Method for transmitting messages of industrial controllers to pre-defined receivers via the internet

• US 20040111512A1
• Filed: 09/10/2003
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Barth, Rainer
• Application Number:
  US10/659,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20040111512A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0627 by acting on the notification or alarm source
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method for transmitting messages from an industrial controller to a specified receiver using an Internet-related protocol is disclosed. An alarm indicating system generates, if a particular event occurs, event-relevant information. The event-relevant information is written to a database that is accessible to the specified receiver or recipient. Of the event-relevant information, only a message that an event has occurred is transmitted receiver-specific to a Web server. The specified receiver receives the message and accesses the event-relevant information in the database via a cryptographically protected communication protocol based on an Internet browser. Alternatively, a modem connection protected by an authentication protocol can be used instead of the Internet connection.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting messages from an industrial controller to a specified receiver using an Internet-related protocol, comprising the steps of:

generating with an alarm indicating system, if a specified event occurs, event-relevant information;

writing the event-relevant information to a database accessible to the specified receiver;

transmitting receiver-specific to a Web server out of the event-relevant information only a message indicating that an event has occurred; and

receiving the message at the specified receiver, with the specified receiver accessing the event-relevant information in the database via a cryptographically protected communication protocol based on an Internet browser.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cryptographically protected communication protocol implemented in an Internet browser comprises a “

Hypertext Transfer Protocol Security”

protocol.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the “

Hypertext Transfer Protocol Security”

protocol comprises a “

Secure Socket Layer”

protocol or a “

Transport Layer Security”

protocol.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is transmitted to the specified receiver as an e-mail, an SMS or as a voice message.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein an e-mail message includes a cross-reference, in particular a URL address, that provides a link to the receiver-specific information that is stored in the database.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the event-relevant information comprises event messages, fault messages and additional information, such as machine status, status and process information, as well as file attachments which are stored in the database.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein access to the Web server is protected by a login prompt and a password.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the database and the Web server are integrated with hardware of the controller.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the database and the Web server are implemented as hardware that is separate from hardware of the controller.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of data, parameters and programs for the controller are transmitted from the specified receiver to the controller.

11. A method for transmitting messages from an industrial controller to a specified receiver using a modem connection protected by an authentication protocol, comprising the steps of:

generating with an alarm indicating system, if an event occurs, event-relevant information;

writing the event-relevant information to a database accessible to the specified receiver;

transmitting receiver-specific via the modem connection out of the event-relevant information only a message indicating that an event has occurred; and

receiving the message at the specified receiver, with the specified receiver accessing the event-relevant information in the database via a cryptographically protected communication protocol via the modem connection.