EDITING LIFECYCLE AND DEPLOYMENT OF OBJECTS IN AN INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION ENVIRONMENT

• US 20090240348A1
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kalan, Michael D., Hood, Gavan W., Baier, John J., Chand, Sujeet, Hall, Kenwood H., Briant, Stephen C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,060,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/12
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/056 Programming the PLC
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13051 Display status of I-O in intelligible, easy to understand language
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13137 Interpreter considers hierarchy of plc in system structure for programming it
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13152 Modification of program
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

An editor in an industrial automation environment comprises an input component that receives modification data relating to at least one of lifecycle and deployment of an object, the object is associated with a programmable logic controller and configured in accordance with a hierarchically structured data model. An implementation component can implement the modification data with respect to the object. The editor can further comprise a security component that determines that an entity providing the data to the input component is authorized to implement the modification data.

Claims

1. A system for implementing state-based control in an industrial automation environment, comprising:

a hierarchically structured data model representing an industrial system, the data model comprising at least one object that implements state-based control of the industrial system; and

an editor that facilitates user configuration of deployment and lifecycle data for the object, the deployment data comprising a deployment service and an associated deployment event, and the lifecycle data comprising at least one lifecycle state and an associated lifecycle event.

2. The system of claim 1, the at least one object employed by a controller to effect state-based control of the industrial automation system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the detection of the deployment event causes the at least one object to be deployed in a controller, and detection of the lifecycle event causes the at least one object to transition to the associated lifecycle state, the controller operating according to a current lifecycle state of the deployed at least one object.

4. The system of claim 1, the editor comprising a mapping component that maps the at least one object to at least one program employed by a controller that does not support state-based control.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the editor submits inquiries to a controller to determine whether the controller supports state-based control, and the mapping component maps the at least one object in accordance with a data format supported by the controller.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the editor submits inquiries to a controller to determine a network type on which the network resides, and packages data delivered to the controller in a format supported by the determined network type.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a filtering component that selectively returns objects to a user for configuration based on at least one of the user'"'"'s identity, location, or current task.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the lifecycle data includes a defined event that, when detected, causes the at least one object to be de-commissioned.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a lifecycle state library storing predefined lifecycle states together with common actions associated with each predefined lifecycle state, the lifecycle state library accessible by a user when configuring the lifecycle data for the at least one object.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a security component that allows user access control to be configured separately for each of the deployment data and the lifecycle data, the user access control allowing the deployment data and the lifecycle data to each be associated with a different set of authorized users.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the lifecycle event corresponds to at least one of a state of a process or a state of a machine within the industrial system.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a logging component that generates a log of configuration modifications applied to the object, the record having entries identifying the modification performed, the time of the modification, and the user who performed the modification.

13. A method for configuring objects that facilitate state-based control, comprising:

providing a hierarchically structured data model of an industrial system comprising at least one object that implements state-based control of the industrial system;

receiving user input that configures a deployment event for the at least one object;

receiving user input that configures at least one lifecycle state and a corresponding lifecycle event for the at least one object, the lifecycle state corresponding to a control action;

transitioning the at least one object to the at least one lifecycle state upon detection of the corresponding lifecycle event; and

deploying the at least one object to a controller upon detection of the deployment event to effect the control action.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

querying the controller to determine whether the controller supports state-based control;

mapping the at least one object to at least one program supportable by the controller when it is determined that the controller does not support state-based control; and

delivering the at least one program to the controller upon detection of a state change associated with the program.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

querying the controller to determine a type of network on which the controller resides; and

packaging the at least one object prior to deployment to enable transmission over the determined type of network.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a request from a user to edit one or more objects; and

filtering the requested one or more objects based on at least one of the user'"'"'s identity or current location.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising storing at least one pre-defined lifecycle state and an associated action in a data store for selection by a user when configuring the at least one object.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising controlling read and write access to the at least one object based on user access control settings associated with the object.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

configuring a first user access control setting for the at least one object'"'"'s deployment data; and

configuring a disparate second user access control setting for the at least one object'"'"'s lifecycle data.

20. A system for creating and modifying objects that facilitate state-based control of an industrial process, comprising:

means for receiving input data defining a deployment event for an object in a hierarchically structured data model of an industrial system, the object facilitating state-based control of a process in the industrial system;

means for receiving input data defining a set of lifecycle states for the object and a corresponding lifecycle event for each lifecycle state in the set, each lifecycle state corresponding to a control action to be performed with respect to the process;

means for recognizing a state change in the process corresponding to a defined lifecycle event;

means for transitioning the object to the defined lifecycle state corresponding to the recognized state change; and

means for deploying the object to a processor upon detection of the deployment event to effect a control action corresponding to a current lifecycle state of the object.