Method for providing networked engineering tool services
View Patent ↗A method and system for generating programming code and/or configuration data for programmable controller and the networks on which they operate is disclosed. In one embodiment, programming code is generated on a centralized server having a web-enabled engineering tool. The engineering tool operates on client devices that are in communication with the server over a network, such as the Internet. Preferably, the engineering tool runs in a browser application (or other network-interfacing-application) on the client device and a user generates the programming code on the server with the aid of the client device. By centralizing the engineering tool, which may contain a configuration editor and a configuration management tool having version management functionality, a new business paradigm for providing engineering tool services to customers having programmable controllers. In addition, new methods and tools for collaborative engineering of programming code are enabled.
1. A method for generating configuration data comprising the steps of:
maintaining a server on a network;
maintaining on the server an engineering tool adapted for generating code for programmable logic controllers, said engineering tool including a configuration editor that is adapted for running on a client device, said engineering tool further including a compiler maintained on the server and adapted for compiling the code that is generated with the engineering tool; and
maintaining on the server a version management tool for providing at least one of:
a searching function for searching for a particular change to a code that is generated with the engineering tool; and
a comparing function for comparing one version of the code that is generated with the en engineering tool to another version of the code that is generated with the engineering tool.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration editor is adapted to run in a network-interfacing-application on the client device.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the network-interfacing-application is a web-browser.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network is the Internet.
5. The method of claim herein the configuration editor comprises a graphical editor.
6. A method for providing engineering tool services comprising the steps of:
maintaining on a server an engineering tool for generating programming code and configuration data for programmable controllers, the engineering tool configured to operate on a client device that is in communication with the server;
compiling programming code that is generated with the engineering tool on the server;
running simulation software on the server for testing the compiled programming code; and
maintaining on the server a version management tool for providing at least one of:
a searching function for searching for a particular change to a code that is generated with the engineering tool; and
a comparing function for comparing one version of the code that is generated with the engineering tool to another version of the code that is generated with the engineering tool.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising receiving value.
8. A method for providing engineering tool services comprising the steps of:
maintaining on a server an engineering tool for generating programming code and configuration data for programmable controllers, the engineering tool configured to operate on a client device that is in communication with the server;
compiling programming code that is generated with the engineering tool on the server;
interfacing a testing programmable controller with the server, the testing programmable controller configured to test programming code and configuration data; and
maintaining on the server a version management tool for providing at least one of:
a searching function for searching for a particular change to a code that is generated with the engineering tool; and
a comparing function for comparing one version of the code that is generated with the engineering tool to another version of the code that is generated with the engineering tool.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving value from a customer in exchange for use of said engineering tool maintained on the server.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a customer free access to the configuration editor of the engineering tool for writing said code; and
charging the customer a fee for compiling said code.