System for defining network behaviors within application programs

• US 20060200770A1
• Filed: 12/23/2005
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donald Pieronek
• Original Assignee: Donald Pieronek
• Inventors: Pieronek, Donald
• Granted Patent: US 7,554,560 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/733
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/056 Programming the PLC
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13101 Function block instance, only one function block exists, several instances
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13144 GUI graphical user interface, icon, function bloc editor, OI operator interface
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13148 Object oriented programming
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/15012 Configuration software for networks
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23255 Object oriented programming, OOP
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25009 Profinet-I-O, producer-consumer mode
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25232 DCS, distributed control system, decentralised control unit

Abstract

A graphical interface for programming network communications messages and messaging behavior on a control apparatus that is coupled to a communications network and that is operating under control of an application program. The interface comprises an integrated schematic view of symbols representing communications and including application and messaging control logic including a diagrammatic representation for a network message having icons representing data within said message, icons representing control functions for regulating networking behavior, and one or more messaging connector icons representing interconnections with the network. Control logic icons and symbols may be interconnected may connected to the data and control icons for use in setting data content and regulating messaging and network behavior. Corresponding methods for programming network messages and associated messaging_behavior between control devices are also covered.

Claims

1. A graphical interface for programming network communications messages and messaging behavior on a control apparatus coupled to a communications network and operating under control of an application program, said interface comprising:

a) a message icon representing a communications message on said network, including;

i) a plurality of data element icons representing data elements within said message,

ii) a plurality of messaging control icons representing functions for regulating networking behavior, and

iii) one or more messaging connector icons;

b) a plurality of control logic icons connected to said data element and control icons representing software control logic within the application program for setting data content and regulating message and associated network behavior.

2. The graphical interface of claim 1, in which:

said message icon comprises a generally rectangular block having said data element and messaging control icons and said one or more related messaging connector icons.

3. The graphical interface of claim 2, further including:

a plurality of network status icons connected in between said message icon and a messaging connector icon.

4. The graphical interface of claim 1, in which:

said data element icons comprise bit and byte termination points that include bit and byte designation numbers that may be set by the user.

5. The graphical interface of claim 4, in which:

said message icon represents functionality for producing a message.

6. The graphical interface of claim 1, in which:

said plurality of control logic icons include ladder logic rung and contact icons.

7. The graphical interface of claim 1, in which:

said messaging connector icons include an icon formed by diagrammatic depiction of a cable with wires from said data element icons leading to said cable.

8. A method of programming network messaging between control devices that are coupled to a packet network and that are operating under control of general purpose software application programs providing the fundamental application functionality of these devices, comprising the steps of:

a) displaying a schematic view of graphical symbols representing software program functions for components within one of said application programs for one of said control devices;

b) displaying graphical symbols representing communications functions associated with said network integrated with said program function symbols as parts of the same schematic view including a diagrammatic representation of a network interface for programming packet message structures and controlling packet messaging having diagrammatic inputs corresponding to communication functions; and

c) making diagrammatic interconnections between said symbols for said software functions and said inputs corresponding to said communications functions to form said packet message and control network behavior for said message as a part of said application program.

9. The method of claim 8, in which:

one or more of said inputs represent input functions for setting data variables within said packet message.

10. The method of claim 9, in which:

one or more of said data variables correspond to data bits.

11. The method of claim 9, in which:

said diagrammatic representation of said interface comprises;

a message icon representing said packet message, including;

a) a plurality of data element icons representing data elements within said message,

b) a plurality of messaging control icons representing functions for regulating networking behavior, and

b) one or more messaging connector icons

12. A graphical interface for programming network communications messages and messaging behavior on a control apparatus coupled to a communications network and operating under control of an application program, said interface comprising:

a) an icon diagrammatically representing a communications message packet for messaging on said network, including a plurality of data element icons representing data elements within said message and a plurality of messaging control icons representing functions for regulating networking behavior, and

b) a plurality of ladder logic icons connected to said data element and control icons representing software control logic within the application program for setting data content and regulating message and associated network behavior.

13. The graphical interface of claim 12, in which:

said icon comprises a generally rectangular block having said data element and messaging control icons and one or more related messaging connector icons.

14. The graphical interface of claim 12, further including:

a plurality of network status icons connected in between said message icon and a messaging connector icon.

15. The graphical interface of claim 12, in which:

said data element icons comprise bit and byte termination points that include bit and byte numbers that may be designated by the user.

16. The graphical interface of claim 15, in which:

said data element bit termination points are circular and said data element byte termination points are square.

17. The graphical interface of claim 12, in which:

said icon represents functionality for producing a message.

18. The graphical interface of claim 12, in which:

said icon represents functionality for consuming a message.

19. The graphical interface of claim 12, in which:

said plurality of ladder logic icons include ladder logic rungs and contact icons.

20. The graphical interface of claim 12, further including:

an icon diagrammatically representing a messaging connector icon formed by a depiction of a cable with wires from said data element icons leading to said cable.

21. A method of programming network messaging between control devices that are coupled to a packet network and that are operating under control of general purpose software application programs providing the basic application functionality of these devices, comprising the steps of:

displaying an integrated schematic view of graphical symbols representing software program functions for components within one of said application programs on one of said control devices and graphical symbols representing communications functions regulating packet structure and packet messaging for said network for one of said control devices; and

manipulating said graphical symbols on said integrated schematic view to program said communications functions and control packet messaging from within said general purpose application program.

22. The method of claim 21, in which:

said integrated schematic view includes graphical symbols providing a diagrammatic representation of a network interface for programming packet message structures and controlling packet messaging having diagrammatic inputs corresponding to communication functions.

23. The method of claim 22, in which:

said step of manipulating said symbols includes making diagrammatic interconnections between said graphical symbols for software functions and said inputs corresponding to packet messaging communications functions.

24. The method of claim 22, in which:

one or more of said inputs represent input functions for setting data variables within said packet message structure where circles correspond to bits and squares correspond to bytes.

25. The method of claim 24, in which:

one or more of said data variables correspond to data bits.

26. The method of claim 22, in which:

said diagrammatic representation of said interface comprises symbols representing;

a message icon representing said packet message, including;

c) a plurality of data element icons representing data elements within said message,

b) a plurality of messaging control icons representing functions for regulating networking behavior, and

d) one or more messaging connector icons.