System and method for managing software applications, particularly manufacturing execution system (MES) applications

• US 8,121,716 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2003
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Offenmüller, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Masinick, Michael D
• Application Number:
  US10/402,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20030172371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,252 Days
• Field of Search: 700/65, 700/95, 700/97, 700/108, 717/120
• US Class Current: 700/97
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Software applications (A1-A6), especially MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) applications often exist in a heterogeneous form. The inventive system and method enable a user at a work station (AV1-AV3, PIW1, PIW2) to manage and monitor a number of different applications. Applications from the ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) level and from the automation level can also be integrated. In addition, a user can define and monitor workflows (operations for carrying out, e.g. production orders).

Claims

1. A system for integrating and/or managing software applications, particularly MES applications, comprising:

a plurality of computer units for storing the software applications, such that at least some of the software applications are stored at computer units which can be located physically remote from each other and which are connected by the Internet or other network,

at least one framework program coupling the software applications,

a display apparatus for;

displaying in a first screen area a hierarchy of successive workflow steps that collectively define a workflow of different software applications in form of a tree structure, wherein each displayed workflow step defines a different entry point of a corresponding software application, including different software applications located physically remote from each other, such that individual displayed workflow elements act as user-selectable entry points for starting the corresponding individual software applications upon user selection of the individual displayed workflow elements, wherein display of the hierarchy of the successive software applications can be altered to show different function related tree structures depending on a user role, wherein the function is selected from the group consisting of;

production, planning, report and system and wherein the user role further determines access authorizations and display option, and

displaying state information of an individual software application that has been selected in the first screen area in a second screen area,

a user interface allowing a user to graphically modify the workflow by rearranging one or more displayed relationships between one or more elements of different software applications physically remote from each other, and

at least one adapter for connecting the software applications to the framework program, with provision being made for communication between the software applications using the framework program.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the workflow information in the first screen area is defined by the user and represents an individual work cycle in the interaction of the software applications.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the workflow information shown in the first screen area is intended to be used for accessing data associated with the software applications.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second screen area is subdivided to show further information of the another individual software application.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display apparatus is provided for personal configuration by a user of the system.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display apparatus is provided for a user to define different user roles.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system is provided for operating and/or observing an industrial process and/or work cycles and/or an industrial automation system.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a web browser is used for display.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display apparatus is in the form of a client of the framework program.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein components and/or modules from the enterprise resource planning area and/or from the control area can be accommodated in the screen areas.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display apparatus is split into further screen areas.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system is used as a development environment for functions and applications which are available directly in the system.

28. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user interface allows a user to graphically drag and drop graphical representations of software applications in order to modify relationships between one or more graphical representations of different software applications.

13. A method for integrating and managing software applications, particularly MES applications, in industrial installations and/or in industrial processes, comprising:

storing the software applications on a plurality of computer units, such that at least some of the software applications are stored at computer units which can be located physically remote from each other and which are connected by the Internet or other network,

coupling the software applications to one another by means of at least one framework program,

displaying, in a first screen area on a display apparatus, a hierarchy of successive workflow steps that collectively define a workflow of different software applications in form of a tree structure, wherein each displayed workflow step defines a different entry point of a corresponding software application, including different software applications located physically remote from each other, such that individual displayed workflow elements act as user-selectable entry points for starting the corresponding individual software applications upon user selection of the individual displayed workflow elements, wherein display of the hierarchy of the successive software applications can be altered to show different function related tree structures depending on a user role, wherein the function is selected from the group consisting of;

production, planning, report and system and wherein the user role further determines access authorizations and display option;

displaying in a second screen area state information of an individual software application that has been selected in the first screen area,

receiving, via a user interface, user input for graphically modifying the workflow by rearranging one or more displayed relationships between one or more elements of different software applications stored physically remote from each other,

connecting the software applications to the framework program using adapters, and

using the framework program to facilitate communication and/or data interchange between the software applications.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the workflow information in the first screen area is defined by the user and represents an individual work cycle in the interaction of the software applications.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the workflow information shown in the first screen area allows access to data and/or methods associated with the software applications.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the second screen area is subdivided to show further information of the another individual software application.

17. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein a user of the system can configure the display apparatus personally.

18. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein a user of the system can use the display apparatus to define different user roles.

19. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the method is used for operating and/or observing an industrial process and/or work cycles and/or an industrial automation system.

20. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein a popular web browser is used for display.

21. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the display apparatus is in the form of a client of the framework program.

22. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein components and/or modules from the enterprise resource planning area and/or from the control area are accommodated in the screen areas.

23. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the display apparatus is split into further screen areas.

24. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the method is used for developing functions and applications which are available directly.

25. A framework program for integrating and managing software applications, in industrial installations, the framework program embodied in tangible computer readable media and when executed operable to:

couple the software applications to one another such that at least some of the software applications are stored at computer units which can be located physically remote from each other and which are connected by the Internet or other network,

couple the software applications to one another,

display, in a first screen area on a display apparatus, a hierarchy of successive workflow steps that collectively define a workflow of different software applications in form of a tree structure, wherein each displayed workflow step defines a different entry point of a corresponding software application, including different software applications which can be located physically remote from each other, such that individual displayed workflow elements act as user-selectable entry points for starting the corresponding individual software applications upon user selection of the individual displayed workflow elements, wherein display of the hierarchy of the successive software applications can be altered to show different function related tree structures depending on a user role, wherein the function is selected from the group consisting of;

production, planning, report and system and wherein the user role further determines access authorizations and display option;

display, in a second screen area, state information of an individual software application that has been selected in the first screen area,

receive, via a user interface, user input for graphically modifying the workflow by rearranging one or more displayed relationships between one or more elements of different software applications stored physically remote from each other,

connect to the software applications using adapters, and

effect communication between the software applications.

26. A tangible data storage medium for storing a computer program for integrating and managing software applications, in industrial installations and/or in industrial processes the computer program when executed operable to:

couple the software applications to one another via the Internet or other network,

display, in a first screen area on a display apparatus, a hierarchy of successive workflow steps that collectively define a workflow of different software applications in form of a tree structure, wherein each displayed workflow step defines a different entry point of a corresponding software application coupled to one another via the Internet or other network, such that individual displayed workflow elements act as user-selectable entry points for starting the corresponding individual software applications upon user selection of the individual displayed workflow elements, wherein display of the hierarchy of the successive software applications can be altered to show different function related tree structures depending on a user role, wherein the function is selected from the group consisting of;

production, planning, report and system and wherein the user role further determines access authorizations and display option;

display, in a second screen area, state information of an individual software application that has been selected in the first screen area,

receive, via a user interface, user input for graphically modifying the workflow by rearranging one or more displayed relationships between one or more elements of different software applications stored physically remote from each other,

connect to the software applications using adapters, and

effect communication between the software applications.

27. A data processing device comprising:

at least one framework program for integrating and managing software applications, wherein;

the software applications include software applications stored at computer units which can be located physically remote from each other and which are connected by the Internet or other network

the software applications can be coupled to one another by means of the at least one framework program,

a hierarchy of successive software applications that collectively define the framework program is displayed in a first screen area on a display apparatus in form of a tree structure, wherein different displayed graphical representations of the hierarchy are linked to different corresponding software applications, including different software applications located physically remote from each other, such that the individual displayed graphical representations act as user-selectable entry points for starting the corresponding individual software applications upon user selection of the individual displayed graphical representations, wherein display of the hierarchy of the successive software applications can be altered to show different function related tree structures depending on a user role, wherein the function is selected from the group consisting of;

production, planning, report and system and wherein the user role farther determines access authorizations and display option;

state information of an individual software application that has been selected in the first screen area is displayed in a second screen area,

a user interface allows a user to graphically modify the hierarchy by rearranging one or more displayed relationships between one or more graphical representations of different software applications stored physically remote from each other, and

the software applications are connected to the framework program using adapters, with communication between the software applications being effected using the framework program.