SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SCHEDULING AN AUTOMATION PROCESS CONTROLLING A MACHINE

• US 20190317485A1
• Filed: 04/04/2019
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2018
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Gorisse, Francois, Rebergue, Jerome, Castang, Denis
• Application Number:
  US16/374,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20190317485A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/056 Programming the PLC
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31225 System structure, plc's and pc's communicate over lan
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33085 Real time calendar clock

Abstract

A system and a method for scheduling an automation process controlling a machine. The system including a parser module for parsing calendar data, the calendar data comprising calendar events including clock data and task data. The system further including a clock module for monitoring time instances and triggering the parser module to parse the calendar data to retrieve the task data of a calendar event that is identified by clock data corresponding to a time instance; and a task module for processing the task data of the calendar event to obtain machine control data for execution on a machine.

Claims

1. System for scheduling an automation process controlling a machine, comprising:

a parser module for parsing calendar data, the calendar data comprising calendar events including clock data and task data;

a clock module for monitoring time instances and triggering the parser module to parse the calendar data to retrieve the task data of a calendar event that is identified by clock data corresponding to a time instance;

a task module for processing the task data of the calendar event to obtain machine control data for execution on a machine.

2. System according to claim 1, further comprising:

a credentials module for managing and authenticating user accounts, service accounts, user credentials and service credentials.

3. System according to claim 1, wherein the clock module is arranged for:

keeping time independently; and

/or

retrieving time indications from an external time indicator provider; and

/or

synchronizing the time with an external time signal.

4. System according to claim 1, wherein the parser module and/or the credentials module are configured for exchanging calendar data with a client device comprising a calendar view application;

wherein the client device includes;

a machine user interface, such as SCADA or HMI; and

/or

a smartphone, tablet or computer.

5. System according to claim 1, wherein the parser module, the clock module and the task module are distributed over a Real Time Operating System RTOS, a server, a cloud infrastructure and/or a Programmable Logic Controller PLC.

6. System according to claim 1, further comprising a storage module for storing calendar data.

7. System according to claim 6, wherein the storage module comprises a cloud infrastructure.

8. System according to claim 1, further comprising a webserver arranged for processing scripts.

9. System according to claim 1, wherein the task data comprises a script and instructions to process the script on an embedded or remote webserver;

wherein processing of the script causes the webserver to retrieve machine control data for execution on a machine from a remote server; and

wherein the task module obtains the machine control data for execution on a machine from the webserver.

10. System according to claim 1, wherein the task data comprises instructions to send calendar data to a second scheduling system and/or to at least one second PLC.

11. System according to claim 1, wherein the parser module and/or the credentials module are configured for exchanging calendar data with a second scheduling system according to claim 1.

12. Computer implemented method for scheduling an automation process controlling a machine, comprising:

exchanging calendar data between a client device and a machine;

parsing the calendar data to retrieve calendar events defined by clock data and associated task data;

monitoring time instances and for clock data of a calendar event matching a time instance;

processing the associated task data of the calendar event to obtain machine control data, and

transmitting the machine control data for execution on the machine.

13. Method according to claim 12, further comprising, when the task data comprises a script and instructions to process the script on an embedded or remote webserver,

processing the script causing the webserver to retrieve machine control data for execution on a machine from a remote server.

14. Method according to claim 12, further comprising executing the control data.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a software program comprising program code instructions for perfoiming, when said software program is executed by a computer, the method according to claim 12.