Monitoring, control and tracking of remotely located machinery at scale

Abstract

A system facilitating remote monitoring and control of at least one machine by a user at a remote location. The system comprises a plurality of programmable logic controllers (PLC) in secure data comm

Description

The present invention relates to apparatus, systems and methods for the monitoring, control and tracking at scale of machinery which is located remotely from the location from which it is monitored, controlled and kept track of. It also relates to monitoring and control of energy use by equipment, in buildings and on sites where such machinery may be installed. With the advent of computer interfaces and the internet it has become possible and convenient to locate operating machinery remotely from a computer interface where the machinery can be monitored and controlled. The computer interface and machinery may be separated by the length of a factory building or by a large landmass or ocean. Whatever the distance, the internet facilitates the communication of necessary information and instructions between the machinery and the computer interface. An example of such machinery includes power generating wind turbines which are necessarily located in geographically remote locations such as large uninhabited land masses, hilltops and offshore. It can be challenging and time consuming for engineers to travel to such locations and gain safe access to such machinery. By enabling more monitoring and control of the machinery from a remote location, the difficult logistics and safety challenges associated with directly accessing such machinery can be positively addressed. Remote monitoring and control of machinery can also be advantageous when the machinery is located in a hazardous environment or processes hazardous materials, for example chemical waste processing plants or nuclear reactors. It will be understood that a system in accordance with the present invention has application in the remote monitoring and control of machines of a variety of types in a wide range of locations. The inventors have recognized a need for retrofitting remote monitoring and control systems to already installed machinery enabling the machinery operator more closely to monitor the health of such machinery and control operation of the machinery. They have further recognized the need, when fitting or retrofitting monitoring and control equipment at scale, for keeping track of the location and status of the equipment, commissioning it, deploying it on site, redeploying it elsewhere where necessary and decommissioning it at the end of its useful life, all in a convenient and cost effective way which allows the businesses responsible for the machinery and for the fitting or retrofitting of the equipment to reduce the cost and increase the accuracy and reliability of its inventory management. They have further recognized the need for such monitoring and control systems to be versatile and for businesses to be able to purchase items of monitoring and control equipment in large volumes and only later when deploying those items onto a specific project have them customized for that project. A system in accordance with the invention comprises a plurality of programmable logic controllers (PLC), each in secure data communication with a cloud-based Server, each PLC having at least one associated unique uniform resource locator (URL), each unique URL providing access to an HMI associated with the PLC, the HMI being hosted on the cloudbased Server, the cloud-based server being accessible through a generic URL and wherein the generic URL is accessible through a public data communications network from a personal device of the Authorized Person. For the purposes of this specification the term “Server” should be construed to include computer software providing server functionality whether embodied on a device or virtual. In the present context, an Authorized Person may be a specific individual, or multiple individuals performing the same role, the authorization corresponding to a role rather than a specific human individual. In an option, the generic URL may be configured to receive identification information identifying a person authorized to access one or more of the unique URLs and send access information for accessing the one or more unique URLs where identification information is verified as identifying the Authorized Person. The system may include a memory in which identification information for one or more Authorized Person is stored and the cloud-based Server is configured to match received identification information against stored identification information to verify the identity of an Authorized Person. In some embodiments, the stored identification information includes Access Level data attributed to an Authorized Person. Access Level data may specify one or more of; specific PLCs to which the Authorized Person has access, operations which the Authorized Person is authorized to perform with the PLC, one or more events which must already have occurred prior to the Authorized Person being enabled to access a specific PLC or perform a given operation with the PLC. In an embodiment, each PLC is provided with a label upon which is printed a QR code, uniquely assigned to that PLC, which when scanned with a phone, tablet or other device allows Authorized Persons to gain access to the unique URL associated with that PLC and using the cloud-server hosted HMI, to data from machinery and / or apparatus being monitored, and in some cases issue commands via PLCs whereby to operate machinery and / or apparatus being remotely controlled by the system. In use, the plurality of PLCs are provided on-site with a machine or machines the Authorized Person wishes to monitor and control from a remote location. The PLCs are installed onto the machine or machines and enabled to monitor and control parameters which reflect or affect the normal function of the machine or machines. Optionally, PLCs may additionally be installed onto apparatus for use in control, monitoring, repair or maintenance of the machine, the apparatus being provided on-site with the machine. Optionally some PLCs may be configured to control other apparatus which can be used to effect on-site repair and maintenance of the primary machine. For example, the apparatus might be a robot able to implement repairs to the machine. In another example the machinery may comprise a wind turbine or an aircraft and the apparatus might include a mobile filtration unit for the cleaning of hydraulic oil or Skydrol® hydraulic fluid used by the machine to transmit power from one component of the machine to another. It is to be understood that whilst the specification describes a simple arrangement where PLCs are individually paired with individual machines or components, it is envisaged that multiple PLCs could be associated to a single machine / component or alternatively a single PLC could be associated with multiple machines / components. Optionally some PLCs may be configured specifically to monitor the amount of electrical energy and / or other utilities such as gas and water used by machinery or in a building or on a site where the machinery is remotely located. The plurality of unique URLs is assigned to the PLCs and to one or more Authorized Persons authorized to access the PLCs. Different Authorized Persons may have access to a different one or subset of the unique URLs and / or PLCs. Depending on the type and level of their authorization, individual Authorized Persons may be provided with access to information from some or all of the PLCs for example, to issue commands and thereby control equipment via the PLCs. Such access and input of commands can be enacted through the HMI hosted on the cloud-based Server. Once the PLCs are on-site with the machine, the Authorized Person is given access to the generic URL which is provided by the cloud-based Server which functions as a web server. The generic URL may be accessible from a public web browser and may use a https protocol to send and receive data necessary to verify an Authorized Person’s identification information. The generic URL may also have an associated generic QR code which when scanned by an Authorized Person’s personal device links the Authorized Person to the generic URL. Optionally, the generic URL includes a link to an app which the Authorized Person can install on their personal device as a convenient means to communicate with the cloud-based Server, for example to receive direct messages or push notifications providing updates on the status of a given PLC or the machine with which the PLCs are associated. The cloud-based Server comprises a processor and a memory. The cloud-based Server may comprise one or more databases stored in the memory, for example the databases may include data to be matched by data supplied by an Authorized Person in order to gain access to a unique URL. In another example, a database might include Access Level data associated with an Authorized Person. The cloud-based Server may include one or more modules each configured to perform a specific function, for example modules may be provided for one or more of the following functions; verification of an Authorized Person’s identity, commissioning of a Commissioning Station and / or PLC, assembling, deploying, decommissioning, or redeploying components of the system. The means of data communication between the cloud-based Server and the PLCs may be provided by a secure network connection hosted on the cloud-based Server. Access to the unique URLs may be restricted to access through the cloud-based Server such that all monitoring and control data exchanged between an HMI and its associated PLC is via the secure network connection. Secure network connections may utilize protocols such as; Transport Layer Security (TLS), Secure Shell Protocol (SSH), Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT), VPN and / or Secure WebSockets. The generic URL may also be provided exclusively for the Authorized Person. The Authorized Person may be issued a generic QR code which when scanned by the Authorized Person’s personal device links the Authorized Person to the generic URL. In an example, the system is configured such that, by scanning the unique QR code on a particular PLC and thereby gaining access to the unique URL associated with that PLC, an Authorized Person is directed to different unique URLs depending on what stage a project managed using the system has reached. For example, an Authorized Person scanning the QR code on a PLC which has not yet been commissioned is directed to a unique URL where an HMI allowing commissioning and note-taking to take place is presented. In another example the same or another Authorized Person scanning the same QR code after the device has been commissioned will be directed to a different unique URL where they will find an HMI allowing them to deploy the PLC at a particular site, meaning that its location may be recorded and its deployed URL is associated. Any notes pertinent to the testing, commissioning and deployment are entered for retention in the cloud-based Server. In an option when an Authorized Person first accesses a URL from a personal device, a token is placed on the personal device so that the Authorized Person may be quickly recognized and granted access when accessing from that device again at a later date. In a preferred embodiment, to enable optimized commissioning of PLCs, the inventors have devised Commissioning Stations with their own unique QR Code label attached which may be a multi-URL QR code. Each Commissioning Station defines its own local area network (LAN), wired or over WiFi (or over any suitable such protocol). A Commissioning Station may itself be commissioned by linking a unique feature of its LAN, such as the internal router MAC address, to its unique QR code. Thereafter, an Authorized Person may scan the Commissioning Station unique QR code to configure an HMI screen to direct commissioning parameters to a single PLC connected to the LAN defined by the Commissioning Station, despite the PLC being one out of a multitude of PLCs with identical firmware. In the context of the present description “multi-URL QR code” refers to a single QR code which allows access to multiple URLs, this can be achieved through a variety of means known in the art. In a particular example, the QR code is a "deep" QR code. On scanning the deep QR code a user is directed to a single URL in a format that will enable most generic QR code readers to offer to open a webpage with the URL. The webpage to which the user is directed is a script which checks a database and identifies (for example based on the user and their prescribed access permissions) an appropriate URL to which the user is forwarded; either to a commissioning type HMI or live data type HMI. For both of these, the user's credentials will be verified just before accessing this secondary URL page. In this context, a Commissioning Station may typically consist of a microprocessor and a router for providing a LAN or WiFi network in a known vicinity of the Commissioning Station. The router may incorporate a modem for Internet connectivity, optionally the Commissioning Station may incorporate a modem separate from the router or the Commissioning station can connect to the Internet through an external source. To facilitate commissioning of PLCs at scale, multiple Commissioning Stations may be used in parallel and on the same premises, the connections to the Commissioning Stations may be via ethernet cable or such-like; or over WiFi where the Commissioning Station WiFi antenna is suitably shielded to ensure that only a PLC in near proximity to the Commissioning Station will be commissioned with the particular parameters set up by the Authorized Person having configured the HMI on scanning the Commissioning Station unique QR code. A Commissioning Station may be configured to monitor PLCs in its LAN and in particular to monitor when a PLC is being accessed by an Authorized Person. The Commissioning Station may further be configured to communicate to the cloud-based Server or PLC to alert an Authorized Person attempting to access a PLC to which another Authorized Person is already connected that the PLC is already being accessed. In an alternative, the Commissioning Station may be configured to block access to a PLC which is already being accessed by an Authorized Person or the Commissioning Station. The previously described arrangements prevent an Authorized Person’s inputs on a given PLC from being overridden or lost in the event a second Authorized Person were to access the same PLC at the same time. A Commissioning Station may be configured to prevent WiFi sharing in its LAN until a predefined stage of a project has been reached, for example, the Commissioning Station may be configured only to make WiFi network sharing possible after PLCs in the LAN have been commissioned. In another option a Commissioning Station may be configured to enable directed commissioning to one out of many identical PLCs. Alternatively, a Commissioning Station may be configured to enable parallel commissioning of multiple PLCs at scale. Use of multi-URL QR codes in this way provides that, on scanning the multi-URL QR code an Authorized Person is presented with an HMI which is tailored to their particular needs at a particular stage of a project for which the system is being used. Access Level and the stage a given PLC has reached in its life-cycle within a defined project will determine the HMI presented to the Authorized Person at any given point in the project. The multi-URL QR code stays with a PLC throughout the service life of the PLC to a given project and may guide Authorized Persons through multiple project stages such as; registration, testing, assembly, commissioning, deployment, redeployment and decommissioning of PLCs whilst removing a need to keep separate records of the PLCs or their status. The multi-URL QR codes may, in tandem with proprietary computer programs and databases, be created bespoke to a given project. Running in the cloud, the system is able to provide real-time asset management for the PLCs keeping track of them from the moment they are manufactured through to their eventual disposal. In an option, customers of the system with their own existing inventory and project management systems may be provided with access to the cloud-based Server in a way which allows these inventory and management systems to be updated with real-time data from the cloud-based Server. Updating may be done automatically or by providing access to authorized administrative users, to keep pace with developments in the monitoring and control project in real time as they occur. As an example, the system may be configured such that on first access to a unique URL by an Authorized Person, the cloud-based Server sends software to the associated PLC enabling the PLC to be commissioned by the Authorized Person. Once the PLC is commissioned, an associated HMI may be updated allowing a verified Authorized Person to commence deployment of the PLC and subsequently interact with the PLC remotely to monitor and control parameters which reflect or affect the normal function of the machine. Optionally, the system may be further configured such that the verified Authorized Person may remotely instigate repair and maintenance of the machine by providing appropriate instructions to the one or more PLCs. Once the Authorized Person’s identification has been verified and access to the unique URLs granted to the Authorized Person, the system may be configured to push notifications to the Authorized Person where a PLC detects a change in one or more of the parameters which reflect or affect the normal function of the machine. Thus, an Authorized Person may be alerted to a malfunction of the machine or any apparatus with which a PLC is associated promptly after a PLC detects the malfunction. An Authorized Person with an appropriate level of access may then be presented with an HMI enabling interaction with the PLC to address the malfunction. For example, the Authorized Person may be present with options to switch off the machine or a component part, restart a PLC and / or allow a software update to address the malfunction or instigate a repair of the machine or a component thereof. In an option, the multi-URL QR codes used to label the PLCs may also be applied to associated equipment which is not directly associated with the machinery. Such equipment might include power meters or electrical circuit protection devices deployed at the same time as the system. Such equipment may also be provided with multi-URL QR code labels affixed to them during the process of integrating them with the PLCs into deployable units. This allows the equipment to be kept track of in much the same way as described for the PLCs. In this way a customer using the PLCs for monitoring and control of machinery and associated apparatus are able additionally to benefit from using the system to track associated inventory equipment. In a further option, pre-existing QR code labels and bar code labels already affixed to such associated equipment may be used to keep track of the associated equipment during the process of integrating it with the PLC into deployable units. The Authorized Person deploying the PLC at a particular site is directed by an instruction on the HMI at the unique URL to scan these pre-existing QR code or bar code labels so that the identity of the associated equipment and any notes pertinent to the deployment are associated in the cloud-based Server with the PLC being deployed. To improve security of the system, QR code content may be verified by a hash string, this prohibits bad actors from creating their own QR codes with slightly altered contents. Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates schematically a system in accordance with the invention. Figure 2 illustrates schematically an Authorized Person’s interface with a system in accordance with the invention. Figure 3 illustrates schematically an Authorized Person’s interface with a system in accordance with the invention. Figure 4 illustrates data flow between an Authorized Person’s personal device and system in accordance with the invention. Figure 5 illustrates method steps performed by a cloud-based Server in accordance with the invention. Figure 6 illustrates method steps performed by a cloud-based Server interacting with an Authorized Person’s personal device and a PLC in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Figure 7 illustrates schematically a system in accordance with the invention comprising multiple Commissioning Stations. As can be seen in Figure 1, a system in accordance with the invention comprises a plurality of PLCs PLC1, PLC2, PLC3, PLC4, PLC5 each in data communication with a cloud-based Server S1. The cloud-based Server S1 hosts a secure network connection (for example but not strictly limited to; Transport Layer Security (TLS), Secure Shell Protocol (SSH), Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT), VPN and / or Secure WebSockets) which connects the cloud-based Server S1 securely with each of the PLCs PLC1, PLC2, PLC3, PLC4, PLC5. Stored in the cloud-based Server is a plurality of unique URLs URL1, URL2, URL3, URL4, URL5, each associated with a specific one of the PCLs PLC1, PLC2, PLC3, PLC4, PLC5. In use, the PLCs are installed on machine M1 or a plurality of machines M1, M2, M3, M4 allowing the PLCs, once commissioned to monitor and control parameters which reflect or affect the normal function of the machine or machines. An Authorized Person (a person authorized to monitor and / or control the operation of the machines and / or apparatus for the repair and maintenance of the machines) is enabled to access the unique URLs by connecting through a web browser or app to the cloud-based Server. Conveniently, access is provided by means of QR codes QRO, QR1 etc affixed to the PLCs. With reference to Figure 4, using a personal device PD1 incorporating a QR code reader PD2 (Step AP1), the Authorized Person is routed to the cloud-based Server S1 (Step AP2) which operates as a web server. Desirably, the web server S1 uses a https protocol or other secure protocol to send and receive data between the web server and the personal device PD1. Access to the unique URLs; URL1, URL2, URL3, URL4, URL5 may be pre-empted by an identification check wherein identification information ID of the Authorized Person is submitted to the server S1 via the personal device PD1 and verified before access is permitted to one or more of the unique URLs; URL1, URL2, URL3, URL4, URL5 (StepAP3). In an option, the verification of the Authorized Person’s identification information ID is carried out through a separate generic URL URLO. Once the Authorized Person’s identity has been verified, the generic URL URLO may provide access to one or more of the unique URLs URL1, URL2, URL3, URL4, URL5 (StepAP4). This may optionally be achieved through a plurality of additional unique QR codes QR1, QR2, QR3, QR4, QR5 each unique to one of the PLCs. The unique URL may display an HMI for the associated PLC (StepAP5). In another alternative, the Authorized Person is provided with a single QR code which may be a multi-URL QR code which is configured with time redirection or number of scans redirection enabling the Authorized Person to access a sequence of URLs in a defined order 9 from the same QR code. The first URL in the sequence (for example URLO) may require verification of the Authorized Persons identification information ID before access to the other URLs in the sequence (for example URL1, URL2, URL3, URL4 or URL5) is enabled. In the figures, for this specific embodiment unique QR codes QR1, QR2, QR3, QR4, QR5 represent time displaced, or multiple scans of a multi-URL QR code. Figure 5 illustrates data flows between a personal device PD, the cloud-based Server S1 and a PLC, for example PLC1, PLC2, PLC3, PLC4, PLC5 relating to commissioning of a PLC. A first scan of a multi-URL QR code or a generic QR code unique to the Commissioning Station prompts the Authorized Person to submit verification data. The cloud-based Server verifies the Authorized Person’s ID (Step C1). In an option, a second scan of the multi-URL QR code or of a second unique QR code may direct to a unique URL (for example URL1, URL2, URL3, URL4, URL5) which allows the Authorized Person to instruct the cloud-based Server to pass on unique credentials and upload commissioning software to one or more of the PLCs for installation (Steps C2 and C3). In another option, the HMI for a single unique URL is updated by the cloud-based Server as a project progresses and when scanning the unique QR code associated with that unique URL, the Authorized Person is presented with an HMI appropriate for the stage the project has reached. Once installation is complete (Step C4), the PLC may communicate this to the cloud-based Server S1 (Step C5). In an alternative implementation, the PLC communicates every step of the commissioning process to the cloud-based Server S1 in real time. The cloud-based Server S1 may then notify the Authorized Person that commissioning of the PLC is completed (Step C5). Such notification may be provided for example in the form of an email, text message, in-app direct message and / or a message displayed on the HMI. The Authorized Person is then enabled to interact with the PLC through the HMI using HMI PD3 on their personal device PD1 (Step C6). In another alternative, a multi-URL QR code may associate specific URLs with specific ID information of an Authorized Person. That is, the Authorized Person’s ID information is verified in a first step, and in a second step, the verified Authorized Person is provided with access to a unique URL or set of URLs assigned to that specific Authorized Person. As shown in Figure 6, multiple Authorized Persons are each able to access the cloudbased Server S1 from an Authorized Person’s personal device APD1, APD2, APD3, APD4. For example, each Authorized Person may have a responsibility for different aspects of commissioning, assembling, deploying, decommissioning and redeploying PLCs and / or monitoring, controlling, repairing and / or maintaining the machine, components of the machine or apparatus to be used to maintain or repair the machine. On accessing the Server S1, an ID verification module M1 seeks proof of identification information ID1, ID2, ID3, ID4 from an individual Authorized Person’s personal device APD1, APD2, APD3, APD4. The ID verification module may include a memory with stored Authorized Person identification information against which supplied identification information can be matched for verification. Alternatively, the verification module M1 may be configured to access an externally located verification source, for example to confirm information on an individual’s personal documentation, a business address, a company registration or the like. Identification information may alternatively be associated with a specific role within a project, for example a unique number may be used to identify any human individual who performs the specific role within the project. Once an Authorized Person has been verified by the ID verification module M1, the ID verification module communicates the verification data to a URL permissions module M2. The URL permissions module M2 includes or has access to a memory which maintains records of the unique URLs which each verified Authorized Person is permitted to visit and is configured to allow access to each unique URL exclusively to those verified Authorized Persons permitted to do so. As each URL is associated with a single PLC, the URL permissions module M2 controls which PLCs each verified Authorized Person has access to. In Figure 7, a system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention comprises three Commissioning Stations CS1, CS2, CS3 each comprising a microprocessor (not shown) and a router (not shown). Each Commissioning Station CS1, CS2, CS3 has a number of PLCs PLC1, PLC2,.......PLC15 in its vicinity. The router of each Commissioning Station CS1, CS2, CS3 connects with each PLC in its vicinity creating a LAN LAN1, LAN2, LAN3. Each Commissioning Station is provided with a unique QR code and associated unique URL or set of URLs. A cloud-based Server (not shown) is in data communication with each Commissioning Station CS1, CS2, CS3. On scanning the unique QR code associated with a Commissioning Station, an Authorized Person is connected to the associated unique URL which is hosted on the cloud-based Server. When the unique URL is first accessed, the Server is configured and programmed to present an HMI through which the Authorized Person is able to commission the Commissioning Station. Once commissioned, the Commissioning Station may in turn communicate instructions to each of the PLCs in its LAN, enabling the commissioning of the PLCs. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, from an Authorized Person’s perspective a system in accordance with the invention is accessed from an Authorized Person’s personal device PD1 which includes a QR code reader (as an example a camera on the phone) PD2 and a graphical user interface (HMI) PD3. The Authorized Person is enabled to access the unique URLs; URL1, URL2, URL3 URL4 URL5 for a given PLC; PLC1, PLC2, PLC3, PLC4, PLC5 by scanning the corresponding QR code QR1, QR2, QR3, QR4, QR5. Once accessed, the unique URLs; URL1, URL2, URL3 URL4 URL5 connect securely with the associated PLC; PLC1, PLC2, PLC3, PLC4, PLC5 through a secure network hosted on the cloud-based Server S1. On accessing a unique URL, for example URL1 in Figure 2, the cloud-based Server S1 presents an HMI for an associated PLC (PLC1 as shown in Figure 1). The HMI is displayed on the HMI PD3 of the Authorized Person’s personal device PD1 (Figure 3). Through this HMI, the Authorized Person is enabled to monitor and control the associated PLC by means of data communicated between the PLC and cloud-based Server and the cloud-based Server and personal device PD1. Thus the Authorized Person may interact with the machine directly or via on-site repair or maintenance apparatus on which a given PLC is installed. The personal device PD1 may, for example, be a lap-top computer, a tablet, a mobile phone or any other internet connected personal device enabled to read QR codes and present an HMI to the Authorized Person. The personal device may optionally embody a computer with multiple interconnected accessories providing the required functionality of a personal device PD1 in accordance with the described embodiments. In some embodiments, software specific to the commissioning by a Commissioning Station (commissioning software) may be uploaded to the cloud-based Server. Commissioning software may include firmware to be installed on PLCs in the LAN of the Commissioning Station. The commissioning software may be provided by an Authorized Person or by a third party. Access to the commissioning software is restricted by the cloud-based Server. After verification of an Authorized Person, the cloud-based Server S1 is configured to upload the commissioning software to a Commissioning Station or directly to the PLC being commissioned. The Commissioning Station installs the commissioning software and confirms installation to the cloud-based Server S1. Once installation is confirmed, the cloud-based Server updates an HMI for the Commissioning Station which may in turn update HMIs for PLCs in the LAN, an alert may then be communicated to the Authorized Person. The Authorized Person is then able to access the HMI(s) through the web server functionality of the cloud-based Server S1, for example through scanning a unique QR code a further time and display the HMI on the HMI PD3 of their personal device PD1. Other embodiments will no doubt occur to the skilled addresses without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A system facilitating remote monitoring and control of at least one machine comprising; a plurality of programmable logic controllers (PLC), each in secure data communication with a cloud-based Server, each PLC having an associated unique uniform resource locator (URL), each unique URL providing access to a human machine interface (HMI) associated with the PLC, the HMI being hosted on the cloud-based Server, the cloudbased Server being accessible through a generic URL, the generic URL configured to receive identification information identifying a person authorized to access one or more of the unique URLs and send access information for accessing the one or more unique URLs where identification information is recognized as identifying the Authorized Person, and wherein the generic URL is accessible through a public data communications network from a personal device of the Authorized Person.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising one or more Commissioning Stations, each Commissioning Station having a router which enables communication with one or more PLCs in a known geographical vicinity of the Commissioning Station via a local area network (LAN), and a means of connecting to the Internet.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein a URL is associated with a given PLC by means of a unique QR code label provided on the PLC and scanning of the unique QR code facilitates connection to the unique URL.

4. A system as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the Commissioning Station is provided with a unique QR code label and scanning of the unique QR code facilitates connection to a unique URL associated with the Commissioning Station.

5. A system as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the QR code is a multi-URL QR code.

6. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the generic URL is configured to receive identification information identifying a person authorized to access one or more of the unique URLs and send access information for accessing the one or more unique URLs where identification information is verified as identifying the Authorized Person.

7. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the cloud-based Server comprises a processor and a memory having one or more databases stored in the memory the databases(s) including data to be matched by data supplied by an Authorized Person to gain access to a unique URL.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the database(s) include Access Level data associated with Authorized Persons.

9. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the cloud-based Server includes one or more modules each configured to perform a specific function and the specific function is selected from; verification of an Authorized Person’s identity, commissioning of a Commissioning Station and / or PLC, registering, assembling, deploying, decommissioning, or redeploying components of the system.

10. A system as claimed in any of claims 2 to 9 wherein a Commissioning Station is configured to enable directed commissioning to one out of many identical PLCs.

11. A system as claimed in any of claims 2 to 9 wherein a Commissioning Station is configured to enable parallel commissioning of multiple PLCs at scale.

12. A method for the remote monitoring and control of a system according to any preceding claim installed on machinery at a location remote from an Authorized Person comprising: receiving through the generic URL, identification information provided by an Authorized Person and verifying the identification information; after verification, providing the Authorized Person access to one or more unique URLs; presenting the Authorized Person with an HMI accessible via the unique URLs; receiving instruction from an Authorized Person via the HMI; enacting the instruction within the system.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the system includes one or more Commissioning Stations and a first instruction enacted communicates commissioning software to theCommissioning Station.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein on installation of the commissioning software on the Commissioning Station, the Commissioning Station provides a LAN connectingone or more PLCs with the Commissioning Station and communicates firmware to the one or more PLCs for commissioning the PLCs.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein once all components in a LAN are commissioned the Commissioning Station communicates an update to the cloud-based Server which in turn updates the HMI for the unique URL.

16. A method as claimed in any of claims 12 to 15 wherein multiple sets of instructions are received and enacted, each set of instructions corresponding to a different stage of a project and each enactment concluding in the HMI for a unique URL being updated.

17. A method as claims in any of claims 12 to 16 wherein the Authorized Person accesses the generic URL from a personal device and on verification of the identification of the Authorized Person, the cloud-based Server places a token on the personal device allowing an Authorized Person repeated access to the unique URL from that personal device without the need to repeat the verification process.17

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