MODULE CLASS SUBSETS FOR INDUSTRIAL CONTROL

• US 20080098351A1
• Filed: 07/09/2007
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Carmount, Mark K., Weatherhead, N. Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,601,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/107
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41885 characterised by modeling, simulation of the manufacturing system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A system that facilitates module design in an industrial environment is provided. The system includes a module component that defines operations to control an industrial process. At least one class component is defined within the module that identifies a generic operation for the module, where the class component executes one or more of the operations within the industrial control process.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates module design in an industrial environment, comprising:

a module component that defines operations to control an industrial process; and

at least one class component defined within the module that identifies a generic operation for the module, where the class component executes one or more of the operations within the industrial control process.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one interface component to facilitate module execution.

3. The system of claim 2, the interface component is associated with at least one of a unit interface, an equipment phase interface, and an equipment interface.

4. The system of claim 1, the module component further comprising at least one behavior component that defines one or more functional aspects of the module component.

5. The system of claim 1, the module component further comprising at least one coordination and control component to interact with at least one control module.

6. The system of claim 1, the module component further comprising at least one report or parameter component to communicate state activity for the module component.

7. The system of claim 1, the module component further comprising a mode component, a permissive component, a command component, or a status component.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one unit to communicate with the module component.

9. The system of claim 1, the module component is at least one of a material transfer component, a generic component, or an equipment verification component.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one equipment phase component that is associated with at least one phase class component.

11. The system of claim 10, the equipment phase component includes at least one behavior component.

12. The system of claim 10, the equipment phase component includes at least one interface component.

13. The system of claim 10, the equipment phase component includes a report component or a parameter component.

14. The system of claim 10, the equipment phase component includes at least one S88 state component.

15. The system of claim 10, the equipment phase component is at least one of a material transfer component, a generic component, or an equipment verification component.

16. The system of claim 1, the module component further comprising a sequence logic component associated with a step number, a number of steps, or a sequence active.

17. A method to generate modular control components, comprising:

defining generic portions of a industrial control module components as members of a class;

associating the members of the class with functional units within the industrial control module; and

providing the industrial control module to serve at least two control applications.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising interfacing to the industrial control module from at least one other module.

19. The method of claim 18, the industrial control module includes at least one equipment module and the at least one other module includes at least one equipment phase module.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising analyzing at least one behavior component to define the industrial control module.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising generating at least one report or parameter to communicate state activity.

22. The system of claim 17, further comprising processing a mode component, a permissive component, a command component, or a status component.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising processing at least one S88 state.

24. A system to process module control components, comprising:

means for classifying subsections of a control module as components of a class; and

means for identifying the components of the class with behavioral units associated with the control module.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising means for interfacing to the behavioral units.

26. A computer readable medium having a data structure stored thereon, comprising:

a module component to store one or more members of a class;

at least one interface component to communicate with one or more industrial control modules; and

at least one behavior component to provide control functionality for the members of the class.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 26, further comprising a mode component, a permissive component, a command component, a status component, a report component, a parameter component, a coordination component, or a sequence component.