Industrial control system with web enabled I/O modules
First Claim
1. An I/O module for use with an industrial control system having a programmable logic controller for executing an industrial control program and communicating over a control-network with the I/O module, the I/O module comprising:
- an I/O interface communicating electrical signals between the I/O interface and the industrial process;
an Internet interface communicating electrical signals between an embedded Web server and the Internet;
a network interface communicating electrical signals between the I/O module and the programmable logic controller; and
a processing unit connected to the I/O interface, the Internet interface and the network interface and executing a stored program to pass data both between the Internet and the I/O interface and between the network interface and the I/O interface;
wherein both the network interface and the Internet interface include a media connection to common media of the control-network and wherein the Internet interface communicates with the Internet through the control-network and the network interface communicates with the programmable logic controller through the control-network;
whereby Internet control of the industrial process may be had through the I/O module using the embedded Web server without intervention of the programmable logic controller,wherein the processing unit also executes the stored program to accept a write disable command from the programmable logic controller causing the stored program to controllably block data from passing between the Internet interface and the I/O interface.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An industrial control system provides a programmable logic controller communicating with I/O modules which provide an electrical interface to controlled equipment and which support web servers for communication of I/O data directly with the Internet. The programmable logic controller communicates with the I/O modules over a control-network which may be separate from or shared with the Internet communications. A lock-out system prevents collisions between web clients writing to I/O and allows the programmable logic controller to limit web access to critical I/O points.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. An I/O module for use with an industrial control system having a programmable logic controller for executing an industrial control program and communicating over a control-network with the I/O module, the I/O module comprising:
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an I/O interface communicating electrical signals between the I/O interface and the industrial process; an Internet interface communicating electrical signals between an embedded Web server and the Internet; a network interface communicating electrical signals between the I/O module and the programmable logic controller; and a processing unit connected to the I/O interface, the Internet interface and the network interface and executing a stored program to pass data both between the Internet and the I/O interface and between the network interface and the I/O interface; wherein both the network interface and the Internet interface include a media connection to common media of the control-network and wherein the Internet interface communicates with the Internet through the control-network and the network interface communicates with the programmable logic controller through the control-network; whereby Internet control of the industrial process may be had through the I/O module using the embedded Web server without intervention of the programmable logic controller, wherein the processing unit also executes the stored program to accept a write disable command from the programmable logic controller causing the stored program to controllably block data from passing between the Internet interface and the I/O interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An industrial control system comprising:
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a control-network; a programmable logic controller for executing an industrial control program and having an interface for communicating on the control-network; a plurality of I/O modules communicating further including (a) respective I/O interfaces communicating electrical signals between the I/O interface and the industrial process, at least one I/O module further including; (b) respective network interfaces communicating electrical signals between the network interface and the control-network; at least one I/O module further including; (c) an Internet interface respective Internet interfaces communicating electrical signals between the Internet interface I/O module and the Internet; and (d) a processing unit which executes a stored program to accept a write disable command from the programmable logic controller causing the stored program to controllably block data from passing between the Internet interface and the I/O interface while allowing data to pass between the I/O interface and the network interface; whereby Internet control of the industrial process may be had through the I/O module modules without intervention of the programmable logic controller. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification