Systems and methods for location-based control of equipment and facility resources

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments provide for a method, a system, and a computer readable medium for providing automation and control of equipment and facility resources via a mobile device of a user. Location information of a user in or near a facility is detected using a position sensor. The location information is communicated wirelessly from a mobile device of the user to a server. One or more actions are determined as being available to the user based on the location information and user role, where the actions are representative of the actions available in an ICS application. Instructions are communicated to cause the mobile device to display the determined actions in a user interface, enabling the user to receive messages and interact with equipment or facility resources located in proximity of the user by interacting with the one or more actions displayed in the user interface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing control of equipment and facility resources via a mobile device of a user based on location, the method comprising:
 detecting location information of a user in or near a facility using a position sensor;   communicating, wirelessly from a mobile device of the user, the location information to a server;   determining one or more actions available to the user based on the location information, the actions representative of actions available in an Industrial Control System (ICS) application; and   communicating wirelessly to the mobile device instructions to cause the mobile device to display in a user interface the determined one or more actions to the user, the user interface enabling the user to receive messages and interact with equipment or facility resources located in proximity of the user by interacting with the one or more actions displayed in the user interface.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location information is detected using the position sensor installed in the facility when the user is indoors. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location information is detected using a GPS signal from the mobile device when the user is outdoors. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 scanning continuously for the position sensor in proximity of the user.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 detecting a change in the location information of the user; and   updating the one or more actions displayed on the mobile device based on detecting the change in the location information.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 communicating, wirelessly from the mobile device of the user, a user profile to the server; and   determining the one or more actions based on the user profile.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the user profile includes user identity verified by credentials. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining one or more actions available to the user comprises querying a database to determine the one or more actions available to the user, the database storing information related to location of the position sensors. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the server hosts the ICS application to control equipment and facility resources. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the ICS application is a commercially available application. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing the location information as associated with the user in a database.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating one or more events based on the location information of the user.   
     
     
         13 . A system for providing control of equipment and facility resources via a mobile device of a user based on location, the system comprising:
 a server;   a mobile device in wireless communication with the server,   wherein the mobile device is configured to detect location information of a user in or near a facility using a position sensor, and communicate the location information to the server;   wherein the server is configured to determine one or more messages or actions available to the user based on the location information, the actions representative of actions available in an Industrial Control System (ICS) application, and communicate wirelessly to the mobile device instructions to cause the mobile device to display in a user interface the determined one or more actions to the user, the user interface enabling the user to receive messages and to interact with equipment or facility resources located in proximity of the user by interacting with the one or more actions displayed in the user interface.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the location information is detected using the position sensor installed in the facility when the user is indoors. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the location information is detected using a GPS signal from the mobile device when the user is outdoors. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the mobile device is configured to scan continuously for the position sensor in proximity of the user. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the mobile device is further configured to detect a change in the location information of the user, and
 wherein the server is configured to update the one or more actions displayed on the mobile device based on detecting the change in the location information.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the mobile device is configured to communicate a user profile to the server, and
 wherein the server is configured to determine the one or more actions based on the user profile.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the server is configured to query a database to determine the one or more actions available to the user, the database storing information related to location of the position sensors. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions executable by a processing device, the instructions implementing a method for providing control of equipment and facility resources via a mobile device of a user based on location, the method comprising:
 detecting location information of a user in or near a facility using a position sensor;   communicating, wirelessly from a mobile device of the user, the location information to a server;   determining one or more actions available to the user based on the location information, the actions representative of actions available in an Industrial Control System (ICS) application; and   communicating wirelessly to the mobile device instructions to cause the mobile device to display in a user interface the determined one or more actions to the user, the user interface enabling the user to receive messages and to interact with equipment or facility resources located in proximity of the user by interacting with the one or more actions displayed in the user interface.