System and method for physical machine monitoring and analysis

Abstract

A machine monitoring method, preferably including: receiving packets supplied to a physical machine; virtually simulating physical machine operation using a digital duplicate of the physical machine and the packets; analyzing the virtual outputs of the virtual simulation; and/or transmitting the analysis results to a remote device. A machine monitoring system, preferably including one or more of: a data analyzer, a database of digital component modules, digital analysis modules, digital machines, digital analysis models, and/or recognition modules.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for physical machine monitoring, comprising:
 determining a one-to-one association between a physical component and a virtual component, wherein a physical machine comprises the physical component;   at a data analyzer, receiving a set of instructions transmitted on a real-time deterministic communications network from a controller to the physical component, wherein the physical machine comprises the controller and does not comprise the data analyzer;   for each instruction of the set:
 at the data analyzer, determining that the instruction is associated with the physical component; and 
 in response to determining that the instruction is associated with the physical component, associating the instruction with the virtual component based on the one-to-one association; 
   in response to associating each instruction of the set with the virtual component, determining a simulated state of the physical component, comprising simulating operation of the virtual component based on the set of instructions; and   based on the simulated state of the physical component, determining that an event associated with physical machine operation has occurred.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein simulating operation of the virtual component based on the set of instructions comprises, for each instruction of the set: in response to receiving the instruction, simulating operation of the virtual component based on the instruction. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a first instruction of the set is an instruction for physical component motion; and   simulating operation of the virtual component based on the set of instructions comprises altering a simulated position of the virtual component based on the first instruction.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein, after altering the simulated position, the simulated position is substantially identical to a position of the physical component. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein determining that an event associated with physical machine operation has occurred comprises:
 after altering the simulated position, determining that the simulated position is within a geofence associated with product rejection; and   based on determining that the simulated position is within the geofence, determining that a product rejection event has occurred, wherein the event is the product rejection event.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the physical machine comprises an access control device associated with a region for material loading;   determining the simulated state comprises determining that the region for material loading has been in an accessible state for more than a threshold period of time; and   based on determining that the region for material loading has been in the accessible state for more than the threshold period of time, determining that a material loading event has occurred, wherein the event is the material loading event.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the physical component is associated with a destination address;   receiving the set of instructions comprises, for each instruction, receiving a respective frame, wherein the respective frame comprises the instruction and the destination address; and   for each instruction, determining that the instruction is associated with the physical component is performed based on the destination address.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein determining the one-to-one association is performed based on the destination address and an instruction of the set. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the real-time deterministic communications network is a fieldbus network. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, before determining the simulated state:
 classifying the virtual component as an unknown component type;   determining an observed output of the physical machine; and   after classifying the virtual component as the unknown component type, classifying the virtual component as a first component type based on the observed output and an instruction of the set;   
       wherein the physical component is a component of the first component type. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a second one-to-one association between a second physical component and a second virtual component, wherein the physical machine comprises the second physical component;   at the data analyzer, receiving a second set of instructions transmitted on the real-time deterministic communications network from the controller to the second physical component;   for each instruction of the second set:
 at the data analyzer, determining that the instruction is associated with the second physical component; and 
 in response to determining that the instruction is associated with the second physical component, associating the instruction with the second virtual component based on the second one-to-one association; 
   in response to associating each instruction of the second set with the second virtual component, determining a simulated state of the second virtual component, comprising simulating operation of the second virtual component based on the second set of instructions; and   based on the simulated state of the second virtual component, determining that a second event associated with physical machine operation has occurred.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at the data analyzer, after receiving the set of instructions, receiving a second set of instructions transmitted on the real-time deterministic communications network from the controller to the physical component;   determining an updated simulated state of the virtual component, comprising simulating operation of the virtual component based on the simulated state and the second set of instructions;   based on the updated simulated state of the virtual component, determining that a second event associated with physical machine operation has occurred.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the event is associated with product completion;   the second event is associated with product completion; and   based on determining that the event and second event have occurred, determining a rate of product completion associated with the physical machine.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each instruction of the set propagates on the real-time deterministic communications network to the physical component substantially without delay. 
     
     
         15 . A method for physical machine monitoring, comprising:
 determining a first one-to-one association between a first physical component and a first virtual component, wherein a physical machine comprises the first physical component;   determining a second one-to-one association between a second physical component and a second virtual component, wherein the physical machine comprises the second physical component;   at a data analyzer, receiving a set of instructions transmitted from a controller, wherein the physical machine comprises the controller and does not comprise the data analyzer, wherein the set of instructions comprises:
 a first subset transmitted from the controller to the first physical component; and 
 a second subset transmitted from the controller to the second physical component; 
   at the data analyzer, for each instruction of the first subset, determining that the instruction is associated with the first physical component;   at the data analyzer, for each instruction of the second subset, determining that the instruction is associated with the second physical component;   determining a simulated state of the physical machine, comprising:
 for each instruction of the first subset, in response to determining that the instruction is associated with the first physical component, simulating operation of the first virtual component based on the instruction and the first one-to-one association; and 
 for each instruction of the second subset, in response to determining that the instruction is associated with the second physical component, simulating operation of the second virtual component based on the instruction and the second one-to-one association; and 
   based on the simulated state of the physical machine, determining that an event associated with physical machine operation has occurred.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 a first instruction of the first subset is an instruction for first physical component motion; and   simulating operation of the first virtual component based on the first instruction comprises altering a simulated position of the first virtual component, wherein, after altering the simulated position, the simulated position is substantially identical to a position of the first physical component.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein determining that an event associated with physical machine operation has occurred comprises:
 after altering the simulated position, determining that the simulated position is within a geofence associated with product rejection; and   based on determining that the simulated position is within the geofence, determining that a product rejection event has occurred, wherein the event is the product rejection event.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the physical machine further comprises a third physical component;   the set of instructions further comprises a third subset transmitted from the controller to the third physical component; and   the method further comprises, for each instruction of the third subset:
 determining that the instruction is not associated with the first physical component and is not associated with the second physical component; and 
 in response to determining that the instruction is not associated with the first physical component and is not associated with the second physical component, ignoring the instruction, wherein determining the simulated state of the physical machine is not based on the instruction. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 for each instruction of the first subset, determining that the instruction is associated with the first physical component is performed based on an instruction type of the instruction; and   for each instruction of the second subset, determining that the instruction is associated with the second physical component is performed based on an instruction type of the instruction.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second subset each comprise a first instruction transmitted to both the first and second physical components. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising, at the data analyzer, receiving a set of measurements transmitted from a sensor of the physical machine to the controller, wherein determining the simulated state of the physical machine is performed based further on the set of measurements.