Automation system with simplified diagnosis and rectification of errors

• US 7,656,896 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2004
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Wiedenberg, Peter, Wolf, Rene
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Andrew
• Application Number:
  US10/555,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20070043532A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,132 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

One embodiment relates to an automatic system comprising a plurality of subscribers which are connected to a common communication channel, whereby each of the subscribers automatically provides the diagnosis information associated therewith on the communication channel, another conversion station is connected to the communication channel and comprises a web server which converts the diagnosis information available in the communication channel into a single web-enabled format, the conversion station is connected to a service station via a network and the service station has a web browser and a display connected to the web browser, whereby the web browser converts the diagnosis information transmitted via the network into a single display format and the display is provided in order to display diagnosis information provided by the web browser.

Claims

1. An automation system, comprising:

a subscriber connected to a communication channel of the automation system;

a subscriber diagnostic information generated by the subscriber and provided to the communication channel;

a conversion station having a Web server that converts the subscriber diagnostic information present on the communication channel into a Web-enabled format, the converted subscriber diagnostic information transmitted over a network;

a service station operatively connected to a conversion station via the network receives the converted subscriber diagnostic information, the service station including a Web browser connected to a display, the Web browser converting the converted subscriber diagnostic information into a display format; and

an error rectification component that after receiving the subscriber diagnostic information automatically generates and provides an error rectification data back to the automation system.

2. The automation system according to claim 1, wherein

the service station includes the error rectification component or

the conversion station includes the error rectification component or

the service station includes a first error rectification component and the conversion station includes a second error rectification component.

3. The automation system according to claim 2, wherein a converter converts the subscriber diagnostic information to a standard format,

the subscriber includes the converter or

the converter station includes the converter or

the subscriber includes a first converter and the converter station includes a second converter.

4. The automation system according to claim 3, wherein standard format is an XML format.

5. The automation system according to claim 2, wherein after a connection of the subscriber to the communication channel, the subscriber automatically provides to the communication channel the subscriber diagnostic information having identifying signals that identify the newly connected subscriber.

6. The automation system according to claim 5, wherein the display format is a list or a graphical representation.

7. The automation system according to claim 6, wherein the display format is the same for a plurality of subscribers.

8. The automation system according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the plurality of subscribers has a different manufacturer and the display format is the same regardless of manufacturer.

9. The automation system according to claim 1, subscriber diagnostic information is available to the communication channel allowing the conversion station to have ongoing access to the subscriber diagnostic data for the subscriber connected to the communication channel.

10. The automation system according to claim 1, wherein the conversion station includes a display connected to the Web server via a Web browser, the display is used to show the subscriber diagnostic information provided by the Web browser.

11. The automation system according to claim 7, wherein the service station and/or the conversion station includes a selection component to select the subscriber diagnostic information to display from the plurality of subscribers.

12. The automation system according to claim 11, wherein the service station and/or the conversion station includes an operation unit for input of selection criteria.

13. The automation system according to claim 1, wherein the service station includes the error rectification component, which provides error rectification that is transmitted via the network and communication channel to the subscriber.

14. The automation system according to claim 1, wherein the error rectification data is transmitted from the conversion station to the subscriber via the communication channel

15. The automation system according to claim 14, wherein the error rectification data includes software data.

16. The automation system according to claim 15, wherein the error rectification data includes control command.

17. The automation system according to claim 15, wherein the error rectification data includes configuration data.

18. The automation system according to claim 1, wherein the network is the Internet or an Intranet.

19. An automation system, comprising:

a subscriber connected to a communication channel of the automation system, wherein at least one of the plurality of subscribers has a different manufacturer;

a subscriber diagnostic information generated by the subscriber and provided to the communication channel;

a conversion station having Web server that converts the subscriber diagnostic information present on the communication channel into a Web-enabled format, the converted subscriber diagnostic information transmitted over a network;

a service station operatively connected to a conversion station via the network receives the converted subscriber diagnostic information, the service station including a Web browser connected to a display, the Web browser converting the converted subscriber diagnostic information into a display format; and

an error rectification component that after receiving the subscriber diagnostic information automatically generates and provides an error rectification data back to the automation system.

20. The automation system according to claim 19, wherein the error rectification data is transmitted from the conversion station to the subscriber via the communication channel, wherein the error rectification data includes a control command and configuration data.