WEB-BASED CONFIGURATION SERVER FOR AUTOMATION SYSTEMS

• US 20080082636A1
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Hall, Kenwood H., Auinger, Franz Johann, Zoitl, Alois, Hofmann, Reinhard
• Granted Patent: US 8,028,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41855 by local area network [LAN], network structure
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31104 Remote configuration of parameters of controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31161 Java programcode or simular active agents, programs, applets
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31348 Gateway
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34038 Web, http, ftp, internet, intranet server
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A configuration server provides a gateway for joining and exploring different networks to find and/or configure automation devices. The configuration server can be used for presentation and configuration interactions within a common web browser via, for example, a self-contained software application such as a configuration applet. The gateway can be based on open standards and implemented with small devices and/or with heterogeneous automation networks. The configuration server provides exploration of different network types and a list of attached devices to a configuration applet. The gateway enables links to automation devices to inspect their parameters and/or send configuration commands. In one instance, the configuration applet and the automation network devices are based on Java and IEC 61499, respectively. The configuration server can be utilized to discover both legacy and extended devices to help support manufacturing operators to easily maintain their automation systems.

Claims

1. A system that configures automation control systems, comprising:

a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) web server that provides a distributed automation control system interface via a web browser to at least one computing device; and

a configuration gateway that interacts with the distributed automation control system interface and an automation network to provide detection and/or communication with at least one device in the automation network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the configuration gateway interacts with standard compliant devices and non-standard devices.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the configuration gateway explores the automation network topology.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the configuration gateway provides a single access point between the automation network and the computing device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the configuration gateway employs a sniffer to detect a passive device, an echo request to stimulate and detect silent devices, and/or an identification request to detect International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61499 compliant devices.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the configuration gateway interacts with a who-am-I resource in automation network devices for active multicast detection of International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61499 compliant devices.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the configuration gateway interacts with heterogeneous automation networks.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

additional configuration gateways that interact with additional automation networks to detect and/or communicate with additional automation devices.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the additional configuration gateways are dynamically created.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the configuration gateways explore the additional automation network topologies.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the distributed automation control system interface comprising a hyper-text markup language (HTML) web page for the web browser.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the distributed automation control system interface includes a configuration applet that operates in the web browser.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the configuration applet interacts with the configuration gateway to configure at least one device on the automation network.

14. The system of claim 1 is based on an open standard for engineering platforms.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the open standard comprising an International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61499 compatible standard.

28. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable components of the system of claim 1.

30. A device employing the system of claim 1 comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of a computer, a server, and a handheld electronic device.

16. A method for configuring automation control systems, comprising:

serving, to at least one computing device, a self-contained software application that configures automation network devices via a web browser; and

detecting and/or communicating with at least one device in an automation network via a gateway that interacts with the self-contained software application and the automation network.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

actively and/or passively exploring the automation network topology to discover automation devices.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

detecting automation devices via a sniffer to detect passive devices, an echo request to stimulate and detect silent devices, and/or an ID request to detect International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61499 compliant devices.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

downloading a who-am-I resource to an International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61499 compliant device; and

employing active multicast detection to determine an identification for the IEC 61499 compliant device.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

employing a configuration gateway as a sole entry point to the automation network.

21. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

providing additional separate interactions to the automation network for each additional self-contained software application.

22. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

providing gateway interactions to additional automation networks for the self-contained software application.

23. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

dynamically creating additional gateway interactions for the self-contained software application and/or additional self-contained software applications.

24. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

providing the self-contained software application in a hyper-text markup language (HTML) web page for the web browser.

25. The method of claim 16 is based on an open standard for engineering platforms.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the open standard comprising an International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61499 compatible standard.

29. A device employing the method of claim 16 comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of a computer, a server, and a handheld electronic device.

27. A system that configures automation control systems, comprising:

means for serving a software applet in a web browser window on at least one computing device to communicate with at least one automation network device; and

means for interfacing via a gateway with the software applet and a distributed automation control system to control at least one device in the system.