SMART DEVICE FOR INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION

• US 20130211546A1
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lawson, Douglas C., Reichard, Douglas J., Harkulich, Joseph A., Hessmer, Rainer, Chand, Sujeet, Farchmin, David W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,363,336 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/9
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 11/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31326 Database to manage communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31334 Database with devices, configuration, of plant
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33139 Design of industrial communication system with expert system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/12 Synchronisation of different clock signals provided by a plurality of clock generators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/14 Time supervision arrangements, e.g. real time clock
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/188 Virtual file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2471 Distributed queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 7/01 Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 : specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 : Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 : Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A cloud-aware smart device that facilitates automated configuration and integration of the device within an automation system is provided. Upon installation within the automation system, the smart device determines its geographical location, identifies other devices on the system, and determines its role within the system. The smart device then establishes communication with a cloud platform running one or more cloud-based applications or services and sends a device profile containing the gathered information to the cloud platform. The device profile can be used to automatically configure the device for operation within the system or to add the smart device to an existing cloud-based application.

Claims

1. An industrial automation device, comprising:

a memory that stores computer-executable components;

a processor, operatively coupled to the memory, that executes the following computer-executable components;

a profile generation component configured to generate a device profile for the industrial automation device that includes at least a role and a plant context of the industrial automation device; and

a cloud interface component that communicatively connects the industrial automation device to a cloud platform and sends the device profile to the cloud platform.

2. The industrial automation device of claim 1, further comprising a plant context component configured to gather context information relating to the plant context and provide the context information to the profile generation component for inclusion in the device profile.

3. The industrial automation device of claim 2, wherein the context information includes at least one of a geographical location information for the industrial automation device, a network identifier of a network to which the industrial automation is attached, a logical location of the industrial automation device within the network, identification of one or more other devices communicatively connected to the industrial automation device, a position of the industrial device within a device hierarchy, identification of one or more production areas in which the industrial automation device is located, or identification of one or more types of machines to which the industrial automation device is attached.

4. The industrial automation device of claim 2, further comprising a role component configured to provide role information regarding the role of the industrial automation device to the profile generation component for inclusion in the device profile, wherein the role information is based on a type of the industrial automation device and at least a portion of the plant context information.

5. The industrial automation device of claim 4, wherein the role information describes at least one of a function of the industrial automation device within the plant context, a relationship between the industrial automation device and a different device, or a process or portion of a process controlled by the industrial automation device,

6. The industrial automation device of claim 1, wherein the cloud interface component sends the device profile to a cloud-based application residing on the cloud platform.

7. The industrial automation device of claim 3, further comprising localization component configured to determine the geographical location of the industrial automation device, wherein the profile generation component is configured to include the geographical location in the device profile.

8. The industrial automation device of claim 1, wherein the device profile includes information that identifies at least one of data tags available in the industrial automation device, available storage in the industrial automation device, available processing capacity of the industrial automation device, a device status indication, or data required by the industrial automation device.

9. The industrial automation device of claim 1, wherein the cloud interface component is further configured to receive configuration information from the cloud platform.

10. The industrial automation device of claim 9, wherein the configuration information at least one of creates a new data tag in the industrial automation device, configures the industrial automation device to exchange data with a different device, or configures an operating parameter of the industrial automation device.

11. The industrial automation device of claim 1, wherein the cloud interface is further configured to communicatively connect the industrial automation device to the cloud platform through a proxy device.

12. The industrial automation device of claim 6, wherein the cloud-based application is at least one of a device management system, an operator interface system, a notification system, or a historian data interface system.

13. A method for configuring an industrial automation device for operation within an industrial automation system, comprising:

using a processor to execute computer-executable instructions stored in a memory to perform acts, the acts comprising including;

determining a role and a context of an industrial automation device within an industrial automation system; and

sending a device profile including information regarding the role and the context to a cloud platform.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining comprises determining at least one of a topology of devices connected to the industrial automation device, a position of the industrial automation device within a device hierarchy, a geographical location of the industrial automation device, an identity of a network to which the industrial automation device is attached, an identity of a production area in which the industrial automation device is located, or an identify of a machine to which the industrial automation device is connected.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining the role comprises determining the role based on a type of the industrial device and information regarding the context.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising including, within the device profile, at least one of data tags available in the industrial automation device, available storage in the industrial automation device, available processing capacity of the industrial automation device, a device status indication, or data required by the industrial automation device.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving configuration information from the cloud platform.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising, in response to the receiving the configuration information, at least one of creating a new data tag in the industrial automation device, configuring the industrial automation device to exchange data with a different device, or configuring an operating parameter of the industrial automation device.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising communicatively coupling the industrial automation device to the cloud platform via a cloud proxy device.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the sending comprises sending the device profile to a cloud-based application that is at least one of a device management system, an operator interface system, a notification system, or a historian data interface system.

21. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause a computing system to perform operations, the operations including:

generating a device profile for the industrial automation device that includes a plant context and a role of the industrial automation device; and

sending the device profile to a cloud platform.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, the operations further comprising configuring the industrial automation device for operation within the industrial automation system in accordance with configuration information received from the cloud platform.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the device profile includes information regarding at least one of a geographical location information for the industrial automation device, a network identifier of a network to which the industrial automation is attached, a logical location of the industrial automation device within the network, identification of one or more other devices communicatively connected to the industrial automation device, a position of the industrial device within a device hierarchy, identification of one or more production areas in which the industrial automation device is located, or identification of one or more types of machines to which the industrial automation device is attached