Method and apparatus for synchronizing configuration changes across multiple components of an industrial control system
First Claim
1. An industrial control system comprising:
- an industrial controller that executes a stored program to control an industrial process, the industrial controller including;
a plurality of components comprising;
a controller;
at least one I/O device communicating with the controller and adapted to exchange I/O data between the industrial controller and the industrial process according to configuration data;
at least one network device communicating between the controller and the I/O device according to configuration data; and
a programming interface executing on the industrial controller and operative to;
provide modifications to at least one of the stored program and configuration data; and
provide the modifications of at least one of the stored program and configuration data to the components in a multiphase operation that includes a first phase that provides the modifications to the components, and a second phase that applies the modifications to the components for use in controlling the industrial process if and only if all the components indicate that they will be able to support those modifications.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An industrial control system includes an industrial controller and a series of bridge devices logically connected in a cascaded arrangement to facilitate data communication between the industrial controller and an I/O device. The control system further includes a programming interface connected to the industrial controller to provide modifications to the program and component configuration. Modifications are provided to the controller and to the bridge devices across the network in a multiphase operation that includes a first operation that cascades the modifications from the industrial controller and to the bridge devices, and a second operation that cascades a apply command to the industrial controller and to the bridge devices instructing the industrial controller and the bridge devices to update the configuration of each of the devices based on the modifications provided in the first phase only upon acknowledgement that the industrial controller and each of the bridge devices has accepted the modifications.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An industrial control system comprising:
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an industrial controller that executes a stored program to control an industrial process, the industrial controller including; a plurality of components comprising; a controller; at least one I/O device communicating with the controller and adapted to exchange I/O data between the industrial controller and the industrial process according to configuration data; at least one network device communicating between the controller and the I/O device according to configuration data; and a programming interface executing on the industrial controller and operative to; provide modifications to at least one of the stored program and configuration data; and provide the modifications of at least one of the stored program and configuration data to the components in a multiphase operation that includes a first phase that provides the modifications to the components, and a second phase that applies the modifications to the components for use in controlling the industrial process if and only if all the components indicate that they will be able to support those modifications. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An industrial control system for controlling operation of an industrial process, the control system comprising:
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a plurality of control devices that execute a control program for interfacing with the industrial process, the plurality of control devices arranged in a cascade arrangement; and a programming interface communicatively linked to the plurality of control devices and operative to provide a modified control program to each of the control devices in a first phase and a second phase, wherein the first phase comprises a transmit command instructing each control device to evaluate and store the modified control program in a temporary memory location and the second phase comprises an apply command instructing each control device to remove the modified control program from the temporary memory location and replace the locally stored version of the control program with the modified control program wherein the apply command is not issued until each of the plurality of control devices affirmatively indicates a readiness to implement the modified program. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of transferring changes to a configuration from a controller to a plurality of controlled devices in an industrial control system, each configuration locally stored by the controlled devices, the method comprising:
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cascading a first command sequence to each of the controlled devices, the first command sequence containing proposed changes to the configuration; storing the proposed changes to the configuration in a temporary memory location on the controlled device; waiting for each of the controlled devices to accept the proposed changes; cascading a second command to the controlled devices upon confirmation that each of the controlled devices has accepted the first command sequence; and updating the local version of the configuration from the temporary memory to include the changes contained in the first command. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification