Extended Reality Playback for Infrastructure Event Sequence Verification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current infrastructure monitoring systems lack the ability to visually simulate or display events as they occurred in the past, limiting troubleshooting and sequencing capabilities for equipment faults and failures.

Innovation Solution

An extended reality monitoring and control system that combines real-time event data with media content to create a continuous playback of events, allowing users to select viewpoints and compare sequences against known good sequences, using a combination of videos, images, and computer-generated representations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If traditional event log systems are used to track equipment faults and failures, then data can be stored and analyzed, but visual simulation and playback of events as they occurred cannot be provided

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveEvent visualization capabilityVSAvoidSystem architecture
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates visual copies of equipment and events through 3-D animated models that replicate the appearance and behavior of actual infrastructure equipment. These digital models serve as visual representations that can display events as they occurred, transforming abstract event log data into concrete visual simulations without requiring physical replicas of the equipment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary layer between the event log data and the user interface. This intermediary consists of 3-D animated models and media content that translate raw event data into visual narratives. The intermediary processes event sequences and presents them as immersive visual playbacks, bridging the gap between data storage and visual visualization capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If detailed event data is stored for future analysis, then troubleshooting capability is improved, but the ability to provide immersive visual playback is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveTroubleshooting capabilityVSAvoidVisual event representation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions event data from a two-dimensional representation (text-based event logs) to a three-dimensional visual experience through 3-D animated models. This dimensional transformation allows users to view events from multiple angles and perspectives, providing immersive visual playback that enhances troubleshooting by making event sequences spatially and temporally explicit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms event data parameters from abstract numerical and textual values into visual parameters such as model positions, animations, and media content sequences. By changing the parameter representation from data-driven to visualization-driven, the system enables immersive playback while preserving the detailed event information needed for troubleshooting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If event logs are aggregated and analyzed using traditional methods, then fault identification is possible, but sequential playback and viewpoint selection cannot be implemented

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveEvent analysis accuracyVSAvoidUser interaction capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system transforms static event log analysis into a dynamic visual playback experience. Users can interact with the 3-D models and event sequences in real-time, selecting different viewpoints and controlling playback speed. This dynamic approach maintains analytical precision while significantly improving ease of operation through intuitive visual interfaces and interactive controls.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3992741A1Extended reality playback of events for manufacturing, installation, operation, maintenance and repair of infrastructure equipment
Publication Date: 2022.05.04 ASCO POWER TECHNOLOGIES LP
  • EP3992741A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3992741A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3992741A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

System and methods for monitoring and control infrastructure equipment uses extended reality playback to monitor such infrastructure equipment. The system and method advantageously blends videos and images of physical equipment with computer-generated representations of events to enable playback of the events, including any user interactions with the equipment. The extended reality playback presents events captured by real-time event logs for the infrastructure equipment using extended reality media content. The playback is composed of a real-time sequence of media content depicting one or more equipment operations corresponding to the events as a continuous presentation. The real-time sequence can then be displayed in real time and stored for subsequent playback at any time by a user. The real-time sequence can also be compared to a verified "golden" sequence to detect errors in the infrastructure equipment.