Real-time information collection and distribution system for robots and electronically controlled machines

• US 20050080799A1
• Filed: 10/18/2004
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ABB Flexible Automaton, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ABB Flexible Automaton, Inc.
• Inventors: Winfree, James W., Harnden, James C., Skerencak, Mark A., Hornick, Mark Lawrence, Gehred, Robert C., Borchardt, John O. II
• Application Number:
  US10/965,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20050080799A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31457 Factory remote control, monitoring through internet
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36542 Cryptography, encrypt, access, authorize with key, code, password
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A system for collecting and distributing information to and from a plurality of electronically controlled machines. The system is designed to collect information from robots, industrial machines, and other types of equipment that produce real-time information. The machines are coupled to a data collector module using a public domain communication protocol. The data collector module is coupled in data communication to a main server which has a mechanism for publishing the data received from the electronically controlled machines over a network to one or more clients. The main server also has an authenticator for verifying the identity of clients accessing the system through the network, and a communication module for streaming the data from the electronically controlled machines. Information and programming may also be transferred from the clients to the machines through the system to allow remote control of the machines.

Claims

1. A system for collecting and distributing information to and from a plurality of electronically controlled machines, each machine producing real-time information, the system comprising:

a data collector module coupled in data communication to the electronically controlled machines for receiving data from the electronically controlled machines;

a main server coupled in data communication to the data collector module and to a network, the main server having means for publishing the data received from the electronically controlled machines, an authenticator for verifying the identity of clients accessing the system through the network, and a communication module capable of transmitting from the main server the data from the electronically controlled machines;

a database on the server, in which database is stored data received via the data collector module from the electronically controlled machines;

the main server further having the capability of permitting a client to access the database through the network and substantially preventing the client from accessing the electronically controlled machines directly;

a client capable of accessing the database through the network; and

a locator coupled to the main server through the network and for directing communication between the main server and the client.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the data collector module communicates with the machines using a communications protocol wherein the communications protocol is DCOM, HTTP, ETP, RPC or a proprietary protocol.

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein the data collector module further comprises an interface manager service to transfer data to the main server.

4. A system as in claim 1, wherein the data collector module is coupled in data communication to the electronically controlled machines by means of a communication protocol.

5. A system as in claim 1, wherein the network is a wide area network.

6. A system as in claim 1, wherein the main server is also coupled to a local-area network and further comprising a second client coupled to the local-area network.

7. A system as in claim 1, wherein the main server includes an event notification system.

8. A system for collecting and distributing information to and from multiple sets of electronically controlled machines, each machine producing real-time information, the system comprising;

a plurality of data collectors, each data collector coupled in data communication to a single set of electronically controlled machine and having an interface manager service;

a plurality of main severs, each main server coupled in data communication to one or more data collectors using a DCOM-compliant protocol and a wide area network, each main server having means for publishing the data received from the one or more data collectors coupled to it, an authenticator for verifying the identify of clients accessing the system through the wide-area network, and a communication module capable of transmitting from at least one of the main servers the data from the electronically controlled machine;

a locator coupled to each of the main servers through the wide area network and for directing communication between the main servers and their respective clients;

at least one database on at least one of the main servers, in which at least one database is stored data received from at least one of the data collector modules; and

at least one of the main servers being capable of permitting at least one client to access the at least one database through the wide area network and substantially preventing the at least one client from accessing the electronically controlled machines directly.

9. A system as in claim 8, wherein the data collectors each transfer data to and from the main servers.

10. a system as in claim 8, wherein each main server is also coupled to a local-area network and further comprising at least one client coupled to the local-area network.

11. A system for collecting and distributing information, the system comprising:

a plurality of electronically controlled machines;

at least one data collector module coupled in data communication to the electronically controlled machines;

at least one main server coupled in data communication to the at least one data collector module and a network, the main server having means for publishing the data received from the at least one data collector, an authenticator for verifying the identity of clients accessing the system through the wide-area network, and a communication module capable of transmitting from the at least one main server the data from the electronically controlled machines;

at least one database on the main server, in which database is stored data received from the at least one data collector module;

the at least one main server being capable of permitting a client to access the at least one database through the wide are network and substantially preventing the client from accessing the electronically controlled machines directly; and

a locator coupled to the main server through the network and for directing communication between the main server and the client.

12. A system as in claim 11, wherein the data collector module communicates with the machines using a communications protocol.

13. A system as in claim 11, wherein the data collector module further comprises an interface manager service to transfer data to the main server.

14. A system as in claim 11, further comprising at least one client capable of accessing the at least one database through the network.

15. A system as in claim 11, wherein the network is a wide area network.

16. A system as in claim 11, wherein the main server is also coupled to a local-area network and further comprising a second client coupled to the local-area network.

17. A system for collecting and distributing information to and from a plurality of electronically controlled machines, each machine producing real-time information, the system comprising:

a data collector module coupled in data communication to the electronically controlled machines for receiving data from the electronically controlled machines;

a main server coupled in data communication to the data collector module and to a network, the main server having a publisher for publishing the data received from the electronically controlled machines, an authenticator for verifying the identity of clients accessing the system through the network, and a communication module for transmitting from the main server the data collected from the electronically controlled machines;

at least one data base on the main server, in which at least one database is stored data received from the data collector module;

the main server capable of permitting a client to access the at least one database through the network and substantially preventing the client from accessing the electronically controlled machines directly; and

a locator coupled to the main server through the network and for directing communication between the main server and the client.