AR Protocol Guidance for Air-Gapped Production Equipment
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Solution Overview
Problem
In manufacturing environments, especially in biotechnical and pharmaceutical production, there is a need for efficient manual protocol execution at production equipment that is disconnected from local area networks to prevent remote hacking, requiring real-time guidance and data capture while maintaining security and minimizing manual input errors.
Innovation Solution
A method using a mobile device and a remote computer system to provide real-time guidance by tracking the device's position relative to equipment units, presenting protocol steps in an augmented reality environment, and recording data, while utilizing geospatial and wireless connectivity to isolate the device to specific locations and upload relevant space models for accurate spatial guidance and data collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If equipment units are disconnected from local area networks to prevent remote hacking, then security is improved, but real-time guidance and data capture capabilities deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, or wearables) as intermediary components between operators and equipment units. These mobile devices run protocol applications that provide real-time guidance, spatial navigation, and data capture capabilities without requiring the equipment units themselves to be network-connected. The mobile device acts as a local computer that can connect to wireless networks while the equipment remains air-gapped, thus maintaining security while enabling digital assistance.
2Device complexity
If manual protocols are executed without digital assistance, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity and error rates deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the protocol instructions and equipment interface through the mobile device application. Instead of modifying the physical equipment or requiring complex integrated systems, the protocol steps, spatial guidance, and data entry forms are replicated as digital information on the mobile device. This virtual copy provides real-time guidance and validation without adding physical complexity to the equipment units themselves.
3Device complexity
If operators manually input data without spatial guidance, then device complexity is minimized, but measurement precision and error rates deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms through the mobile device application that provide real-time spatial guidance to operators. The system uses the device's location services and sensor data to determine the operator's position relative to equipment, provides directional guidance to the correct locations, and confirms when the operator has arrived at the proper position. This feedback loop ensures operators are guided to the correct equipment and input locations, improving data capture accuracy without requiring complex automated systems.
Data Source
AI summary
One variation of a method for assisting execution of manual protocols at production equipment includes: identifying a site occupied by a mobile device based on a geospatial location of a device; identifying a space within the building occupied by the device based on identifiers of a set of wireless access points wirelessly accessible to the device and known locations of wireless access points within the building; loading a protocol associated with an equipment unit in the space; calculating a position of the device within the space based on positions optical features, detected in a field of view of an optical sensor at the device, relative to reference features represented in a space model of the space; and, when the position of the device falls within a threshold distance of a reference location proximal the equipment unit defined in a step of the procedure, rendering guidance for the step.