Extensible automation development environment

• US 20080092116A1
• Filed: 01/05/2007
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric Software, LLC (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Invensys Systems Incorporated (Invensys PLC)
• Inventors: Kulkarni, Sandeep Shashikant, Ranganarasimhan, Guruprasad
• Granted Patent: US 7,624,371 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/110
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design

Abstract

The present invention provides an extensible automation development environment. A full development environment in its own right, the environment, in addition to supporting its own native objects, allows the integration of foreign (or “custom”) automation objects. Custom commands and custom events are also integrated into the environment and are handled by the same framework that handles native commands and events. Tools provided by the environment are made to work with custom objects as well as with native objects. For example, a common editor expands to incorporate a custom editor that handles custom data fields. A common browser expands to seamlessly incorporate a custom browser that may operate on custom automation objects from a custom database. All software entities, native and custom, can be developed and monitored within a single framework. Users operate seamlessly across heterogeneous automation environments, even though custom entities in the environment conform to their own operating standards.

Claims

1. An extensible automation development system configured for allowing a custom automation object to be integrated into the system, the system comprising:

a common browser configured for displaying data from the automation development system;

a common object editor configured for editing data in the automation development system;

a set of common commands to be performed by objects in the automation development system;

for each of at least a subset of the common commands, an interface for performing the command;

a set of common events to be responded to by objects in the automation development system;

for each of at least a subset of the common events, an interface for responding to the event;

an interface for adding a custom command to the automation development system, the custom command to be performed by a custom automation object; and

an interface for adding a custom event to the automation development system, the custom event to be responded to by a custom automation object.

2. The extensible automation development system of claim 1 wherein the common browser comprises:

an interface for adding a custom browser, the custom browser configured for displaying data from a custom automation object.

3. The extensible automation development system of claim 1 wherein:

the common browser is configured for presenting custom tabs and for performing a custom filtering operation.

4. The extensible automation development system of claim 1 further comprising:

an interface for adding a custom object editor, the custom object editor configured for editing data in a custom automation object.

5. The extensible automation development system of claim 1 further comprising:

a common view selected from the set consisting of;

a model view, a deployment view, and a derivation view; and

an interface for adding a custom view to the automation development system.

6. The extensible automation development system of claim 1 further comprising:

a common database, the common database comprising common automation object templates and instances of at least a subset of the common automation object templates; and

a custom database, the custom database comprising a custom automation object.

7. The extensible automation development system of claim 1 further comprising:

a custom automation object;

wherein the custom automation object is developed by a party other than a party that develops the interface for performing a common command and the interface for responding to a common event.

8. The extensible automation development system of claim 7 wherein:

the custom automation object comprises a handler selected from the group consisting of;

a custom handler for performing at least one of the common commands and a custom handler for responding to at least one of the common events.

9. A method for browsing data in an extensible automation development system, the method comprising:

using a common browser to display data from the automation development system, the common browser comprising an interface for adding a custom browser;

using the interface to add a custom browser; and

using the custom browser to display data from a custom automation object.

10. The method of browsing data in an extensible automation development system of claim 9 wherein:

the common browser is configured for presenting custom tabs and for performing a custom filtering operation.

11. The method of browsing data in an extensible automation development system of claim 9 wherein:

the custom browser is developed by a party other than a party that develops the common browser.

12. The method of browsing data in an extensible automation development system of claim 9 wherein:

the common browser is configured for displaying data from a common database, the common database comprising common automation object templates and instances of at least a subset of the common automation object templates; and

wherein the custom browser is configured for displaying data from a custom database, the custom database comprising the custom automation object.

13. A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions for performing a method for browsing data in an extensible automation development system, the method comprising:

using a common browser to display data from the automation development system, the common browser comprising an interface for adding a custom browser;

using the interface to add a custom browser; and

using the custom browser to display data from a custom automation object.

14. A method for integrating a custom automation object into an extensible automation development system, the method comprising:

including in the custom automation object a method for performing a common command in the automation development system, the method conforming to an interface provided by the automation development system for performing the common command;

including in the custom automation object a method for responding to a common event in the automation development system, the method conforming to an interface provided by the automation development system for responding to the common event;

including in the custom automation object a method for performing a custom command; and

adding the custom command to the automation development system, the adding conforming to an interface provided by the automation development system for adding a custom command.

15. The method for integrating a custom automation object into an extensible automation development system of claim 14 further comprising:

including in the custom automation object a method for responding to a custom event; and

adding the custom event to the automation development system, the adding conforming to an interface provided by the automation development system for adding a custom event.

16. The method for integrating a custom automation object into an extensible automation development system of claim 14 further comprising:

adding a custom browser to the automation development system, the adding conforming to an interface provided by the automation development system for adding a custom browser, the custom browser configured for displaying data from the custom automation object.

17. The method for integrating a custom automation object into an extensible automation development system of claim 14 further comprising:

adding a custom object editor to the automation development system, the adding conforming to an interface provided by the automation development system for adding a custom object editor, the custom object editor configured for editing data in the custom automation object.

18. The method for integrating a custom automation object into an extensible automation development system of claim 14 further comprising:

adding a custom view to the automation development system, the adding conforming to an interface provided by the automation development system for adding a custom view.

19. The method for integrating a custom automation object into an extensible automation development system of claim 14 further comprising:

adding a custom database to the automation development system, the custom database comprising the custom automation object.

20. The method for integrating a custom automation object into an extensible automation development system of claim 14 wherein:

the custom automation object is developed by a party other than a party that develops the interface for performing the common command, the interface for responding to the common event, and the interface for adding a custom command.

21. A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions for performing a method for integrating a custom automation object into an extensible automation development system, the method comprising:

including in the custom automation object a method for performing a common command in the automation development system, the method conforming to an interface provided by the automation development system for performing the common command;

including in the custom automation object a method for responding to a common event in the automation development system, the method conforming to an interface provided by the automation development system for responding to the common event;

including in the custom automation object a method for performing a custom command; and

adding the custom command to the automation development system, the adding conforming to an interface provided by the automation development system for adding a custom command.