Diagnostic module for distributed industrial network including industrial control devices

• US 8,886,746 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2009
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Batke, Brian A., Baczkowski, Gary W.
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, EDWARD J
• Application Number:
  US12/556,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20110060427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,889 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/224, 709/226, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/234, 709/246
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0267 Fault communication, e.g. human machine interface [HMI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/042 comprising distributed management centres cooperatively managing the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• 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 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54

Abstract

A network component for an industrial automation system. The component includes a network switch processor configured to implement a networking switching function, at least one communication port configured to provide a communication channel between the network switch processor and at least one industrial control device over a network, and a diagnostic module configured to be implemented by the network switch processor and configured to retrieve diagnostic information from the at least one industrial control device.

Claims

1. An industrial control system comprising:

a plurality of industrial control devices configured to control and monitor industrial processes and machinery each industrial control device providing an electronic network interface and generating and providing network readable network diagnostic information including information regarding the current operating state of the network based on symptoms experienced by the network as detected by each industrial control device in transmitted status messages sent from the industrial control devices;

a diagnostic management interface providing a human machine interface to an operator; and

a network appliance communicating with the diagnostic management interface and providing an electronic network interface communication with the plurality of industrial control devices, the network appliance including an electronic computer executing a stored program to perform the steps of;

(1) communicate with the plurality of industrial control devices to collect network readable network diagnostic information generated by the industrial control devices and transmitted from the industrial control devices to the network appliance;

(2) translate the collected network diagnostic information into a common format;

(3) present an integrated depiction of the network health from the translated collected network diagnostic information; and

(4) transmitting the translated collected network diagnostic information to the diagnostic management interface for presentation on the interface.

2. The industrial control system of claim 1, wherein the network appliance is configured to identify the industrial control devices and determine the native protocol used by each device.

3. The industrial control system of claim 2, wherein the network appliance is configured to retrieve diagnostic information utilizing the native protocol of the industrial control device.

4. The industrial control system of claim 2, wherein the network appliance is configured to generate a network topology based on the identification of the industrial control devices.

5. The industrial control system of claim 1, wherein the network appliance further includes a data repository configured to receive and store the diagnostic information for the network appliance in the native format of the industrial control device.

6. The industrial control system of claim 1, wherein the network appliance is configured to receive instructions through the diagnostic management interface utilized to modify the diagnostic configuration of at least one industrial control device.

7. The industrial control system of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic information station interface is configured to provide communication with the diagnostic management interface using the common industrial protocol.

8. The industrial control system of claim 1, wherein the network appliance is configured to identify the at least one industrial control device using an initialization broadcast message.

9. The industrial control system of claim 8, wherein the initialization broadcast message is further utilized to identify the native protocol of at least one industrial control device.

10. The industrial control system of claim 1, wherein the network appliance is configured to monitor network data traffic for diagnostic information being transmitted by an industrial control device.

11. The industrial control system of claim 1, wherein the network appliance is configured to broadcast one or more requests for diagnostic information to the industrial control devices.

12. A computer implemented method for implementing diagnostic information management in a computer network switch for an industrial automation system, comprising:

providing a networking switching function over and industrial automation system network;

communicating with at least one industrial control device over the industrial automation system network;

receiving network diagnostic information including information regarding the current operating state of the network based on symptoms experienced by the network as detected by the at least one industrial control device from the at least one industrial control device in transmitted status messages sent from the industrial control devices configured to control and monitor industrial processes and machinery and transmit the status messages over the industrial automation system network in a native protocol of the industrial control device; and

translating the received network diagnostic information to a common protocol.

13. The method of claim 12, further including identifying the industrial control devices and determine the native protocol used by each device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving diagnostic information includes requesting and receiving the information utilizing the native protocol of the industrial control device.

15. The method of claim 13, further including generating a network topology based on the identification of the industrial control devices.

16. The method of claim 12, further including storing the diagnostic information for the diagnostic module in the native format of the industrial control device.

17. The method of claim 12, further including transmitting and receiving information between the data repository and a diagnostic management station.

18. The method of claim 17, further including receiving instructions through the diagnostic management interface utilized to modify the diagnostic behavior of at least one of the industrial control devices.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein communication with the diagnostic management station is implemented using the common industrial protocol.

20. The method of claim 12, further including indentifying the at least one industrial control device using an initialization broadcast message transmitted through each of the one or more ports.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein identify the at least one industrial control device further includes identifying the native protocol of at least one industrial control device.

22. The method of claim 12, further including monitoring network data traffic for diagnostic information being transmitted by an industrial control device.

23. The method of claim 12, further including broadcasting one or more requests for diagnostic information through the one or more ports of the network component.