DESC:AUTOMATED TRACKING AND SCANNER DEVICE FOR SCADA SYSTEMS
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention generally relates to the field of industrial/factory automation systems and methods. The present invention also relates to data processing systems and methods for industrial/factory network management. The present invention particularly related to supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. The present invention more particularly related to automated tracking and scanner device for SCADA systems for effective remote automation of process controls and system tracking applications for SCADA systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] With the advent of industrial automation and computerization trends, systems for monitoring, diagnosing, operating and controlling the operations of a wide variety of facilities, including factories, power plants, warehouses, office buildings and apartment buildings, are well-known in the art. Such Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems are configured with a plurality of microprocessor/micro-controller devices for converting device measurement and status inputs into computer data for logging and transmission to higher level processors. Such processed information from SCADA devices play a vital role in most of strategic and operational decisions for effective management and allocation of resources in a wide range of industrial applications including, but not limited to, oil and gas fields, automotive, shipping and energy industry which cover a large geographic area and are often situated in remote and adverse terrain.

[0003] The SCADA systems and networks therefore connects to many controllers and field devices to gather information and make global decisions. These SCADA systems typically integrate a large number of control devices through a number of diverse control networks (there may be security, fire protection, heating, cooling, electrical and elevator control systems).

[0004] The control and tracking systems using in SCADA applications requires configuration with appropriate specifications and command for proper functioning. However, configuring such conventional process control systems can be a complex, error prone task in which the user is required to keep track of numerous operations, files, computer connections and software configurations for all devices in the system or industrial network.

[0005] Typically, a user configures such a system from a written description (e.g., in system manuals) that identifies the features that can be configured and specifies the procedure for configuring the features (and, sometimes, the order in which the features are to be configured). The user types in commands based on instructions in the manual to configure such features as the data paths that the SCADA system will use, alarm conditions, network specifications, etc. In general, the user is required to type in the applicable information for each feature. The user typically keeps track of the features that have been configured through a written checklist or the reference manuals.

[0006] Alternatively, graphics-driven techniques are adapted for tracking the systems where a user can configure the data processing features of the SCADA system. The configurable data processing features are represented by displayed graphical objects that the user can readily comprehend and associate with each data processing feature. Symbols are created and added to the display for at least some of the configured features to present the user with a pictorial view of the features that have been configured.

[0007] The user typically selects a displayed graphical object using an input device of the computer and is prompted to enter information associated with the data processing feature represented by the object. The computer system is enabled to thereafter use the data processing feature to process data in accordance with the entered information. However, such graphics-driven methods for configuring SCADA systems are complex and time-consuming and do not meet the growing needs of modern mobile/lean computing platforms and environments.

[0008] Based on the foregoing a need therefore exists for an improved system and method for tracking and monitoring SCADA systems within an industrial network environment. A need also exists for automated tracking and scanner device for SCADA systems for effective remote automation of process controls and system tracking applications for SCADA systems, as described in greater detail herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The following summary is provided to facilitate an understanding of some of the innovative features unique to the disclosed embodiment and is not intended to be a full description. A full appreciation of the various aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein can be gained by taking the entire specification, claims, drawings, and abstract as a whole.

[0010] Therefore, one aspect of the disclosed embodiment is to provide for an improved SCADA system for monitoring and tracking systems and devices within an industrial/factory environment.

[0011] It is another aspect of the disclosed embodiment to provide for an improved automated tracking and scanner system for scanning and configuring systems and devices within the industry/factory environment.

[0012] It is further aspect of the disclosed embodiment to provide for an improved automated tracking and scanner device for SCADA systems for effective remote automation of process controls and system tracking applications for SCADA systems.

[0013] The aforementioned aspects and other objectives and advantages can now be achieved as described herein. An automated tracking and scanner device for SCADA systems for effective remote automation of process controls and system tracking applications in industry/factory environment. An intelligent gateway scanner unit operatively connected to a plurality of devices/systems via a Modbus network communication channel (Modbus wire) to automatically scan and track the Modbus RTUs (Remote Terminal Units) and its parameters. A cloud based server unit for generating and storing driver configurations and with respect to the Modbus RTUs wherein the intelligent gateway scanner unit retrieves the driver configurations and parameters from the cloud based server unit. A SCADA communication application configured on a mobile communication device for communicating with the gateway scanner unit for automatic tracking of real-time information and parameters with respect to the Modbus RTUs in remote industrial/factory network environment.

[0014] The Modbus tracking and scanner system proposed herein can be an extremely simple hardware-software combination tool to track and scan the Modbus supporting device and RTUs in the network by effectively extracting all its communicatable parameters. The intelligent gateway scanner unit can read data from multiple Modbus RTUs without the knowledge of its protocol, with the use of pre-characterized device specific drivers. The SCADA communication application can effectively parse the read data at the gateway scanner unit into human readable parameters, without going through the datasheets/understanding the register maps of the Modbus devices with the use of pre-characterized device specific driver and parameter algorithms.

[0015] The gateway scanner unit can read data from specific Modbus RTU devices at pre-set intervals and store the parameters in local storage and use the data for analysis and trends. The gateway scanner unit can further push the data to Cloud based server unit through GPRS/Wi-Fi for analyzing of the captured data using a centralized monitoring system.

[0016] The gateway scanner unit is an intelligent hardware-software integrated unit which operates in different modes or in combination of modes to facilitate effective automation of tracking and monitoring of Modbus RTUs. The gateway scanner unit can be configured from the cloud based server unit thereby having a “hack-proof” architecture.

[0017] The scanner unit and the SCADA communication application enables fully automated identification of Modbus RTUs connected in daisy chain by effective retrieval of information related to Modbus devices including, but not limited to, Slave-ID, baud-rate, parity etc.,. The tracking and scanner device enables the user to identify the total number of Modbus RTUs, supporting devices, valid registers to read, non-working devices in the network, Modbus cabling issues etc.,. The intelligent gateway scanner unit provides a continuous communication and scanning mechanism with respect to the Modbus RTUs with specified parameters in order to find the response time, error rate, failures and other ambient noises in the system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0018] The drawings shown here are for illustration purpose and the actual system will not be limited by the size, shape, and arrangement of components or number of components represented in the drawings.

[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a graphical representation of automated tracking and scanner device for SCADA systems for effective remote automation of process controls and system tracking applications for SCADA systems, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] The particular values and configurations discussed in these non-limiting examples can be varied and are cited merely to illustrate at least one embodiment and are not intended to limit the scope thereof.

[0021] The embodiments now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown. The embodiments disclosed herein can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0022] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises" and/or "comprising," when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

[0023] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

[0024] FIG. 1 illustrates a graphical representation of automated tracking and scanner device 100 for effective remote automation of process controls and system tracking applications for SCADA systems, in accordance with the disclosed embodiments. The system 100 an intelligent gateway scanner unit 110 operatively connected to a plurality of devices/systems 105 via a Modbus network communication channel (Modbus wire) 102 to automatically scan and track the Modbus RTUs (Remote Terminal Units) 105 and its parameters. A cloud based server unit 120 for generating and storing driver configurations 130 with respect to the Modbus RTUs 105 wherein the intelligent gateway scanner unit 110 retrieves the driver configurations 130 and parameters from the cloud based server unit 110. A SCADA communication application 140 configured on a mobile communication device 150 for communicating with the gateway scanner unit 110 for automatic tracking of real-time information and parameters with respect to the Modbus RTUs 105 in remote industrial/factory network environment.

[0025] The Modbus tracking and scanner system 100 proposed herein can be an extremely simple hardware-software combination tool to track and scan the Modbus supporting device and RTUs 105 in the network by effectively extracting all its communicatable parameters. The intelligent gateway scanner unit 110 can read data from multiple Modbus RTUs 105 without the knowledge of its protocol, with the use of pre-characterized device specific drivers 130. The SCADA communication application 140 can effectively parse the read data at the gateway scanner unit 110 into human readable parameters, without going through the datasheets/understanding the register maps of the Modbus devices 105 with the use of pre-characterized device specific driver and parameter algorithms.

[0026] The gateway scanner unit 110 can read data from specific Modbus RTU devices 105 at pre-set intervals and store the parameters in local storage and use the data for analysis and trends. The gateway scanner unit 110 can further push the data to Cloud based server unit 120 through GPRS/Wi-Fi for analyzing of the captured data using a centralized monitoring system.

[0027] The gateway scanner unit 110 is an intelligent hardware-software integrated unit which operates in different modes or in combination of modes to facilitate effective automation of tracking and monitoring of Modbus RTUs 105. The gateway scanner unit 110 can be configured with Modbus RTUs related driver and other parameters from the cloud based server unit 120 thereby having a “hack-proof” architecture.

[0028] The scanner unit 110 and the SCADA communication application 140 enables fully automated identification of Modbus RTUs 105 connected in daisy chain by effective retrieval of information related to Modbus devices including, but not limited to, Slave-ID, baud-rate, parity etc.,. The tracking and scanner device 110 enables the user to identify the total number of Modbus RTUs, supporting devices, valid registers to read, non-working devices in the network, Modbus cabling issues etc.,. The intelligent gateway scanner unit 110 provides a continuous communication and scanning mechanism with respect to the Modbus RTUs 105 with specified parameters in order to find the response time, error rate, failures and other ambient noises in the system.

[0029] It will be appreciated that variations of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.
,CLAIMS:I/We Claim:
1. An automated tracking and scanner device for SCADA systems for effective remote automation of process controls and system tracking applications in industry/factory environment, said device comprising:
an intelligent gateway scanner unit operatively connected to a plurality of devices/systems via a Modbus network communication channel (Modbus wire) to automatically scan and track the Modbus RTUs (Remote Terminal Units) and its parameters;
a cloud based server unit for generating and storing driver configurations and with respect to the Modbus RTUs wherein the intelligent gateway scanner unit retrieves the driver configurations and parameters from the cloud based server unit; and
a SCADA communication application configured on a mobile communication device for communicating with the gateway scanner unit for automatic tracking of real-time information and parameters with respect to the Modbus RTUs in remote industrial/factory network environment.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the intelligent gateway scanner unit can read data from multiple Modbus RTUs without the knowledge of its protocol, with the use of pre-characterized device specific drivers.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein the SCADA communication application can effectively parse the read data at the gateway scanner unit into human readable parameters, without going through the datasheets/understanding the register maps of the Modbus devices with the use of pre-characterized device specific driver and parameter algorithms.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein the gateway scanner unit can read data from specific Modbus RTU devices at pre-set intervals and store the parameters in local storage and use the data for analysis and trends.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein the gateway scanner unit can further push the data to Cloud based server unit through GPRS/Wi-Fi for analyzing of the captured data using a centralized monitoring system.
6. The device of claim 1 wherein the gateway scanner unit is an intelligent hardware-software integrated unit which operates in different modes or in combination of modes to facilitate effective automation of tracking and monitoring of Modbus RTUs.
7. The device of claim 1 wherein gateway scanner unit can be configured from the cloud based server unit thereby having a “hack-proof” architecture.
8. The device of claim 1 wherein the scanner unit and the SCADA communication application enables fully automated identification of Modbus RTUs connected in daisy chain by effective retrieval of information related to Modbus devices.
9. The device of claim 1 wherein the tracking and scanner device enables the user to identify at least one of the following parameters: total number of Modbus RTUs; supporting devices; valid registers to read; non-working devices in the network; and Modbus cabling issues.
10. The device of claim 1 wherein the intelligent gateway scanner unit provides a continuous communication and scanning mechanism with respect to the Modbus RTUs.