Method and system for transmitting and activating an application requesting human intervention in an automation network

• US 7,181,487 B1
• Filed: 07/07/2000
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Schneider Automation Incorporated (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Automation Incorporated (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Baker, Richard A., Klindt, Charles J., Marbach, Alain, Wischinski, Rainer H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barot; Bharat
• Application Number:
  US09/611,996
• Time in Patent Office: 2,419 Days
• Field of Search: 709200-203, 709/208, 709/217, 709/230, 709223-224, 709227-229, 709/238, 709/245, 709/250, 719/318, 719/320
• US Class Current: 709/200
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0654 using network fault recovery ring fault isolation or reconfiguration in loop networks without recovery actions by a network management system H04L12/437

Abstract

A method and apparatus for a notification system for an automation network. The notification system comprises a sensor for monitoring a network device operably connected to the automation network. An intelligent automation device having an object is responsive to the sensor, wherein the intelligent automation device transmits the object to a receiving device for displaying the object to an operator for requesting human intervention with the automation network.

Claims

1. A method of providing notification to an operator of an automation network having an intelligent automation device and a network device located on the automation network, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring the network device by said intelligent automation device;

sensing a signal within said intelligent automation device, said signal received from the network device;

transmitting an object module human-machine interface application including data and functions from said intelligent automation device to a receiving device operably connected to the automation network; and

,

activating the object module human-machine interface application at the receiving device for notifying the operator of an event and requesting human intervention, the object module human-machine interface application being responsive to the signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving device comprises means for displaying the object module human-machine interface application.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the means for displaying the object module human-machine interface application is a web browser.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the object module human-machine interface application is a Java program.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the intelligent automation device is a programmable logic controller.

6. The method of claim 1 further including transmitting a response to the intelligent automation device from the receiving device.

7. A notification system for an automation network having a network device located on the automation network, the notification system comprising:

a sensor for monitoring the network device, the sensor being operably connected to the automation network;

an intelligent automation device operably connected and responsive to the sensor, the intelligent automation device having an object module human-machine interface application having data and functions; and

,

a receiving device operably connected to the automation network, wherein the intelligent automation device is configured to transmit the object module human-machine interface application to the receiving device to notify the operator of an event requesting human intervention in response to the sensor and wherein the receiving device is configured to activate the object module human machine interface application.

8. The notification system of claim 7 wherein the receiving device comprises a software module to interact with the intelligent automation device.

9. The notification system of claim 7 wherein the receiving device has means for displaying the object module human-machine interface application.

10. The notification system of claim 9 wherein the means for displaying comprises a web browser.

11. The notification system of claim 10 wherein the object module human-machine interface application is a Java program.

12. The notification system of claim 7 wherein the intelligent automation device is a programmable logic controller.

13. The notification system of claim 7 wherein the object module human-machine interface application is an extensible markup language (XML).

14. The notification system of claim 7 wherein the object module human-machine interface application is a wireless application protocol (WAP).

15. The notification system of claim 7 wherein the object module human-machine interface application is a hyper text markup language (HTML).

16. The notification system of claim 7 wherein the object module human-machine interface application is a WML language.

17. A notification system for an automation network having an intelligent automation device responsive to a network device located on the automation network, the notification system comprising:

an object module human-machine interface application including data and functions for requesting human intervention with the automation network embedded in the intelligent automation device, the object module human-machine interface application responsive to a signal from a network device; and

,

a receiving device operably connected to the intelligent automation device, wherein the intelligent automation device is configured to transmit the object module human-machine interface application to the receiving device and wherein the receiving device is configured to activate the object module human machine interface application.

18. The notification system of claim 17 wherein the receiving device comprises a software module to interact with the intelligent automation device.

19. The notification system of claim 17 wherein the receiving device has means for displaying the object module human-machine interface application.

20. The notification system of claim 19 wherein the intelligent automation device is a programmable logic controller.