Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated

Joseph A Harkulich

Rainer Hessmer

Jessica Lin Korpela

Juan Asenjo

Edward Alan Hill

John Strohmenger

Bradford Henry Hegrat

John Dyck

Jenifer Rydberg Wright

Stephen Nawalaniec

Douglas J Reichard

Sujeet Chand

David W Farchmin

Douglas C Lawson

Sal Conti

Michael John Pantaleano

Salvatore T Conti

Matthew Robert Ericsson

Ashish Anand

Kurt A Helfrich

A cloud-based simulation generation service collects industrial data from multiple industrial customers for storage and analysis on a cloud platform. The service employs a simulation generator component that analyzes data to facilitate generating a simulation model that simulates an industrial automation system, including simulating or emulating industrial devices, industrial processes, other industrial assets, or network-related assets or devices, and their respective interrelationships with each other. The simulation generator component also analyzes modification data to facilitate generating a modified simulation model that simulates the industrial automation system based on the modification. The simulation generator component performs operation simulations using the simulation model or modified simulation model to facilitate determining whether making the modification is appropriate, determining or predicting performance of a modified industrial automation system, determining compatibility of a modification with an industrial automation system, or determining or predicting performance of the industrial automation system when processing a work order.

Using cloud-based data for industrial simulation

A cloud-based performance enhancement service captures and collects data relating to interactions of users with industrial automation systems of multiple industrial customers for storage and analysis on a cloud platform. The service employs a performance enhancement component that analyzes the data to facilitate determining correlations between certain user interactions and favorable performance of an industrial automation system, determining user interactions that are less favorable or unsafe, determining alternative actions that a user can take to achieve a same or similar preferred operational result, generating recommendations relating to the alternative actions, determining or designing components or techniques that can automate a preferred user action, determining improved user assignments in connection with the industrial automation system, and/or generating training modules or presentations based on preferred user actions that can be used to train users to more efficiently interact with an industrial automation system to achieve improved system performance.

Using cloud-based data for industrial automation system training

A cloud gateway for coupling an industrial system to a cloud platform is provided. The cloud gateway collects data from one or more industrial controllers, meters, sensors, or other devices comprising an industrial automation system. The cloud gateway optionally performs additional transformations on the data to add context, summarize, filter, reformat, and/or encrypt the data. The cloud gateway then sends data to a cloud platform for use by one or more cloud-based applications or services. The cloud gateway can facilitate cloud-based data collection from both fixed-location and mobile industrial systems. The cloud gateway can also support store-and-forward logic, allowing industrial data to be temporarily stored in local storage in the event that communication between the cloud gateway and the cloud platform is disrupted.

Cloud gateway for industrial automation information and control systems

A cloud-based operator interface system is provided that runs as a cloud service on a cloud platform. The cloud-based operator interface system collects industrial data from one or more industrial systems via respective cloud gateway devices. A set of predefined operator interface screens are stored on cloud storage associated with the operator interface system, and delivered to authorized Internet-capable client devices upon request. The industrial data received from the cloud gateways can be delivered to the client devices from the cloud platform via the operator interface screens. Additional cloud-side services can correlate and analyzes the industrial data on the cloud platform to facilitate additional reporting, alarming, and notification features.

Cloud-based operator interface for industrial automation

A cloud-based virtualization generation service collects industrial-automation-system-related data from multiple industrial automation systems of multiple industrial customers for storage and analysis on a cloud platform. A virtualization management component analyzes the data and generates a virtualized industrial automation system of the industrial automation system based on the analysis results. The virtualization management component updates the virtualized industrial automation system based on operation of, and user interactions with, the industrial automation system. The virtualization management component receives user interactions with the virtualized industrial automation system to facilitate remotely interacting with and/or controlling the industrial automation system and/or generates corresponding control signals that it sends to the industrial automation system to facilitate controlling operation of the industrial automation system. The virtualization management component also customizes a user's view of the virtualized industrial automation system based on user's role, authorization, or location.

Using cloud-based data for virtualization of an industrial machine environment

Techniques to facilitate assistance to a user of an industrial application associated with an industrial automation environment are disclosed herein. In at least one implementation, a graphical user interface (GUI) associated with the industrial application is displayed on a display system of a computing system. The computing system collect contextual information comprising data associated with the industrial application. A help session is initiated with an assisting entity from within the industrial application, and the contextual information is transferred for delivery to the assisting entity.

Data collection for assistance in an industrial automation environment

Cloud-aware industrial devices feed robust sets of data to a cloud-based data analyzer that executes as a service in a cloud platform. In addition to industrial data generated or collected by the industrial devices, the devices can provide device profile information to the cloud-based analyzer that identifies the device and relevant configuration information. The industrial devices can also provide customer data identifying an owner of the industrial devices, contact information for the owner, active service contracts, etc. The cloud-based data analyzer leverages this information to perform a variety of custom analytics on the data and generate reports or notifications catered to the particular industrial assets' optimal performance and business goals of the owner's industrial enterprise, as well as perform real-time decision making and control.

Industrial data analytics in a cloud platform

A cloud-based virtualization generation service collects industrial data from multiple industrial automation systems of multiple industrial customers for storage and analysis on a cloud platform. A virtualization management component (VMC) generates a virtualized industrial automation system of an industrial automation system based on data analysis results. The VMC facilitates remotely controlling the industrial automation system based on user interactions with the virtualized industrial automation system, and updates the virtualized industrial automation system based on collected data relating to the industrial automation system. The VMC customizes a user's view of the virtualized industrial automation system based on a user's role, authorization, location, or preferences, wherein different views of the virtualized industrial automation system with different data overlays are presented on different communication devices of different users. The VMC enables a user to filter data of a virtualized view and share information, including virtual notes, with other users.

Using cloud-based data for virtualization of an industrial automation environment with information overlays

A cloud-aware smart device that facilitates automated configuration and integration of the device within an automation system is provided. Upon installation within the automation system, the smart device determines its geographical location, identifies other devices on the system, and determines its role within the system. The smart device then establishes communication with a cloud platform running one or more cloud-based applications or services and sends a device profile containing the gathered information to the cloud platform. The device profile can be used to automatically configure the device for operation within the system or to add the smart device to an existing cloud-based application.

Growing community of inventors

Willoughby, OH, United States of America

Joseph A Harkulich