Method and apparatus for programming programmable controllers and generating configuration data from a centralized server

• US 20030061274A1
• Filed: 09/24/2001
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Lo, George
• Granted Patent: US 8,086,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/056 Programming the PLC
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13055 Place cursor, enter symbol, move cursor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13144 GUI graphical user interface, icon, function bloc editor, OI operator interface
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/15038 Internet, tcp-ip, web server see under S05B219-40
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31156 Network structure, internet
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31422 Upload, download programs, parameters from, to station to, from server
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33148 CLS client server architecture, client consumes, server provides services
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A method and system for generating programming code and/or configuration data for programmable controller and the networks on which they operate is disclosed. In one embodiment, programming code is generated on a centralized server having a web-enabled engineering tool. The engineering tool operates on client devices that are in communication with the server over a network, such as the Interntet. Preferably, the engineering tool runs in a browser application (or other network-interfacing-application) on the client device and a user generates the programming code on the server with the aid of the client device. By centralizing the engineering tool, which may contain a configuration editor and a configuration management tool having version management functionality, a new business paradigm for providing engineering tool services to customers having programmable controllers. In addition, new methods and tools for collaborative engineering of programming code are enabled.

Claims

8-1. The system of claim 1, wherein the engineering tool is configured to exchange information between the server and the client in the form of an XML document.

13. A method for developing programming code for a programmable controller on a server having an engineering tool that is invokable by a network-interfacing-application on a client device, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing, via a network, the server with the client device;

creating programming code on the client device by creating programming instructions using a programming language;

converting the programming instructions into a document; and

transmitting the document over the network to the server.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the network comprises an intranet.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the document comprises an XML document.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the network-interfacing-application comprises a web-browser.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the programming instructions are created using a graphical language.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the programming instructions are created using a text-based language.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the programming instructions are created using a function block programming scheme.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the programming instructions are created using a flow-chart programming scheme.

22. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

compiling the programming code on the server; and

storing the compiled programming code.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

connecting a programmable controller to the client device;

downloading a copy of the compiled code to the client device; and

downloading a copy of the compiled code from the client device to the programmable controller.

24. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

establishing communication between the server and a second client device;

connecting a programmable controller to the second client device;

downloading the compiled code from the server to the second client device; and

downloading the compiled code from the second client device to the programmable controller.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the programmable controller is a PLC.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising archiving a copy of the compiled code on the second client device.

27. A method of programming a programmable controller comprising the steps of:

establishing communication between the programmable controller and a server, the server containing programming code generated by a client device in communication with the server using web-enabled engineering tools residing on the server; and

downloading the programming code to the programmable controller.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of establishing communication between the programmable controller and the server comprises connecting the programmable controller to a client device and establishing communication between the client device and the server.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of establishing communication between the programmable controller and the server comprises connecting the programmable controller to a LAN, and establishing communications between the LAN and the server.

30. A method for programming a programmable controller comprising:

maintaining a web-enabled engineering tool for creating programming code for the controller on a server, the server accessible via a computer network;

providing users having a client device with access to the web-enabled engineering tool over the network;

receiving from the user'"'"'s client device a document containing programming code created by the user with the engineering tool; and

compiling the programming code on the server.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the document is an XML document.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the programmable controller is a PLC.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising archiving a copy of the document.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising archiving a copy of the compiled code.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising downloading the archived copy to the programmable controller.

36. A method for programming a programmable controller comprising the steps of:

generating programming code for the programmable controller on a server by accessing an engineering tool residing on the server;

compiling the programming code;

downloading the compiled code to a client device;

copying the compiled code to a storage device;

coupling the storage device with an electronic device that is interfaced with the programmable controller;

copying the code from the storage device to the electronic device; and

downloading the compiled code from the electronic device to the programmable controller.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the storage device is a removable storage device.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the removable storage device is a flash memory device;

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the removable storage device is a disk drive.

40. A method for developing programming code for a programmable controller comprising the steps of:

accessing server containing an engineering tool with a client device;

operating the engineering tool on the client device;

creating programming code on the server with the client device; and

testing the programming code.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the step of testing the programming code comprises running simulation software that simulates the programmable controller.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the step of testing the programming code comprises running the programming code on a testing programmable controller that is configured to test programming code and configuration data.

43. The method of claim 40, further comprising downloading the programming code to a target programmable controller.

44. A system for configuring I/O networks and devices comprising:

a server communicatively coupled to a network; and

a configuration editor residing on the server, the configuration editor adapted to be invokable by a client device that is communicatively coupled to the network.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the network is the Internet.

46. The system of claim 44, further comprising a tool for developing programming code for a programmable controller.

47. The system of claim 44, wherein the client device comprises a personal computer.

48. The system of claim 44, wherein the client device comprises a PDA.

49. The system of claim 44, wherein the client device comprises a cellular telephone.

50. The system of claim 44, further comprising a version management tool that resides on the server.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the version management tool is part of a configuration manager.

52. A version management system for managing versions of a program for a programmable controller, the system comprising:

a server having a version management tool installed thereon, the version management tool invokable by a client device over a network; and

a plurality of versions of the program residing on the server.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the version management tool is part of a configuration manager that resides on the server.

54. The system of claim 52, wherein the version management tool comprises an application for searching for versions having predetermined attributes.

55. The system of claim 52, wherein the version management tool comprises an application for comparing two or more versions with each other to show differences between the two or more versions.

56. The system of claim 52, further comprising an engineering tool residing on the server, the engineering tool configured to run on the client device in a network-interfacing-application.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein the network-interfacing-application comprises a web-browser and the network is the Internet.