INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION WITH AUTOMATION SYSTEMS

• US 20100217902A1
• Filed: 05/07/2010
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hall, Kenwood H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,806,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/106
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4186 by protocol, e.g. MAP, TOP
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31369 Translation, conversion of protocol between two layers, networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

The subject disclosure pertains to transparent communications in an industrial automation environment amongst automation system components and IT systems. Systems and methods are provided that send and receive data to, from and amongst automation devices and transactional based IT systems. The system is viewed as a control system to the automation device and as a transactional system to the IT system. Accordingly, it is not necessary to provide a custom interface between automation devices and the IT systems.

Claims

1. An industrial controller communication system, comprising:

a first interface component that obtains controller data from a data table in a control module having a continuous operating environment;

a translator component that converts the data from a serial control module protocol to transactional protocol; and

a second interface component that transmits the data to a transaction-based remote system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control module protocol is Common Industrial Protocol (CIP).

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote system is at least one of a control module, a database, a web service, or a transaction management server.

4. The system of claim 1, the transactional protocol is at least one of Open Database Connectivity (ODBC), Java Database Connectivity (JDBC), Common Industrial Protocol (CIP), Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), Message Queue (MQ) messaging, or Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first interface component, the translator component, and the second interface component reside on an Ethernet module communicatively coupled to the control module via a backplane of an industrial controller.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a send component associated with the control module, the send component transmits the controller data to the first interface component via the control module protocol.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the send component replicates the controller data from the data table to a data buffer prior to transmission to the first interface component.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a transaction manager that prevents the control module from making changes to the data in the data table while the controller data is being replicated from the data table to the data buffer.

9. An industrial controller communication system, comprising:

a first interface component that receives data from a transaction-based remote system;

a translator component that converts the data from a transactional protocol to a serial control module protocol; and

a second interface component that transmits the data to a control module having a continuous operating environment.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the control module protocol is Common Industrial Protocol (CIP).

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the remote system is at least one of a control module, a database, a web service, or a transaction management server.

12. The system of claim 9, the transactional protocol is at least one of Open Database Connectivity (ODBC), Java Database Connectivity (JDBC), Common Industrial Protocol (CIP), Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), Message Queue (MQ) messaging, or Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the first interface component, the translator component, and the second interface component reside on an Ethernet module communicatively coupled to the control module via a backplane of an industrial controller.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising a receive component associated with the control module, the receive component obtains the data from the second interface component via the control module protocol.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the receive component stores the data obtained from the second interface component in a data buffer until all the data has been received.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a transaction manager that copies the data from the data buffer to a data table of the control module upon determining that all the data has been received.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the transaction manager prevents the control module from modifying the data table as the data is being copied from the data buffer to the data table.

18. A method for sending data from a control module, comprising:

copying data from a control module data table into a data buffer upon receipt of a send instruction;

formatting the data copied to the data buffer as a transaction; and

transmitting the transaction in one or more data fragments.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising blocking modification of the data table while the data is being copied from the data table into the data buffer.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the transmitting the transaction comprises transmitting the transaction to one or more transactional remote systems.