System and method of device interface configuration for a control system

• US 6,615,088 B1
• Filed: 06/09/1999
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harman Professional, Inc. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Amx Corporation (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Orth, Daren E., Myer, Aaron L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Paul P.
• Application Number:
  US09/328,920
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 700/3, 700/17, 700/83, 700/2, 700/20, 709/220, 707/501.1, 707/513, 717/174-178
• US Class Current: 700/20
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0421 Multiprocessor system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A control system comprises a master controller and at least one device coupled to the master controller via a network. At least one generic device interface module resides on the master controller, where the device interface module defines a basic protocol for interface with any device. Configuration information associated with the at least one device is used to tailor the at least one generic device interface module to communicate and operate with the at least one device.

Claims

1. A control system, comprising:

a master controller;

at least one device coupled to the master controller via a network;

at least one generic device interface module residing on the master controller, the at least one device interface module defining a basic protocol for interface with any device; and

configuration information associated with the at least one device being operable to tailor the at least one generic device interface module to communicate and operate with the at least one device.

2. The control system, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising at least one instance of the at least one generic device interface object residing on the master controller and having the configuration information associated with the at least one device.

3. The control system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the configuration information is described in a configuration file residing in the master controller.

4. The control system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the configuration information is described in a configuration file residing in a data storage device accessible by the master controller.

5. The control system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the configuration information is described in a configuration file residing in the at least one device, the configuration file being uploadable to the master controller.

6. The control system, as set forth in claim 1, where in the configuration information comprises information related to a manufacturer and model of at least one device.

7. The control system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the configuration information comprises a unique manufacturer number representative of at least one device manufacturer and a unique device number representative of the model of at least one device.

8. The control system, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a display coupled to the master controller, wherein the configuration information comprises data related to the display representation of the at least one device on the display.

9. The control system, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a display coupled to the master controller, wherein the configuration information comprises a bitmap file of an icon representation of the at least one device.

10. The control system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the configuration information comprises a definition of commands and format which the at least one device is responsive to.

11. The control system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the configuration information comprises a definition of variables and format which the at least one device is responsive to.

12. The control system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the configuration information comprises a definition of events and format which the at least one device is responsive to.

13. A method of communicating with a device in a control area network, comprising:

automatically obtaining configuration information associated with the device and a configuration file including communication and operating protocol of the device;

instantiate a specific instance of a generic device interface object using the configuration information associated with the device; and

communication with the device via the specific object instance.

14. The method, as set forth in claim 13, further comprising:

connecting the device to the control area network; and

uploading the configuration information from the device via the control area network.

15. The method, as set forth in claim 13, further comprising:

connecting the device to the control area network;

obtaining version information associated with configuration information in the device;

comparing the obtained version information and version information associated with configuration information available at a master controller; and

uploading the configuration information from the device via the control area network in response to the configuration information therein having a later version.

16. The method, as set forth in claim 13, further comprising:

displaying a software icon representative of the specific object instance;

displaying a device icon representative of the device; and

associating the software icon and device icon with one another.

17. The method, as set forth in claim 13, wherein automatically obtaining configuration information further comprises reading a configuration file having device information related to the device.

18. The method, as set forth in claim 17, wherein reading the configuration file comprises reading a unique manufacturer number and a unique device number associated with the device.

19. The method, as set forth in claim 17, wherein reading the configuration file comprises reading an icon bit map file associated with the device.

20. The method, as set forth in claim 17, wherein reading the configuration file comprises reading a version number associated with the configuration file.

21. The method, as set forth in claim 17, wherein reading the configuration file comprises reading display information associated with the device.

22. The method, as set forth in claim 13, wherein automatically obtaining configuration information further comprises reading a configuration file defining commands operable to be performed by the device.

23. The method, as set forth in claim 13, wherein automatically obtaining configuration information further comprises reading a configuration file defining events that may occur at the device and the corresponding data to be generated by the device and sent over the control area network in response to the occurrence of the event.

24. The method, as set forth in claim 13, wherein automatically obtaining configuration information further comprises reading a configuration file defining variables associated with operations of the device.

25. A control area network, comprising:

a master controller;

at least one device coupled to the master controller via a local area network;

at least one generic device interface object residing on the master controller, the at least one device interface object defining a basic protocol for interface with any device; and

a configuration file associated with the at least one device being operable to tailor the at least one generic device interface object to generate a specific interface object instance operable to communicate and operate with the at least one device.

26. The control area network, as set forth in claim 25, wherein the configuration file resides in the master controller.

27. The control area network, as set forth in claim 25, wherein the configuration file resides in a data storage device accessible by the master controller.

28. The control area network, as set forth in claim 25, wherein the configuration file resides in the at least one device, the configuration file being uploadable to the master controller.

29. The control area network, as set forth in claim 25, wherein the configuration information comprises information related to a manufacturer and model of the at least one device.

30. The control area network, as set forth in claim 25, wherein the configuration file comprises a unique manufacturer number representative of at least one device manufacturer and a unique device number representative of a model of the at least one device.

31. The control area network, as set forth in claim 25, further comprising a display coupled to the master controller, wherein the configuration file comprises data related to the display representation of the at least one device on the display.

32. The control area network, as set forth in claim 25, further comprising a display coupled to the master controller, wherein the configuration file comprises a bitmap file of an icon representation of the at least one device.

33. The control area network, as set forth in claim 25, wherein the configuration file comprises a definition of commands and format which the at least one device is responsive to.

34. The control area network, as set forth in claim 25, wherein the configuration file comprises a definition of variables and format which the at least one device is responsive to.

35. The control area network, as set forth in claim 25, wherein the configuration file comprises a definition of events and format which the at least one device is responsive to.