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US 6,211,905 B1Granted
System for monitoring a continuous manufacturing process
OwnerRobert J. Rudt, Leonard F. Fiore +1inventors
InventorsRobert J. Rudt, Leonard F. Fiore, Kenneth D. Grapes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention relates to a system for monitoring a process which includes a plurality of monitoring means such as video camera which collects data relative to the process. The collected data is converted into a digital format and the digitized data stored in digital data storage device such that as new data is stored earlier stored data is removed to maintain about the same volume of stored data. The system also includes a control such as a computer which communicates with the digital data storage device. In the event of a deviation from a process parameter, the control is adapted to extract and display the digitized data corresponding to the deviation.
Claims47
A monitoring system for continuously monitoring a process comprising:
- a plurality of monitoring means for continuously monitoring a pre-determined characteristic of the process and collecting monitored data, each monitoring means addressing a different location of interest of said process, and capable of monitoring and collecting real time data relative to said location;
- data converting means for converting said output data into digitized data;
- digital data storage means capable of storing segments of said digitized data, each of said segments comprised of a plurality of digitized data clips, said segments and said clips of predetermined lengths which cover the operations of said process at a relevant location over a predetermined period of time, said digitized data segments being stored such that as new digitized data is stored in said segment, the earliest prior stored digitized data in said segment is displaced from said segment to maintain said segment at said pre-determined length;
- and
- control means for controlling said monitoring system, said control means in communication with said digital data storage means and capable of extracting one or more digitized data clips according to predetermined criterion to form one or more extracted clips, and capable of displaying said extracted clips.
2 more elements
A monitoring system for monitoring the manufacture of a continuous web of paper having one or more pre-determined characteristics in a paper manufacturing machine comprising:
- a plurality of monitoring means which comprises one or more video cameras for monitoring the paper web, each monitoring means addressing the paper web at a different location of interest along the paper manufacturing machine and capable of producing a video image of the paper web at the location;
- digital converting means for converting the video image into a digitized video signal;
- digital data storage means capable of receiving said digitized video signal and storing digitized segments thereof, each of which comprises a plurality of digitized clips, said digitized segments and clips of a predetermined length covering real time operation of said machine, said digitized segments being stored such that the earliest prior stored digitized data in said segment is displaced as new digitized data, is stored in said segment to maintain said stored segment at said predetermined length;
- Computer control means for controlling the operations of said system, said means in communication with said digital data storage means and capable of controlling same, said computer control means in communication with a distributive control system for controlling said machine, said system having one or more deviation detectors for detecting deviations from predetermined characteristics as said paper web passes through said machine said control system capable of communication process master time and date information to said computer control system;
- and
- one or more video monitors in communication with said computer control means and capable of displaying the image of digitized video signals under the control of said computer control means;
- wherein on occurrence of a deviation from the predetermined characteristics of said web, said distributive control system transmits a deviation signal comprising the time, date and location of said deviation event to said computer control means, and in response thereto said computer control means identifying the digitized data segment corresponding to said deviation event, extracting the deviation event clip, the preceding clip preceding said break event clip to form a display clip and displaying said display clip on a video monitor.
4 more elements
A monitoring system for continuously monitoring a process comprising:
- a plurality of monitoring means for continuously monitoring a pre-determined characteristic of the process and collecting monitored data, each monitoring means addressing a different location of interest of said process, and capable of monitoring and collecting real time date relative to said location;
- data converting means for converting said collected data into digitized data;
- digital data storage means for storing segments of said digitized data, and each of said segments comprised of one or more digitized data clips, said segments and said clips of predetermined lengths which cover the operations of said process over a predetermined period of time, said digitized data segments being stored such that as new digitized data is stored in said segment, earlier prior stored digitized data in said segment is removed from said segment to maintain said segment at or about said pre-determined length;
- and
- at least one computer in communication with said digital data storage means, and configured to extract a deviation digitized data from one or more of said segments of digitized data after receipt of a signal of a deviation from said predetermined characteristics, and further configured to display said extracted deviation digitized data.
2 more elements
A monitoring system for continuously monitoring a process for the manufacture of a product comprising a continuous web of paper, said system comprising:
- a plurality of monitoring mean comprising a plurality of video cameras for monitoring a predetermined characteristic of the process and collecting monitored data, said cameras addressing locations of interest of said process and said cameras for producing video images relative to said locations;
- digital data converting means for converting said video images into digitized video signals;
- digital data storage means for receiving said digitized video signals and for storing segments of said digitized video signals, said segments which cover the operations of said process over a predetermined period of time, said digitized video signals being stored such that as new digitized video signals are stored in a segment, earlier prior stored digitized video signals in said segment are removed from said segment to maintain said segment at or about a predetermined length;
- and
- at least one computer in communication with the digital data storage means, and configured to receive a deviation signal in the event of a deviation from said predetermined characteristics and to extract a deviation digitized video signal from at least one of the segments of digitized video signals after the deviation signal is received, and further configured to display the extracted deviation digitized video signal.
2 more elements
A monitoring system for continuously monitoring a process for the manufacture of a product comprising a continuous web of paper, said system comprising:
- a plurality of video cameras positioned at locations of interest in the process and configured to produce video images of the locations of interest so to monitor a predetermined characteristic of the process;
- at least one digital data converter in communication with the plurality of video cameras and configured to convert the video images into digitized video signals;
- at least one digital data storage device in communication with the at least one digital data converter and configured to receive and store the digitized video signals as segments so that as new digitized video signals are added, earlier prior stored digitized video signals are removed in order to maintain the segments at or about a predetermined length;
- and
- at least one computer in communication with the at least one digital data storage device and the plurality of deviation detectors, and configured to extract a deviation digitized video signal from at least one of the segments of digitized video signals after the deviation signal is received, and further configured to transmit the extracted deviation digitized video signal for display.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.