Wireless industrial control user interface with configurable software capabilities

• US 7,933,668 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2005
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Braun, Scott D., Pokatayev, Elena N., Weingarth, Christine E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Decady; Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garland; Steven R
• Application Number:
  US11/259,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20070093926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,008 Days
• Field of Search: 700/83, 700/17, 700/18, 700/79, 700/86, 700/87, 455/419, 455/420, 455/557
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24165 Use codes to activate features of controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25186 Bluetooth

Abstract

A user interface operable to connect to a device within an industrial control system includes a memory and a processing unit. The memory is operable to store a plurality of software applications for interfacing with the device and a configuration mask including access rights for at least a subset of the software applications. The processing unit is operable to establish a first connection with the device and disable selected software applications based on the configuration mask.

Claims

1. An industrial control system, comprising:

a motor drive having at least a first port;

a wireless interface module coupled to the first port of the motor drive; and

a wireless user interface comprising a display;

wherein the wireless user interface is configured to communicate with the wireless interface module and establish a first connection through the wireless interface module to access the motor drive, the wireless user interface being further configured to store a plurality of software applications for interfacing with the motor drive, store a configuration mask including access rights for at least a subset of the software applications, disable selected software applications based on the configuration mask, and display a host frame and a device frame, the host frame configured to display host data and the device frame configured to display device data, the device frame also configured to display an image of the motor drive on the display responsive to establishing the first connection;

wherein one of the plurality of software applications comprises a status monitor.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a programming terminal configured to interface with the wireless user interface, generate the configuration mask, and store the configuration mask on the wireless user interface.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the programming terminal is configured to delete the disabled software applications from the wireless user interface.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the programming terminal is configured to determine the access rights in the configuration mask based on an intended user of the wireless user interface.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the subset of software applications comprise at least one of a parameter list viewer, a file and group viewer, an upload/download tool, a device properties viewer, a flash update tool, a control interface, a trending/graphing tool, and a connection tool.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the motor drive has a particular drive type, and the image comprises an image corresponding to the drive type.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless user interface is configured to display identification data associated with the motor drive on the display.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless user interface is configured to display status information associated with the motor drive on the display.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a communication module coupled to an additional port of the motor drive, the wireless user interface configured to access a remote device coupled to a communication network through the wireless interface module and the communication module.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the host frame configured to display host data is adapted to display a host name, a host type, a host state, and a port designation;

and

the device frame configured to display device data is adapted to display a device name, a device type, a device rating, and a feedback designation.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the device rating comprises at least one of a voltage and a current rating, and the feedback designation comprises a drive speed in Hertz.

12. A user interface configured to communicate with a device within an industrial control system, comprising:

a display;

a memory configured to store a plurality of software applications for interfacing with the device and a configuration mask including access rights for at least a subset of the software applications; and

a processing unit configured to establish a first connection with the device and disable selected software applications based on the configuration mask, the processing unit further configured to display a host frame and a device frame, the host frame configured to display host data and the device frame configured to display device data, the device frame also configured to display an image of the device on the display responsive to establishing the first connection;

wherein one of the plurality of software applications comprises a status monitor.

13. The interface of claim 12, wherein access rights in the configuration mask are configured based on an intended user of the user interface.

14. The interface of claim 12, wherein the subset of software applications comprise at least one of a parameter list viewer, a file and group viewer, an upload/download tool, a device properties viewer, a flash update tool, a control interface, a trending/graphing tool, and a connection tool.

15. The interface of claim 12, wherein the device has a particular device type, and the image comprises an image corresponding to the device type.

16. The interface of claim 12, wherein the processing unit is configured to display identification data associated with the device on the display.

17. The interface of claim 12, wherein the processing unit is configured to display status information associated with the device on the display.

18. An industrial control system, comprising:

a motor drive having at least a first and second port;

a wireless interface module coupled to the first port of the motor drive;

a communication module coupled to the second port of the motor drive; and

a wireless user interface;

wherein the wireless user interface is configured to communicate with the wireless interface module and establish a first connection through the wireless interface module to access the motor drive, the wireless user interface being further configured to route messages through the wireless interface module and through the communication module to access a remote device on a communication network, the wireless user interface being further configured to store a plurality of software applications for interfacing with the motor drive and the remote device, store a configuration mask including access rights for at least a subset of the software applications, and disable selected software applications based on the configuration mask;

wherein one of the plurality of software applications comprises a status monitor.