Indicator Light Image Interpretation for Industrial Device Status

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Solution Overview

Problem

Indicator lights on industrial control devices can be difficult for human operators to interpret, especially when they convey complex or nuanced information, as the legends may be small and cryptic, and multiple devices with varying patterns of lights can confuse operators responsible for monitoring multiple control devices.

Innovation Solution

An indicator light interpretation device that uses image processing to identify and analyze indicator lights, determining their characteristics and interpreting the information they convey, thereby presenting this information to operators in a clear and reliable manner.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If indicator lights are used instead of text displays, then device size is reduced and cost is lowered, but the interpretability and clarity of information conveyed deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay sizeVSAvoidinformation interpretability
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

A camera serves as an intermediary device to capture images of the indicator lights, and image processing algorithms act as a mediator to analyze these images and translate the light patterns into readable status information, thereby bridging the gap between compact indicator lights and clear information presentation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The manual interpretation process by operators is replaced with an automated optical system using a camera to capture and image processing algorithms to analyze the indicator light patterns, substituting human visual interpretation with machine-based image analysis to improve clarity and reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Loss of information

If multiple indicator lights with varying patterns are used to convey complex information, then information capacity increases, but the difficulty of detection and measurement increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation capacityVSAvoidpattern interpretation difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

Image processing algorithms serve as an intermediary to systematically analyze complex light patterns, breaking down the interpretation task into detectable features such as color, intensity, position, and temporal patterns, thereby making the detection and measurement of complex information feasible

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system analyzes multiple parameters of the indicator lights including color wavelength, light intensity, spatial position, and temporal variation patterns, transforming the complex information into distinct measurable parameters that can be reliably detected and differentiated

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If operators manually interpret indicator lights, then device complexity is minimized, but productivity and monitoring efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidmonitoring efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-interpretation by automatically capturing images of the indicator lights and processing them through algorithms that autonomously determine the device status, eliminating the need for operator intervention in the interpretation process and thereby improving monitoring efficiency without significantly increasing device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2863283B1Interpretation of indicator lights on an electronic device
Publication Date: 2021.10.13 ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECH INC
  • EP2863283B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2863283B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2863283B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

An indicator light interpretation device and method for indicator lights of an electronic device are provided. The indicator light interpretation device in one example embodiment includes a storage system configured to store one or more device images of an electronic device and a processing system coupled to the storage system, with the processing system configured to process the one or more device images, with the one or more device images including one or more indicator lights, identify the electronic device from the one or more device images, identify one or more indicator lights in the one or more device images, and generate indicated information for the electronic device from the one or more indicator lights.