RFID architecture in an industrial controller environment
First Claim
1. An RFID system, comprising:
- a controller having an internal controller communications framework that facilitates communications between components connected thereto;
an RFID (radio frequency identification) reader that interfaces to the internal controller communications frame work and communicates RFID information to the controller; and
an RFID tagging component, which encompasses security information to enable component operation that uploads security data to RFID tags, accesses security data in response to a request to operate the component, and periodically reverifies the security data as a condition for continued operation.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An RFID reader and/or writer module in an industrial controller (e.g., PLC). The RFID module interfaces internally to the controller for tight integration therewith. The RFID module can also be part of a controller communications framework and as a standalone module with the PLC as a master device, and interact with the RFID module in the same manner as it interacts with other I/O devices connected to the controller. In another aspect, RFID read/write tag technology is incorporated into some or all major PLC and rack components, and utilized for wireless communication both between PLC system components and between the PLC and other devices, locations, and media. The RFID tag can be used to store and exchange electronic keying data, security information, module diagnostics and warranty information, series and revision levels code, I/O configuration data, and, replacement data. Artificial intelligence is also employed.
-
Citations
57 Claims
-
1. An RFID system, comprising:
-
a controller having an internal controller communications framework that facilitates communications between components connected thereto; an RFID (radio frequency identification) reader that interfaces to the internal controller communications frame work and communicates RFID information to the controller; and an RFID tagging component, which encompasses security information to enable component operation that uploads security data to RFID tags, accesses security data in response to a request to operate the component, and periodically reverifies the security data as a condition for continued operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A rack-mountable system, comprising:
-
a rack that includes a communications connection and slots for receiving modules that interface to the connection; a controller that is insertable into the rack, manages signals and data, an RFID reader that interfaces to the packet-based communication framework to communicate RFID information; and an RFID tagging component, which encompasses security information to enable component operation that uploads security data to RFID tags, accesses security data in response to a request to operate the component, and periodically reverifies the security data as a condition for continued operation. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
-
39. An RFID system, comprising:
-
a first RFID component that at least one of reads data from and writes data to a plurality of RFID tags; a PLC module that controls an automation process, which facilitates processing of the plurality of RFID tags; and an RFID tagging component, which encompasses security information to enable component operation that uploads security data to RFID tags, accesses security data in response to a request to operate the component, and periodically reverifies the security data as a condition for continued operation. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42)
-
-
43. A method of providing an RFID-based industrial automation system, comprising:
-
providing a controller that interacts with one or more aspects of an automation process; integrating an RFID reader in the industrial controller such that RFID tag data read from an RFID tag associated with the automation process is communicated internally from the RFID reader to the controller; and uploading security data to RFID tags, accessing security data in response to a request to operate the component, and periodically reverifing the security data as a condition for continued operation. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
-
-
52. A method of providing an RFID-based industrial automation system, comprising:
-
providing a controller that interacts with one or more aspects of an automation process; integrating an RFID reader in the industrial controller such that RFID tag data read from an RFID tag associated with the automation process is communicated internally from the RFID reader to the controller; and tagging a component of the controller; and uploading security data to RFID tags, accessing security data in response to a request to operate the component, and periodically reverifing the security data as a condition for continued operation. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56)
-
-
57. An RFID-based industrial automation system, comprising:
-
means for controlling one or more aspects of an automation process; means for reading with a plurality of reading means tag data from an RFID tag associated with the automation process, at least one of the plurality of reading means is internal to the means for controlling; means for enabling select ones of the plurality of reading means to read the tag data and disabling select ones of the plurality of reading means from reading the tag data; and means for uploading security data to RFID tags, accessing security data in response to a request to operate the component, and periodically reverifing the security data as a condition for continued operation.
-
Specification