Automatic remote monitoring and diagnostics system and communication method for communicating between a programmable logic controller and a central unit
A Monitoring and Diagnostics System is provided, which includes a monitoring unit and a monitored unit remotely located from the monitoring unit. The System also includes communication means between the monitoring unit and the monitored unit. The monitored unit includes data acquisition means for providing fault data of the monitored unit and the communication means are adapted to communicate the fault data from the monitored unit to the monitoring unit. The monitoring unit includes a rules engine having a set of expert rules for analyzing the information contained in the fault data and being adapted to deduce diagnostics information from the rules and from the information. In addition, a communication method for communicating between a first Programmable Logic Controller and a second Programmable Logic Controller or a central unit is provided, in which a description file is provided.
1. A communication method for communicating between a first Programmable Logic Controller and at least one of a second Programmable Logic Controller and a central unit, said method comprising:
transmitting, by the first Programmable Logic Controller to at least one of the second Programmable Logic Controller and the central unit, a file containing at least one of a description of information contained in a set of data items and a communication sequence of the set of data items, wherein the file is transmitted via a first communication channel;
communicating the set of data items between the first Programmable Logic Controller and at least one of the second Programmable Logic Controller and the central unit via a second communication channel separate from the first communication channel, according to an essentially deterministic transfer structure; and
controlling, by a monitoring unit, operation of a remote monitored unit based on the set of data items and the file, wherein the remote monitored unit including the first Programmable Logic Controller, the second Programmable Logic Controller, and the central unit, and the monitoring unit monitors the remote monitored unit.
2. A communication method according to claim 1 further comprising locating in the communication sequence a particular data point corresponding to a particular information.
3. A communication method according to claim 1 wherein transmitting a file comprises transmitting, by the first Programmable Logic Controller to at least one of the second Programmable Logic Controller and the central unit, an XML file containing at least one of the description of information contained in the set of data items and the communication sequence of the set of data items.
4. A communication method according to claim 1 wherein communicating the set of data items comprises communicating the set of data items between the first Programmable Logic Controller and at least one of the second Programmable Logic Controller and the central unit via the second communication channel in a predetermined sequence, wherein the information is transmitted in a fixed order.
5. A communication method according to claim 1 wherein communicating the set of data items comprises communicating the set of data items between the first Programmable Logic Controller and at least one of the second Programmable Logic Controller and the central unit via the second communication channel, wherein the set of data items contain no description elements.
6. A communication method according to claim 1 wherein transmitting a file comprises cyclically transmitting, by the first Programmable Logic Controller to at least one of the second Programmable Logic Controller and the central unit, the file containing at least one of the description of information contained in the set of data items and the communication sequence of the set of data items, wherein a cycle is specifiable.
7. A communication method according to claim 1 wherein transmitting the file comprises transmitting, by the first Programmable Logic Controller to at least one of the second Programmable Logic Controller and the central unit, the file containing at least one of the description of information contained in the set of data items and the communication sequence of the set of data items in response to a pre-defined event or condition.