Methods and systems for interfacing small devices to computer networks

• US 6,854,026 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2000
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GE Fanuc Automation Americas Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Sexton, Daniel W., Lacy, Andrew M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIM, HAROLD J
• Application Number:
  US09/518,993
• Time in Patent Office: 1,803 Days
• Field of Search: 710/1, 710/36, 710/62, 709/203, 709/206, 709/217, 709/219, 713/201, 345/760
• US Class Current: 710/62
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/054 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31161 Java programcode or simular active agents, programs, applets
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32126 Hyperlink, access to program modules and to hardware modules in www, web server, browser
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34304 Pc as input, edit device for plc
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2871 Implementation details of single intermediate entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

In one aspect, the invention is a method for communicating with a device such as a programmable logic controller (PLC) or an I/O device. The method includes steps of: interconnecting the device to a personal computer (PC) running a web browser; and running an application on the PC that launches the web browser to an initial page and uploads a web browser applet or active x object from the device to the PC via the interconnection.

The above-described embodiment combines PLC and/or I/O communications with the Internet'"'"'s wide reach and ability to supply information, and does so with the “look and feel” of a PC-Internet interface without adding significantly to the overhead burden of these small devices.

Claims

1. A method for communicating with a device including one of a programmable logic controller (PLC) and an input/output (I/O) device, said method comprising the steps of:

interconnecting the device to a personal computer (PC) running a web browser, wherein said interconnecting includes connecting the device to the PC via a connection outside a network connecting the PC to a server; and

running an application on the PC that launches the web browser to an initial page and uploads a web browser applet or active x object from the device to the PC via the interconnection.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the step of electronically communicating data between the PC and the device, under control of the web browser and web browser applet or active x object.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the step of the PC automatically retrieving data specified by the web browser applet or active x object from the server on the network.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein the data retrieved from the server on the network comprises information about the device.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4 further comprising the step of displaying the information about the device in a web browser window.

6. A method in accordance wit h claim 3 wherein the data retrieved from the server on the network comprises an executable application, and further comprising the step of executing the executable application.

7. A method in accordance with claim 3 further comprising the step of downloading the data received from the server to the device.

8. A method in accordance with claim 3 further comprising the step of transferring data from the device to the server via the web browser.

9. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein the device is electronically coupled to a plurality of intelligent modules, and further comprising the step of selectively communicating data between the intelligent modules and the server, via the device, the interconnection, the web browser, and the web browser applet or active x object.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising the step of automatically retrieving data specified by the web browser applet or active x object from the PC to the device.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the step of transferring data from the device to the PC via the web browser.

12. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the device is electronically coupled to a plurality of intelligent modules, and further comprising the step of selectively communicating data between the intelligent modules and the PC, via the device, the interconnection, the web browser, and the web browser applet or active x object.

13. A system configured to allow indirect communication with a network, said system comprising:

a computer;

a device without a network interface and including a web browser applet or active x object, said device including one of a programmable logic controller (PLC) and an input/output (I/O) device; and

an interconnection between said computer and said device,

said computer configured with an interface to the network, a web browser, and an application that launches the web browser to an initial page and uploads the web browser applet or active x object from the device to the computer via said interconnection.

14. A system in accordance with claim 13 wherein the web browser and web browser applet or active x object are configured to control electronic data communication between said computer and said device.

15. A system in accordance with claim 13 wherein said computer configured to communicate with a server on the network, wherein said interconnection between said device and said computer is separate from the network.

16. A system in accordance with claim 15 wherein said computer further configured to automatically retrieve data specified by the web browser applet or active x object from the server on the network.

17. A system in accordance with claim 16 wherein the data retrieved from the server on the network comprises information about said device.

18. A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein said computer configured to display the information about said device in a web browser window.

19. A system in accordance with claim 16 wherein the data retrieved from the server on the network comprises an executable application, said computer configured to execute the executable application.

20. A system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said computer configured to download the data received from the server to said device.

21. A system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said computer configured to transfer data from said device to the server via the web browser.

22. A system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said device configured to be electronically coupled to a plurality of intelligent modules, said computer configured to selectively communicate data between the intelligent modules and the server, via said device, said interconnection, the web browser, and the web browser applet or active x object.

23. A system in accordance with claim 13 wherein said computer configured to automatically transfer data specified by the web browser applet or active x object from said computer to said device.

24. A system in accordance with claim 13 wherein said computer configured to transfer data from said device to said computer via the web browser.

25. A system in accordance with claim 13 wherein said device is electronically coupled to a plurality of intelligent modules, said device configured to selectively communicate data between the intelligent modules and said computer, via said device, said interconnection, the web browser, and the web browser applet or active x object.

26. A system in accordance with claim 13 wherein the network is the Internet.