Electronic operator interface based controller and device automatic downloads

• US 9,459,602 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2013
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Bliss, Ronald E., Oulton, Brian R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta, Kidest
• Application Number:
  US13/918,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20130282152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 700/83, 700/118, 700/47, 700/110, 700/9, 700/3, 711/162, 715/763, 715/967, 726/18, 709/999.007, 709/201, 709/770, 709/812, 709/200, 717/173, 717/178
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/056 Programming the PLC
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/409 characterised by using manual data input [MDI] or by using control panel, e.g. controlling functions with the panel; characterised by control panel details or by setting parameters G05B19/408, G05B19/4093 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13197 Host and remote version of ladder program, avoid different versions
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31124 Interface between communication network and process control, store, exchange data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31333 Database to backup and restore factory controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1441 Resetting or repowering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

An electronic operator interface based controller and device automatic downloads are provided. An electronic operator interface can determine if control logic or content used by an industrial controller has been updated, changed, or otherwise modified. If the content has been modified, then the electronic operator interface can automatically obtain the content and store a back-up copy in memory. Additionally or alternatively, the electronic operator interface can periodically update a backup copy of the content. Furthermore, the electronic operator interface can determine if the controller has lost its content, and restore the content from the most recent version saved in memory.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining, by an electronic operator interface comprising a processor, whether a version of content stored in an industrial controller device has been modified to a modified version of the control content based at least in part on a notification received by the electronic operator interface;

in response to determining that the version of the content has been modified to the modified version of the control content, receiving, by the electronic operator interface, the modified version of the control content, wherein the receiving of the modified version of the control content is initiated by the electronic operator interface;

storing, by the electronic operator interface, the modified version of the control content in a memory associated with the electronic operator interface; and

in response to the electronic operator interface subsequently detecting that at least a portion of the modified version of the control content that had been stored in the industrial controller device is no longer stored in the industrial controller device, transmitting, by the electronic operator interface, at least the portion of the modified version of the control content to the industrial controller device to restore at least the portion of the modified version of the control content to the industrial controller device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the control content includes at least one of a set of control logic data or a set of configuration data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the set of control logic data includes at least one of control data, ladder diagram data, function block diagram data, structured text data, sequential function chart data, computer-executable code, a text file, instruction list data, general purpose programming language construct data, or a data set of a database.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the modified version of the control content comprises receiving the modified version of the control content from at least one of a first network device of a local area network, a wireless network device of a wireless local area network, a second network device of a global communication network, a third network device of an intra-net, a fourth network device connected to the electronic operator interface via an Ethernet connection, or a fifth network device supporting a communication protocol in common with the electronic operator interface.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting that a subset of the control content is not stored in the industrial controller device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising, in response to the detecting that the subset of the control content is not stored in the industrial controller device, transmitting restoration control content, comprising the subset of the control content, that is stored in the memory to the industrial controller device to restore the subset of the control content to the industrial controller device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the industrial controller device comprises at least one of a controller, an input/output device, or a network device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the electronic operator interface comprises the controller.

9. A system, comprising:

a memory storing computer-executable components; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, wherein the processor executes or facilitates execution of the computer-executable components, the computer-executable components comprising;

an audit component configured to determine whether control data stored by an industrial controller has been modified to modified control data based at least in part on a notification, communicated to an electronic operator interface, that indicates the control data stored by the industrial controller has been modified to the modified control data;

a transfer component configured to acquire the modified control data from the industrial controller, in response to a determination that the control data contained in the industrial controller has been modified to the modified control data, wherein the transfer component initiates the acquisition of the modified control data from the industrial controller; and

a restoration component of the electronic operator interface, wherein the restoration component is configured to communicate a subset of the modified control data to the industrial controller, in response to a determination, by the restoration component, that the subset of the modified control data that had been stored in the industrial controller is no longer stored in the industrial controller, to restore the subset of the modified control data to the industrial controller.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the transfer component is configured to store the modified control data in a data store associated with the electronic operator interface.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the audit component is configured to determine whether a subset of the control data is not stored by at least one of the industrial controller, an input/output module, or a network device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the restoration component is further configured to provide restoration control data, comprising the subset of the control data, that is stored in a data store to at least one of the industrial controller, the input/output module, or the network device to restore the subset of the control data to at least one of the industrial controller, the input/output module, or the network device, in response to a determination that the subset of the control data is not stored by at least one of the industrial controller, the input/output module, or the network device.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the audit component is configured to determine whether the data control contained in the industrial controller has been modified or whether a subset of the control data is inaccessible to at least one of the industrial controller, an input/output module, or a network device, based at least in part on the notification received from at least one of the industrial controller, the input/output module, or the network device.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the industrial controller is configured to execute a set of control logic to control at least one of an industrial process, a piece of manufacturing equipment, or a factory automation.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the set of control logic comprises at least one of a set of control data comprising the control data, ladder diagram data, function block diagram data, structured text data, sequential function chart data, a set of computer-executable code, a text file, a set of instructions, elements of a general purpose programming language, or a component stored in a database.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the electronic operator interface is configured to communicate with the industrial controller according to a communication protocol via a network device of at least one of a local area network, a wireless local area network, a global communication network, an intra-net, or an Ethernet network.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the electronic operator interface comprises the industrial controller.

18. The system of claim 9, wherein the computer-executable components further comprise a security component configured to at least one of send a first security credential to the industrial controller, or receive a second security credential from at least one of the industrial controller or the electronic operator interface.

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

determining whether a set of control data stored in an industrial controller device has been modified resulting in a set of modified control data, based at least in part on a modification notification received by an electronic operator interface;

in response to determining that the set of control data has been modified resulting in the set of modified control data, obtaining the set of modified control data from the industrial controller device, wherein the obtaining the set of modified control data from the industrial controller device is automatically initiated by the electronic operator interface;

storing the set of modified control data in a memory associated with an electronic operator interface; and

in response to the electronic operator interface subsequently determining that a subset of the set of modified control data that had been stored in the industrial controller device is no longer stored in the industrial controller device, transmitting, by the electronic operator interface, the subset of the modified control data to the industrial controller device to restore the subset of the modified control data to the industrial controller device.

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

determining that a subset of the set of control data is not stored in the industrial controller device; and

in response to the determining that the subset of the set of control data is not stored in the industrial controller device, transmitting a set of restoration control data, comprising the subset of the set of control data, stored in the memory to the industrial controller device to restore the subset of the set of control data to the industrial controller device.