WO1998033102A1

WO1998033102A1 - Multimedia remote control

Info

Publication number: WO1998033102A1
Application number: PCT/EP1997/000506
Authority: WO
Inventors: Antonio Celso Guimaraes Teixeira; Juan Carlos Jorquera Solis; Cristian Oyaneder Sandoval
Original assignee: Alcatel Alsthom Compagnie Generale D'electricite
Priority date: 1997-01-23
Filing date: 1997-01-23
Publication date: 1998-07-30
Also published as: AU1872197A

Abstract

The objective of this invention is to provide an alternative system which offers simpler and safer operation, at a lower cost, integrating the video, automatic control and monitoring functions in the same equipment. The main components used are: PC hardware and Windows-based software, one or more cameras located on site, a video cable and a multipoint data communication network. This enables the operator to monitor and control equipment and its video cameras by means of a PC compatible computer via a multi-media integrated Window-based monitoring system. The operator simply has to select the equipment to be operated using the Trackball to click on the monitor via a video cable and the communications network with the image originating at that moment from the equipment selected, with its respective signals and commands, avoiding operational errors and thus enabling the digitised video images and sound to be integrated in real time with the monitoring functions.

Description

MULTIMEDIA REMOTE CONTROL

DESCRIPTIVE STATEMENT

FIELD OF APPLICATION:

This invention refers to a multimedia control system to provide a latest generation technical solution for remote control of site equipment used in different industrial areas, resolving the difficulties posed by monitoring in matters of safety and operational errors.

BACKGROUND TO THE SUBJECT

One of the most important problems to be resolved by industry is posed by the monitoring and control of machinery and equipment in various areas of work, whether for the risks associated with the terrain, geographical location, movement of heavy machinery, discharge of toxic gasses, cave-ins, etc.

In reality, to carry out control and supervision in different industrial fields, the traditional technical solution for remote control of equipment, is to link a closed circuit television (CCTV) system to a control system based on computers and/or programmable controllers (PLCs) . This system, however, presents problems from an operational and safety point of view, since the fact of having separate control and video circuits (NOT LINKED) means that the system cannot ensure that the current image and sound correspond to the equipment being controlled, which is a basic requirement of a good monitoring system. The risks can be enormous when it is considered that this system is in daily use for the control of underground trains, mining work, oil production, machinery control, etc., activities which necessarily require a solution which supplies information ensuring coherence between the image and the control function, thereby giving the maximum degree of safety. The solution used up to now was created for operational control of minor equipment, since in supplying information dissociated from what is occurring on site it is impossible to react rapidly to operational situations; therefore it is imperative to have a control and monitoring system which is simple to operate and which possesses the ability to generate reliable and timely information.

For this reason, the objective of this invention is to provide an alternative system which offers simpler and safer operation, at a lower cost, integrating the video, automatic control and monitoring functions in the same equipment. The main components used are: PC hardware and Windows-based software, one or more cameras located on site, a video cable and a multipoint data communication network. This enables the operator to monitor and control equipment and its video cameras by means of a PC compatible computer via a multi-media integrated Windows-based monitoring system. The operator simply has to select the equipment to be operated using the Trackball to click on the corresponding icon on screen. The system then updates each monitor via a video cable and the communications network with the image originating at that moment from the equipment selected, with its respective signals and commands, avoiding operational errors and thus enabling the digitised video images and sound to be integrated in real time with the monitoring functions .

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS:

FIG. No. 1. Block diagrams and flow charts which constitute the remote control multimedia system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As can be seen from Fig. No. 1, the invention enables equipment to be controlled remotely by means of an operating console which displays the image and information from site integrated in a multimedia environment. It is possible to have more than one operating console and more than one item of equipment to be controlled remotely connected to the system.

All commands which the operator is required to carry out, are effected by means of the Trackball which is connected to the computer, and which is used to click on the user-configured icons. This enables the following, amongst other things:

- Activation/deactivation of the equipment preselection display.

- Activation/deactivation of the equipment selection display.

- Activation/deactivation of the data window.

- Activation/deactivation of the alarm summary window.

- Pre-selection of the equipment which the operator has to use.

- Selection of the equipment to be remotely controlled.

- Switching between the cameras of the equipment being remotely controlled, each item of equipment having at least one video camera.

- Zooming in and out of the image on screen.

- Horizontal and vertical (pan and tilt) movement of the video image displayed at that moment.

In addition to the Trackball, the operator has joysticks with which he controls the movement of the remotely controlled equipment .

The user interface is based on a monitoring system for Windows, which allows signal acquisition, sending of commands, historical management of data among other things, which is integrated with the video image to complete the multimedia interface available to the user.

The following are installed in the equipment which is to be controlled remotely: a PLC, designated the local PLC, to which the signals originating from the equipment are connected, a video switch which is controlled by the local PLC and which enables selection of the desired video camera, and one or more video cameras which permit observation of the equipment from different angles .

The interconnection of items of equipment which are to be controlled remotely (local PLCs and associated video cameras) and the operating consoles is carried out via two independent networks, the first a data communications network and the second a video network, the details of which are as follows:

Data network: The data network interconnects the local PLCs with the operating consoles, allowing bi-directional data transfer to take place. This network is a multipoint network which may be of mixed topology, bus and star, and, in addition may be implemented on a fibre-optic basis.

Video network: This network, one per operating console, connects to all items of equipment to be remotely controlled, is of mixed topology, i.e. star topology with each branch being a bus. The connection of the desired camera to the network is effected by means of the video switches installed in each item of equipment, which are controlled by the local PLC which is controlled in turn by the console.

Operation: When the operator selects, by means of the user interface 8, the site equipment (6) which is to be operated, by means of the Trackball (9) connected to the PC computer (10), the following actions are initiated:

The operating console (3) establishes communication through the data network (1) with the local PLC (2) associated with the equipment (6) , verifying the communication and the status of the equipment; if the equipment is being remotely controlled by another console, the connection request is aborted, otherwise the connection process continues. This process ensures the reliability of the remote control, since it guarantees the link between console and equipment (3-6) . Once communication between the local PLC (2) and the console (3) is established, the corresponding video (7) switch is closed in order to connect the video camera (5) to the network (4) ; this guarantees that the image displayed at the interface (8) is that of the selected equipment (6) .

The console (3) now initiates a continuous local PLC (2) read/write process, obtaining the required status information, writing the operator commands and checking the state of communication. At this point, the operator can start the remote control of the equipment, monitoring its start up (9), stopping

(9), its movements (11), camera movements (8), image close-up

(8) , etc.

If the operator wishes to control another item of equipment remotely, he must request a connection to it, at which time the system will proceed to disconnect itself from the preceding item of equipment, leaving it in a safe condition and subsequently proceeding with the connection to the new equipment following the steps previously described.

Claims

A multimedia control system which takes into account a combination of physical means which fulfil known functions and a computerised application which allows the integration of video images, control and monitoring in the operation of machinery and equipment used in the field of industry, OF A DISTINCT NATURE because this combination has been configured in order to provide instantaneously the required information about what is happening with the equipment on site being controlled, ensuring with this process that the remote controlled operation is one hundred percent reliable.

A multimedia control system in accordance with claim No.

1, OF A DISTINCT NATURE because this system, properly adapted and others created for the said purpose, integrate video, automatic control and monitoring functions in the same equipment .

A multimedia control system in accordance with claim No.

2, OF A DISTINCT NATURE because it takes up a single channel or video cable per operating console for several television cameras.

A multimedia control system in accordance with claim No.

3, OF A DISTINCT NATURE because it controls the physical movements of the cameras by means of arrows displayed on the edges of the screen.

A multimedia control system in accordance with claim No.

4, OF A DISTINCT NATURE because it utilises a digitised video image on screen and embedded graphic images originating from the selected equipment. A multimedia control system in accordance with claim No.

5, OF A DISTINCT NATURE because it allows remote control of industrial equipment and its video cameras via a single PC-compatible computer screen.

A multimedia control system in accordance with claim No.

6, OF A DISTINCT NATURE because the user interface is based on a monitoring system running under Windows, which allows the acquisition of signals, sending of commands, historical management of data, which is integrated into the video image to complete the multimedia interface for the operator.