US 10,255,702 B2Granted

Dynamic progressive awareness

AssigneeLin and Associates, Inc.

InventorsEric F. LeBlanc, Hieu T. Nguyen

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Behavior of an industrial system is communicated to an operator through graphical representations of gauges having a scale and pointer that represent parameters of the system. The pointer is positioned relative to the scale to indicate the parameter value. In various embodiments, when the parameter value is within operating limits, a first range is displayed that corresponds to the operating limits. When the parameter value has gone outside of the operating limits, the displayed range is changed, in some embodiments, to a second range that goes beyond the operating limits. A local visual indicator is also displayed, in particular embodiments, when the parameter value has gone outside of the operating limits. In a number of embodiments, such a tool can help to make the operator better aware of abnormal parameters of the system for early detection and correction of problematic operating conditions.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A computerized method of communicating potentially abnormal behavior of an industrial system to an operator of the industrial system, the method comprising acts of:

simultaneously measuring multiple different parameters of the industrial system;
transmitting the multiple different parameters of the industrial system to a computer;
using the computer, simultaneously displaying to the operator of the industrial system multiple graphical representations of gauges representing the multiple different parameters of the industrial system;
wherein:
each of the multiple different parameters is a quantitative parameter;
each of the multiple graphical representations of the gauges represents a parameter value;
each of the multiple graphical representations of the gauges comprises a scale representing a displayed range of the quantitative parameter;
and
each of the multiple graphical representations of the gauges comprises a pointer proximate the scale;
using the computer, for each of the multiple graphical representations of the gauges, positioning the pointer relative to the scale to indicate the parameter value, wherein:
for each of the multiple graphical representations of the gauges, when the parameter value is within operating limits of the quantitative parameter, the displayed range of the quantitative parameter is a first range that corresponds to the operating limits;
using the computer, for each of the multiple graphical representations of the gauges, changing the displayed range of the quantitative parameter from the first range to a second range that goes beyond the operating limits when the parameter value has gone outside of the operating limits;
and
using the computer, for each of the multiple graphical representations of the gauges, displaying to the operator of the industrial system a first local visual indicator when the parameter value has gone outside of the operating limits wherein:
the displaying to the operator of the industrial system the first local visual indicator comprises adding a visual element to the scale;
the visual element comprises an outline of the scale;
and
the outline forms a border around one end of the scale.

15 more elements

A computer system comprising computer-readable instructions which, when executed by the computer system, cause the computer system to:

simultaneously display to an operator of an industrial system multiple graphical representations of gauges representing multiple different parameters of the industrial system, wherein:
each of the multiple different parameters of the industrial system has been measured;
each of the multiple different parameters of the industrial system has been transmitted to the computer system for displaying to the operator of the industrial system the multiple graphical representations of the gauges representing the multiple different parameters of the industrial system;
each of the multiple graphical representations of the gauges represents a parameter value;
each of the multiple graphical representations of the gauges comprises a scale representing a displayed range of the parameter;
and
each of the multiple graphical representations of the gauges comprises a pointer proximate the scale;
for each of the multiple graphical representations of the gauges, position the pointer relative to the scale to indicate the parameter value, wherein:
for each of the multiple graphical representations of the gauges, when the parameter value is within operating limits, the displayed range of the parameter is a first range that corresponds to the operating limits;
for each of the multiple graphical representations of the gauges, change the displayed range of the parameter from the first range to a second range that goes beyond the operating limits when the parameter value has gone outside of the operating limits;
and
for each of the multiple graphical representations of the gauges, display to the operator of the industrial system a first local visual indicator when the parameter value has gone outside of the operating limits wherein:
the first local visual indicator comprises an outline of the scale and the outline of the scale forms a border around one end of the scale.

10 more elements

A computerized method of communicating potentially abnormal behavior of an industrial system to an operator of the industrial system, the method comprising acts of:

measuring multiple different parameters of the industrial system;
transmitting the multiple different parameters of the industrial system to a computer for displaying to the operator of the industrial system multiple graphical representations of gauges representing the multiple different parameters of the industrial system;
using the computer, simultaneously displaying to the operator of the industrial system the multiple graphical representations of the gauges representing the multiple different parameters of the industrial system, wherein:
each of the multiple different parameters is a quantitative parameter;
each of the multiple graphical representations of the gauges represents a parameter value;
each of the multiple graphical representations of the gauges comprises a scale including a range representation of a displayed range of the quantitative parameter;
and
each of the multiple graphical representations of the gauges comprises a pointer representation proximate the range representation;
using the computer, for each of the multiple graphical representations of the gauges, positioning the pointer representation relative to the range representation to indicate the parameter value, wherein:
for each of the multiple graphical representations of the gauges, when the parameter value is within operating limits, the displayed range of the quantitative parameter is a first range that corresponds to the operating limits;
and
using the computer, for each of the multiple graphical representations of the gauges, changing the displayed range of the quantitative parameter from the first range to a second range that goes beyond the operating limits when the parameter value has gone outside of the operating limits;
and
using the computer, for each of the multiple graphical representations of the gauges, displaying to the operator of the industrial system a first local visual indicator when the parameter value has gone outside of the operating limits, wherein:
the displaying to the operator of the industrial system the first local visual indicator comprises adding a visual element to the scale;
the visual element is an outline of the scale;
and the outline forms a border around one end of the scale.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/915,709Filed 8 Mar 2018 · continuation in part
Priority: 23 May 2016
Published: US 2018/0197319 A112 Jul 2018
Granted: 9 Apr 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

G05B 23/0272
Fault communication, e.g. human machine interface [HMI]: presentation of monitored results, e.g. selection of status reports to be displayed;…
G06F 3/147
Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units: using display panels
G06T 11/10
Two-dimensional [2D] image generation: texturing; Colouring; Generation of textures or colours
G06T 11/26
Drawing from basic elements: drawing of charts or graphs