Runtime process diagnostics

• US 9,135,000 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2012
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Weatherhead, Norman, Stump, Andrew R., Mansouri, Haithem, Rodriguez, Axel, Thomsen, Joachim
• Primary Examiner(s): Bullock, Jr., Lewis A
• Assistant Examiner(s): APONTE, FRANCISCO JAVIER
• Application Number:
  US13/670,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20140129822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 717/116, 717120-122
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis

Abstract

Content management includes populating a library with modular objects and metadata associated with the modular objects. In response to a query, the library can be searched based in part on the metadata. The query can relate to implementation of an industrial process. One or more modular objects in the library can be identified as satisfying the query. A result of the query can be output and the output can include the identified modular objects and the respective metadata associated with the identified modular objects. The metadata can be anything known about the object that might not be accessible at runtime control.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a memory that stores computer-executable instructions; and

a processor, communicatively coupled to the memory, that facilitates execution of the computer-executable instructions to at least;

integrate functionalities into each modular object of a plurality of modular objects;

receive a request for an execution of a selected set of objects of the plurality of modular objects;

determine a use context for the selected set of objects based on the request;

mask an integrated functionality of at least one of the selected set of objects based on the use context to yield a customized set of functionalities;

expose the customized set of functionalities in response to the execution;

perform an evaluation of a workflow in which one or more modular objects of the selected set of objects are to be deployed;

verify interconnectability of the one or more modular objects based on the evaluation;

identify a functionality required for the workflow that is not included in a set of functionalities integrated with the one or more modular objects based on the evaluation; and

generate recommendation data that recommends associating the functionality with the one or more modular objects.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the functionalities are diagnostic capabilities of each modular object of the plurality of modular objects.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the functionalities are prognostic capabilities of the plurality of modular objects.

4. The system of claim 1,

wherein the functionalities are editable.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor further facilitates execution of the computer-executable instructions to select the functionalities integrated into each modular object based on an analysis of each modular object.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor further facilitates execution of the computer-executable instructions to:

produce a visual representation of a set of functionalities;

receive a selection of a functionality from the set of functionalities and an object with which the functionality is to be associated; and

associate the functionality with the object in response to receipt of the selection.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor further facilitates execution of the computer-executable instructions to validate at least one of an object, a workflow design, and a subset of functionalities based in part on a data model.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor further facilitates execution of the computer-executable instructions to link two or more objects, of the plurality of modular objects, based on a determination that the two or more object share one or more common functionalities.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor further facilitates execution of the computer-executable instructions to:

evaluate a hierarchical association of objects within the workflow; and

create at least one of a diagnostic functionality or a prognostic functionality based on the hierarchical association.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the use context comprises at least one of an intended use of the set of objects or a user identity associated with the request.

10. A method, comprising:

embedding, by a system including a processor, a first set of functionalities with a first object and a second set of functionalities with a second object;

receiving, by the system, a request for execution of the first object and the second object;

determining, by the system, a use context for the first object and the second object based on the request;

masking, by the system, at least one functionality of the first set of functionalities or the second set of functionalities based on the use context to yield a customized set of functionalities;

executing, by the system, at least one of the first object and the second object;

displaying, by the system, the customized set of functionalities as a result of the executing;

receiving, by the system, a second request to initiate a workflow, wherein at least one of the first object or the second object is executed based on parameters of the workflow;

verifying, by the system, interconnectability of the first object and the second object based on an evaluation of the workflow; and

recommending, by the system, an additional functionality to be associated with at least one of the first object or the second object based on the evaluation of the workflow.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the embedding comprises embedding two or more functionalities into each of the first object and the second object, wherein the two or more functionalities are editable.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the displaying comprises:

creating a visual representation of the workflow; and

outputting the visual representation, wherein the visual representation comprises the first set of functionalities, the second set of functionalities, or both the first set of functionalities and the second set of functionalities.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the embedding comprises:

associating a first set of metadata with the first object, wherein the first set of metadata comprises, in part, the first set of functionalities; and

associating a second set of metadata with the second object, wherein the second set of metadata comprises, in part, the second set of functionalities, wherein the first set of functionalities and the second set of functionalities are different functionalities.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

associating a first set of metadata with the first object, wherein the first set of metadata comprises, in part, the first set of functionalities;

associating a second set of metadata with the second object, wherein the second set of metadata comprises, in part, the second set of functionalities;

determining that the first set of functionalities and the second set of functionalities are a same set of functionalities; and

combining the first object and the second object in response to the determining.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining the use context comprises determining at least one of an intended use of the first object and the second object or a user identity associated with the request.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause a computing device including a processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving an indication to initiate a workflow, wherein the workflow comprises a plurality of objects;

masking an integrated functionality of at least one of the plurality of objects based on a determined use context for the plurality of objects;

evaluating respective diagnostic capabilities of the plurality of objects and identifying a missing diagnostic capability required for the workflow based on the evaluating;

generating recommendation data that indicates the missing diagnostic capability;

evaluating a hierarchical association of the plurality of objects in the workflow, wherein the hierarchical association is predefined and provides diagnostic context for the plurality of objects; and

creating a functionality for one of the plurality of objects based on a result of the evaluating.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

producing a representation of the workflow, wherein the representation includes the plurality of objects and the respective diagnostic capabilities;

receiving a selection of one of the respective diagnostic capabilities; and

initiating a diagnostic procedure on at least a portion of the workflow based on the selection.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

displaying a visual representation of a set of functionalities;

receiving a selection of a functionality from the set of functionalities and an object, of the plurality of objects, with which the functionality is to be associated; and

associating the functionality with the object in response to receipt of the selection.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise

associating a first set of functionalities with a first object of the plurality of objects;

associating a second set of functionalities with a second object of the plurality of objects;

determining that the first set of functionalities and the second set of functionalities are a same set of functionalities; and

combining the first object and the second object in response to the determining.