IP Library Granted Patent US 12,619,622
Granted Patent B2
US 12,619,622 · App. 17/262,748 · Granted May 5, 2026

Data collection device, plant monitoring system and data collection method

Inventors: Ryo Shimizu (Tokyo, JP); Naotake Miyasaka (Tokyo, JP); Takato Sonoda (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: TMEIC CORPORATION
G06F16/248G01R31/346G06F16/2465
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,619,622
App. No.
17/262,748
Granted
May 5, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A plant monitoring system comprises: a data collection device configured to collect multiple measured values measured during a plant equipment inspection; and a trend graph display part configured to generate a trend graph based on the multiple measured values. The data collection device comprises: a measured value collection part configured to collect multiple measured values; an event number assignment part configured to assign a same event number or a different event number to the multiple measured values based on a time difference between times at which the multiple measured values were acquired; and a measured value storage part configured to store the multiple measured values. The trend graph display part is configured to render the multiple measured values stored in the measured value storage part in a graph having measured value as a first axis and event number as a second axis.

Claims (41)

1 . A plant monitoring method comprising:

collecting multiple measured values using a resistance tester with respect to an inspection item of a plant equipment as an inspection target installed in a plant during a plant equipment inspection performed during each of a plurality of shutdown periods of the plant, the plant equipment including an electric motor, and the multiple measured values including electrical property values directly measured using the resistance tester in an insulating degradation check of a motor winding included in the electric motor;

comparing and judging a time difference indicating a difference between two measurement times of two consecutive measured values included in the multiple measured values with a predetermined specified time difference, wherein the predetermined specified time difference is variably set for each of a plurality of shutdown periods based on the plurality of shutdown periods, respectively;

assigning an event number to the multiple measured values collected during each of the plurality of shutdown periods of the plant, wherein a same event number is assigned to the two consecutive measured values if the time difference is smaller than the predetermined specified time difference, whereas a different event number is assigned to the two consecutive measured values if the time difference is greater or equal than the specified time difference;

storing the multiple measured values in a state associated with the assigned event number and the multiple measured values collected during each of the plurality of plant shutdown periods;

generating a trend graph based on the stored multiple measured values, the trend graph having measured value as a first axis and event number as a second axis, the multiple measured values having same event number being displayed as a group in association with visible information of temperature dependence of the motor winding; and

displaying the trend graph on a graphical user interface operated by a user to predict failure of the plant equipment, in response to a request from the user through the graphical user interface, by drawing a bar graph corresponding an in-event measured value range for each group of the multiple measured values having same event number, respectively.

2 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a plant monitoring system, cause the plant monitoring system to perform a method, the method comprising:

collecting multiple measured values using a resistance tester with respect to an inspection item of a plant equipment as an inspection target installed in a plant during a plant equipment inspection performed during each of a plurality of shutdown periods of the plant, the plant equipment including an electric motor, and the multiple measured values including electrical property values directly measured using the resistance tester in an insulating degradation check of a motor winding included in the electric motor;

comparing and judging a time difference indicating a difference between two measurement times of two consecutive measured values included in the multiple measured values with a predetermined specified time difference, wherein the predetermined specified time difference is variably set for each of a plurality of shutdown periods based on the plurality of shutdown periods, respectively;

assigning an event number to the multiple measured values collected during each of the plurality of shutdown periods of the plant, wherein a same event number is assigned to the two consecutive measured values if the time difference is smaller than the predetermined specified time difference, whereas a different event number is assigned to the two consecutive measured values if the time difference is greater or equal than the specified time difference;

storing the multiple measured values in a state associated with the assigned event number and the multiple measured values collected during each of the plurality of plant shutdown periods; and

generating a trend graph based on the stored multiple measured values, the trend graph having measured value as a first axis and event number as a second axis, the multiple measured values having same event number being displayed as a group in association with visible information of temperature dependence of the motor winding, and

displaying the trend graph on a graphical user interface operated by a user to predict failure of the plant equipment, in response to a request from the user through the graphical user interface, by drawing a bar graph corresponding an in-event measured value range for each group of the multiple measured values having same event number, respectively.

3 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 2 ,

wherein the method further comprising:

drawing the bar graph including a maximum value and a minimum value in the in-event measured value range for the multiple measured values to which the same event number has been assigned.

4 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 3 ,

wherein the maximum value in the multiple measured values is a high temperature measured value in a state where a motor winding temperature of the motor winding is high immediately after the plant shutdown,

wherein the minimum value in the multiple measured values is a low temperature measured value in a state where a motor winding temperature of the motor winding is almost air temperature after a predetermined time from the plant shutdown, and

wherein the bar graph connecting the maximum value and the minimum value in the multiple measured values to which the same event number has been assigned is drawn to provide the visible information of temperature dependence of the motor winding.

5 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 2 , wherein:

the predetermined specified time difference is variably set based on a duration of each of the plurality of shutdown periods; and

the bar graph corresponds to an in-event measured value range for each group of the multiple measured values having the same event number, respectively, the bar graph connecting a maximum value and a minimum value in the in-event measured value range,

the method further comprising:

drawing a measured maximum value trend graph connecting the maximum value in each group to the maximum value in a subsequent group and a measured minimum value trend graph connecting the minimum value in each group to the minimum value in a subsequent group.

6 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 2 , wherein the second axis includes consecutive integers corresponding to the assigned event numbers, thereby collapsing time between the plurality of shutdown periods on the trend graph.

7 . The plant monitoring method according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical property values are current values measured by an insulation resistance tester.

8 . The plant monitoring method according to claim 1 , further comprising drawing a measured maximum value trend graph by connecting a maximum value in each group of the multiple measured values having the same event number to a maximum value in a subsequent group.

9 . The plant monitoring method according to claim 1 , further comprising switching a unit of the second axis of the trend graph between the event number and time responsive to an input of a switching instruction via the graphical user interface.

10 . The plant monitoring method according to claim 1 , wherein assigning the event number comprises:

generating an event number setting flag based on the comparison of the time difference with the predetermined specified time difference; and

updating the event number for a subsequent measured value based on the event number setting flag.

11 . The plant monitoring method according to claim 1 , wherein assigning a different event number comprises incrementing a previous event number by adding one to generate a new event number.

12 . The plant monitoring method according to claim 1 , comprising:

drawing the bar graph including a maximum value and a minimum value in the in-event measured value range for the multiple measured values to which the same event number has been assigned.

13 . The plant monitoring method according to claim 12 ,

wherein the maximum value in the multiple measured values is a high temperature measured value in a state where a motor winding temperature of the motor winding is high immediately after the plant shutdown,

wherein the minimum value in the multiple measured values is a low temperature measured value in a state where a motor winding temperature of the motor winding is almost air temperature after a predetermined time from the plant shutdown, and

wherein the bar graph connecting the maximum value and the minimum value in the multiple measured values to which the same event number has been assigned is drawn to provide the visible information of temperature dependence of the motor winding.

14 . The plant monitoring method according to claim 12 , wherein the second axis includes consecutive integers corresponding to the assigned event numbers, thereby collapsing time between the plurality of shutdown periods on the trend graph.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 26, 2024
From: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
To: TMEIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 067244/0359 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 25, 2021
From: SHIMIZU, RYO; MIYASAKA, NAOTAKE; SONODA, TAKATO
To: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055014/0963 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210141787A1 · May 13, 2021
References Cited (18)
US 20040263342A1 · Matlock et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20110241697A1 · Omatsu · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20170328271A1 · Yamashita · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20180321836A1 · Tappan · 2018 [cited by examiner]
CN 108377255A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 108398935A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2007058559A · 2007 [cited by applicant]
JP 4497058B2 · 2010 [cited by applicant]
JP 2015146088A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018124697A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 20198435A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO 2019097854A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
Indian Office Action dated Feb. 2, 2022 in corresponding Indian Application No. 202117002313. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion mailed on Sep. 3, 2019, received for PCT Application PCT/JP2019/025163, Filed on Jun. 25, 2019, 6 pages including English Translation. [cited by applicant]
Office Action issued Nov. 21, 2023 in corresponding Chinese Patent Application No. 201980049542.9. with computer-generated English translation thereof. [cited by applicant]
Office Action issued Feb. 23, 2024 in Indian Patent Application No. 202117002313 (English Translation included). 2 pages. [cited by applicant]
Office Action issued Oct. 2, 2024 in corresponding Brazilian Patent Application No. 112021001101-3 with English trnaslation thereof. [cited by applicant]
Office Action issued May 8, 2025 in Brazil Patent Application No. BR112021001101-3 with machine English translation thereof. [cited by applicant]