System for monitoring and controlling an industrial plant

A system for selective monitoring and controlling a plurality of assembly line processing stations organized in a plurality of control areas in an industrial plant, the system comprising:

• an electronic control and processing unit in communication with the plurality of assembly line processing stations, each processing station positioned in one of the plurality of control areas;
• one of an identification device or an access point positioned in each of the plurality of control areas and in communication with the electronic control and processing unit each of the one of an identification device or an access point has stored within it a code that uniquely identifies the respective one of an identification device or an access point;
• and
• a portable computer in selective communication with the electronic control and processing unit and the one of the identification device or access point in each of the plurality of control areas, wherein each portable computer includes a code that uniquely identifies the respective portable computer;
• the one of an identification device or an access point includes a reader operable to detect the presence of the portable computer and read the code that uniquely identifies the respective portable computer;
• the one of an identification device or an access point operable to send the code that uniquely identifies the one of an identification device or an access point to the electronic control and processing unit signalling in this way a control area where the portable computer is located;
• the portable computer operable to selectively send signals to the electronic control and processing unit to selectively monitor or control the respective processing stations in the respective control areas;
• the portable computer is operable to send a control signal to the electronic control and processing unit to control of one of the plurality of assembly line process stations positioned in the respective control area, wherein the control signal is an instruction that includes a field that identifies the portable computer that has sent a control request, a field that identifies the stations to which the control signal is addressed and a field that contains the instruction;
• and
• the electronic control and processing unit operable to execute the control signal directed to the respective processing station only on recognition by the respective identification device or access point that the portable computer is positioned in a predetermined proximity location to the respective control area for the respective processing station to be controlled.

A system for monitoring and controlling an industrial plant (1) having a plurality of assembly and/or processing stations (ST) divided into a plurality of control areas (A), said system comprising:

• a plurality of electronic control and processing units (PLC), wherein associated to each control area (A) is at least one electronic control and processing unit (PLC) for selective monitoring or control of at least one of the plurality of stations (ST) that belong to the respective control area (A);
• a communication network (LAN) that connects said electronic control and processing units (PLC) together;
• at least one human-machine-interface unit configured for selectively monitoring or controlling said stations (ST), said at least one human-machine-interface unit comprises a portable computer (TAB) having a wireless transceiver (12), wherein said portable computer (TAB) is programmed for selectively executing a plurality of functions, including global monitoring of the industrial plant (1), local monitoring of at least one of said stations (ST), or local control of at least one of said stations (ST);
• means (AP, R, SRV) configured for enabling access of said portable computer (TAB) to said communication network (LAN) through said wireless transceiver (12) in such a way that said portable computer (TAB) can selectively send at least one of monitoring or control commands to said electronic control and processing units (PLC);
• the means configured for enabling access of said portable computer (TAB) to said communication network (LAN) comprises a central computer (SRV) of a server type, wherein said portable computer (TAB) is configured to communicate with said central computer (SRV) for selectively sending said monitoring or control commands to said electronic control and processing units (PLC);
• said central computer (SRV) configured for sending the control command generated by the portable computer (TAB) and directed to the respective station (ST) only if said portable computer (TAB) and said respective station (ST) are located in the same control area (A);
• a plurality of identification devices (DK;
• AP), wherein associated to each control area is a respective identification device (DK;
• AP) for detecting the presence of said portable computer (TAB) in the respective control area (A);
• and
• said system is configured for executing the control command generated by said portable computer (TAB) and directed to the respective one of the plurality of stations (ST) only if said portable computer (TAB) and said respective station (ST) are located in the same control area (A).