Self configuration of embedded historians

• US 7,574,417 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Baier, John J., McGreevy, Robert J., Herbst, Robert J., Jasper, Taryl J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vincent; David R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Jr.; Nathan H
• Application Number:
  US11/536,566
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 706/59, 700/8, 700/29, 700/95, 700/108, 700/109
• US Class Current: 706/59
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/408 characterised by data handling or data format, e.g. reading, buffering or conversion of data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31288 Archive collected data into history file
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32128 Gui graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Systems and methods that configure an embedded historian(s) to a predetermined setting and an automatic propagation thereof to other embedded historians and units on the factory floor. Embedded historian can be automatically configured, and be set up as a default collection for a plant scan, such that when a plant comes on-line, embedded historians announce their presence to such plant, and are discovered thereby and configured thereby.

Claims

1. An industrial automation system, comprising:

an embedded historian component that supplies historical data for a process to a control component, the embedded historian is part of a hierarchically structured data model for the industrial automation system; and

a configuration component that automatically configures the embedded historian based on settings required by the process and in accordance with the hierarchically structured data model,

wherein memory operatively coupled to a processor retains at least one of the embedded historian component or the configuration component.

2. The industrial automation system of claim 1 further comprising a locator component that employs a trail of metadata to identify the embedded historian component and verify a respective configuration setting.

3. The industrial automation system of claim 1 further comprising an organizational hierarchy data model with nodes that represent units associated with the industrial automation system.

4. The industrial automation system of claim 2 the locator component operatively connected to a directory service to facilitate discovery service.

5. The industrial automation system of claim 1 further comprising an artificial intelligence component that facilitates configuration of the embedded historians.

6. The industrial automation system of claim 1 further comprising a Human Machine Interface (HMI) to graphically display a view of the industrial automation system.

7. The industrial automation system of claim 1 further comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) that forms an application view of an embedded historian data collection system.

8. The industrial system of claim 1, the embedded historian component associated with at least one of a controller, a module in a chassis, a server, a sensor, and a factory component.

9. The industrial system of claim 3, the organizational hierarchy data model with metadata for identification of embedded historians to the locator component.

10. The industrial system of claim 1, further comprising a publish and subscribe component that identifies embedded historians to the locator component.

11. A method of locating embedded historians within an industrial plant comprising:

detecting an embedded historian via a locator component;

employing at least one processor to execute computer executable instructions for configuring the embedded historian based in part on a hierarchically structured data model via a configuration component; and

at least one of automatically creating or modifying a tag in the embedded historian based in part on the configuration;

propagating configuration of the embedded historian to other industrial units.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising employing metadata to facilitate a trail to the embedded historian.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising defining a common organizational data model for the industrial plant.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising employing a directory to track source of data.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising collecting historian data across various levels of the industrial plant.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising employing a polling mechanism for embedded historian detection and identification.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising defining a security level for accessing the embedded historian and configuration thereof.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising incorporating the configuration component as part of a controller associated with the industrial setting.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising self identifying the embedded historian to the configuration component.

20. A computer implemented system comprising the following computer executable components:

a configuration component that configures embedded historians based on predetermined settings, the configuration includes at least one of editing or creating at least one of process variables, automation device names, tag references, data models, hierarchy, or simulation of industrial processes; and

a locator component that detects the embedded historians for an identification thereof to the configuration component

wherein memory operatively coupled to a processor retains at least one of the configuration component or the locator component.

21. The computer implemented system of claim 20 further comprising a security component that restricts access to the embedded historians.

22. The computer implemented system of claim 20 further comprising a log component that tracks configuration related manipulations of the embedded historians.

23. The computer implemented system of claim 20 further comprising a data base that services the embedded historians.

24. The computer implemented system of claim 20, the configuration component is part of an application that runs on a control unit of the industrial plant.

25. The computer implemented system of claim 20 further comprising a directory that determines where a source or destination for a particular embedded historian data structure is located.

26. The computer implemented system of claim 20 further comprising a publish and subscribe component to identify embedded historians to the configuration component.

27. An industrial controller system comprising:

collection means for collecting data related to an industrial process, the collection means is part of a hierarchically structured data model for an industrial automation system; and

means for automatically configuring the collection means and propagating a configuration to other units based in part on the hierarchically structured data model.

28. The industrial controller system of claim 27 further comprising means for graphically displaying a view of an industrial control system.

29. The industrial controller system of claim 27 further comprising means for restricting access to the collection means.

30. The industrial controller system of claim 28 further comprising means for logging configuration related manipulations of the collection means.

31. The industrial controller system of claim 27 further comprising means for representing units associated with the industrial plant as nodes.