Wireless industrial control user interface

• US 20070093921A1
• Filed: 10/26/2005
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Braun, Scott, Knutsen, Neil, Weingarth, Christine, Steinweg, Calvin
• Granted Patent: US 7,668,605 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31174 Load, use different protocols, formats, emulators for different systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31195 WAP wireless application protocol, wireless web application
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36159 Detachable or portable programming unit, display, pc, pda
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/45 Structures or tools for the administration of authentication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

An industrial control system includes a motor drive, a wireless interface module, and a wireless user interface. The motor drive has at least a first port. The wireless interface module is coupled to the first port of the motor drive. The wireless user interface is operable to connect to the wireless interface module and establish a first connection through the wireless interface module to access the motor drive. A user interface operable to connect to a device within an industrial control system includes a display and a processing unit operable to establish a connection with the device and display an image representative of the device on the display responsive to establishing the connection.

Claims

1. An industrial control system, comprising:

a motor drive having at least a first port;

a wireless interface module coupled to the first port of the motor drive; and

a wireless user interface operable to connect to the wireless interface module and establish a first connection through the wireless interface module to access the motor drive.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless user interface is operable to communicate with the wireless interface module using a first protocol and to communicate with the motor drive using a second protocol different from the first protocol, and wherein messages formatted using the second protocol are encapsulated by the first protocol for communication between the wireless user interface and the wireless interface module.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless user interface includes a display and is operable to display an image representative of the motor drive on the display responsive to establishing the first connection.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one peripheral associated with the motor drive, wherein the wireless user interface operable to establish a second connection through the wireless interface module to access the peripheral.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the wireless user interface includes a display and is operable to display an image representative of the peripheral on the display responsive to establishing the second connection.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the image comprises an image of the motor drive.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the motor drive device has a particular drive type, and the image comprises an image corresponding to the drive type.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the wireless user interface is operable to store a library of images, each image being associated with a particular type of device, and the wireless user interface is operable to select the image from the library.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein the image comprises a drawing of the motor drive.

10. The system of claim 3, wherein the wireless user interface is operable to display identification data associated with the motor drive on the display.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the wireless user interface is operable to display status information associated with the motor drive on the display.

12. The system of claim 4, wherein the wireless user interface includes a display and is operable to define a host frame and a device frame on the display and to display information associated with the motor drive in the host frame and information associated with the peripheral in the device frame.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the wireless user interface is operable to display an image representative of the peripheral in the device frame.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication network;

a communication module coupled to a second port of the motor drive and operable to communicate over the communication network;

a device coupled to the communication network,

wherein the wireless user interface is operable to establish a second connection through the wireless interface module and the communication module to access the device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the wireless user interface includes a display and is operable to display an image representative of the device on the display responsive to establishing the second connection.

16. A user interface operable to connect to a device within an industrial control system, comprising:

a display; and

a processing unit operable to establish a connection with the device and display an image representative of the device on the display responsive to establishing the connection.

17. The user interface of claim 16, wherein the processing unit is operable to connect to a wireless interface module coupled to the device using a wireless network protocol.

18. The interface of claim 16, wherein the processing unit is operable to communicate with a wireless interface module in the industrial control system using a first protocol to establish a connection to the device and to communicate with the device using a second protocol different from the first protocol, and wherein messages formatted using the second protocol are encapsulated by the first protocol for communication between the processing unit and the wireless interface module.

19. The interface of claim 16, wherein the image comprises an image of the device.

20. The interface of claim 16, wherein the device has a particular device type, and the image comprises an image corresponding to the device type.

21. The interface of claim 16, further comprising a memory operable to store a library of images, each image being associated with a particular type of device, wherein the processing unit is operable to select the image from the library.

22. The interface of claim 16, wherein the image comprises a drawing of the device.

23. The interface of claim 16, wherein the processing unit is operable to display identification data associated with the device on the display.

24. The interface of claim 23, wherein the identification data comprises at least one of a device name and a device type.

25. The interface of claim 23, wherein the identification data comprises at least one of device rating, firmware revision, and hardware version.

26. The interface of claim 23, wherein the processing unit is operable to display status information associate with the device on the display.

27. The interface of claim 16, wherein the device has an associated host, and the processing unit is operable to define a host frame and a device frame and to display information associated with the host in the host frame and information associated with the device in the device frame, the image representative of the device being displayed in the device frame.