METHOD FOR CONFIGURING A PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLER USING A SCHEMA TO VALIDATE EXTENSIBLE MARKUP LANGUAGE FILE

• US 20080016235A1
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Fanuc Automation North America Incorporated
• Original Assignee: GE Fanuc Automation North America Incorporated
• Inventors: Ascoli, Judy, O'Dea, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,966,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/056 Programming the PLC
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/15012 Configuration software for networks

Abstract

A method for configuring a programmable logic controller (PLC) having a protocol is provided. The method includes providing an extensible markup language (XML) schema for the protocol of the PLC. In another aspect, a method for configuring a programmable logic controller (PLC) having a protocol includes utilizing the schema to validate at least one XML file parsed from a comma separated variable (CSV) file created by a configuration tool for a protocol different than the protocol of the PLC. In another aspect, a method for configuring a programmable logic controller (PLC) having a protocol includes utilizing the schema to validate at least one XML file parsed from a comma separated variable (CSV) file created by a configuration tool.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method for configuring a programmable logic controller (PLC) having a protocol, said method comprising utilizing a schema to validate at least one extensible markup language (XML) file parsed from a comma separated variable (CSV) file created by a configuration tool for a protocol different than the protocol of the PLC.

22. A method in accordance with claim 21 wherein utilizing a schema to validate at least one XML file further comprises using grammar at least partially according to the schema.

23. A method in accordance with claim 21 further comprising transforming the at least one XML file using extensible style sheet language and then parsing the at least one XML file.

24. A method in accordance with claim 21 wherein utilizing a schema to validate at least one XML file further comprises facilitating configuring multiple devices by providing a standard format for defining a protocol for a device.

25. A method in accordance with claim 21 wherein utilizing a schema to validate at least one XML file further comprises using an XML schema including at least one of a Build Information element, a Device element and an Exchange element.

26. A method in accordance with claim 21 wherein utilizing a schema to validate at least one XML file further comprises using a schema including at least one of a Build Information element, a Device element, and an Exchange element, the Build Information element including at least one of a Name element, a Description element, a Tool element, a Validation Code element, a Last Build Date element, and a Last Build Time element.

27. A method in accordance with claim 21 wherein utilizing a schema to validate at least one XML file further comprises using a schema including at least one of a Build Information element, a Device element, and an Exchange element, the Device element including at least one of a Build Information element, a Device Configuration element, and a Device Validation element.

28. A method in accordance with claim 21 wherein utilizing a schema to validate at least one XML file further comprises using a schema including at least one of a Build Information element, a Device element, and an Exchange element, the Exchange element including at least one of a Build Information element, a Name element, a Description element, a Producer Identifier element, a Exchange ID element, a Signature element, a Source element, a Destination element, a Period element, and a Timeout element.

29. A method in accordance with claim 21 wherein utilizing a schema to validate at least one XML file further comprises using a schema including at least one of an Build Information element, a Device element, and an Exchange element, the Build Information element including at least one of a Name element, a Description element, a Tool element, a Validation Code element, a Last Build Date element, and a Last Build Time element, the Device element including at least one of a Build Information element, a Device Configuration element, and a Device Validation element, the Exchange element including at least one of a Build Information element, a Name element, a Description element, a Producer Identifier element, a Exchange ID element, a Signature element, a Source element, a Destination element, a Period element, and a Timeout element.

30. A method for configuring a programmable logic controller having a protocol, said method comprising utilizing a schema to validate at least one extensible markup language (XML) file parsed from a comma separated variable (CSV) file created by a configuration tool.

31. A method in accordance with claim 30 wherein utilizing a schema to validate at least one XML file further comprises using grammar at least partially according to the schema.

32. A method in accordance with claim 30 further comprising transforming the at least one XML file using extensible style sheet language.

33. A method in accordance with claim 30 wherein utilizing a schema to validate at least one XML file further comprises using an XML schema including at least one of a Build Information element, a Device element and an Exchange element.

34. A method in accordance with claim 30 wherein utilizing a schema to validate at least one XML file further comprises using a schema including at least one of a Build Information element, a Device element, and an Exchange element, the Build Information element including at least one of a Name element, a Description element, a Tool element, a Validation Code element, a Last Build Date element, and a Last Build Time element.

35. A method in accordance with claim 30 wherein utilizing a schema to validate at least one XML file further comprises using a schema including at least one of a Build Information element, a Device element, and an Exchange element, the Device element including at least one of a Build Information element, a Device Configuration element, and a Device Validation element.

36. A method in accordance with claim 30 wherein utilizing a schema to validate at least one XML file further comprises using a schema including at least one of a Build Information element, a Device element, and an Exchange element, the Exchange element including at least one of a Build Information element, a Name element, a Description element, a Producer Identifier element, a Exchange ID element, a Signature element, a Source element, a Destination element, a Period element, and a Timeout element.

37. A method in accordance with claim 30 wherein utilizing a schema to validate at least one XML file further comprises using a schema including at least one of an Build Information element, a Device element, and an Exchange element, the Build Information element including at least one of a Name element, a Description element, a Tool element, a Validation Code element, a Last Build Date element, and a Last Build Time element, the Device element including at least one of a Build Information element, a Device Configuration element, and a Device Validation element, the Exchange element including at least one of a Build Information element, a Name element, a Description element, a Producer Identifier element, a Exchange ID element, a Signature element, a Source element, a Destination element, a Period element, and a Timeout element.

38. A method for configuring a programmable logic controller (PLC) having a protocol, said method comprising:

utilizing a schema to validate at least one extensible markup language (XML) file parsed from a comma separated variable (CSV) file created by a configuration tool for a protocol different than the protocol of the PLC; and

using grammar at least partially according to the schema.

39. A method in accordance with claim 38 further comprising transforming the at least one XML file using extensible style sheet language and then parsing the at least one XML file.

40. A method in accordance with claim 38 wherein utilizing a schema further comprises using an XML schema including at least one of a Build Information element, a Device element, and an Exchange element.