METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROL CONFIGURATION WITH CONTROL OBJECTS THAT ARE FIELDBUS PROTOCOL-AWARE

• US 20100305720A1
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric Systems USA, Inc. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Invensys Systems Incorporated (Invensys PLC)
• Inventors: Kostadinov, Vladimir, Eldridge, Keith E., Doll, Benno
• Granted Patent: US 8,127,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/86
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23299 Remote load of program, through fieldbus
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25061 Configuration stored in central database

Abstract

The invention provides, in some aspects, improved apparatus for configuring a control system. The apparatus includes a model made up of objects representing devices of such a system, including, at least one device that defines and/or controls communications on at least a portion of a network within that system. That device is referred to, here, as a “bus master” and the portion of the network is referred to as a “segment.” The object (or objects) representing the bus master can include information defining timings, port assignments and/or other aspects of the configuration of the segment. A download service transfers configuration information from objects in the model to devices in the control system. This includes transferring to the bus master communications configuration information for the segment. A download service according to this aspect of the invention generates—e.g., for logging by a change tracking system—indicia of the configuration information transferred to the bus master. The download service can likewise generate for logging (by the change tracking system) information transferred from the model to other devices in control system. The invention provides improved apparatus for configuring a control system that includes a model that is made up of one or more objects representing one or more devices in the system. The objects have parameters reflecting characteristics of the devices represented by the respective objects. At least one of those parameters is associated with a “track” attribute indicating whether at least selected configuration information transferred from that object to the respective device in the control system is to be logged to a change tracking system. A download service transfers configuration information from objects in the model to devices in the control system. Those downloads can go directly to the respective devices or can go indirectly, e.g., via other devices in the control system (such as controllers, field bus modules, and so forth). Regardless, the download service according to this aspect of the invention generates for logging by the change tracking system indicia of that transferred configuration information. Generation of those indicia is governed, at least in part, by the “track” attribute associated with one or more of the parameters with which the transferred information is associated.

Claims

1. Apparatus for configuring a control system, comprising

A. a model comprising one or more objects representing one or more devices of a control system,

B. at least one of the objects representing at least one device (“

bus master”

) that defines and/or controls communications on at least a portion of a network (“

segment”

) over which at least one of the devices communicates, the at least one object including information defining a configuration of the segment,

C. a download service that is coupled to the model and to the control system and that transfers to the control system at least selected configuration information from objects in the model,

D. a change tracking system that is in communications coupling with the download service,

E. the download service transferring to the bus master communications configuration information for the segment and generating for logging by the change tracking system indicia of the information transferred to the bus master.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the change tracking system logs for any of retrieval and reporting configuration information received by it.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the download service transfers to one or more of the devices, in addition to bus master, configuration information from objects in the model

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the download service generates for logging by the change tracking system indicia of the information transferred to the devices in the control system.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one object representing the bus master includes information defining timing of information transfers on the segment.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one object representing the bus master includes information defining one or more of the following aspects of configuration of the segment:

a master station address, a highest station address that can be assigned to the master address, a minimum slave interval, a data control time, a data transfer rate, a maximum retry limit, a GAP update factor, a slot time, a minimum station delay response time, a maximum station delay response time, a setup time, a quiet time, a target rotation time.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the objects represents at least one slave device (“

bus slave”

) in communications with the bus master over the segment.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the download service transfers to the bus slave communications configuration information for the segment and generates for logging by the change tracking system indicia of the configuration information transferred to the bus slave.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one object representing the bus slave includes information defining timing of information transfers on the segment.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one object representing the bus slave includes information defining one or more of the following aspects of configuration of the segment:

a minimum station delay response time, a watchdog time, Sync and Freeze mode support, a device failure timeout, groups definition, a DPV1 response timeout, and a failsafe flag.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the download service generates one or more XML files for transmission to the change tracking system in order to convey indicia of the information transferred to the bus slave.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indicia of the information transferred to the bus master include names and values of configuration parameters.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indicia of the information transferred to the bus slave include names and values of configuration parameters.

25. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one object representing the bus master includes information defining timing of information transfers on the segment.

28. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the download service generates one or more XML files for transmission to the change tracking system in order to convey indicia of the information transferred to the bus master and bus slave.

29. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the indicia of the information transferred to the bus master and bus slave include names and values of configuration parameters.

13. Apparatus for configuring a control system, comprising

A. a model comprising one or more objects representing one or more devices of a control system,

B. at least one of the objects representing at least one device (“

bus slave”

) on a portion of a network (“

segment”

) that is defined and/or controlled by another device (“

bus master”

), the at least one object including information defining a configuration of the segment,

C. a download service that transfers to the control system at least selected configuration information from objects in the model,

D. the download service transferring to the bus slave communications configuration information for the segment and generating for logging by a change tracking system indicia of the information transferred to the bus slave.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the change tracking system is coupled to at least the download service and logs for any of retrieval and reporting configuration information received by it.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one object representing the bus slave includes information defining timing of information transfers on the segment.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one object representing the bus slave includes information defining one or more of the following aspects of configuration of the segment:

a minimum station delay response time, a watchdog time, Sync and Freeze mode support, a device failure timeout, groups definition, a DPV1 response timeout, a failsafe flag.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the download service generates one or more XML files for transmission to the change tracking system in order to convey indicia of the information transferred to the bus slave.

19. Apparatus for configuring a control system, comprising

A. a model comprising one or more objects representing one or more devices of a control system,

B. at least one of the objects representing at least one device (“

bus master”

) that defines and/or controls communications on at least a portion of a network (“

segment”

) over which at least one of the devices communicates, the at least one object including information defining a configuration of the segment,

C. at least one of the objects represents at least one slave device (“

bus slave”

) in communications with the bus master over the segment,

D. the download service transferring to the bus master and bus slave communications configuration information for the segment and generating for logging by a change tracking system indicia of the information transferred to at least one of the bus master and bus slave.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the download service transfers to the control system at least selected configuration information from objects in the model, in addition to the those representing the bus master and bus slave.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the segment is a field bus.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the segment is a field bus that operates in accord with the Profibus standard.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the segment is a field bus that operates in accord with the Fieldbus Foundation standard.

24. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the segment supports immediate communications between control devices on a field bus.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one object representing the bus master includes information defining one or more of the following aspects of configuration of the segment:

master station address, highest station address that can be assigned to the master address, minimum slave interval, data control time, data transfer rate, maximum retry limit, GAP update factor, slot time, minimum station delay response time, maximum station delay response time, setup time, quiet time, target rotation time.

27. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one object representing the bus slave includes information defining one or more of the following aspects of configuration of the segment:

a minimum station delay response time, a watchdog time, Sync and Freeze mode support, a device failure timeout, groups definition, a DPV1 response timeout, a failsafe flag.

30. Apparatus for configuring a control system, comprising

A. a model comprising one or more objects representing one or more devices of a control system,

B. an editor that is coupled to the model and that facilitates definition and/or modification of at least configuration information therein,

C. a download service that transfers to the control system at least selected configuration information from objects in the model, the download service generating for logging by a change tracking system indicia of at least selected information transferred to the devices in the control system.

D. the editor being selectively coupleable to at least one device (“

bus master”

) in the control system that defines and/or controls communications on at least a portion of a network (“

segment”

) over which at least one of the devices communicate to permit definition and/or modification of one or more values of the bus master,

E. the editor responding to user input defining and/or modifying one or more values of the bus master by generating for logging by the change tracking system indicia of those values.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the change tracking system is coupled to at least the download service and to the editor and logs for any of retrieval and reporting configuration information received by it.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein

the editor is selectively coupleable to the bus master for direct definition and/or modification of one or more values thereof,

the editor responds to user input directly defining and/or modifying one or more values of the bus master by generating for logging by the change tracking system indicia of those values.

33. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein

the editor is selectively coupleable to the bus master for real-time definition and/or modification of one or more values thereof,

the editor responds to user input defining and/or modifying in real-time one or more values of the bus master by generating for logging by the change tracking system indicia of those values.

34. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the editor permits user definition and/or modification of one or more of the following values defining configuration of the segment:

master station address, highest station address that can be assigned to the master address, minimum slave interval, data control time, data transfer rate, maximum retry limit, GAP update factor, slot time, minimum station delay response time, maximum station delay response time, setup time, quiet time, target rotation time.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the model includes at least one object representing the bus slave and including information defining the configuration of the segment.

36. Apparatus for configuring a control system, comprising

A. a model comprising one or more objects representing one or more devices of a control system,

B. an editor that is coupled to the model and that facilitates definition and/or modification of at least configuration information therein,

C. a download service that transfers to the control system at least selected configuration information from objects in the model, the download service generating for logging by a change tracking system indicia of at least selected information transferred to the devices in the control system.

D. the editor being selectively coupleable to at least one device (“

bus slave”

) in the control system that communicates on at least a portion of a network (“

segment”

) defined and/or controlled by another device in the control system (“

bus master”

) to permit definition and/or modification of one or more values of the bus slave,

E. the editor responding to user input defining and/or modifying one or more values of the bus slave by generating for logging by the change tracking system indicia of those values.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the change tracking system is coupled to at least the download service and to the editor and logs for any of retrieval and reporting configuration information received by it.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein

the editor is selectively coupleable to the bus slave for direct definition and/or modification of one or more values thereof,

the editor responds to user input directly defining and/or modifying one or more values of the bus slave by generating for logging by the change tracking system indicia of those values.

39. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein

the editor is selectively coupleable to the bus slave for immediate definition and/or modification of one or more values thereof,

the editor responds to user input defining and/or modifying one or more values of the bus slave by generating for logging by the change tracking system indicia of those values.

40. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the editor permits user definition and/or modification of one or more of the following values defining configuration of the segment:

a minimum station delay response time, a watchdog time, Sync and Freeze mode support, a device failure timeout, groups definition, a DPV1 response timeout, a failsafe flag.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the model includes at least one object representing the bus slave and including information defining the configuration of the segment.

42. Method for configuring a control system, comprising

A. providing a model comprising one or more objects representing one or more devices of a control system, where at least one of the objects represents at least one device (“

bus master”

) that defines and/or controls communications on at least a portion of a network (“

segment”

) over which at least one of the devices communicates, the at least one object including information defining a configuration of the segment,

B. transferring to the control system at least selected configuration information from objects in the model,

C. the transferring step (B) including transferring to the bus master communications configuration information for the segment,

D. generating for logging by a change tracking system indicia of the information transferred to the bus master.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein step (C) includes transferring to one or more of the devices, in addition to bus master, configuration information from objects in the model

44. The method of claim 43, wherein step (D) includes generating for logging by the change tracking system indicia of the information transferred to the devices in the control system.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein the at least one object representing the bus master includes information defining timing of information transfers on the segment.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein the at least one object representing the bus master includes information defining one or more of the following aspects of configuration of the segment:

a master station address, a highest station address that can be assigned to the master address, a minimum slave interval, a data control time, a data transfer rate, a maximum retry limit, a GAP update factor, a slot time, a minimum station delay response time, a maximum station delay response time, a setup time, a quiet time, a target rotation time.

47. Method for configuring a control system, comprising

A. providing a model comprising one or more objects representing one or more devices of a control system, where at least one of the objects representing at least one device (“

bus slave”

) on a portion of a network (“

segment”

) that is defined and/or controlled by another device (“

bus master”

), the at least one object including information defining a configuration of the segment,

B. transferring to the control system at least selected configuration information from objects in the model,

C. the transferring step (B) including transferring to the bus slave communications configuration information for the segment, and

D. generating for logging by a change tracking system indicia of the information transferred to the bus slave.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the at least one object representing the bus slave includes information defining timing of information transfers on the segment.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein the at least one object representing the bus slave includes information defining one or more of the following aspects of configuration of the segment:

a minimum station delay response time, a watchdog time, Sync and Freeze mode support, a device failure timeout, groups definition, a DPV1 response timeout, a failsafe flag.

50. Method for configuring a control system, comprising

A. providing a model comprising one or more objects representing one or more devices of a control system,

B. utilizing an editor to define and/or modify of at least configuration information in the model,

C. transferring to the control system at least selected configuration information from objects in the model,

D. generating for logging by a change tracking system indicia of at least selected information transferred to the devices in the control system.

D. providing selective coupling between the editor and at least one device (“

bus master”

) in the control system that defines and/or controls communications on at least a portion of a network (“

segment”

) over which at least one of the devices communicate to permit immediate and/or direct definition and/or modification of one or more values of the bus master,

E. responding to user input defining and/or modifying one or more values of the bus master by generating for logging by the change tracking system indicia of those values.

51. The method of claim 50, comprising utilizing the editor to define and/or modify one or more of the following values in the bus master defining configuration of the segment:

master station address, highest station address that can be assigned to the master address, minimum slave interval, data control time, data transfer rate, maximum retry limit, GAP update factor, slot time, minimum station delay response time, maximum station delay response time, setup time, quiet time, target rotation time.

52. Apparatus for configuring a control system, comprising

A. providing a model comprising one or more objects representing one or more devices of a control system,

B. utilizing an editor to define and/or model at least configuration information in the model,

C. transferring to the control system at least selected configuration information from objects in the model,

D. generating for logging by a change tracking system indicia of at least selected information transferred to the devices in the control system.

E. providing selective coupling between the editor and at least one device (“

bus slave”

) in the control system that communicates on at least a portion of a network (“

segment”

) defined and/or controlled by another device in the control system (“

bus master”

) to permit immediate, real-time and/or direct definition and/or modification of one or more values of the bus slave,

F. responding to user input defining and/or modifying one or more values of the bus slave by generating for logging by the change tracking system indicia of those values.

53. The method of claim 52, comprising utilizing the editor to define and/or modify one or more of the following values defining configuration of the segment:

a minimum station delay response time, a watchdog time, Sync and Freeze mode support, a device failure timeout, groups definition, a DPV1 response timeout, a failsafe flag.

54-83. -83. (canceled)