Editing lifecycle and deployment of objects in an industrial automation environment

• US 7,548,789 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Kalan, Michael D., Hood, Gavan W., Baier, John J., Chand, Sujeet, Hall, Kenwood H., Briant, Stephen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): DeCady; Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rapp; Chad
• Application Number:
  US11/238,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20070073750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 700/86, 700/87, 717/101, 717/102, 717/107, 717/110, 717/170, 717/173
• US Class Current: 700/87
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/056 Programming the PLC
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13051 Display status of I-O in intelligible, easy to understand language
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13137 Interpreter considers hierarchy of plc in system structure for programming it
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13152 Modification of program
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

An editor in an industrial automation environment comprises an input component that receives modification data relating to at least one of lifecycle and deployment of an object, the object is associated with a programmable logic controller and configured in accordance with a hierarchically structured data model. An implementation component can implement the modification data with respect to the object. The editor can further comprise a security component that determines that an entity providing the data to the input component is authorized to implement the modification data.

Claims

1. An editor embodied on a computer readable medium in an industrial automation environment, comprising:

an input component that receives modification data relating to at least one of lifecycle and deployment of an object, the object is associated with a programmable logic controller and configured in accordance with a hierarchically structured data model; and

an implementation component that implements the modification data with respect to the object.

2. The editor of claim 1, further comprising a security component that determines that an entity providing the modification data to the input component is authorized to implement the modification data.

3. The editor of claim 2, the security component analyzes one or more of a username, a password, a personal identification number, location of a request, and biometric indicia in connection with determining that the entity is authorized to implement the modification data.

4. The editor of claim 1, farther comprising a data storage unit that includes predefined lifecycle states relating to objects utilized in an industrial automation setting, the predefined states are associated with the object by way of the implementation component.

5. The editor of claim 1, farther comprising a proxy component that enforces the implemented modification data with respect to programmable logic controllers that do not support the hierarchically structured data model.

6. The editor of claim 5, further comprising a mapping component that maps instructions relating to the object to a programmable logic controller that does not support the hierarchically structured data model.

7. The editor of claim 6, further comprising a data collection component that receives indications of events that relate to at least one of a lifecycle state and deployment of the object, the mapping component maps instructions to the programmable logic controller that does not support the hierarchically structured data model based at least in part upon the received indications.

8. The editor of claim 1, further comprising a logging component that creates an audit log, the audit log includes activities relating to the object.

9. The editor of claim 1, further comprising a bridging component that facilitates interconnection of disparate networks.

10. The editor of claim 9, the bridging component maps data packaged in accordance with one of FieldBus, ProfiBus, Hart, and Foundation FieldBus to CIP.

11. The editor of claim 1, the hierarchically structured data model is based at least in part upon one or more of ISA S95 and ISA S88.

12. The editor of claim 1, further comprising a lifecycle state library that is accessible to the editor by way of the Internet.

13. The editor of claim 1, the object is deployed upon occurrence of a pre-defined event, the deployment occurs in accordance with the modification data.

14. A method for enabling state-based control in an industrial automation environment, the method comprising the following computer-executable acts:

providing an editor utilized for one of creating and editing an object, the object designed in accordance with a hierarchically structured data model; and

implementing the object in connection with a programmable logic controller to effectuate state-based control.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing the object with deployment data, the deployment data describes an event, an occurrence of the event causes the object to be deployed.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing the object with lifecycle data, the lifecycle data describes lifecycle states of the object and events that cause alteration in a lifecycle state.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising requesting identification indicia relating to an initiator of the implementation of the object.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining whether the initiator is authorized to implement the object.

19. The method of claim 17, the identification indicia is one or more of username, password, MAC address, personal identification number, and biometric indicia.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing a network bridge between the editor and the programmable logic controller.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising mapping the object so that it conforms to a data model supported by a legacy device.

22. An editor embodied on a computer readable medium for utilization in an industrial automation environment, comprising:

means for receiving modification data relating to an object that is utilized by a programmable logic controller, the modification data includes state-based control commands; and

means for implementing the object associated with the modification data, the object is designed in accordance with a hierarchically structured data model.

23. The editor of claim 22, the hierarchically structured data model is based at least in part upon one or more of ISA S95 and ISA S88.

24. The editor of claim 22, further comprising means for bridging disparate networks.

25. An industrial control system that facilitates state-based control, comprising:

a programmable logic controller, comprising;

memory that retains a state-based object, the state-based object designed in accordance with a hierarchically structured data model; and

a processor that implements the state-based object;

an input data set comprising at least one item of input data, the input data set is received by the programmable logic controller; and

a control data set comprising at least one item of control data, the control data set is transmitted by the programmable logic controller.

26. The industrial control system of claim 25, the programmable logic controller further comprising an event recognizer component, the event recognizer component recognizes events that result in change of state of a process.

27. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure, the data structure comprising:

a first field that includes schematic information relating to a hierarchically structured data model;

a second field that includes data relating to a deployment service;

a third field related to the second field that includes data relating to a deployment event, the deployment service is implemented upon occurrence of the deployment event;

a fourth field that includes lifecycle state data;

a fifth field related to the fourth field, the fifth field includes data related to a lifecycle event, a lifecycle state implemented upon occurrence of the lifecycle event; and

the data structure is implemented on at least one of a programmable logic controller or a proxy component, the proxy component is communicatively coupled to a programmable logic controller.