Control system methods that transfer control apparatus information over IP networks in web page-less transfers

• US 7,882,197 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric Systems USA, Inc. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Invensys Systems Incorporated (Invensys PLC)
• Inventors: Thibault, Richard L., Couper, Gerald S., Canna, Bruce S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Thong H
• Application Number:
  US11/929,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20080126500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 700/9, 370/313
• US Class Current: 709/208
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41835 characterised by programme execution
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4186 by protocol, e.g. MAP, TOP
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31083 In server store virtual nodes for controlled machines, with states for map
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31161 Java programcode or simular active agents, programs, applets
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33148 CLS client server architecture, client consumes, server provides services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A system for process control comprises a server digital data processor and a client digital data processor that are coupled by a network, such as the Internet or an Intranet. The server digital data processor, which is additionally coupled to a control/sensing device and any associated interface equipment (collectively, referred to as “process control apparatus”), includes a command processor that transfers information between the network and the process control apparatus. The client digital data processor includes an information client (e.g., a so-called Internet web browser) capable of requesting and receiving an applet from the server digital data processor. The information client, further, defines a hardware-independent and operating system-independent virtual machine environment within the client digital data processor. The client digital data processor executes, within that virtual machine environment, an applet for configuring the client digital data processor as a “process controller” that establishes communications over the network with the command processor and that monitors and/or controls the process control apparatus via those communications.

Claims

1. A method of operating a control system of the type having a control apparatus comprising one or more control/sensing devices, the method comprising the steps of:

A. transferring a program to a digital data processor via an internet protocol (IP) network, wherein that IP network supports communications in a plurality of formats including at least a first format and a second format, wherein said first format comprises an HTML page format,

B. executing the program on the digital data processor, the program configuring the digital data processor to generate at least one request for a process variable associated with the control apparatus and to transfer the at least one request via the IP network in the second format, wherein that second format is different from the first format,

C. the program further configuring the digital data processor to receive, via the IP network, information associated with the control apparatus in response to the at least one transferred request;

wherein the second format comprises naming one or more software services that include any of a first service that creates and/or opens a list of points in the control system, a second service that lists data values for those points, and a third service that closes the list of points in the control system.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising transferring response information between the digital data processor and the interface by way of the IP network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second format comprises text strings.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the program configures the digital data processor as a process controller for monitoring and/or controlling the control apparatus.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the program comprises a JAVA applet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the program comprises an intermediate language program.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the program comprises a byte code program.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the program comprises a downloaded program that executes in a virtual machine environment.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the program comprises a program that executes in a web browser.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first format comprises HTML pages transmitted in accordance with a hypertext transfer protocol.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the program configures the digital data processor to open a connection over the IP network to a command processor that transfers information between the IP network and the control apparatus.

12. A method of operating a control system of the type having a control apparatus comprising one or more control/sensing devices, the method comprising the steps of:

A. transferring a program from a server to a digital data processor via an internet protocol (IP) network wherein that IP network supports communications in a plurality of formats including at least a first format and a second format, wherein said first format comprises an HTML page format,

B. executing the program on the digital data processor, the program configuring the digital data processor to receive information associated with the control apparatus via the IP network and in the second format, wherein that second format is different from the first format;

wherein the second format comprises naming one or more software services that include any of a first service that creates and/or opens a list of points in the control system, a second service that lists data values for those points, and a third service that closes the list of points in the control system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second format comprises text strings.

14. The method of claim 12, comprising generating, with an interface that is coupled to the control apparatus and to the digital data processor, said information associated with the control apparatus, where that information is generated in response to a request generated by the program.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising generating and transmitting the information on the IP network in a text form.

16. The method of claim 14, comprising executing the interface at least in part on the server.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the program configures the digital data processor to send the requests over the IP network in a text form.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the program comprises a JAVA applet.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the program comprises an intermediate language program.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the program comprises a byte code program.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the program comprises a downloaded program that executes in a virtual machine environment.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the program comprises a program that executes in a web browser.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein the program configures the digital data processor to generate, as at least one of the requests, a request for a process variable associated with the control apparatus.

24. The method of claim 12, wherein the first format comprises HTML pages transmitted in accordance with a hypertext transfer protocol.

25. The method of claim 12, wherein the program configures the digital data processor to open a connection over the IP network to a command processor that transfers information between the IP network and the control apparatus.

26. A method of operating a control system of the type having a control apparatus comprising one or more control/sensing devices, the method comprising the steps of:

A. executing a program within a web browser of a digital data processor, the web browser being configured to receive information from a network that supports communications in a plurality of formats including at least a first format and a second format, wherein said first format comprises an HTML page format, and the program

(i) configuring the digital data processor for monitoring the control apparatus, and

(ii) generating a request for information associated with the control apparatus in accordance with a second format, wherein that second format is different from the first format,

B. with an interface that is in communication with the control apparatus and the digital data processor, responding to the request for transmitting information associated with the control apparatus;

wherein the second format comprises naming one or more software services that include any of a first service that creates and/or opens a list of points in the control system, a second service that lists data values for those points, and a third service that closes the list of points in the control system.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the second format comprises text strings.

28. The method of claim 26, comprising communicating between the digital data processor and the interface via an internet protocol (IP) network.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the first format comprises HTML pages transmitted in accordance with a hypertext transfer protocol.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the program configures the digital data processor to open a connection over the IP network to a command processor that transfers information between the IP network and the control apparatus.