Automation equipment connected to a TCP/IP network

• US 20030055941A1
• Filed: 08/26/2002
• Published: 03/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Automation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Automation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Gorisse, Francois, Godicke, Thomas, Genin, Jean-Jacques
• Granted Patent: US 7,502,868 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31156 Network structure, internet
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31186 TCP-IP internet protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34038 Web, http, ftp, internet, intranet server
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

The invention relates to automation equipment comprising a system unit (1) that has a real time operating system (10) and an application program (20) for monitoring/control of an automation application. The automation equipment comprises a driver (40) for the TCP/IP network (4) that is directly included in the system unit (1) without going through a back panel bus. The operating system (10) of the system unit (1) comprises a management module (30) for communications on the TCP/IP network (4) and a control task (12) responsible for controlling execution of the communications management module (30) to the characteristics of the automation application to avoid disturbing operation of the application program (20).

Claims

1. Automation equipment comprising a system unit (1) that has at least one memory (2, 3) comprising a real time operating system (10) and an application program (20) that performs monitoring or control functions in an automation application, characterized in that the automation equipment comprises a driver (40) for the TCP/IP network (4) that is directly included in the system unit (1) without going through a back panel bus, the operating system (10) of the system unit (1) comprising a management module (30) for communications on the TCP/IP network (4) and a control task (12) responsible for controlling execution of the communications management module (30) to the characteristics of the automation application to avoid disturbing operation of the application program (20).

2. Automation equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that when the application program (20) is executed in a periodic mode, the control task (12) comprises validation means (120) to authorise operation of the communications management module (30) between the end of an application program cycle (20) and the beginning of the next cycle.

3. Automation equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that when the application program (20) is executed in a cyclic mode, the control task (12) comprises validation means (120) to authorise operation of the communications management module (30) at the end of an application program cycle (20), for a time that a user can configure.

4. Automation equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the communications management module (30) comprises a first sub-module (31) that uses a memory area to memorise data transmitted or to be sent to the application program (20).

5. Automation equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that the communications management module (30) also comprises a second sub-module (32) that uses a memory area to memorise transmitted data or data to be sent to the TCP/IP network (4).

6. Automation equipment according to one of claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the first sub-module (31) of the communications management module (30) transmits data from the automation application program (20) to the second sub-module (32) of the communications management module to build up a message transmitted on the TCP/IP network (4).

7. Automation equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that the second sub-module (32) of the communications management module (30) transmits information representative of messages from the TCP/IP network to the first sub-module (31) of the communications management module so that it can be used by the application program (20).

8. Automation equipment according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the TCP/IP network driver (40) executes a routing procedure for messages received from the TCP/IP network that is based on priority levels contained in the IP address.