Modular object and host matching

• US 8,818,757 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Plache, Kenneth Scott, Seger, Daniel Baliey, Staron, Raymond John, Jasper, Taryl Jon, Jarrett, James Harry, Brandes, Russell William, Bliss, Ronald Eric, Kalan, Michael Dan, Govindaraj, Subbian, Hall, Kenwood Henry, Reichard, Douglas James, Kretschmann, Robert John
• Primary Examiner(s): Kundu, Sujoy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ngon, Ricky
• Application Number:
  US12/241,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20100082123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,156 Days
• Field of Search: 702/33, 702/44, 702113-115, 702/182, 702/183, 702/185, 702186-188, 717168-178, 709220-222, 709/226, 700/3, 700/19
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

An object can be used in an industrial control configuration in relation to performing a function or task. Matching can occur such that an object with operational requirements can bind with a host that has capabilities that meet those operational requirements—matching can occur automatically as well as through user operation. Once matched, different functionality can be presented to a user pertaining to the object. To assist the user, the object can include external references, logic, local or private data, as well as others in addition to resources. To facilitate operation, capabilities and resources can be published in a directory that can be accessed by different entities—sometimes with security constraints in order to protect configuration integrity. Likewise, a subscription system can be employed such that when a change to a related entity is made, a notice can transfer to related entities and operation can alter based upon the change.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory storing computer executable components and communicatively coupled to the processor to facilitate operation of the computer executable components comprising;

an evaluation component configured to identify a first operational requirement of a first industrial modular object; and

a group component configured to;

determine whether at least one host of a set of hosts has a capability to satisfy the first operation requirement;

in response to a determination that there is not at least one host of the set of hosts that has the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement;

at least one of monitor the set of hosts for a modification of a host of the set of hosts to include the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement, monitor the set of hosts for addition of another host to the set of hosts that has the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement, or modify the host of the set of hosts to include the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement; and

determine whether to bind the first industrial modular object with the host or other host; and

in response to a determination that there is at least one host of the set of hosts that has the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement, determine whether to bind the first industrial modular object with the at least one host according to;

in response to a determination that there is only one host of the set of hosts that has the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement;

 

determine whether the one host is available to be bound to the first industrial modular object;

 

in response to a determination that the one host is available to be bound with the first industrial modular object, bind the first industrial modular object with the one host; and

 

in response to a determination that the one host is not available to be bound with the first industrial modular object;

 

identify a second industrial modular object having a second operational requirement and that is currently bound with the one host that also satisfies the second operational requirement;

 

identify another host of the set of hosts that has another capability to satisfy the second operational requirement;

 

unbind the second industrial modular object from the one host;

 

bind the second industrial modular object with the other host; and

 

bind the first industrial modular object with the one host.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein to determine whether to bind the first industrial modular object with the at least one host further comprises:

in response to a determination that there is a plurality of hosts of the set of hosts that have the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement;

prompt for input to select which of the plurality of hosts to bind to the industrial modular object; and

based on received input indicating selection of one or more hosts, bind the one or more hosts with the industrial modular object.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the prompt indicates at least one of estimated performance of respective hosts, estimated performance of the industrial modular object, actual performance of respective hosts, or actual performance of the industrial modular object.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first operational requirement is greater than the second operational requirement and the capability is greater than the other capability.

5. A method, comprising:

identifying, by a system including a processor, a first operational requirement of a first industrial modular object;

determining, by the system, whether at least one host of a set of hosts has a capability to satisfy the first operational requirement;

in response to determining that there is not at least one host of the set of hosts that has the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement;

at least one of monitoring, by the system, the set of hosts for a modification of a host of the set of hosts to include the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement, monitoring, by the system, the set of hosts for addition of another host to the set of hosts that has the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement, or modifying, by the system, the host of the set of hosts to include the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement; and

determining, by the system, whether to bind the first industrial modular object with the host or other host; and

in response to determining that there is at least one host of the set of hosts that has the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement, determining, by the system, whether to bind the first industrial modular object with the at least one host according to;

in response to determining that there is only one host of the set of hosts that has the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement;

determining whether the one host is available to be bound to the first industrial modular object;

in response to determining that the one host is available to be bound with the first industrial modular object, binding the first industrial modular object with the one host; and

in response to determining that the one host is not available to be bound with the first industrial modular object;

identifying a second industrial modular object having a second operational requirement and that is currently bound with the one host that also satisfies the second operational requirement;

identifying another host of the set of hosts that has another capability to satisfy the second operational requirement;

unbinding the second industrial modular object from the one host;

binding the second industrial modular object with the other host; and

binding the first industrial modular object with the one host.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first operational requirement is greater than the second operational requirement and the capability is greater than the other capability.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the determining whether to bind the first industrial modular object with the at least one host further comprises:

in response to a determination that there is a plurality of hosts of the set of hosts that have the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement;

prompting for input to select which of the plurality of hosts to bind to the industrial modular object; and

based on received input indicating selection of one or more hosts, binding the one or more hosts with the industrial modular object.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the prompt indicates at least one of estimated performance of respective hosts, estimated performance of the industrial modular object, actual performance of respective hosts, or actual performance of the industrial modular object.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the first operational requirement of the industrial modular object represents at least one classification including at least one of required, critical, preferred, or optional.

10. A system, comprising:

means for identifying a first operational requirement of a first industrial modular object;

means for determining whether at least one host of a set of hosts has a capability to satisfy the first operational requirement;

means for, in response to determining that there is not at least one host of the set of hosts that has the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement;

at least one of monitoring the set of hosts for a modification of a host of the set of hosts to include the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement, monitoring the set of hosts for addition of another host to the set of hosts that has the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement, or modifying, by the system, the host of the set of hosts to include the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement; and

determining whether to bind the first industrial modular object with the host or other host; and

means for, in response to determining that there is at least one host of the set of hosts that has the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement, determining whether to bind the first industrial modular object with the at least one host according to;

in response to determining that there is only one host of the set of hosts that has the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement;

determining whether the one host is available to be bound to the first industrial modular object;

in response to determining that the one host is available to be bound with the first industrial modular object, binding the first industrial modular object with the one host; and

in response to determining that the one host is not available to be bound with the first industrial modular object;

identifying a second industrial modular object having a second operational requirement and that is currently bound with the one host that also satisfies the second operational requirement;

identifying another host of the set of hosts that has another capability to satisfy the second operational requirement;

unbinding the second industrial modular object from the one host;

binding the second industrial modular object with the other host; and

binding the first industrial modular object with the one host.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first operational requirement is greater than the second operational requirement and the capability is greater than the other.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for determining whether to bind the first industrial modular object with the at least one host further comprises:

means for, in response to a determination that there is a plurality of hosts of the set of hosts that have the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement;

prompting for input to select which of the plurality of hosts to bind to the industrial modular object; and

based on received input indicating selection of one or more hosts, binding the one or more hosts with the industrial modular object.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause an apparatus to perform operations, comprising:

identifying a first operational requirement of a first industrial modular object; and

determining whether at least one host of a set of hosts has a capability to satisfy the first operational requirement;

in response to determining that there is not at least one host of the set of hosts that has the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement;

at least one of monitoring the set of hosts for a modification of a host of the set of hosts to include the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement, monitoring the set of hosts for addition of another host to the set of hosts that has the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement, or modifying, by the system, the host of the set of hosts to include the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement; and

determining whether to bind the first industrial modular object with the host or other host; and

in response to determining that there is at least one host of the set of hosts that has the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement, determining whether to bind the first industrial modular object with the at least one host according to;

in response to determining that there is only one host of the set of hosts that has the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement;

determining whether the one host is available to be bound to the first industrial modular object;

in response to determining that the one host is available to be bound with the first industrial modular object, binding the first industrial modular object with the one host; and

in response to determining that the one host is not available to be bound with the first industrial modular object;

 

identifying a second industrial modular object having a second operational requirement and that is currently bound with the one host that also satisfies the second operational requirement;

 

identifying another host of the set of hosts that has another capability to satisfy the second operational requirement;

 

unbinding the second industrial modular object from the one host;

 

binding the second industrial modular object with the other host; and

 

binding the first industrial modular object with the one host.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the first operational requirement is greater than the second operational requirement and the capability is greater than the other capability.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the determining whether to bind the first industrial modular object with the at least one host further comprises:

in response to a determination that there is a plurality of hosts of the set of hosts that have the capability to satisfy the first operational requirement;

prompting for input to select which of the plurality of hosts to bind to the industrial modular object; and

based on received input indicating selection of one or more hosts, binding the one or more hosts with the industrial modular object.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the prompt indicates at least one of estimated performance of respective hosts, estimated performance of the industrial modular object, actual performance of respective hosts, or actual performance of the industrial modular object.