Industrial controller event logging
First Claim
1. A manufacturing system comprising:
- a plurality of industrial controllers, each industrial controller executing logic establishing at least one queue having a queue length, each industrial controller implementing a time clock, each industrial controller operative detect an event, associate a preassigned event code with the event, read the time clock to obtain an event time, and store as an event record the preassigned event code associated with the event time in the queue;
a data communication network interconnecting the plurality of industrial controllers;
a group computer connected to the data communication network, the group computer operative to (a) synchronize the time clock in each of the plurality of industrial controllers to the same time at a particular instant of time, (b) for each queue in each industrial controller, store a queue scan rate value and the queue length, (c) for each queue in each industrial controller, retrieve at least one of the event records held in that queue at a periodic interval based on the scan rate value for that queue, (d) accumulate event records retrieved from the plurality of industrial controllers, and (e) periodically forward the accumulated event records; and
a server in communication with the group computer, the server operative to receive the forwarded accumulated event records and to store the received event records for access by user interface programs.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Industrial equipment is monitored by at least one industrial controller assigned to each group of industrial equipment. A plurality of queues is established by logic within one of the industrial controllers for each group. Each queue holds a number of event records. Logic is established in each industrial controller for detecting a predetermined event and for storing an indication of the detected event associated with a time stamp as an event record in a queue associated with the predetermined event. A group computer is interconnected with each industrial controller in the group through a data communication network. A scan rate is established for each queue in that group. Event records are periodically read from each queue based on the scan rate for that queue. The event records for all queues in a group are accumulated by the group computer and forwarded to a server. The group computer may dynamically set the scan rate and/or the queue length for each queue based on records read from the queue.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A manufacturing system comprising:
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a plurality of industrial controllers, each industrial controller executing logic establishing at least one queue having a queue length, each industrial controller implementing a time clock, each industrial controller operative detect an event, associate a preassigned event code with the event, read the time clock to obtain an event time, and store as an event record the preassigned event code associated with the event time in the queue;
a data communication network interconnecting the plurality of industrial controllers;
a group computer connected to the data communication network, the group computer operative to (a) synchronize the time clock in each of the plurality of industrial controllers to the same time at a particular instant of time, (b) for each queue in each industrial controller, store a queue scan rate value and the queue length, (c) for each queue in each industrial controller, retrieve at least one of the event records held in that queue at a periodic interval based on the scan rate value for that queue, (d) accumulate event records retrieved from the plurality of industrial controllers, and (e) periodically forward the accumulated event records; and
a server in communication with the group computer, the server operative to receive the forwarded accumulated event records and to store the received event records for access by user interface programs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of monitoring industrial equipment divided into a plurality of groups, wherein at least one industrial controller is assigned to each group, each industrial controller monitoring conditions of at least a portion of the industrial equipment assigned to the group, the method comprising:
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establishing a plurality of queues for each group, each queue operative to hold a number of event records, each queue established by logic within one of the industrial controllers;
in each industrial controller, establishing logic to detect a predetermined event and store an indication of the detected event associated with a time stamp as an event record in a queue associated with the predetermined event;
for each group, interconnecting a group computer with each of the at least one industrial controller in that group through a data communication network;
in each group computer, establishing a scan rate for each queue in that group, periodically reading the event records in each queue based on the scan rate for that queue, and accumulating the event records for all queues in that group; and
collecting the accumulated event records for each group computer in a server. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of monitoring industrial equipment comprising:
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detecting one of a predetermined set of events occurring in the industrial equipment;
forming an event record by associating the detected event with a time stamp;
pushing the event record onto a finite length queue initiated within an industrial controller;
reading all event records held by the queue after an interval determined as a scan rate;
discarding as a duplicate event record any event record matching a previously read event record; and
dynamically determining the scan rate based on whether or not any duplicate event records are discarded.
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21. A method of monitoring industrial equipment comprising:
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detecting one of a predetermined set of events occurring in the industrial equipment;
forming an event record by associating the detected event with a time stamp;
pushing the event record onto a finite length queue initiated within an industrial controller;
pushing an overflow event record onto the queue if an overflow event is detected;
reading and clearing all event records held by the queue after an interval determined as a scan rate; and
dynamically determining the scan rate based on reading at least one overflow event.
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22. A method of monitoring industrial equipment comprising:
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establishing a plurality of queues, each queue established in an industrial controller, each queue having its own scan rate;
associating each of a plurality of events with an event label and one of the plurality of queues;
detecting one of the plurality of events;
storing the event label associated with the detected event together with a time stamp as an event record in the queue associated with the detected event;
reading each queue periodically at a rate determined by the scan rate for that queue; and
accumulating the event records from the plurality of queues. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification