RFID architecture in an industrial controller environment

• US 8,152,053 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2009
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hall, Kenwood H., Morse, Richard A., OWEN, JOSEPH P., Somogyi, Andreas, Tinnell, Kenneth A., Bapat, Vivek R., Pietrzyk, Arthur P., Chand, Sujeet
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US12/403,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20090206154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/486, 235/487, 235/375, 235/381, 235/382, 235/382.5, 235/380, 235/449
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/05 Programmable logic controllers, e.g. simulating logic interconnections of signals according to ladder diagrams or function charts
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31197 Near field communication nfc
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

An RFID reader and/or writer module in an industrial controller (e.g., PLC). The RFID module interfaces internally to the controller for tight integration therewith. The RFID module can also be part of a controller communications framework and as a standalone module with the PLC as a master device, and interact with the RFID module in the same manner as it interacts with other I/O devices connected to the controller. In another aspect, RFID read/write tag technology is incorporated into some or all major PLC and rack components, and utilized for wireless communication both between PLC system components and between the PLC and other devices, locations, and media. The RFID tag can be used to store and exchange electronic keying data, security information, module diagnostics and warranty information, series and revision levels code, I/O configuration data, and, replacement data. Artificial intelligence is also employed.

Claims

1. An RFID (radio frequency identification)-based system, comprising:

a controller configured to control an industrial process, further comprising;

an internal controller communications framework configured to facilitate communications between components connected thereto; and

an RFID reader configured to read RFID tag and communicate information read from the RFID tag to the controller, the RFID tag is externally located to the controller.

2. The system of claim 1, the RFID reader is further configured to interface with the internal controller communications framework.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID reader is also a writer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the internal controller communications framework is packet-based.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein configuration data of the RFID reader is stored in the controller.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the read RFID information is stored in the controller.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a task is initiated in response to the RFID reader reading an RFID tag.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the internal controller communications framework is further configured to facilitate communications to a remote node of a network via a network interface.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a signal strength processing component configured to process signal strength values of RFID tags associated with a plurality of RFID readers.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller further includes a bar code scanner configured to read bar code data of a bar code.

11. A method of providing an RFID-based industrial automation system, comprising:

providing a controller that interacts with one or more aspects of an automation process;

incorporating within the controller a controller communications framework facilitating transmission of data between components attached thereto;

locating an RFID reader on the controller communications framework; and

reading RFID tag information where the RFID tags are remotely located to the controller.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

forwarding, via the controller communications framework, the read RFID tag information for processing by the controller.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving the read RFID tag information; and

initiating a task based upon the received RFID tag information.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the controller is a PLC.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising automatically powering down the RFID reader after at least one of a predetermined number of read operations or a predetermined time duration.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising configuring the RFID reader to have RFID tag writing capabilities.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising employing the RFID reader/writer to update RFID tags associated with the controller.

18. An RFID (radio frequency identification)-based industrial control system, comprising:

means for controlling an industrial process;

means for incorporating an RFID reader within the means for controlling;

means for reading RFID tag information from RFID tags associated with objects remotely located to the means for controlling;

means for communicating the read RFID tag information; and

means for processing the read RFID tag information.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for locating the means for controlling in a communication network.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for processing read RFID tag information received from RFID readers located remotely from the means for controlling.