Dynamic messages

• US 7,612,661 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Sapach, Dale Robert, Dorgelo, Eric G., Baier, John J., Johnson, David K., Hall, Kenwood H., Bezdicek, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen; Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US11/537,239
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 340/531, 340/533, 340/539.1, 340/506, 340/7.2, 340/7.43, 340/7.45, 340/7.51, 340/7.53, 340 755- 762, 455/404.1, 455/414.4, 379/37, 709/217, 709/219, 709/220, 709/230
• US Class Current: 340/531
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4184 characterised by fault tolerance, reliability of production system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23097 Messages to operator in mother tongue, selection out of different languages
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31365 Send message to most appropriate operator as function of kind of error
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31438 Priority, queue of alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33149 Publisher subscriber, publisher, master broadcasts data to slaves, subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33306 Configuration file to set how data will be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34038 Web, http, ftp, internet, intranet server
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36137 Configuration of display device, operator panel
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/012 using recorded signals, e.g. speech G08B25/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

Systems and methods that dynamically generates alarms in real time are disclosed. An interface component receives instructions for generating alarms. A builder component dynamically creates alarms in real time based on instructions received and information stored on a data repository. The information comprises at least one or more of user roles, language spreadsheet and device characteristics. The system can further comprise a publisher component that packages alarms for delivery to web servers and/or another network. A proxy component for implementing the subject invention with legacy controllers is also disclosed.

Claims

1. An alarm configuration system, comprising:

an interface component that receives instructions to generate an alarm associated with one or more industrial process in an industrial control system;

a builder component that creates the alarm in a customized manner based at least in part upon at least one of user role, preferred language, or parameters associated with a display device that is determined to receive the alarm; and

a relevance component that prioritizes alarms based at least in part on at least one of time sensitivity of alarms, user response to prior alarms, urgency of associated events, or current time.

2. The alarm configuration system of claim 1, wherein a controller comprises the interface component and the builder component.

3. The alarm configuration system of claim 2, wherein the controller is at least one of a logic controller or a robotic controller.

4. The alarm configuration system of claim 1, wherein the interface component receives the instructions from at least one of a sensor, a controller, a high-level system, a device or entity.

5. The alarm configuration system of claim 1, wherein creating the alarm in a customized manner includes at least one of formatting in color, language, graphic presentation, device display format, content, degree of detail, geographic location, time zone, or recipient personalization.

6. The alarm configuration system of claim 1, wherein the builder component customizes alarms in real time.

7. The alarm configuration system of claim 1, wherein the relevance component selects additional recipients of alarms according to the priority of the alarms.

8. The alarm configuration system of claim 1 further comprising a bridge component that formats the alarm to accord to a communications protocol that is associated with the display device.

9. The alarm configuration system of claim 1, further comprising a publisher component that packages the alarm and delivers the alarm to a web server.

10. The alarm configuration system of claim 1, wherein the alarm includes Unicode strings.

11. The alarm configuration system of claim 1, further comprising, a proxy component that includes the interface component and the builder component, the proxy component is communicatively coupled to a controller.

12. The alarm configuration system of claim 11, wherein the proxy component resides within a network infrastructure device.

13. A methodology for automatically and dynamically generating alarms in an industrial control environment, comprising:

receiving instructions for generating an alarm associated with an industrial process in an industrial control system;

analyzing information relating to at least one of a user or a display device associated with the user to which the alarm is to be provided, the information including at least one of user role, preferred language, or parameters associated with the display device;

customizing the alarm based upon the analysis; and

prioritizing the alarm based at least in part on at least one of time sensitivity of the alarm, user response to prior alarms, urgency of associated events, or current time.

14. The methodology of claim 13, further comprising:

determining a network protocol associated with the display device;

packaging information associated with the alarm in a manner conforming with the network protocol; and

transporting the information associated with the alarm to the display device over the network.

15. The methodology of claim 13, further comprising including Unicode strings within the alarm.

16. The methodology of claim 13, further comprising accessing a language spreadsheet when creating the alarm in a desired language.

17. The methodology of claim 13, further comprising creating the alarm in several formats for a plurality of intended recipients.

18. A system that facilitates dynamic generation of alarms associated with one or more industrial process in an industrial control environment, in real time, comprising:

means for receiving instructions associated with generating an alarm;

means for creating a customized alarm by analyzing information associated with an intended recipient of the alarm, the information includes at least one of recipient role, preferred language, or parameters associated with a display device that is determined to receive the alarm; and

means for prioritizing the alarm based at least in part on at least one of time sensitivity of the alarm, user response to prior alarms, urgency of associated events or current time.