System and method for electronic delivery of content for industrial automation systems

• US 20030014322A1
• Filed: 09/12/2001
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Mutscheller, Wolfgang, Lagies, Knut, Kreidler, Volker
• Granted Patent: US 7,603,289 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0206 Price or cost determination based on market factors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

Content is generated on a host system based on real-time data from a controlled process collected over the internet from a customer'"'"'s client machine tool control system. The client system may request content from a host website. Instructions associated with the requested content, which may be in the form of an application to be run on the client, is delivered to the client via download over the internet. The client gathers real-time data associated with a controlled process and transmits it to the host, where content based on the data can be generated for the client and/or its owner. Data gathered by the host, and content generated on the basis of the data, may be made accessible to machine tool manufacturers. Also, data received by the host is associated with an identifier defined for each client system. A historical database for given client equipment can thereby be created.

Claims

1. A method for providing an automation-related service from a remote host to a customer over a network, the customer having a facility including automated manufacturing equipment comprising a controller, the method comprising the steps of:

collecting, at the remote host, real-time data from the controller;

processing the collected real-time system data at the remote host to generate manufacturing equipment information as a function of the collected data; and

transmitting the manufacturing equipment information to the customer.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving value from the customer in exchange for transmitting the manufacturing equipment information.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the manufacturing equipment information is transmitted to the automation manufacturing equipment.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the value received from the customer is agreed to at a time prior to the transmission of the manufacturing equipment information and is stored in a database at the host.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of processing collected real-time data comprises an optimization computation.

6. In a system for providing content relating to automated machine tool management by a service provider to a customer, a method for pricing the content comprising the steps of:

determining a first price component as a flat rate function of a given recurring time period; and

determining a second price component as a function of the provided content.

8. A method for serving an operator of a machine tool, wherein the machine tool comprises a control system equipped for communicating over a network with a host system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for content from the control system;

receiving an identifying code from the control system;

identifying a price for the requested content;

delivering the requested content; and

charging the operator of the machine tool the identified price.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the identifying code identifies a customer that operates the machine tool, and the price is identified on the basis of the customer identifying code.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of receiving from the control system an identifying code for the machine tool.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the control system comprises a real-time controller, the method further comprising the step, following delivering the requested content, of receiving data captured from the machine tool.

21. The method according to claim 8, wherein the content comprises software.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the software comprises CNC program source code.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the OEM conveys value in exchange for access to and retrieval of data from the database.

26. The method according to claim 24, further comprising the step, prior to permitting OEM access, of receiving authorization for OEM access by the customer.

11. The method according to claim 11, wherein the requested content is retrieved based on the identifying code for the machine tool.

7. The method according to claim 12, wherein the given recurring time period comprises a month.

13. The method according to claim 12, comprising the further step of creating a database entry including the received data.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the real-time controller comprises a numerical control kernel.

15. The method according to claim 13, comprising the further step of associating the database entry with the identifying code.

16. The method according to claim 15, comprising the further step of receiving from the customer authorization for third party access to the database.

17. The method according to claim 15, comprising the further step of providing access to data derived from the database entry for a fee.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the third party accessing the data is an original equipment manufacturer.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the third party accessing the data is the original equipment manufacturer that supplied the machine tool to the customer.

20. The method according to claim 13, comprising the further step of associating the database entry with the date the data was received.

23. A method for delivering automation engineering services content over a network to a customer, the method comprising the steps of:

making the automation engineering services content available for retrieval over the network by the customer;

making available an automation engineering services software tool for retrieval over the network by the customer;

delivering the automation engineering services software tool over the network to the customer in response to a request; and

delivering automation engineering services content to be operated upon by the software tool.

24. A method for facilitating an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of machine tools to provide service for a machine tool supplied to a customer, the machine tool having a controller, comprising the steps of:

establishing a network connection between a host system and the control system;

downloading software to the control system for causing the control system to capture data and transmit it to the host system, the data comprising a customer identification code, a machine tool identification code and real-time data;

creating a database comprising the data transmitted to the host system by the control system; and

permitting access to the host by the OEM to retrieve data from the database.