Process for adjusting an operating interface belonging to process devices with an internet capability, along with an arrangement exhibiting such an operating interface

• US 7,120,917 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2002
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: VEGA Grieshaber KG (Grieshaber Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH)
• Original Assignee: VEGA Grieshaber KG (Grieshaber Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH)
• Inventors: Feist, Fridolin
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoang, Phuong N.
• Application Number:
  US10/076,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20020116548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,694 Days
• Field of Search: 719/330, 719/331, 719/310, 715/513, 715/517, 709/219, 709/217
• US Class Current: 719/330
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32126 Hyperlink, access to program modules and to hardware modules in www, web server, browser
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34038 Web, http, ftp, internet, intranet server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications

Abstract

Described is a process for adjusting an operating interface, event messages, and/or measurement protocols belonging to internet-capable process devices, such as control units (13, 23), sensors (14), and/or actuators (15), to given operating conditions, which devices are connected over interfaces (3, 7, 20) and/or networks and form a component in a process control system. Also described is an arrangement with an interface of this kind. Thus, the invention makes possible an adjustment of the operating interface of internet-capable devices, particularly in process control systems, or of event messages and measurement protocols, to new operating conditions, an adjustment that is considerably easier for the user to manage.

Claims

1. A process for adjusting at least one of an operating interface, event messages, and measurement protocols of internet-capable process devices, which devices are connected by means of at least one of interfaces networks, to actual operating conditions, wherein the following process steps are involved:

the storage of data files in each device, and the use of the data files as layout in generating an adapted internet page when an email or FTP file is are transmitted over FTP client services, in answering an inquiry made by a remote internet browser, or upon occurrence of predefined events,

wherein the layouts for the adjusted internet pages and for the adapted emails or measurement protocols contain code words to which actual data are assigned in the reply to inquiries from a remote internet browser, and

wherein special code words are provided for HTML constructs such as lists and tables and are entered in the layout and automatically copied in the device during its operation, while duplication is performed according to the number of existing bits of information or the number of process variables explicitly listed in the code word.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the file serving as layout is an HTML file or any other file and is addressed by an FTP internet service and transmitted to the device.

3. A process according to claim 2, wherein the transmission of the files into the devices takes place during the ongoing operation of the process devices.

4. A process according to claim 2, wherein a standard operating surface or an adjusted operating surface can be selectively activated by the choice of address.

5. A process according to claim 4, wherein the standard operating surface can make available diagnostic aids for error functions that have arisen in the adjusted operating surface.

6. A process according to claim 1, wherein the transmission of emails for the adjustment of at least one of event messages and the transmission of FTP files for the adjustment of measurement protocols is triggered automatically by events such as the reaching or exceeding of predetermined measured values and the appearance of predetermined status messages (such as error, process state, etc.).

7. A process according to claim 1, wherein the transmission of emails for the adjustment of at least one of event messages and the transmission of FTP files for the adjustment of measurement protocols is triggered in cyclical fashion at fixed, predetermined intervals or at predetermined times, as dependent on configurations that have been executed.

8. An arrangement for implementing the process according to claim 1, wherein the devices (13, 14, 15, 23) exhibit an internet server (133), an internet page generator (139), a layout storage (43, 138) for internet pages, FTP client/server units (137), and at least one interface suitable for digital communication.

9. An arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the devices (13, 14, 15, 23) include at least one interface (3 to 7, 20) suitable for digital communication, means for processing internet protocols, internet services, such as those for communication over internet browsers, at least one of email services and FTP client services, as well as means for storing data files with standard tools as layouts in a file system and for safeguarding the files in a non-transient storage area.

10. An arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the digital interface for entering the layout files and the interface for networking the devices are identical.

11. An arrangement according to claim 9, wherein a separate interface is provided for entering the layout files.

12. A process according to claim 1, wherein the internet-capable process devices include one of control units, sensors, and actuators.

13. A process according to claim 1, wherein the storage of data files in each device includes storing of data files with standard tools associated with the data file.