System and method for interfacing with a controller

• US 8,291,121 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schneider Automation Incorporated (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Square D Company (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Papadopoulos, A. Dean, Tanzman, Allan, Belliardi, Rodolfo G., Baker, Richard A. Jr., Dube, Dennis J. W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tiv, Backhean
• Application Number:
  US10/306,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20030139821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,611 Days
• Field of Search: 709/250, 709/217, 709/218
• US Class Current: 709/250
• 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 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/15038 Internet, tcp-ip, web server see under S05B219-40
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31104 Remote configuration of parameters of controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31156 Network structure, internet
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31186 TCP-IP internet protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31422 Upload, download programs, parameters from, to station to, from server
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32126 Hyperlink, access to program modules and to hardware modules in www, web server, browser
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34038 Web, http, ftp, internet, intranet server
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0273 using web services for network management, e.g. simple object access protocol [SOAP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/142 Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 : Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/169 : Special adaptations of TCP, UDP or IP for interworking of IP based networks with other networks protocols for interworking, protocol conversion H04L69/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 : Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A control system includes an Internet web interface to a network of at least one programmable logic control system running an application program for controlling output devices in response to status of input devices. The Web interface runs Web pages from an Ethernet board coupled directly to the PLC back plane and includes an HTTP protocol interpreter, a PLC back plane driver, a TCP/IP stack, and an Ethernet board kernel. The Web interface provides access to the PLC back plane by a user at a remote location through the Internet. The interface translates the industry standard Ethernet, TCP/IP and HTTP protocols used on the Internet into data recognizable to the PLC. Using this interface, the user can retrieve all pertinent data regarding the operation of the programmable logic controller system.

Claims

1. An industrial control system for facilitating communication to a controller having a back plane, the controller being operably connected to a web browser, the system comprising:

an interface module configured to be operably connected to the back plane of the controller and a network, the interface module including a network identifier and comprising;

a microprocessor;

a network driver configured to be operably connected to the network and the microprocessor;

a back plane driver configured to be operably connected to the controller and the microprocessor, wherein the network driver and the back plane driver cooperate to facilitate communication between the controller and the browser; and

a protocol stack configured to facilitate communication between the network driver and the back plane driver.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the communication network is a world-wide network known as Internet using an Internet Protocol (IP).

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the interface module includes a web site on the Internet.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) task for facilitating transmission of documents between the back plane driver and the network driver.

5. An industrial control system for facilitating communication to a controller having a back plane, the controller configured to be operably connected to a network and being accessible via a web browser, the system comprising:

an interface module including a microprocessor, the interface module being operably connected to the web browser and the back plane; and

a protocol stack configured to facilitate communication between a network driver and a back plane driver, the back plane driver being capable of receiving a data request for accessing data from the controller and for sending a response to the web browser.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the network is a world-wide network known as Internet using an Internet Protocol (IP).

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the interface module functions as a web site on the Internet.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the interface module is adaptable for installation in a slot in the back plane of the controller.

9. The system of claim 5 wherein the protocol stack comprises a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)/IP stack.

10. The system of claim 5 wherein the protocol stack includes HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the data request allows a user via the web browser to view data within the controller.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the data request further includes a configuration view of the controller and a status of input and output devices operably coupled to controller.

13. An industrial control system for allowing access between a controller and a web browser through a communication network, the system comprising:

a web browser; and

,

an interface module configured for installation in the controller, the interface module comprising;

a microprocessor;

a network interface configured to couple the interface module to the web browser via a communication network;

a back plane interface configured to physically connect the interface module to a back plane of said controller, the back plane interface configured for communications between the interface module and the controller; and

a protocol stack configured to facilitate communication between the network interface and the back plane interface.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the said controller is a programmable logic controller.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the protocol stack includes a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)/IP stack.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the protocol stack includes HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

17. A method for communicating with a controller via a browser, the controller being configured to run an application program for controlling an output device in response to a status of an input device, the controller having a back plane and being configured to be operably connected to a network via an interface module, the interface module being configured to use the back plane and a protocol stack to communicate with the controller, the protocol stack being configured to facilitate communication between a network driver and a back plane driver in the interface module, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing the controller via the browser, the access being provided via the interface module; and

retrieving information from the controller, the information passing through the interface module.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the information retrieved from the controller includes controller configuration.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the information retrieved from the controller includes I/O status.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the information retrieved from the controller includes register status.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the information retrieved from the controller includes operating statistics.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the information retrieved from the controller includes diagnostics.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein the information retrieved from the controller includes distributed I/O configurations.

24. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of

facilitating protocol communication between the controller and the browser.

25. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of transmitting information to the controller from the browser.

26. A method for communicating with a controller via a browser, the controller being configured to run an application program for controlling an output device in response to a status of an input device, the controller having a back plane and being configured to be operably connected to a network via a server, wherein the server includes a protocol stack configured to facilitate communication between a network driver and a back plane driver in the server, wherein communication between the controller and the server only occurs through the back plane, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing the controller via the browser using the server; and

controlling the controller using the server.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of:

transmitting a command to the controller through the back plane.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of:

retrieving information from the controller.

29. The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of:

providing security for restricting access to the controller.