Augmented Reality Display for Remote Field Device Maintenance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In large plants and factories, maintaining field devices in distributed control systems is inefficient due to the need for workers to physically travel long distances, leading to increased burden and reduced work efficiency, and there is a risk of security breaches and poor communication quality due to changes in installation locations and surrounding radio conditions.
Innovation Solution
An information display system that uses a camera and position/attitude detection units to identify field devices within an image, allowing static and dynamic information to be overlaid on the image, enabling remote management and settings through a touch panel, reducing the need for physical presence and enhancing security by authenticating users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If workers physically travel to field device installation locations for maintenance, then reliable communication and direct device access are achieved, but work efficiency decreases and worker burden increases due to long travel distances in large plants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a visual copy of the field device by capturing an image with a camera and overlaying device information on the image display. This allows workers to access device information and perform maintenance remotely without physically traveling to the installation location, thereby improving work efficiency while maintaining communication reliability through the digital representation of the physical device
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of a camera, image processing unit, and information overlay system. This intermediary enables remote access to field device information by converting physical device state into visual information that can be viewed and interacted with from a distance, eliminating the need for direct physical presence at the device location
2Ease of operation
If workers use portable terminal devices for field device maintenance, then maintenance operations can be performed remotely, but security risks increase due to potential loss, theft, or unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements authentication mechanisms that provide feedback on user identity and authorization status before allowing access to device information and maintenance functions. This feedback loop ensures that only authorized personnel can access the system, maintaining security while enabling remote maintenance operations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal access control system that can authenticate multiple types of users and provide different levels of access based on authorization. This multi-functional authentication mechanism secures the system against unauthorized access while maintaining ease of operation for authorized workers performing remote maintenance
3Adaptability or versatility
If field devices are installed at locations with poor radio conditions, then installation flexibility is improved, but communication quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces direct wireless communication dependency with an image-based information transmission system. Instead of relying solely on radio wave quality for data transmission, the system uses camera images with overlaid information that can be viewed remotely, thereby maintaining installation flexibility while improving communication reliability in poor radio conditions
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An information display device may include: an image capturing unit configured to capture an image; a display unit configured to display the image captured by the image capturing unit; a detection unit configured to detect a position and an attitude of the information display device; an identification unit configured to identify a field device positioned in a direction of image capturing by the image capturing unit, by using a detection result of the detection unit; and a display control unit configured to cause an overlaid display on the display unit of the image captured by the image capturing unit, overlaid with at least one of static information and dynamic information regarding the field device identified by the identification unit.