System and methods for object-oriented control of diverse electromechanical systems using a computer network

• US RE43,803 E1
• Filed: 12/14/2006
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tridium Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tridium Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Frank, Brian S., Sublett, John W., Frank, Gerald L., Wahlquist, Danny J. Jr., Giorgis, Daniel P., Rockwell, William G. Jr., Allgood, Ottie E., Adams, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jarrett, Ryan A
• Application Number:
  US11/639,358
• Time in Patent Office: 2,161 Days
• Field of Search: 700/9, 700/17, 700/83, 700/79, 700/18, 700/65, 700/29, 700/31, 700/3, 700/86, 700/87, 709/217, 709/224, 709/229, 717/120
• US Class Current: 700/65
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/406 characterised by monitoring or safety G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31161 Java programcode or simular active agents, programs, applets
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33209 Protocol, mailbox, email, mail system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36035 Special language, task programming, oop object oriented programming
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37085 Display in real time of state variables of control system

Abstract

A control system methodology that uses object-oriented software to integrate multiple control systems into a common object model. Object-oriented techniques are used to construct distributed applications in a multi-vendor open system environment for use in controlling and monitoring systems of varying size and configuration. Information is brought into a common object model and made available throughout the system. A custom programming language is included for object creation. Access to objects is controlled through a multi-level security protocol. Data flow is governed by a real-time information synchronization manager. Classes are used to implement the system in a platform independent way according to a “core class hierarchy” in which objects are organized to inherit behavior and perform predictably. A control engine allows the user to control the order of execution of objects. A script is provided for generating custom objects.

Claims

1. An object-oriented control system comprising:

clients for providing access to and control and monitoring of the object-oriented control system via an electronic network;

foreign devices not directly controllable by using downloadable Java-based objects;

stations for integrating said foreign devices into the object-oriented control system using a common object model, supervising other stations, and serving as master of the local system wherein a master provides persistent backup of all configuration information; and

a flexible and open architecture capable of supporting a plurality of diverse configurations of said clients, foreign devices, and stations;

a real-time synchronization manager to regulate the orderly and timely execution of multiple tasks;

a plurality of user-defined objects;

a plurality of object properties;

a plurality of object categories;

an object creation facility to allow user creation and modification of said objects and said properties according to a plurality of said object categories;

a multi-level security facility;

a plurality of pre-defined objects coexisting with said user-defined objects;

a persistent and real-time information synchronization manager that maintains the integrity of system data throughout the object-oriented control system through the use of archiving and synchronization;

a control engine for providing predictable order of execution of said objects; and

a programmable mail service for sending email notifications containing real-time data to remote sites.

2. The object-oriented control system recited in claim 1 wherein said object creation facility further comprises a dynamic device external interface update capability for dynamically updating or adding external interface object properties associated with said foreign devices.

3. The object-oriented control system recited in claim 1 further comprising a remote host to and control and monitoring of the object-oriented control system from a location not physically collocated with the other components of the object-oriented control system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the stations is operable to provide persistent backup of configuration information.

7. The method of claim 4, and further comprising providing a custom programming language to create and modify objects of the object-oriented control system.

8. The method of claim 4, and further comprising:

grouping objects into containers to facilitate display at various levels of detail; and

organizing objects according to a core class hierarchy.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein issuing notifications comprises providing system performance data to the one or more remote sites.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein issuing notifications includes sending an email.

5. An object-oriented control system comprising:

clients operable to access, control or monitor a control system via a network;

foreign devices not directly controllable by using down-loaded objects;

stations operable to integrate the foreign devices into the control system using a common object model, wherein the stations comprise a master station to control and monitor the stations;

a flexible and open architecture capable of supporting a plurality of diverse configurations of the clients, foreign devices, and stations;

a real time synchronization manager to regulate the orderly and timely execution of multiple tasks;

a plurality of user-defined objects;

a plurality of object properties;

a plurality of object categories;

an object creation facility to allow user creation and modification of the objects and properties according to a plurality of the object categories;

a multi-level security facility;

a persistent and real time information synchronization manager that maintains the integrity of system data throughout the object-oriented control system through the use of archiving and synchronization;

a control engine for providing predictable order of execution of the objects; and

a notification component for sending notifications containing data from the stations to remote sites.

6. A method comprising:

providing clients to access, control or monitor an object-oriented control system via a network;

maintaining a common object model to represent system information in the object-oriented control system;

maintaining objects in the common object model;

maintaining a flexible and open architecture capable of supporting a plurality of diverse configurations of the clients, foreign devices and stations, the stations operable to integrate the foreign devices into the object oriented control system through the common object model, the foreign devices not directly controllable by using down-loaded objects;

maintaining a real time synchronization manager to regulate the orderly and timely execution of multiple tasks;

maintaining a plurality of user-defined objects, a plurality of object properties, and a plurality of object categories;

maintaining an object creation facility to allow user creation and modification of the objects and properties according to a plurality of the object categories;

maintaining a persistent and real time information synchronization manager that maintains the integrity of system data throughout the object oriented control system through the use of archiving and synchronization;

controlling access to the objects in the common object model through a multi-level security facility;

maintaining a control engine for providing predictable order of the objects; and

issuing notifications containing real-time data to remote sites.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon that when executed, cause one or more computers to perform a method, the method comprising:

providing clients to access, control or monitor an object-oriented control system via a network;

maintaining a common object model to represent system information in the object-oriented control system;

maintaining objects in the common object model;

maintaining a flexible and open architecture capable of supporting a plurality of diverse configurations of the clients, foreign devices and stations, the stations operable to integrate the foreign devices into the object oriented control system through the common object model, the foreign devices not directly controllable by using down-loaded objects;

supervising the stations by a master station of the stations, the master station monitoring and controlling the stations;

maintaining a real time synchronization manager to regulate the orderly and timely execution of multiple of tasks;

maintaining a plurality of user-defined objects, a plurality of object properties, and a plurality of object categories;

providing an object creation facility to allow user creation and modification of the objects and properties according to a plurality of the object categories;

maintaining a persistent and real time information synchronization manager that maintains the integrity of system data throughout the object-oriented control system through the use of archiving and synchronization;

controlling access to the objects in the common object model through a multi-level security facility;

maintaining a control engine for providing predictable order of execution of the objects; and

issuing notifications containing real-time data to remote sites.

12. An object-oriented control system comprising:

means for providing clients to access, control or monitor an object-oriented control system via a network;

means for maintaining a common object model to represent system information in the object-oriented control system;

means for maintaining objects in the common object model;

means for maintaining a flexible and open architecture capable of supporting a plurality of diverse configurations of the clients, foreign devices and stations, the stations operable to integrate the foreign devices into the object oriented control system through the common object model, the foreign devices not directly controllable by using down-loaded objects, wherein the stations comprise a master station to monitor and control the stations;

means for maintaining a real time synchronization manager to regulate the orderly and timely execution of multiple tasks;

means for providing a plurality of user-defined objects, a plurality of object properties, and a plurality of object categories;

means for allowing user creation and modification of the objects and properties according to the plurality of object categories;

means for maintaining a real time synchronization manager that maintains the integrity of system data throughout the object-oriented control system through the use of archiving and synchronization;

means for controlling access to the objects in the common object model through a multi-level security facility;

means for providing predictable order of execution of the objects; and

means for issuing notifications containing data for the stations to remote sites.

13. An object-oriented control system comprising:

clients for providing access to and control and monitoring of the object-oriented control system via an electronic network;

foreign devices not directly controllable by using down-loaded Java-based objects;

stations for integrating said foreign devices into the object-oriented control system using a common object model, supervising other stations, and serving as master of the local system wherein a master provides persistent backup of all configuration information; and

a flexible and open architecture capable of supporting a plurality of diverse configurations of said clients, foreign devices, and stations;

a real-time synchronization manager to regulate the orderly and timely execution of multiple tasks;

a plurality of user-defined objects;

a plurality of object properties;

a plurality of object categories;

an object creation facility to allow user creation and modification of said objects and said properties according to a plurality of said object categories;

a multi-level security facility;

a plurality of pre-defined objects coexisting with said user-defined objects;

a persistent and real-time information synchronization manager that maintains the integrity of system data throughout the object-oriented control system through the use of archiving and synchronization; and

a control engine for providing predictable order of execution of said objects.