Systems and methods for generating and implementing a custom device description file

• US 10,095,702 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cognex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cognex Corporation
• Inventors: Peterson, Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US13/842,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20140280351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,034 Days
• Field of Search: 707736, 707821, 707826, 707827, 707802, 707803, 358 113, 713 1, 709223, 714727
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/11 File system administration, e.g. details of archiving or snapshots file system backup G06F11/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/134 Distributed indices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/173 Customisation support for file systems, e.g. localisation, multi-language support, personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1865 Transactional file systems

Abstract

Systems and methods generate custom device description files using a device description file generator. The systems and methods include a processor and a memory medium. The custom device description file is communicated to one or more devices to configure the respective devices to be able to accept and communicate data defined by the custom device description file.

Claims

1. A system for generating a custom device description file, the system comprising:

a processor, the processor including a memory medium, the memory medium including a device description file generator, the processor operable to execute the device description file generator;

the device description file generator operable to receive a description of a data item for a machine vision system, the data item being included in a network item from a first device configured as a part of the machine vision system, the data item including one or more data-item process variables;

the device description file generator operable to map the data item from the first device into the network item, the network item residing in the first device; and

the device description file generator operable to generate a custom device description file for the machine vision system, the custom device description file describing the data item included in the network item and including a custom process variable that is not included in the data item and that does not correspond to any of the one or more data-item process variables, wherein the first device further includes a configuration tool, the configuration tool operable to provide the description of the data item to the device description file generator.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the custom device description file describes the data item and the network item.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first device includes a device ID;

and a configuration tool modifies the device ID and communicates the modified device ID to the device description file generator.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the custom device description file includes the modified device ID.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is coupled to a network and the first device is coupled to the network, the first device able to communicate the description of the data item over the network to the processor.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device description file generator communicates the custom device description file to a second device.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the second device includes a configuration tool, the device description file generator communicating the custom device description file to the configuration tool.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein the second device integrates the custom device description file so the second device can communicate the data item with the first device.

9. The system according to claim 6, wherein the first device is a programmable logic controller and the second device is a second programmable logic controller.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second device is a programmable logic controller.

11. A device description file generator comprising:

a machine vision system including a network item and a network interface, the machine vision system operable to communicate on a communication network, the network item including a data item for the machine vision system, the data item including one or more data-item process variables;

the machine vision system being configured to map the data item from the machine vision system into the network, the network item residing in a memory in the machine vision system; and

the machine vision system including a configuration tool, the configuration tool operable to read a description of the data item in the network item and generate a custom device description file for the machine vision system, the custom device description file including a description of the data item and including a custom process variable that is not included in the data item and that does not correspond to any of the one or more data-item process variables, wherein the configuration tool is adapted to communicate the custom device description file across the communication network to a device on the network, the device being able to integrate the custom device description file so the device can communicate the data item with the machine vision system.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the custom device description file includes a description of the data item and a description of the network item.

13. A method for creating a custom device description file, the method comprising:

mapping a data item from a device into a network item, the network item residing in a memory in the device, the data item includes one or more data-item process variables;

using a device description file generator, reading a description of the mapped data item; and

generating a custom device description file including at least a portion of the description of the mapped data item and including a custom process variable that is not included in the mapped data item and that does not correspond to any of the one or more data-item process variables, wherein the device includes a configuration tool, and reading the description of the mapped data item includes the device description file generator communicating with the configuration tool to read the description of the mapped data item.

14. The method according to claim 13, further including communicating the custom device description file to a second device.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the second device includes a configuration tool, and the method further including the device description file generator communicating the custom device description file to the configuration tool.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein mapping the data item into the network item is done by a configuration tool.