MULTIPLE MACHINE INTERFACE

• US 20110022195A1
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• 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, Reichard, Douglas J., Govindaraj, Subbian, Brandes, Russell, Plache, Kenneth, Kalan, Michael, Jasper, Taryl, Kretschmann, Robert J., Staron, Raymond, Jarrett, James Harry, Seger, Daniel B. III, Hall, Kenwood
• Granted Patent: US 9,261,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/056 Programming the PLC
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41845 characterised by system universality, reconfigurability, modularity
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13063 Synchronization between modules
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23389 Modular program, each process has corresponding program module
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32137 Configure, connect, combine different program modules
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36174 Program divided into modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

Aspects describe multiple machine interfaces that provide automated implementations of a host that executes at least one service. The service comprises internal aspects, which include a reusable definition and a specification, which are hidden from a user or selectively exposed but not modifiable by the user. Functional connections and controls are provided for the automated implementations of the host. Platform configurations, which include the at least one service, interact with the automated implementation of the host. One or more functionalities of the functional connections can be selectively exposed based on a user credential. The automated implementation of the host comprises execution of the at least one service.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

an interface component that provides a set of functional connections and controls for a plurality of automated host implementations; and

a deployment component that supports a plurality of platform configurations that interact with the plurality of automated host implementations, wherein functionality of the deployment component is independent of the plurality of platform configurations.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a visibility component that selectively exposes one or more subsets of functionality of the set of functional connections.

3. The device of claim 2, the visibility component seals at least a portion of a platform configuration included in the plurality of platform configurations.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

an identifier component that enables a subset of the plurality of platform configurations exposed by the interface component based in part on an application tag or a security indication.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of automated host implementations comprise at least one service, at least one reusable definition, and at least one specification.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the at least one service comprises a plurality of reusable definitions supported by at least two automated host implementations, wherein the at least one service interfaces with the at least two host implementations.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the deployment component aggregates two or more platform configurations to create a composite platform configuration.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the deployment component aggregates two or more platform configurations based at least in part on metadata related to an implementation of the plurality of platform configurations.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the deployment component transfers its interface intact to an aggregate deployment component, wherein the interface is exposed as a part of the aggregate deployment component.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the interface component provides event processing.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the interface component facilitates exchange of external data.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is used on at least two hosts that are functional equivalents.

13. The device of claim 1, the deployment component captures an action, wherein the action is applied differently by different services.

14. The device of claim 1, the deployment component supports multiple interfaces to enable grouping and namespace separation.

15. The device of claim 14, the deployment component supports the multiple interfaces individually.

16. A method, comprising:

providing functional connections and controls for a plurality of automated host implementations; and

supporting a plurality of platform configurations that interact with the plurality of host implementations, wherein each platform configuration is supported individually to allow updates to one platform configuration without affecting a second platform configuration.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

selectively hiding at least one reusable definition and at least one specification, wherein each platform configuration comprises at least one service, the at least one reusable definition, and the at least one specification.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

exposing at least one reusable definition and at least one specification, wherein each platform configuration comprises at least one service, the at least one reusable definition, and the at least one specification; and

selectively sealing the exposed reusable definition and the exposed specification.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

aggregating a first service associated with the first platform configuration and a second service associated with the second platform configuration to create an aggregated service.

20. A system, comprising:

a host that executes at least one service;

an interface component that provides functional connections and controls for an automated implementation of the host;

a deployment component that supports a plurality of platform configurations that interface with the automated implementation of the host, wherein one of the plurality of platform configurations comprises the at least one service; and

a visibility component that selectively exposes one or more subsets of functionality of the functional connections, wherein the automated implementation of the host is execution of the at least one service.