Industrial controller automation interface

• US 8,484,665 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2008
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: McKelvey, Jeffrey A, D'Amico, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): DAO, TUAN C.
• Application Number:
  US12/189,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20080301716A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,793 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• 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 19/054 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/056 Programming the PLC
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41835 characterised by programme execution
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13121 DDE direct data exchange, DLL dynamic library linking
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13128 Relay ladder diagram, RLL RLD KOP
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13144 GUI graphical user interface, icon, function bloc editor, OI operator interface
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13148 Object oriented programming
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13172 Remote programming from computer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/15027 RS485, MPI multipoint interface, multiple transmitters, receivers connected
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/15038 Internet, tcp-ip, web server see under S05B219-40
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/15052 Communication processor, link interface
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31112 Interface, SIOMS standard I-O for mechatronic systems, device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31229 Supervisor, master, workstation controller, automation, machine control
• 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: G06F 8/24 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 : Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

An automation interface is provided for interacting with industrial controllers. The automation interface provides for programming, editing, monitoring and maintenance of industrial controllers programmatically from a local or remote location. The automation interface component is adapted to communicate with industrial controllers by integrating a computer process interface library into the automation interface component. The computer process interface library exposes the automation interface component to client application processes, so that the client application processes can communicate with the at least one industrial controller programmatically. The automation interface is provided with functionality for downloading, uploading and programming of control programs to the processors of the industrial controllers.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating communications between at least one industrial controller and at least one network-based client application, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer executable components and communicatively coupled to the processor to facilitate operation of the computer executable components, the computer executable components comprising;

an automation interface component communicatively connected to the at least one industrial controller and at least one network-based client located on a network interface, wherein the automation interface component facilitates transfer of configuration data and process data between the at least one industrial controller and the at least one network-based client application;

an object-oriented library configured to store a first configuration data and first process data received from the at least one industrial controller, wherein the first configuration data is utilized to control operation of at least one device associated with an industrial automation process controlled by the at least one industrial controller and the first process data pertains to parameter data recorded during operation of the at least one industrial controller in controlling the industrial automation process;

an object oriented library component configured to write second configuration data to the at least one industrial controller, wherein the second configuration data is utilized to update the first configuration data for operation of the at least one industrial controller in controlling operation of the at least one device associated with the industrial automation process, and the second configuration data is received from the at least one network-based client; and

an interface that facilitates generation, and transmission, by the automation interface component of at least one report presenting the first configuration data to the at least one network-based client application to facilitate generation of the second configuration data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the automation interface component uses Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) to connect to the at least one network-based client application.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the automation interface is configured to be accessed via respective constructs of multiple programming languages.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the multiple programming languages include at least two of C++, C#, Visual BASIC or JAVA.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the automation interface component is a standalone executable process separate from an application process of the at least one network-based client application and a web service process configured to facilitate communication of the first configuration data between the automation interface and the network-based client application process.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one report is generated based on an event detected by the at least one industrial controller.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the event is a preconfigured time-of-day.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the event relates to a change in at least one of a property, method, or event that relates to a programmable object associated with the automation interface.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the network interface is a web service having a web interface to a data network, and communication between the at least one industrial controller and the network-based client application is via the data network.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the network interface enables at least one remote client to access and edit a data table value stored in the industrial controller via the automation interface.

11. A method of updating configuration code on a remotely located industrial controller by a client application operating on a local computer, the method comprising:

connecting, by the local computer, to an automation interface of the remotely located industrial controller, wherein the connection is via an automation interface component local to the local computer;

receiving, by the local computer, process data and first configuration code from the industrial controller, wherein the first configuration code is utilized in controlling operation of at least one device associated with an industrial automation process being controlled by the industrial controller and the process data pertains to parameter data recorded during operation of the industrial controller in controlling the industrial automation process with the first configuration code;

analyzing, by the local computer, the first configuration code and the process data to facilitate determining a relationship between the first configuration code and the process data;

in response to determining the relationship between the first configuration code and the process data, determining, by the local computer, a second configuration code based upon the relationship between the process data and the first configuration code; and

transferring, by the local computer, the second configuration code, from the local computer to the industrial controller via the automation interface to facilitate replacing the first configuration code with the second configuration code at the industrial controller, and to facilitate subsequent control of operation of the at least one device utilizing the second configuration code.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the process data and the first configuration code are received as a formatted report, the report being generated in response to receiving a report generation request.

13. The method of claim 12,

wherein the report generation request is based on an event occurring at the industrial controller.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining, by the local computer, an event occurring at the local computer;

in response to determining the event, generating, by the local computer, an instruction to the industrial computer to generate the report; and

receiving, at the local computer, the report.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the event is based on a current date and time becoming a specified date and time.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the event is based on an expiration of a cycle of a specified period of time.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the second configuration code is generated from a computer process interface library comprising object-oriented based objects and classes that are included with the automation interface component, the computer process interface library exposes the automation interface component to a client application process operating on the local computer.

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause a system including a processor to perform operations, comprising:

connecting to an automation interface of a remotely located industrial controller, wherein the connecting is via an automation interface component local to the system;

receiving process data and first configuration code from the industrial controller, wherein the first configuration code is utilized in controlling operation of at least one device associated with an industrial automation process being controlled by the industrial controller and the process data pertains to parameter data recorded during operation of the industrial controller in controlling the industrial automation process with the first configuration code;

analyzing the first configuration code and the process data to facilitate determining a relationship between the first configuration code and the process data;

in response to determining the relationship between the first configuration code and the process data, determining second configuration code based upon the relationship;

generating the second configuration code for executing on the industrial controller; and

transferring, via the automation interface, the second configuration code to the industrial controller to facilitate replacing the first configuration code with the second configuration code at the industrial controller, and to facilitate subsequent control of operation of the at least one device utilizing the second configuration code.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, the operations further comprising:

initiating the connecting in response to determining an event occurred on the industrial controller.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the relationship between the first configuration code and the process data is a discrepancy between an operating state of a process being controlled by the industrial controller as defined by the process data and an expected operating state of the process being controlled by the industrial controller.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the process data and the first configuration code are received as a formatted report, the formatted report being generated in response to receiving a report generation request.