Communication of messages in a system

• US 20050038853A1
• Filed: 10/03/2002
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB AB (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Kettu, Tommy, Nordling, Patrik, Brand, Martin, Blanc, Dominique
• Granted Patent: US 7,644,152 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32158 Object groups, for object replication, naming, messaging and retrieving
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/027 Alarm generation, e.g. communication protocol; Forms of alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting

Abstract

A method and arrangements of selecting a recipient of a message is disclosed. The method can be used in association with a control system (1) comprising a data processing means adapted for object oriented data processing and communication means (3) for communication with a plurality of recipients (10). In the method a recipient for a message that is associated with an object is selected based on information regarding at least one association the object has with objects representing the recipients. A communication system for communication of control messages, a data signal generated for communication in a computerised control system, and a user terminal for a control system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A messaging method for a system, said system comprising a data processing means adapted for object oriented data processing, communication means for communication with a plurality of recipients, and a messaging function, the method comprising

generating a message associated with an object as a result of an event or alarm,

connecting a recipient list, comprising at least one recipient, to each object monitored,

connecting a list of destination devices, comprising at least one destination device, to each recipient on the recipient list,

selecting a first preferred recipient for the message in a predetermined manner, whereby the selection of the recipient is based on information regarding at least one association the object has with objects representing the recipients,

selecting one of the destination devices in the destination device list in a predetermined manner,

sending the message to that recipient and that destination device when an event or alarm in the facility occur,

wherein another recipient or user device is selected in a predetermined manner if the message is not acknowledged by the first recipient within a predefined time.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, a property of the object includes an association to another object containing information associated with the communication media to be used for communication with the recipient.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, a property of the object includes information associated with user devices enabled to receive the message.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the objects are arranged in at least two structures.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein, an object representing a real world entity is located in a functional structure and objects representing the recipients are positioned in a user structure.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein, the association between objects in said at least two structures is provided by means of an aspect of the object representing the entity.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, at least one of the object is a meta object.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the message is send to a first preferred recipient in a messaging list associated with the object representing an entity for the system.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, verification if a message is to be sent to at least one recipient by the communication means.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the message is about an alarm associated with an entity controlled by the system.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the message associates with control of an industrial facility.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein, the recipients comprise operators and/or maintenance personnel of the industrial facility and/or user devices.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, said information regarding at least one object is modified.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein, the modifying comprises displaying a graphical user interface and reconfiguring at least one feature of the messaging system by means of said graphical user interface.

18. The control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the association between objects in said at least two structures is provided by means of an aspect of the object representing the entity.

19. A The control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the object is a meta object.

20. The control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein means is arranged to send the message to a first preferred recipient in a messaging list associated with the object representing an entity for the system.

21. The control system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the recipients comprise operators and/or maintenance personnel of the industrial facility and/or user devices.

22. A computer program, comprising, computer program code means for carrying out the steps of a method according to claim 1.

15. A control system comprising a data processing means adapted for object oriented data processing, communication means for communication with a plurality of recipients, and a messaging function, the control system comprising:

means for generating a message associated with an object as a result of an event or alarm,

means for connecting a recipient list, comprising at least one recipient, to each object monitored,

means for connecting a list of destination devices, comprising at least one destination device, to each recipient on the recipient list,

means for selecting a first preferred recipient for the message in a predetermined manner, whereby the selection of the recipient is based on information regarding at least one association the object has with objects representing the recipients,

means for selecting one of the destination devices in the destination device list in a predetermined manner,

means for sending the message to that recipient and that destination device when an event or alarm in the facility occur,

means for selecting another recipient or user device in a predetermined manner if the message is not acknowledged by the first recipient within a predefined time.

16. A The control system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the objects are arranged in at least two structures.

17. The control system as claimed in claim 15 wherein an object representing a real world entity is arranged in a functional structure and objects representing the recipients are arranged in a user structure.