Industrial automation interface systems and methods

• US 20060224250A1
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Callaghan, David M.
• Application Number:
  US11/096,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20060224250A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/054 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31161 Java programcode or simular active agents, programs, applets
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32126 Hyperlink, access to program modules and to hardware modules in www, web server, browser
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

The subject invention pertains to a system and method of interacting with industrial automation devices such as programmable logic controllers (PLCs). A client computer can include a browser and one or more application components such as applets that are executed by the browser. The application components retrieve and receive data from automation devices in their native protocol and present such data to a browser for display to a user. The application components, as well as other browser data, can be stored locally on a computer readable medium associated with the client computer to facilitate expeditious access thereto, among other things. Furthermore, the application components can implement and apply digital rights management technology to increase control and security with respect to execution of the application components.

Claims

1. An interactive industrial control system comprising:

a computer system communicatively coupled to an industrial automation control system comprising;

at least one application component that receives input and generates output base thereon; and

a browser component that employs the at least one application component to facilitate at least one of presentation of data from the control system and receipt of data from a user.

2. The system of claim 1, the at least one application component resides on a local computer data store.

3. The system of claim 2, the at least one application component resides on a local computer that is a web server.

4. The system of claim 2, the at least one application component resides on a local computer that includes a Java servlet container.

5. The system of claim 1, the at least one application component is stored on a locally accessible computer readable medium.

6. The system of claim 1, the browser component includes or accesses an execution engine to execute the at least one application component.

7. The system of claim 1, the at least one application component includes a rights management component that controls access to and execution of sub-application components.

8. The system of claim 7, the rights management component further controls access to control system devices.

9. The system of claim 7, the rights management component restricts execution of sub-application components to one or more specific computers.

10. The system of claim 7, sub-application components include a signature component specifying conditions precedent to execution that the rights management component enforces.

11. The system of claim 1, the computer system communicates remotely with the control system over a communications network.

12. The system of claim 1, the browser application component interfaces with Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds provided by an industrial control device through at least one of a link on a web page, Universal Resource Identifier (URI), and Universal Resource Locator (URL).

13. An industrial automation device interface system comprising:

an application component that interacts with industrial automation device data and displays a graphical representation of the data to a user; and

a presentation component that receives and executes the one or more application components.

14. The system of claim 13, the application receives data from a user and transmits the data to an industrial automation device.

15. The system of claim 14, the application component is a XAML application.

16. The system of claim 13, the application component is a widget.

17. The system of claim 16, the presentation component is a script execution engine.

18. The system of claim 17, the widget provides a graphical data representation on a computer system desktop.

19. A method of interacting with an industrial control system comprising:

locating an application component that can interact with industrial automation devices on a local data store; and

executing the application within a browser component on a client computer connected locally to the data store.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising presenting data to and/or receiving data from a user utilizing the browser component.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising retrieving the application component and storing the application component to the data store.

22. The method of claim 21, retrieving the application component comprises retrieving the application component from at least one of a USB drive, an optical disk, and an email attachment.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising preventing execution of the application component if particular constraints are not satisfied.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising encrypting the application component.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising decrypting the application after verifying that the constraints are satisfied.

26. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for carrying out the method of claim 19.

27. A human-machine interface methodology comprising:

locating a plug-in that interacts with one or more industrial automation devices in their native protocol on a local data store;

verifying satisfaction of constraints associated with the plug-in; and

executing the plug-in within a browser on a computer connected locally to the data store, if all constraints are satisfied.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising providing data to and/or receiving data from a user employing the browser.

29. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for carrying out the method of claim 27.

30. A computer implemented method of interacting with industrial automation devices comprising:

receiving XAML code that sends and/or retrieves data to and/or from one or more industrial automation devices and specifies a graphical interface for interacting with such data; and

executing the code and producing the specified graphic user interface.

31. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for carrying out the method of claim 30.