System and methodology facilitating data warehousing of controller images in a distributed industrial controller environment

• US 7,222,131 B1
• Filed: 09/24/2002
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Software Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Grewal, Ardaman S., Hamilton, Jeffery L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leroux; Etienne P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAHMOUDI, HASSAN
• Application Number:
  US10/253,343
• Time in Patent Office: 1,701 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104.1, 717/168, 717/170, 717/717, 717/172, 717/173
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/05 Programmable logic controllers, e.g. simulating logic interconnections of signals according to ladder diagrams or function charts
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24169 Identification of last person who changed program
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/915 Image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and methodology facilitating storage, access, and version control of PLC-based images. An object is provided that mediates access between a database server and an application that desires access to such images. Before access can be achieved, a login and authentication process for a user desiring access to the image database is performed, wherein users who are successfully authenticated can then save, retrieve, and affect changes to the images in a substantially secure manner while enforcing protection against invalid or improper changes to the images. The object is adapted to store the images as a complete or compiled version of the elements required to operate a PLC program. Since PLC images are different than standard data types that are typically stored, a check-sum procedure is performed on the image to determine if changes are made. If changes are made, a metadata file that is associated with the image can log relevant change information and bump an associated revision information for the image thus facilitating automated an orderly control over who, how, when, and where such revisions can be made.

Claims

1. A method for archiving industrial controller images, comprising:

determining differences between a stored industrial controller image on a SQL database and a checked out image on a client system;

determining differences by comparing check-sums between the stored image and the checked out image;

storing the checked out image as a later revision on the SQL database if differences exist between the stored image and the checked out image, the image is stored as a complete and compiled version of elements required to operate a PLC program, the elements include logic instructions and associated data table files that direct PLC operations; and

tagging the stored image in accordance with who manipulated a prior image and when the stored image was last manipulated.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing an image on the SQL database as a combination of a binary image that describes a programmable controller and a metadata file that is associated with the binary image.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tagging the image as checked out when in use; and

clearing a checkout tag when the image is checked in to the SQL database.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing at least one of a sharing, branching, labeling and pinning operation with the stored image.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising increasing a revision on the checked out image if differences are determined.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning access rights to the stored image, the access rights control who can access the SQL database and what folders or files may be accessed therein.

7. The method of claim 6, the access rights further comprise at least one of none, read, check in, check out, add, destroy, and inherited.

8. An industrial control system, comprising:

an archive component that manages revisions of one or more controller images; and

an SQL database that stores and permits access to the one or more controller images, the access provided by way of the archive component, the one or more controller images are stored as a complete and compiled version of elements required to operate a PLC program;

the archive component mediates access to the SQL database and determines the revisions based upon differences of a retrieved image as compared to a previously stored image in the SQL database, the archive component further comprising a check-in feature to automatically provide a versioning function to manage the revisions, and

the archive component further comprising a sharing feature that marks two or more images as being shared, images that are marked as shared receive changes from an associated image if changes are made to the associated image, and a branching feature to remove shared status from the two or more images.

9. The system of claim 8, the archive component determines the differences by comparing check-sums of the retrieved image to a check-sum associated with the previously stored image.

10. The system of claim 9, the archive component stores a new image on the SQL database, the new image associated with a different revision from the previously stored image if differences are detected.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising a controller that at least one of uploads and downloads the controller images, the archive component and the SQL database communicate by way of at least one of a local factory network and a public network.

12. The system of claim 11, the local factory network includes at least one of DeviceNet, ControlNet, Ethernet, and DH+ and the public network includes the Internet.

13. The system of claim 8, the one or more controller images are stored as database elements having a binary file describing controller program elements and associated data table files.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising metadata that is associated with the database elements that describe supervisory aspects in order that image manipulation activities are recorded for control and security purposes.

15. The system of claim 8, the archive component is provided as a re-locatable object, wherein the object is operated on various platforms to achieve access to the SQL database.

16. The system of claim 15, the archive component is operated in a memory subsystem of an industrial controller.

17. The system of claim 8, the one or more controller images further comprise at least one of a CAD system image, a drives image, a robotic systems image, and an advanced manufacturing cell image.

18. The system of claim 8, the archive component further comprising a user security component that receives at least one of a login id and password before gaining access to the SQL database.

19. The system of claim 18, the user security component further comprising an authentication procedure to determine rights to access at least one selected controller image.

20. The system of claim 8, the archive component further comprising a checkout feature of an image from the SQL database, wherein a tag associated with the image is marked to indicate that a respective image is currently in use and preventing other users from similarly checking-out the same image.

21. The system of claim 8, further comprising a labeling feature that allows users to assign one or more of their own label and code to a code that has been previously assigned to an image.

22. The system of claim 8, further comprising a pinning feature that marks a lower revision of an image as the current image.

23. The system of claim 8, the archive component cooperates with at least one application, the application comprising at least one of an editor tool, a browser application, a monitor application, a Graphical User Interface (GUI) application and a database application.

24. A data warehousing system for an industrial controller, comprising:

means for accessing an SQL database;

means for archiving controller images on the SQL database, the controller images are archived as a complete and compiled version of elements required to operate a PLC program, the elements include logic instructions and associated data table files that direct PLC operations;

means for generating metadata for the controller images;

means for controlling access to controller images via the metadata;

means for determining differences by comparing check-sums between the controller image and a checked out image;

means for storing check-sum information of the controller image, if differences exist between the controller image and the checked out image; and

means for tagging the controller images in accordance with who manipulated a prior image and when the controller image was last manipulated.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising means for determining and generating revisions for the controller images.

26. A data warehousing system for an industrial controller, comprising:

a client component that communicates to an industrial controller to upload and download at least one binary image from the controller; and

an SQL server that stores at least one binary image in conjunction with associated metadata that is generated by the client component, the at least one binary image is stored as a unitary and inseparable binary image;

the client component stores a newer revision of the binary image on the SQL server if differences have occurred in the binary image from a previous version of the binary image, the client component also stores check-sum information of the binary image, and

the client component further comprises a sharing feature that marks two or more images as being shared, images that are marked as shared receive changes from an associated image if changes are made to the associated image, and a branching feature to remove shared status from the two or more images.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising multiple industrial controllers that interact with the client component.