Method for providing engineering tool services and determining expense

• US 7,512,669 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens Energy & Automation Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Lo, George
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG, LIANG CHE A
• Application Number:
  US11/018,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20050144600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,561 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/224, 709/220, 709/221, 707/106, 705/52
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A method and system for generating programming code and/or configuration data for programmable controller and the networks on which they operate is disclosed. In one embodiment, programming code is generated on a centralized server having a web-enabled engineering tool. The engineering tool operates on client devices that are in communication with the server over a network, such as the Internet. Preferably, the engineering tool runs in a browser application (or other network-interfacing-application) on the client device and a user generates the programming code on the server with the aid of the client device. By centralizing the engineering tool, which may contain a configuration editor and a configuration management tool having version management functionality, a new business paradigm for providing engineering tool services to customers having programmable controllers. In addition, new methods and tools for collaborative engineering of programming code are enabled.

Claims

1. A method for selling programming services for use in developing programming code for a programmable controller, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a customer with use of an engineering tool adapted for developing programmable controller executable programming code, the programming code adapted to cause the programmable controller to control actuators, the actuators being field devices, the engineering tool adapted for creating an XML version of the programming code, the engineering tool residing on a server and accessible by a browser of a client device;

compiling the programming code developed with the engineering tool; and

charging the customer a fee for the programming code.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, before the step of receiving value from the customer, downloading the compiled programming code to the programmable controller.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of archiving a copy of the compiled programming code on the server, the server comprising a configuration manager adapted to allow the customer to search the programming code for attributes, the configuration manager adapted to provide information regarding when the attributes were changed, the configuration manager adapted to compare two versions of the programming code.

4. A method for providing an engineering tool to an enterprise having programmable controllers, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the enterprise with a server, the server providing client access to the engineering tool configured to be accessed by a client device;

maintaining the engineering tool on the server, the engineering tool adapted for developing programmable controller executable programming code, the programming code adapted to cause a programmable controller to control actuators, the actuators being field devices, the engineering tool adapted for creating an XML version of the programming code, the server adapted to convert an IEC-5 1131 standard language version of the programming code to the XML version of the programming code, the engineering tool residing on the server and accessible by a browser of the client device; and

charging a fee.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the fee is calculated based on use of the engineering tool.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the fee is a flat fee.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of

communicatively connecting the server to a LAN, the LAN being communicatively connected to at least one of the programmable controllers.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the fee comprises a non-monetary conveyance of value.

9. A method for selling engineering service that allow entities to generate programming code for a programmable controller, the method comprising the steps of:

providing access to a server having an engineering tool adapted for generating programming code for the programmable controller, the programming code adapted to cause the programmable controller to control actuators, the actuators being field devices, the engineering tool adapted for creating an XML version of the programming code;

receiving from a client device programming code generated with the engineering tool;

compiling the programming code; and

providing access to simulation software to test the compiled programming code.

10. The method of claim 9, farther comprising transmitting the compiled code from the server to the client device.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting the compiled code from the server to a second client device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second client device is couple with a removable storage device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the removable storage device is a disk drive.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the removable storage device is a flash-memory device.

15. A method for providing engineering tool services for configuring I/O networks and devices, the method comprising the steps of:

maintaining on a network a server having a configuration editor, the configuration editor configured to be invoked by a network-interfacing-application on a client device that is in communication with the server over the network, the configuration editor adapted to map a logic input/output area of a programmable controller to a physical input/output area of the programmable controller, the server adapted to provide an engineering tool to a browser of the client device, the engineering tool adapted for creating an XML version of programmable controller programming code, the programming code adapted to cause the programmable controller to control actuators, the actuators being field devices;

receiving value for use of the configuration editor; and

transmitting configuration data generated with the configuration editor over the network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the configuration editor comprises a graphical editor.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the configuration data comprises baud rate information.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the configuration data comprises data relating to mapping logical I/O information to physical I/O information.

19. A method comprising:

responsive to a generation of programming code, charging a fee, the programming code created via an engineering tool stored on a server that is operated via a client device, the programming code adapted to cause a programmable controller to control actuators, the actuators being field devices, the engineering tool adapted for creating an XML version of the programming code, the server adapted to provide a configuration editor to a browser displayed on the client device, the configuration editor adapted to map a logic input/output area of the programmable controller to a physical input/output area of the programmable controller.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the client device is a cellular telephone and the server is adapted to embed an ACTIVEX control in an application provided to the cellular telephone from the server, the application associated with the XML version of the programming code.