System for accessing and browsing a PLC provided within a network

• US 8,751,616 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2005
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Karklins, Gregory, Rittenhouse, James C., Cornett, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuoc
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, STEVEN C
• Application Number:
  US11/143,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20060010230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,295 Days
• Field of Search: 709/250, 709/203, 700/17, 700/83
• US Class Current: 709/223
• 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 2219/14124 Redundant network, client server nodes
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32126 Hyperlink, access to program modules and to hardware modules in www, web server, browser

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise a method, comprising: recognizing, by a PLC, that a memory device has been connected to the PLC; and configuring the PLC via a PLC executable software program resident on the memory device. Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise a method, comprising: via a PLC network interface: presenting a PLC network as a namespace shell extension of an operating system of a non-PLC information device; and rendering, to a user of the non-PLC information device, the PLC network as a node of a network. Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise a method, comprising: via a PLC network interface: presenting a PLC network as a namespace shell extension of an operating system of a non-PLC information device; and searching the PLC network for at least one item corresponding to one or more search parameters.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a programmable logic controller (PLC) network communications interface stored at a non-PLC information device, the PLC network communications interface adapted to hierarchically present, to the non-PLC information device, a PLC network as a namespace shell extension of an operating system of the non-PLC information device such that the non-PLC information device interprets the PLC network as a namespace shell extension of the operating system of the non-PLC information device, wherein the PLC network is one of a Profibus network and a Point to Point Interface PLC network; and

a PLC network user interface stored at the non-PLC information device, the PLC network user interface adapted to render, to a user of the non-PLC information device, the PLC network as a node of a network to which the non-PLC information device is connected,

wherein the PLC network user interface is further adapted to initiate a search of at least one of files and the contents of files within one or more of the PLC network, PLC, PLC memory device, and PLC memory device files, in response to search parameter values entered through the PLC network interface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network communications interface is adapted to poll addresses of the PLC network to identify devices connected to the PLC network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network communications interface is adapted to provide communications parameters for an information device connected to the PLC network.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network communications interface is adapted to communicatively connect the non-PLC information device to an information device connected to the PLC network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network communications interface is adapted to provide a PLC network address for each device connected to the PLC network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network communications interface is adapted to allow browsing of the PLC network.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network communications interface is adapted to provide access to information stored on the PLC network.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network communications interface is adapted to transfer information between the non-PLC information device and an information device connected to the PLC network.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network communications interface is adapted to provide multiple instances of the PLC network.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network user interface is adapted to render, to the user of the non-PLC information device, the PLC network as a folder.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network user interface is adapted to render, to the user of the non-PLC information device, the PLC network as a folder containing an item for each information device connect to the PLC network.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network user interface is adapted to render, to the user of the non-PLC information device, the PLC network as a folder containing an item for each information device connected to the PLC network, the items ordered by PLC network address.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network user interface is adapted to render, to the user of the non-PLC information device, the PLC network as a folder containing an item for each information device connected to the PLC network, the items ordered by PLC network address, each PLC network address a Profibus address.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network user interface is adapted to render, to the user of the non-PLC information device, the PLC network as a folder containing an item for each information device connected to the PLC network, the items ordered by PLC network address, each PLC network address a PPI address.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network user interface is adapted to render, to the user of the non-PLC information device, the PLC network as a folder containing an item for each information device connected to the PLC network, the items ordered by PLC network address, each PLC network address an Ethernet address.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network user interface is adapted to render, to the user of the non-PLC information device, a PLC of the PLC network as a folder item.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network user interface is adapted to render, to the user of the non-PLC information device, a memory device connected to a PLC of the PLC network as an icon associated with a volume.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the PLC network user interface is adapted to render, to the user of the non-PLC information device, a memory device connected to a PLC of the PLC network as a folder item.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network user interface is adapted to render, to the user of the non-PLC information device, a program stored on a memory device connected to a PLC of the PLC network as a folder item.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network user interface is adapted to render, to the user of the non-PLC information device, a file stored on a memory device connected to a PLC of the PLC network as a folder item.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network user interface is adapted to render, to the user of the non-PLC information device, a hierarchical structure comprising at least two of;

the PLC network, a plurality of PLC'"'"'s of the PLC network, a memory device connected to a PLC from the plurality of PLC'"'"'s, and a plurality of files stored on the memory device.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network user interface is adapted to render, to the user of the non-PLC information device, a hierarchical structure comprising at least two of;

the PLC network, a PLC of the PLC network, a memory device connected to the PLC, and a file stored on the memory device.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network user interface is adapted to render, to the user of the non-PLC information device, a path comprising at least two of;

the PLC network, a PLC of the PLC network, a memory device connected to the PLC, a block item stored on the memory device, and a file stored on the memory device.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network communications interface is adapted to provide, to a PLC of the PLC network, a command to manage a file stored on a memory device connected to a PLC of the PLC network.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the PLC network user interface is adapted to render, to the user of the non-PLC information device, a response to a command to manage a file stored on a memory device connected to a PLC of the PLC network.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the PLC network user interface is adapted to render, to the user of the non-PLC information device, a graphical response to a command to manage a file stored on a memory device connected to a PLC of the PLC network.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the running operating system of the non-PLC information device is a personal computer operating system.

28. A system, comprising:

a non-PLC information device comprising;

a programmable logic controller (PLC) network communications interface adapted to hierarchically present, to the non-PLC information device, a PLC network as a namespace shell extension of an operating system of the non-PLC information device such that the non-PLC information device interprets the PLC network as a namespace shell extension of the operating system of the non-PLC information device, wherein the PLC network is one of a Profibus network and a Point to Point Interface PLC network; and

a PLC network user interface adapted to render, to a user of the non-PLC information device, the PLC network as a node of a network to which the non-PLC information device is connected,

wherein the PLC network user interface is further adapted to initiate a search of at least one of files and the contents of files within one or more of the PLC network, PLC, PLC memory device, and PLC memory device files, in response to search parameter values entered through the PLC network interface.