Database access machine for factory automation network

• US 4,831,582 A
• Filed: 11/07/1986
• Issued: 05/16/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Allen-Bradley Company (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Allen-Bradley Company (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hayward, Peter J., Horton, Robert E., Miller, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Gareth D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KULIK, PAUL V
• Application Number:
  US06/928,529
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 364/468, 364/300, 364/900 MS File, 364/200 MS File, 364/130-138, 364/146
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33125 System configuration, reconfiguration, customization, automatic
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34345 Database for sequential control of several machines by messages
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A cell controlling computer is interfaced to a group of station-level computers through an access machine which stores a database of data that is continually being updated from the station-level computers in response to conditions on machines and industrial process equipment. The access machine communicates with the station-level computers using messages addressed to each respective station. The access machine communicates with the cell controlling computer through database operations messages that allow data to be communicated for many stations at once. During on-line reconfiguration, new data items in the station-level computers can be added to the database in the access machine using other database operations messages.

Claims

1. An access machine computer which is a first of a plurality of access machine computers for connection in a factory automation cell that includes a cell controlling computer and a plurality of station-level computers located at a corresponding plurality of stations, the plurality of station-level computers including at least one station-level computer controlling an industrial machine in real time, the first access machine computer comprising:

an access machine module outside the cell controlling computer for communicating upstream within the factory automation cell to the cell controlling computer and for communicating downstream within the factory automation cell to a plurality of station-level computers, the access machine module including

database means for storing at least a portion of a database associated with the first access machine computer, the database including data items, computer accessing the data items on a basis that is independent of the addresses which are assigned to the data items at the stations for reference by respective station-level computers;

first network communication means coupled to the database means for communicating the data items associated with the first access machine computer through a first network communication link to and from the cell controlling computer via messages in which data items are stored in and retrieved from the database independent of the addresses which are assigned at the stations at which the data items are monitored or controlled;

second network communication means for communicating the data items through a second network communication link to and from the station-level computers via messages which include station-related blocks of information that are related to addresses of the stations of the respective station-level computers; and

database interface means interfacing the database means to the second network communication means for translating the data items between the station-related blocks of information and the station-independent organization of the database.

2. The access machine of claim 1 in which each data item includes a field of tag data that is unique within the factory automation cell and in which the data items are accessed via the tag data.

3. The access machine of claim 1, wherein the first network communication link is a first local area network.

4. The access machine of claim 1, wherein the second network communication link is a second local area network.

5. The access machine of claim 1, further comprising means coupled to the first network communication means to receive and load the database into the database means.

6. An access machine computer which is a first of a plurality of access machine computers for connection in a factory automation cell that includes a cell controlling computer and a plurality of station-level computers located at respective stations, the plurality of station-level computers including at least one computer controlling an industrial machine in real time, the first access machine computer comprising:

a data access link processor module including

database means for storing at least a portion of a database associated with the first access machine computer, the database including data items which are associated with stations of respective station-level computers during communication to and from the stations, the cell controlling computer accessing the data items on a basis that is independent of the addresses which are assigned to the data items at the stations for reference by respective station-level computers,

first network communication means coupled to the database means for communicating the data items associated with the first access machine computer through a first network communication link to and from the cell controlling computer via messages in which data items are stored in and retrieved from the database independent of the addresses which are assigned at the stations at which the data items are monitored or controlled,

second network communication means for communicating the data items through a second network communication link to and from the station-level computers via messages which include station-related blocks of information that are related by station to the respective station-level computers, and

database interface means interfacing the database means to the second network communication means for translating the data items between the station-related blocks of information and the station-independent organization of the database;

a communication link interface module including third communication means for communicating the messages with station-related blocks of information associated with the respective station-level computers through a second communication link to and from the station-level computers; and

means for conveying the messages with station-related blocks of information associated with the respective station-level computers between the data access processor module and the communication link interface module.

7. The access machine of claim 6, wherein the first network communication link is a first local area network.

8. The access machine of claim 6, wherein the second network communication link is a second local area network and wherein the communication link interface module is a local network interface module.

9. The access machine of claim 6 in which each data item includes a field of tag data that is unique within the factory automation cell and in which the data items are accessed via the tag data.

10. An access machine which is a first of a plurality of access machines for connection in a factory automation cell that includes a cell controlling computer and a plurality of station-level computers located at a corresponding plurality of stations, the plurality of station-level computers including at least one station-level computer controlling an industrial machine in real time, the first access machine comprising:

an access machine module outside the cell controlling computer for communicating upstream within the factory automation cell to the cell controlling computer and for communicating downstream within the factory automation cell to a plurality of station-level computers, the access machine module including

database means for storing a database in which data items are associated with respective station-level computers, computer accessing the data items on a basis that is independent of the addresses which are assigned to the data items for reference by the respective station-level computers;

first network communication means coupled to the database means for receiving a configuration message associated with the first access machine through a first network communication link from the cell controlling computer, wherein the configuration message includes a new data item to be added to the database;

second network communication means for communicating data items through a second network communication link to and from the station-level computers via messages which include station-related blocks of information that are related to addresses of the stations of the respective station-level computers;

database interface means for interfacing the database means to the second network communication means, the database interface means including linkages between the station-related blocks of information and the station-independent organization of the database; and

database on-line configuration means responsive to receipt of the configuration message through the first network communication link for storing the new data item in the database means and for establishing a corresponding linkage in the database interface means between the station-related blocks of information and the station-independent organization of the database.

11. The access machine of claim 10, wherein the first network communication link is a first local area network.

12. The access machine of claim 10, wherein the second network communication link is a second local area network.

13. The access machine of claim 10 in which each data item includes a field of tag data that is unique within the factory automation cell and in which the data items are accessed via the tage data.