Patent Application

App. No. 14/614,346

Abstract

Claims (51)

1 . A method, comprising:

displaying, with a computer having a graphical user interface (GUI), a component library including a set of components relating to a compressed air system in a first portion of the GUI and a modeling interface for configuring a virtual model using the set of components in a second portion of the GUI;

receiving, through the GUI, a component add request to add at least one of the set of components to the second portion of the GUI;

adding the at least one of the set of components to the second portion of the GUI in response to the component add request;

determining whether the component add request includes adding the at least one of the set of components to the virtual model;

interconnecting the at least one of the set of components with the virtual model when the component add request includes adding the at least one of the set of components to the virtual model;

receiving and storing, with the computer, real-time monitoring data of an in-use compressed air system; and

simulating the virtual model with the real-time monitoring data.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, through the GUI, a rule at least partially defining the at least one of the set of components added to the second portion of the GUI and the virtual model;

performing a rules check for at least partially validating the at least one of the set of components added to the second portion of the GUI and the virtual model based on the rule; and

generating a notification when the set of components added to the second portion being connected to the virtual model violates the rules check.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

establishing a communication link between the computer and a server;

requesting the component library from a database on the server; and

receiving the component library from the server.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the GUI further includes a third portion including a settings interface for adjusting one or more settings.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

receiving, through the GUI, an adjustment request to adjust one or more settings of a selected component in the virtual model;

adjusting one or more settings based on the adjustment request; and

configuring a compressed air system model on the second portion of the GUI based on the set of components added to the second portion of the GUI and the one or more settings adjusted on the third portion.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the one or more settings includes one or more component settings for each of the set of components on a first sub-portion of the third portion of the GUI, and the one or more component settings includes at least one of a compressor pressure set point, a dryer dew point, a flow demand, and a component operating condition.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the one or more settings includes one or more system settings for the compressed air system on a second sub-portion of the third portion of the GUI, and the one or more system settings includes at least one of a pressure, a flow, a relative humidity, a temperature, an energy consumption, an energy cost, and a system operating condition.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, through the GUI, a template add request to add one or more templates from a fourth portion of the GUI including a template library of selectable templates relating to a compressed air system;

adding the one or more templates onto the second portion of the GUI;

determining whether the template add request includes adding the one or more templates the virtual model; and

interconnecting the one or more templates with the virtual model when the template add request includes adding the one or more templates to the virtual model.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more templates includes at least one of a pre-built compressor room, a factory floor layout, a header network, and a compressed air system component combination.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of components includes at least one of a compressor, a dryer, a filter, a regulator, a pipe, a pipe fitting, a point-of-use tool, a hose, a valve, a drain, an air receiver, a separator, a lubricator, a cooler, a safety device, a treatment component, and a customizable component.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the component add request includes at least one of a user selecting one of the set of components, and dragging and dropping one of the set of components on the second portion of the GUI.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

scanning a barcode of an in-operation compressed air system;

determining, with the computer, a virtual component based on the barcode; and

interconnecting the virtual component to the virtual model.

13 . A computing device, comprising:

a graphical user interface including a first portion and second portion, wherein the first portion is configured to display a component library including a set of components relating to a compressed air system, wherein the second portion includes a modeling interface to configure a virtual model using the set of components; and

one or more processors configured with non-transitory computer executable instructions to receive a component add request to add at least one of the set of components to the second portion of the GUI, to add the at least one of the set of components to the second portion in response to the component add request, to determine whether the component add request includes adding the at least one of the set of components to the virtual model, to interconnect the at least one of the set of components with the virtual model when the component add request includes adding the at least one of the set of components to the virtual model, to store real-time monitoring data of a currently used compressed air system, and to simulate the virtual model with the real-time monitoring data.

14 . The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive, through the graphical user interface, a rule at least partially defining the at least one of the set of components added to the second portion and the virtual model, to perform a rules check for at least partially validating the at least one of the set of components added to the second portion and the virtual model based on the rule, and generate a notification when the set of components added to the second portion being connected to the virtual model violates the rules check.

15 . The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the graphical user interface further includes a third portion including a settings interface for adjusting one or more settings.

16 . The computing device of claim 15 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive, through the graphical user interface, an adjustment request to adjust one or more settings of a selected component in the virtual model, to adjust one or more settings based on the adjustment request, and configure a compressed air system model on the second portion of the graphical user interface based on the set of components added to the second portion of the graphical user interface and the one or more settings adjusted on the third portion.

17 . The computing device of claim 16 , wherein the one or more settings includes one or more component settings for each of the set of components on a first sub-portion of the third portion, and the one or more component settings includes at least one of a compressor pressure set point, a dryer dew point, a flow demand, and a component operating condition.

18 . The computing device of claim 17 , wherein the one or more settings includes one or more system settings for the compressed air system on a second sub-portion of the third portion, and the one or more system settings includes at least one of a pressure, a flow, a relative humidity, a temperature, an energy consumption, an energy cost, and a system operating condition.

19 . The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive, through the graphical user interface, a template add request to add one or more templates from a fourth portion of the graphical user interface including a template library of selectable templates relating to a compressed air system, to add the one or more templates onto the second portion, and to determine whether the template add request includes adding the one or more templates the virtual model, and to interconnect the one or more templates with the virtual model when the template add request includes adding the one or more templates to the virtual model.

20 . The computing device of claim 20 , wherein the computing device is one of a laptop computer, a desktop computer, and tablet computer.

21 . A system, comprising:

a server configured to store a component library;

a barcode scanner structured to scan a barcode of an in-operation compressed air system; and

a computing device comprising:

a graphical user interface including a first portion and second portion, wherein the first portion is configured to display the component library including a set of components relating to a compressed air system, wherein the second portion includes a modeling interface to configure a virtual model using the set of components; and

one or more processors configured with non-transitory computer executable instructions to receive a component add request to add at least one of the set of components to the second portion of the GUI, to add the at least one of the set of components to the second portion in response to the component add request, to determine whether the component add request includes adding the at least one of the set of components to the virtual model, to interconnect the at least one of the set of components with the virtual model when the component add request includes adding the at least one of the set of components to the virtual model, to determine a virtual component based on the barcode, to interconnect the virtual component to the virtual model, to store real-time monitoring data of a currently used compressed air system, and to simulate the virtual model with the real-time monitoring data.

Assignments (8)