 is then parameterized with the appropriate parameters for accessing the communications network 4. In this way, a data connection can be established to the communications network 4, for example in order to be able to access Internet resources.

[0048] The configuration data 13 of the communications remote station 5 can also be read out at the same time as reading out the configuration data 12 of the communications interface in the first step 17, wherein this is also possible in a subsequent second step 19. These configuration data 13 are also decoded and analyzed by the computer system 18 and a data record 20 therefrom displayed on the human-machine interface 15.

[0049] In a third step 21, one of the displayed data records 20 is selected by the operator, whereupon the communications interface 9 is configured by the computer system 18 with the selected data record 20, and a data connection 10 between the communications interface 9, and therefore the remote maintenance unit 3, and the selected communications remote station 5 is established thereby.

[0050] The remote maintenance then begins and audio and/or visual information packets 22, and possibly data packets with sensor, actuator and control data, are exchanged between the remote maintenance unit 3 and the communications remote station 5.

[0051] On completion of the remote maintenance session, the configuration data 12, 13 are deleted from the communications interface 9, thus guaranteeing that security-related access data do not leave the company of the operator of the technical device 2.

[0052] The particular advantage of the configuration method in question or the remote maintenance system in question now lies in that an operator with basic technical knowledge is in a position to carry out maintenance on a technical device 2, as the operator is supported by an external specialist at an external communications remote station 5, connected to the remote maintenance unit 3. For the external specialist at the communications remote station 5 the advantage consists in that he has full access, also physical access, to the technical device 2 to be maintained without having to be on site in person. For the operator of the plant or the technical device 2, there is the particular advantage that the response time to rectify a fault or to carry out maintenance of the technical device is very short. Furthermore, it is of advantage that the operator of the remote maintenance unit 3 does not have to bother with parameterization or the establishment of the data connection 10, as this occurs automatically and without his assistance by reading out and incorporating stored configuration data. For the operator of the plant, there is a further advantage that sensitive access data to an internal company communications network do not have to be disclosed and, if necessary, it can be ensured that these access data are not able to leave the industrial premises of the technical device.

[0053] In conclusion, it should be noted that identical parts in the different embodiments described are assigned the same references or the same component designations, wherein the disclosures contained in the overall description can be conferred analogously on identical parts with the same references or same component designations. The positional information chosen in the description, such as, for example, top, bottom, side, etc., relates to the figure directly described and shown, and in the event of a positional change, this positional information is to be conferred analogously on the new position.

[0054] The exemplary embodiments show possible design variants of the remote maintenance system and of the configuration method, wherein at this point it should be noted that the invention is not restricted to the specially shown design variants thereof, but rather various combinations of the individual design variants with one another are also possible and, based on the teaching relating to the technical activity due to the present invention, this variation option lies within the ability of the person skilled in the art in this technical field.

[0055] Furthermore, individual characteristics or combinations of characteristics from the different exemplary embodiments shown and described can also constitute independent, inventive solutions or solutions according to the invention in their own right.

[0056] The object on which the independent inventive solutions are based can be seen from the description.

[0057] All particulars of value ranges in the present description are to be understood such that they include any and all sub-ranges thereof, e.g., the information 1 to 10 is to be understood such that all sub-ranges, starting from the lower limit 1 and the upper limit 10 are included, i.e., all sub-ranges beginning with a lower limit of 1 or greater and ending at an upper limit of 10 or less, e.g., 1 to 1.7, or 3.2 to 8.1, or 5.5 to 10.

[0058] Above all, the individual embodiments shown in the figures can form the subject matter of independent solutions according to the invention. The related objects and solutions according to the invention can be found in the detailed descriptions of these figures.

[0059] Finally, as a matter of form, it should be pointed out that, for better understanding of the design of the remote maintenance system and of the configuration method, these or their constituent parts have to some extent been shown not-to-scale and/or enlarged and/or reduced.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0060] 1 Remote monitoring system [0061] 2 Technical device [0062] 3 Remote maintenance unit [0063] 4 Communications network [0064] 5 Communications remote station [0065] 6 Main processor [0066] 7 Storage means [0067] 8 Sensor interface [0068] 9 Communications interface [0069] 10 Data connection [0070] 11 Data memory [0071] 12 Communications interface configuration data [0072] 13 Communications remote station configuration data [0073] 14 Reading means [0074] 15 Human-machine interface [0075] 16 Sensors [0076] 17 First step [0077] 18 Computer system [0078] 19 Second step [0079] 20 Data record [0080] 21 Third step [0081] 22 Information packets