Method for the project engineering of an automation system

• US 7,508,770 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2004
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Dausend, Stefan, Weissbach, Bernhard, Brousek, Norbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzlo; John
• Application Number:
  US10/845,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20040237065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,776 Days
• Field of Search: 370250-254, 370/386, 705/35, 705/14, 717/105, 716/18, 700/122
• US Class Current: 370/252
• 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 2219/15006 Set configuration from master control station

Abstract

A method for the project engineering of an automation system is provided. An existing project is opened or a new project is created in a project engineering software tool. In this project, a station having a plurality of slots is opened or generated. A hardware catalog is opened, the hardware catalog including a plurality of hardware modules. At least one hardware module is inserted from the hardware catalog into the station. The station is saved together with the inserted modules. In the process one or more hardware modules can be combined to form a hardware packet. In order to insert the hardware modules which are combined in a hardware packet, the hardware packet is selected and, as soon as the hardware packet is integrated into the station, all the hardware modules contained therein are automatically allocated to free slots of the station.

Claims

1. A method for configuring hardware modules in an automation system, comprising:

opening an existing project or creating a new project in a project engineering software tool;

opening or generating, in this project, a station having a plurality of slots;

opening a hardware catalog comprising a plurality of hardware modules;

inserting at least one hardware module from the hardware catalog into the station;

saving the station together with the inserted hardware modules on a memory; and

using the configuration saved in memory to configure the automation system.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

automatically allocating the hardware modules to free slots of the station.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein one or more hardware modules can be combined to form a hardware packet, wherein in order to insert the hardware modules which are combined in a hardware packet, the hardware packet must first be selected and, as soon as the hardware packet is integrated into the station, all the hardware modules contained therein are automatically allocated to free slots of the station.

4. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program comprising instructions being executed by a computer for implementing a method for configuring hardware modules in an automation system, the method comprising:

opening an existing project or creating a new project in a project engineering software tool;

opening or generating, in this project, a station having a plurality of slots;

opening a hardware catalog comprising a plurality of hardware modules;

inserting at least one hardware module from the hardware catalog into the station;

saving the station together with the inserted hardware modules; and

using the configuration saved in memory to configure the automation system.

5. A method for packaging hardware modules to a hardware packet in an automation system, comprising:

opening an existing project or creating a new project in a project engineering software tool;

opening or generating, in this project, a station having a plurality of slots;

opening a hardware catalog comprising a plurality of hardware modules;

inserting at least one hardware module from the hardware catalog into the station;

saving the station together with the inserted hardware modules on a memory, wherein one or more hardware modules are combined to form a hardware packet; and

providing the saved information to configure hardware in the automation system.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein in order to insert the hardware modules which are combined in a hardware packet, the hardware packet must first be selected.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein as soon as the hardware packet is integrated into the station, all the hardware modules contained therein are automatically allocated to free slots of the station.