Method for the location-independent exchange of process data using process-computer-independent data structures

• US 6,192,390 B1
• Filed: 07/27/1998
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: ABB Patent GmbH (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Berger, Wolfgang, Wietzke, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THU HA T
• Application Number:
  US09/123,077
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200-203, 709/302-303, 709/785, 345/326, 345/526
• US Class Current: 709/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database

Abstract

The method relates to the location-independent exchange of process data between application programs (5) and process management systems (4). The process management systems (4) and the application programs (5) are provided in a number of different process computers systems (2.1 to 2.7) which are interconnected via a network (1). The data exchange takes place by using a software system (3) which is called Process Information Broker PIB (3) and has three types of component, namely PIB server (3.1), PIB client (3.2) and PIB services (3.3). The PIB services (3.3) contain a switching service (3.31) and a user administrator (3.32). During the start-up of the system and for the purpose of updating, in the respective computer system (2.1 to 2.7), process data are converted from process-computer-specific data structures into process-computer-independent data structures, typified and provided as stored data in an interface. All the computer systems (2.1 to 2.7) register the process data types provided by them, including the storage location thereof, with the switching service (3.31). The stored process data are accessed by the application programs (5) by involving the switching service (3.31) in order to ask for the offered process data types and their storage location. On this basis, process data types are retrieved and operations executed.

Claims

1. A method for a location-independent exchange of process data between application programs and process management systems for further processing the process data within a technical plant, the method which comprises:

coordinating, with a software system, a plurality of computer systems interconnected by a network and having process management systems and application programs;

converting process data from process-computer-specific data structures from each of the plurality of computer systems into process-computer-independent data structures available as stored data at an interface;

providing interface functions for permitting defined operations on the stored data in each of the plurality of computer systems;

registering and updating, with each of the plurality of computer systems, the process data converted into the stored data, including a storage location of the stored data, with a switching service; and

providing the stored data to the application programs by the steps of;

ascertaining from the switching service available stored data types and their storage location;

selecting at least one of the stored data types; and

executing operations on selected stored data types.

2. The method according to claim 1, which comprises:

using a Process Information Broker (PIB) system as the software system, the PIB system including a PIB server, PIB services having the switching service and at least one user administrator, and PIB clients;

providing the stored data and the interface functions with the PIB server;

controlling access to the stored data with the PIB services having the switching service and the at least one user administrator;

allocating the PIB clients to the application programs;

registering the PIB client with the user administrator for performing operations including reading and writing data;

checking, with the user administrator, access authorization of the PIB client and providing an authorization key to an authorized PIB client; and

performing an intended operation with the PIB client having the authorization key.

3. The method according to claim 2, which comprises providing the PIB system with a plurality of the PIB services having user administrators for redundancy reasons, one of the user administrators functioning as a central user administrator and remaining user administrators performing a data comparison for taking over operational functions in case of a fault.