US 12,619,222 B2Granted

Visualization of lifecycle information and management for an industrial network

AssigneeSchneider Electric USA, Inc.

InventorAlen Mehmedagic

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Abstract

Apparatuses, systems, and methods for providing enhanced visualization of lifecycle information and management for a network, such as an industrial network, enable the creation/design of a virtualized network. The virtualized network eases the physical deployment/installation of a real network by using augmented reality (AR) to enable configuration/monitoring of the network using the virtualized network and real-time and/or historical information. Performance issues may be identified and visually conveyed to a user using AR overlay. The virtualized network may be created by a user via a network layout creation tool that combines both physical and logical mappings of devices and elements. One or more AR tools may be used to add, edit, remove, and/or manipulate elements of the network model using gestures. The virtualized network may be implemented as a digital twin of the location and used to assist in the physical deployment, maintenance, and monitoring of a network at the location.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A system for monitoring an industrial network for a plant associated with the industrial network, the system comprising:

a physical model builder configured to assemble a model of the plant by acquiring digital representations associated with the plant, each digital representation corresponding to a physical network element associated with the plant;
a network model builder configured to assemble a model of the industrial network by identifying network connections between two or more of the digital representations;
a visualization module configured to create a virtualization of the industrial network based on the model of the plant and the model of the industrial network and present at least a portion of the virtualization of the industrial network on an electronic device;
and
a network operation monitor configured to acquire information regarding operation of a portion of the industrial network corresponding to the portion of the virtualization of the industrial network presented on the electronic device, and overlay the information on the portion of the virtualization of the industrial network in a graphical format;
wherein the visualization module is further configured to receive, via the electronic device, a user gesture for a digital representation in the portion of the virtualization of the industrial network presented on the electronic device, and perform a function for the digital representation corresponding to the user gesture, wherein the function performed for the digital representation corresponding to the user gesture includes presenting a network connection of the digital representation as a cross-sectional pipeline view, the cross-sectional pipeline view comprising:
a link graphical representation of a transverse cross-section of a pipeline that represents an available bandwidth of a link;
and
a plurality of stream graphical representations representing streams that utilize respective portions of the available bandwidth of the link, wherein the plurality of stream graphical presentations are presented as different pipes within the link graphical representation.

6 more elements

A method of monitoring an industrial network for a plant associated with the industrial network, the method comprising:

assembling a model of the plant by acquiring digital representations associated with the plant, each digital representation corresponding to a physical network element associated with the plant;
assembling a model of the industrial network by identifying network connections between two or more of the digital representations;
creating a virtualization of the industrial network based on the model of the plant and the model of the industrial network and presenting at least a portion of the virtualization of the industrial network on an electronic device;
acquiring information on operation of a portion of the industrial network corresponding to the portion of the virtualization of the industrial network presented on the electronic device, and overlaying the information on the portion of the virtualization of the industrial network presented on the electronic device in a graphical format;
and
receiving, via the electronic device, a user gesture for a digital representation in the portion of the virtualization of the industrial network presented on the electronic device, and performing a function for the digital representation corresponding to the user gesture, wherein the function performed for the digital representation corresponding to the user gesture includes presenting a network connection of the digital representation as a cross-sectional pipeline view, the cross-sectional pipeline view comprising:
a link graphical representation of a transverse cross-section of a pipeline that represents an available bandwidth of a link;
and
a plurality of stream graphical representations representing streams that utilize respective portions of the available bandwidth of the link, wherein the plurality of stream graphical presentations are presented as different pipes within the link graphical representation.

6 more elements

An electronic device for monitoring an industrial network for a plant associated with the industrial network, the electronic device comprising:

a processor;
a storage communicatively coupled to the processor and storing computer-readable instructions thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to:
present at least a portion of a virtualization of the industrial network based on a model of the plant and a model of the industrial network;
overlay information on operation of a portion of the industrial network corresponding to the portion of the virtualization of the industrial network presented;
and
receive a user gesture for a digital representation in the portion of the virtualization of the industrial network presented;
wherein a function corresponding to the user gesture is performed for the digital representation in response to receiving the user gesture, wherein the function includes presenting a network connection of the digital representation as a cross-sectional pipeline view, the cross-sectional pipeline view comprising:
a link graphical representation of a transverse cross-section of a pipeline that represents an available bandwidth of a link;
and
a plurality of stream graphical representations representing streams that utilize respective portions of the available bandwidth of the link, wherein the plurality of stream graphical presentations are presented as different pipes within the link graphical representation.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/203,547Filed 30 May 2023 · us provisional application
Priority: 31 May 2022
Published: US 2023/0384778 A130 Nov 2023
Granted: 5 May 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

G05B 19/41855
Characterised by the network communication: by local area network [LAN], network structure
G05B 19/41885
Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible…:…
G05B 19/4185
Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible…:…
H04L 41/122
Discovery or management of network topologies: of virtualised topologies, e.g. software-defined networks [SDN] or network function virtualisation…