Wireless Industrial Control User Interface With Configurable Software Capabilities

• US 20120109342A1
• Filed: 04/25/2011
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Christine E. Weingarth, Elena N. Pokatayev, Scott D. Braun
• Original Assignee: Christine E. Weingarth, Elena N. Pokatayev, Scott D. Braun
• Inventors: Braun, Scott D., Weingarth, Christine E., Pokatayev, Elena N.
• Granted Patent: US 9,268,320 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24165 Use codes to activate features of controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25186 Bluetooth

Abstract

A user interface operable to connect to a device within an industrial control system includes a memory and a processing unit. The memory is operable to store a plurality of software applications for interfacing with the device and a configuration mask including access rights for at least a subset of the software applications. The processing unit is operable to establish a first connection with the device and disable selected software applications based on the configuration mask.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. An industrial control system comprising:

a wireless interface module to couple to a port of a motor drive; and

a wireless user interface including a display, the wireless user interface to wirelessly communicate with the wireless interface module and to establish a connection through the wireless interface module to access the motor drive; and

the display to display a host frame and a device frame, the host frame to display host data, and the device frame to display device data and an image of the motor drive responsive to establishing the connection.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the wireless user interface is further configured to store a plurality of software applications for interfacing with the motor drive, to store a configuration mask including access rights for at least a subset of the software applications, and to disable selected software applications based on the configuration mask.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein one of the plurality of software applications comprises a status monitor.

22. The system of claim 19, further including a communication module to couple to a second port of the motor drive.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the wireless user interface is further configured to route messages through the wireless interface module and through the communication module to access a remote device on a communication network.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the wireless user interface is further configured to store a plurality of software applications for interfacing with the motor drive and the remote device, to store a configuration mask including access rights for at least a subset of the software applications, and to disable selected software applications based on the configuration mask.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the host frame is configured to display at least one of a host name, a host type, a host state, and a port designation;

and

the device frame is configured to display at least one of a device name, a device type, a device rating, and a feedback designation.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the device rating comprises at least one of a voltage and a current rating, and the feedback designation comprises a drive speed in Hertz.

27. The system of claim 19, further including a motor drive having a port.

28. An industrial control system, comprising:

a wireless interface module to couple to a first port of a motor drive;

a communication module to couple to a second port of the motor drive; and

a wireless user interface to communicate with the wireless interface module and to establish a first connection through the wireless interface module to access the motor drive, the wireless user interface being further configured to route messages through the wireless interface module and through the communication module to access a remote device on a communication network, the wireless user interface being further configured to store a plurality of software applications for interfacing with the motor drive and the remote device, store a configuration mask including access rights for at least a subset of the software applications, and disable selected software applications based on the configuration mask.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising a programming terminal to interface with the wireless user interface, to generate the configuration mask, and to store the configuration mask on the wireless user interface.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the programming terminal is configured to delete the disabled software applications from the wireless user interface.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the programming terminal is configured to determine the access rights in the configuration mask based on an intended user of the wireless user interface.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the subset of software applications comprise at least one of a parameter list viewer, a file and group viewer, an upload/download tool, a device properties viewer, a flash update tool, a control interface, a trending/graphing tool, and a connection tool.

33. A user interface configured to communicate with a device within an industrial control system, the user interface comprising:

a display;

a memory to store a plurality of software applications for interfacing with the device; and

a processing unit to establish a connection with the device and, on the display, to display a host frame and a device frame, the host frame to display host data and the device frame to display device data and an image of the device responsive to establishing the connection.

34. The interface of claim 33, wherein the user interface is configured to display identification data associated with the device on the display.

35. The interface of claim 33, wherein the user interface is configured to display status information associated with the device on the display.

36. The interface of claim 33, wherein the memory is further configured to store a configuration mask including access rights for at least a subset of the software applications.

37. The interface of claim 36, wherein the processing unit disables selected software applications based on the configuration mask.

38. The interface of claim 33, further comprising a communication module to couple to the device, the user interface configured to access a remote device coupled to a communication network through the communication module.