Software tool for monitoring faults in an automation device

• US 7,290,182 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Windl, Helmut
• Primary Examiner(s): Baderman; Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): Contino; Paul F.
• Application Number:
  US10/431,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20040073854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,636 Days
• Field of Search: 714/44, 714/57
• US Class Current: 714/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/327 Alarm or error message display

Abstract

A software tool which simplifies the monitoring of faults in an automation device. On a display device (FIG. 3), a rack (0′-3′) of this automation device with slots and functional modules is represented in a first view (4) in graphic form and in a second view (9) in tabular form. A faulty slot and/or a faulty functional module is displayed in some manner of highlighted form ((F), 10, 11, etc.).

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium storing a software tool for configuring an automation device and for monitoring faults in the automation device having at least one rack and a plurality of functional modules configured for insertion into slots in the rack, said software tool generating:

a first view graphically displaying the rack with the slots and the functional modules on a display unit,

a second view displaying the rack with the slots and the functional modules in a tabular form on the display unit,

a fault indicator marking at least one of a faulty slot and a faulty functional module, from among the plurality of functional modules and the slots, in the first view and in the second view; and

an assignment indicator visually linking the at least one faulty slot or faulty functional module in the first view with the same at least one faulty slot or faulty functional module in the second view,

wherein the software tool allows for insertion of a functional module from the plurality of functional modules into the rack, and

wherein the location of the faulty component within the rack in the first view and the location of the same faulty component within the rack in the second view are marked and wherein the locations of the marked components are graphically connected.

2. The computer-readable medium storing said software tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the functional modules are selected from the group consisting of CPU modules, communications modules, digital input modules, digital output modules, analog input modules, and analog output modules.

3. The computer-readable medium storing said software tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the software tool generates a third view displaying information on a cause of the fault.

4. The computer-readable medium storing said software tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the software tool generates a third view displaying information on correcting the fault.

5. The computer-readable medium storing said software tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the software tool displays the first and the second view synchronously together with the assignment indicator.

6. The computer-readable medium storing the software tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first view displays the rack and the functional modules in accordance with an actual spatial layout of the rack and the functional modules.

7. The computer-readable medium storing the software tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the software tool generates a third view displayed together with:

the first view, the second view, the fault indicator, and the assignment indicator; and

wherein the third view displays information regarding cause of fault, time at which the fault occurred, and techniques to correct the fault.

8. The computer-readable medium storing said software tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein a user designates a slot from the slots of the rack for the insertion of the functional module, and the software tool inserts the functional module into the user-designated slot and wherein the first and second views display a plurality of racks of the automation device, wherein the user selects the functional module and places the selected functional module into the user-designated slot depicted in the second view via drag and drop technique, and wherein the software tool determines whether the selected functional module can be inserted into the user-designated slot.

9. The computer-readable medium storing said software tool as claimed in claim 8, wherein, when the user-designated slot is a disallowed slot for the selected functional module, the software tool prevents the user from moving the functional module into the user-designated slot.

10. The computer-readable medium storing said software tool as claimed in claim 9, wherein the software tool determines whether the insertion into said user-designated slot is allowed based on hardware characteristics of the functional module and based on architecture of the automation device.

11. The computer-readable medium storing said software tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein a user designates a slot from the slots of the rack for the insertion of the functional module, and the software tool inserts the functional module into the user-designated slot and wherein, when the user-designated slot is a disallowed slot for the selected functional module, the software tool prevents the user from moving the functional module into the user-designated slot.

12. The computer-readable medium storing said software tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein a user designates a slot from the slots of the rack for the insertion of the functional module, and the software tool inserts the functional module into the user-designated slot and wherein the software tool determines whether the selected functional module can be inserted into the user-designated slot at a time of said insertion.

13. A system for configuring and diagnosing an automation device, comprising:

a software tool for monitoring faults in the automation device having at least one rack and a plurality of functional modules for the rack and for configuring the automation device; and

a display unit of a computer,

wherein;

the software tool generates a first view graphically displaying the rack with the slots and the functional modules,

the software tool generates a second view displaying the rack with the slots and the functional modules in a tabular form,

the software tool generates a fault indicator marking at least one of a faulty slot and a faulty functional module in the first and in the second view,

the software tool generates an assignment indicator visually linking the at least one faulty slot or faulty functional module in the first view with the same at least one faulty slot or functional module in the second view,

the software tool allows for insertion of a functional module from the plurality of functional modules into the rack, and

wherein the location of the faulty component within the rack in the first view and the location of the same faulty component within the rack in the second view are marked and wherein the locations of the marked components are graphically connected.

14. Diagnostic system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the functional modules are selected from the group consisting of CPU modules, communications modules, digital input modules, digital output modules, analog input modules, and analog output modules.

15. Diagnostic system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the software tool generates a third view displaying information on a cause of the fault.

16. Diagnostic system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the software tool generates a third view displaying information on correcting the fault.

17. Diagnostic system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the software tool synchronously displays on the display the first and the second view together with the fault indicator marking and the assignment indicator.

18. Diagnostic system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first view displays the rack and the functional modules in accordance with an actual spatial layout of the rack and the functional modules.

19. The diagnostic system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the software tool generates a third view displayed together with:

the first view, the second view, the fault indicator, and the assignment indicator, and wherein the third view displays information regarding cause of fault, time at which the fault occurred, and techniques to correct the fault.

20. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein a user designates a slot from the slots of the rack for the insertion of the functional module, and the software tool inserts the functional mode into the user-designated slot, wherein the software tool determines whether the insertion into the user-designated slot is allowed based on hardware characteristics of the functional module and based on architecture of the automation device.

21. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein a user designates a slot from the slots of the rack for the insertion of the functional module, and the software tool inserts the functional module into the user-designated slot, wherein the user selects the functional module and places the selected functional module into the user-designated slot depicted in the second view via drag and drop technique, and wherein the software tool determines whether the functional module can be inserted into the user-designated slot of the rack, and wherein, when the functional module is not allowed in the user-designated slot of the rack, the software tool prevents the user from moving the functional module into the user-designated slot of the rack.

22. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein a user designates a slot from the slots of the rack for the insertion of the functional module, and the software tool inserts the functional module into the user-designated slot and wherein, when the user-designated slot is a disallowed slot for the functional module, the software tool prevents the user from moving the functional module into the user-designated slot.

23. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein a user designates a slot from the slots of the rack for the insertion of the functional module, and the software tool inserts the functional module into the user-designated slot and wherein, at a time of insertion of each functional module, the software tool checks whether the insertion of a selected module is allowed.

24. A method for displaying a fault in an automation system, comprising:

displaying, at least schematically, a rack having a plurality of slots for function modules and at least one function module in a first display view;

displaying a table referencing the rack, the slots and the at least one function module in a second display view; and

upon occurrence of the fault, altering the first display view and the second display view to provide an identification of which component among the plurality of slots and the function module has caused the fault; and

visually linking a location of the faulty component in the first view with a location of the same faulty component displayed in the second altered view,

wherein the location of the faulty component within the rack in the first view and the location of the same faulty component within the rack in the second view are marked and wherein the locations of the marked components are graphically connected.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24, further comprising:

displaying additional fault information with respect to the faulty component in a third display view.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the third display view is displayed together with the first altered view and with the second altered view, wherein the third view displays information regarding cause of fault, time at which the fault occurred, and techniques to correct the fault, and wherein the faulty component displayed in the first altered view is visually linked with the same faulty component displayed in the second altered via a displayed assignment arrow.