Internet object based remote operation of an industrial controller

• US 7,617,277 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Edwards, Jayme
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell; Robert B
• Application Number:
  US11/864,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20080077253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/00 Programme-control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/056 Programming the PLC
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31161 Java programcode or simular active agents, programs, applets
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31196 SOAP, describes available services and how to call them remotely
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31422 Upload, download programs, parameters from, to station to, from server
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32126 Hyperlink, access to program modules and to hardware modules in www, web server, browser
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34038 Web, http, ftp, internet, intranet server

Abstract

A remote operating program for a industrial controller executes on any browser enabled remote computer by connecting to Web server connected to the industrial controller to load an applet. The applet provides for a communication protocol with the server of the industrial controller that allows the applet to discover and use objects on the server that may be implemented by the remote operating program.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method wherein a first interface program executing on a remote computer provides an interface screen for an industrial controller, the method comprising:

communicating with the remote computer over the Internet and further communicating with an industrial control system controlling an industrial process through input and output data communicated with the industrial process; and

utilizing a protocol for the communication that provides for at least one of;

a discovery instruction to be transmitted from the first interface program that causes a second interface program to provide a list of characteristics of the software objects, a constructor instruction creating an instance of a software object on the Web server, a set property instruction setting a property of a software object on the Web server, an invocation instruction for an invocation of a method of a software object on the Web server, an event subscription instruction causing the receipt by the first interface program of event messages from software object on the Web server, or at least one persistence instruction preserving an instance of a software object on the Web server during a cessation of a communication session on the Internet between the remote computer and the Web server so that the first interface program discovers and instances software objects related to the input and output data and stored on the Web server;

whereby the first interface program may use pre-written software objects to implement the interface screen;

wherein the protocol provides for the communication of instructions between the first interface program and the second interface program using a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) protocol.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the protocol provides for a discovery instruction to be transmitted from the first interface program that causes the second interface program to provide a list of characteristics of the software objects.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2 wherein the characteristics are object properties, object constructors, object methods and object events.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, transmitting multiple instructions in a single SOAP protocol message and wherein the call arrangement is selected from a group consisting of sequential, nested, and a combination of both.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the protocol provides for a constructor instruction creating an instance of a software object on the Web server.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the protocol provides for a set property instruction setting a property of a software object on the Web server.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the protocol provides for an invocation of a method of a software object on the Web server.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the protocol provides for an event subscription instruction causing the receipt by the first interface program of event messages from software objects on the Web server.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the protocol provides for at least one persistence instruction preserving an instance of a software object on the Web server during a cessation of a communication session on the Internet between the remote computer and the Web server.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

connecting the remote computer via a Web browser program to a first Web page providing the first interface program;

reading the first interface program into the remote computer and executing it at the remote computer; and

connecting the Web browser program to the Web server communicating with the industrial control system.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the first web page is on a Web server other than the Web server communicating with the industrial control system.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the first interface program is a Java applet.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the software objects stored on the Web server include graphic display elements.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the software objects stored on the Web server include graphic control elements.

15. An industrial control system, which has a first interface program embodied on a remote computer, wherein the first interface program executing on the remote computer provides an interface screen for an industrial controller, the system comprising:

a second interface program executing on a Web server communicating with the remote computer over the Internet and further communicating with an industrial control system controlling an industrial process through input and output data communicated with the industrial process;

wherein the second interface program executes to;

connect the remote computer via a Web browser program to a first Web page providing the first interface program;

read the first interface program into the remote computer and execute it at the remote computer; and

connect the Web browser program to the Web server communicating with the industrial control system and;

wherein communication of instructions between the first interface program and the second interface program is via Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) protocol in which multiple instructions are transmitted in a single SOAP protocol message and a call arrangement is sequential, nested, or a combination thereof.

16. The industrial control system of claim 15 wherein the first web page is on a Web server other than the Web server communicating with the industrial control system.

17. The industrial control system of claim 15 wherein the first interface program is a Java applet.

18. An industrial control system, which has a first program embodied on a remote computer, wherein the first interface program executing on a remote computer to provide an interface screen for an industrial controller, the system comprising:

means for a second interface executing on a Web server communicating with the remote computer over the Internet and further communicating with an industrial control system controlling an industrial process through input and output data communicated with the industrial process; and

wherein the second interface executes to provide a protocol that provides for all of;

a discovery instruction to be transmitted from the first interface program that causes the second interface program to provide a list of characteristics of the software objects, a constructor instruction creating an instance of a software object on the Web server, a set property instruction setting a property of a software object on the Web server, an invocation instruction for an invocation of a method of a software object on the Web server, an event subscription instruction causing the receipt by the first interface program of event messages from software object on the Web server, and at least one persistence instruction preserving an instance of a software object on the Web server during a cessation of a communication session on the Internet between the remote computer and the Web server so that the first interface program discovers and instances software objects related to the input and output data and stored on the Web server;

whereby the first interface uses pre-written software objects to implement the interface.