Electronic data communications system having data consumer defining data transmission structure
First Claim
1. An industrial controller controlling industrial equipment, the industrial controller comprising:
- a data producing module and a first data consuming module connected by a communications link;
the first data consuming module having memory and a processor executing a program stored in memory to;
(i) receive an application program from a user, the application program requiring data held by the data producer;
(ii) select a transmission structure for the required data, the transmission structure defining an order in which the required data will be transmitted;
(iii) transmit a connection message over the communications link to the data producing module indicating the required data, the transmission structure and a reporting frequency;
the data producing module having memory and a processor executing a program stored in memory to;
(i) receive data from the industrial equipment and store the data in the memory of the data producing module;
(ii) receive the connection message over the communications link;
(iii) program itself to collect the required data in the transmission structure from the memory of the data producing module at the reporting frequency; and
(iv) execute the program on a periodic basis according to the reporting frequency and transmit the required data in the transmission structure over the communications link to the first data consuming module.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Multiple processing units connected along a communication link to form an industrial controller may arrange for efficient block transfer of data by isochronous methods by forwarding to a data producer a connection message including the desired data structure having the variables necessary to be transmitted in a predefined order. Upon receipt of the data structure, the data producer may program itself to collect the data into the structure and forward the data on a periodic basis dictated by the connection message to the data consumer. Changes in the data structure may thus be accommodated efficiently in a manner that is invisible to the user.
62 Citations
10 Claims
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1. An industrial controller controlling industrial equipment, the industrial controller comprising:
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a data producing module and a first data consuming module connected by a communications link; the first data consuming module having memory and a processor executing a program stored in memory to; (i) receive an application program from a user, the application program requiring data held by the data producer; (ii) select a transmission structure for the required data, the transmission structure defining an order in which the required data will be transmitted; (iii) transmit a connection message over the communications link to the data producing module indicating the required data, the transmission structure and a reporting frequency; the data producing module having memory and a processor executing a program stored in memory to; (i) receive data from the industrial equipment and store the data in the memory of the data producing module; (ii) receive the connection message over the communications link; (iii) program itself to collect the required data in the transmission structure from the memory of the data producing module at the reporting frequency; and (iv) execute the program on a periodic basis according to the reporting frequency and transmit the required data in the transmission structure over the communications link to the first data consuming module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification