Method and automation controller for the output of a maintenance information item from an automation component

• US 20100057402A1
• Filed: 08/27/2009
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Helmig, Dieter, Plattner, Christoph, Schindler, Josef, Dausend, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 8,275,580 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/184
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23043 Remote and local control panel, programming unit, switch
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24102 Display status of controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24104 Operator can select a graphical screen at his will as help diagnostic
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06

Abstract

A method for an output of maintenance information of an automation component in an automation arrangement is provided. The automation arrangement includes the automation component, an automation controller and a local control unit which is functionally associated with the automation component. In a first step status information relating to the automation component is formed in the automation controller, in a second step the status information is used by the automation controller to generate or change the maintenance information, and in a third step the maintenance information is transmitted from the automation controller to the control unit and is output there.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. A method for an output of maintenance information of an automation component in an automation arrangement, comprising:

providing an automation component, an automation controller and a control unit functionally associated with the automation component;

generating status information relating to the automation component in the automation controller;

generating or changing maintenance information of the automation component by the automation controller based upon the status information;

transmitting the maintenance information from the automation controller to the control unit; and

outputting the maintenance information by the control unit.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein a plurality of automation components including a plurality of maintenance information are provided, and wherein the maintenance information of the automation components are processed in a standard data format.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the status information is generated by the automation component and is transmitted to the automation controller.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the status information is generated by the automation controller using statistical information about the previous use of the automation component.

17. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the status information is generated by the automation controller using information which is captured by third components and transmitted to the automation controller.

18. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

providing a diagnosis station; and

transmitting the maintenance information from the automation controller to the diagnosis station.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the diagnosis station transmits additional maintenance information relating to the automation component to the automation controller, and wherein the automation controller takes account of the additional maintenance information when generating or changing the maintenance information to be transmitted to the control unit.

20. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

storing an appliance description for the automation component in the automation controller; and

converting the maintenance information to be transmitted into a data format defined by the appliance description prior to the transmission by the automation controller.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein GSDML data format or EDD data format is used for the appliance description.

22. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

providing an manufacturer execution system (MES), the automation controller being equipped with a data interface to the MES;

converting the maintenance information by the automation controller into a data format which is specific to the MES; and

transmitting the maintenance information to the MES.

23. An automation controller for use in an automation arrangement including an automation component and a control unit, wherein the automation controller is configured

to capture status information of the automation component,

to generate or change maintenance information relating to the automation component, and

to transmit the maintenance information to the control unit.

24. The automation controller as claimed in claim 23, wherein

the automation controller is arranged in an automation arrangement including a plurality of automation components and a plurality of control units,

each of the control units has an associated subset of the automation components,

the automation controller stores association information about the association between the automation components and the control units, and

the automation controller is configured such that maintenance information associated with the respective automation components are transmitted only to the control unit associated with the relevant automation component.