Method and system for allowing a programmable controller to communicate with a remote computer

• US 6,518,980 B1
• Filed: 11/19/1999
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fanuc Robotics America Incorporated (Fanuc Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fanuc Robotics America Incorporated (Fanuc Corporation)
• Inventors: Huber, Jim, DeMotte, Donald D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao H.
• Application Number:
  US09/443,789
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 345/762, 345/765, 345/744, 345/804, 709/9, 709/96, 709/17, 709/18
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1656 characterised by programming, planning systems for manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23039 Remote programmer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23051 Remote control, enter program remote, detachable programmer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31186 TCP-IP internet protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32126 Hyperlink, access to program modules and to hardware modules in www, web server, browser
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34038 Web, http, ftp, internet, intranet server

Abstract

A method and system for allowing a remote computer to communicate with a programmable controller having a memory for storing a plurality of types of data objects includes an interface module at the controller for receiving a request from the remote computer for one of the data objects stored in the programmable controller. A data converter module determines the type of the data object being requested and automatically converts the data into a comprehensible format based on the type of the data object. The interface module then generates a user display in response to the request for transmission to the remote computer. The remote computer includes a display for displaying the user display so as to allow a user to access the comprehensible format of the requested data.

Claims

1. A method for allowing a remote computer to communicate with a programmable controller having a memory for storing a plurality of types of data objects, the programmable controller being adapted to control a robot, the data objects describing the operation of the programmable controller and the robot the method comprising:

receiving a request from the remote computer for one of the data objects stored in the programmable controller;

determining the type of the data object being requested;

generating display instructions on how to display the requested data as a function of the type of the data object;

dynamically generating a web page in response to and after receiving the request for transmission to the remote computer as a function of the requested data and the display instructions;

delivering the web page to the remote computer; and

,

displaying the web page at the remote computer.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein generating the instructions includes generating instructions on how to display the requested data textually.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein generating the instructions includes generating instructions on how to display the requested data graphically.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein generating the instructions includes generating instructions on how to display the requested data in a tabular manner.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein generating the instructions includes generating instructions on how to generate an audible representation of the requested data.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving the request includes receiving a request for a list of the plurality of data objects and wherein generating the web page includes generating the web page containing the list of the plurality of data objects and wherein the web page allows the user to select one of the data objects.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 wherein the programmable controller is coupled to the remote computer via the Internet and wherein generating the instructions includes generating Hyper-Text Markup Language codes.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of dynamically generating a web page includes the step of converting the data into a comprehensible format.

9. A controller, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the types of data objects may include at least one of the following:

error logs, system setting, user program variables, user programs, IO states, and variables that show the current state of operation of the programmable controller.

10. A system for allowing a remote computer to communicate with a programmable controller having a memory for storing a plurality of types of data objects, the programmable controller being adapted to control a robot, the data objects describing the operation of the programmable controller and the robot, the system comprising:

an interface module for receiving a request from the remote computer for one of the data objects stored in the programmable controller;

a data converter module for determining the type of the data object being requested and for generating display instructions on how to display the requested data as a function of the type of the data object;

the interface module for dynamically generating a web page in response to and after receiving the request for transmission to the remote computer as a function of the requested data and the display instructions and for delivering the web page to the remote computer; and

a display for displaying the web page to allow a user to access the requested data.

11. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the interface module, in generating the instructions, is further operative to generate instructions on how to display the requested data textually.

12. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the interface module, in generating the instructions, is further operative to generate instructions on how to display the requested data graphically.

13. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the interface module, in generating the instructions, is further operative to generate instructions on how to display the requested data in a tabular manner.

14. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the interface module, in generating the instructions, is further operative to generate instructions on how to generate an audible representation of the requested data.

15. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the interface module, in receiving the request, is further operative to receive a request for a list of the plurality of data objects and wherein the interface module, in generating the web page, is further operative to generate the web page containing the list of the plurality of data objects and wherein the display is further operative to display the web page so as to allow the user to select one of the data objects.

16. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein the programmable controller is coupled to the remote computer via a functional network and wherein the remote computer further includes a network facilitator for receiving the web page from the interface module.

17. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein the functional network is the Internet and wherein the interface module, in generating the instructions, is further operative to generate Hyper-Text Markup Language codes.

18. The system as recited in claim 17 wherein the network facilitator is a web browser.

19. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the programmable controller is located at a first location and wherein the remote computer is located at a second location.

20. The system as recited in claim 19 wherein the first location is different from the second location.

21. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the data converter module further converts the data into a comprehensible format.

22. A controller, as set forth in claim 10, wherein the types of data objects may include at least one of the following:

error logs, system setting, user program variables, user programs, IO states, and variables that show the current state of operation of the programmable controller.

23. A programmable controller capable of communicating with a remote computer having a display, the controller having a memory for storing a plurality of types of data objects, the programmable controller being adapted to control a robot, the data objects describing the operation of the programmable controller and the robot, and further comprising:

an interface module for receiving a request from the remote computer for one of the data objects stored in the programmable controller;

a data converter module for determining the type of the data object being requested and for generating display instructions on how to display the requested data as a function of the type of the data object; and

the interface module for generating a web page in response to and after receiving the request for transmission to the remote computer as a function of the requested data and the display instructions.

24. The controller as recited in claim 23 wherein the interface module, in generating the instructions, is further operative to generate instructions on how to display the requested data textually.

25. The controller as recited in claim 23 wherein the interface module, in generating the instructions, is further operative to generate instructions on how to display the requested data graphically.

26. The controller as recited in claim 23 wherein the interface module, in generating the instructions, is further operative to generate instructions on how to display the requested data in a tabular manner.

27. The controller as recited in claim 23 wherein the interface module, in generating the instructions, is further operative to generate instructions on how to generate an audible representation of the requested data.

28. The controller as recited in claim 23 wherein the interface module, in receiving the request, is further operative to receive a request for a list of the plurality of data objects and wherein the interface module, in generating the web page, is further operative to generate the web page containing the list of the plurality of data objects.

29. The controller as recited in claim 23 wherein the programmable controller is coupled to the remote computer via a functional network and wherein the remote computer includes a network facilitator for receiving the web page from the interface module.

30. The controller as recited in claim 29 wherein the programmable controller is located at a first location and wherein the remote computer is located at a second location.

31. The controller as recited in claim 30 wherein the first location is different from the second location.

32. The controller as recited in claim 29 wherein the functional network is the Internet and wherein the interface module, in generating the instructions, is further operative to generate Hyper-Text Markup Language codes.

33. The controller as recited in claim 32 wherein the network facilitator is a web browser.

34. The controller as recited in claim 23 wherein the data converter module, further converts the data into a comprehensible format.

35. A controller, as set forth in claim 23, wherein the types of data objects may include at least one of the following:

error logs, system setting, user program variables, user programs, IO states, and variables that show the current state of operation of the programmable controller.