IP Library Granted Patent US 8,732,658
Granted Patent B2
US 8,732,658 · App. 12/893,804 · Granted May 20, 2014

Layered interface in an industrial environment

Inventors: Kenneth Plache (Scottsdale, AZ); Daniel B. Seger, III (Kennesaw, GA); Raymond Staron (Chagrin Falls, OH); Robert J. Kretschmann (Bay Village, OH); Taryl Jasper (South Euclid, OH); James Harry Jarrett (Baltimore, MD); Russell Brandes (Brunswick, OH); Ronald Bliss (Twinsburg, OH); Michael Kalan (Highland Heights, OH); Subbian Govindaraj (Solon, OH); Kenwood Hall (Hudson, OH); Douglas J. Reichard (Fairview, OH)
Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,732,658
App. No.
12/893,804
Granted
May 20, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

System(s) and method(s) are provided for implementing a set of interface components across a set of layers of an industrial environment, and for managing at least one interface component or at least one layer of the industrial environment. To implement an interface component in at least one layer in the set of layers, a specification that defines the interface component is acquired and, based at least on the specification, a service is generated. Execution of the service implements the interface component. The managing includes deploying or discovering the at least one interface component or the at least one layer of the industrial environment. The managing also includes indexing specific functional feature(s) of the at least one interface component and searching across the set of layers for one or more interface components that satisfy specific functional criteria. Moreover, the managing can include supplying metadata related to interface component(s) or layer(s).

Claims (48)

1. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

at least one memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one memory having stored therein computer-executable instructions comprising:

an acquisition component that acquires a specification that defines an interface component;

a code generator component that composes a service automatically based on the specification, the service is configured to implement at least one functional feature of the interface component in a set of layers of an industrial environment; and

a matching component that:

observes a plurality of host devices operating in the set of layers of the industrial environment to determine whether at least one host device meets an operational requirement of the service;

in response to determining that the at least one host device meets the operational requirement of the service, binds the at least one host device to the service; and

in response to determining that none of the plurality of host devices meet the operational requirement of the service:

periodically observes the set of layers to determine whether a new host device has been added to the set of layers that meets the operational requirement of the service or at least one of the plurality of host devices has been modified to meet the operational requirement of the service;

in response to determining that the new host device has been added to the set of layers that meets the operational requirement of the service to meet the operational requirement of the service, binds the new host device to the service; and

in response to determining that at least one of the plurality of host devices has been modified to meet the operational requirement of the service, binds the at least one modified host device to the service.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the code generator component, in response to composing the service, signals the plurality of host devices that the service is available.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a discovery driver component that locates at least one interface component in the set of layers based upon a discovery criteria.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the discovery driver component is automatically triggered to locate the at least one interface component based on a condition in the industrial environment.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a discovery driver component that locates a plurality of interface components in the set of layers and generates a plan of the plurality of interface components within the set of layers.

6. A method, comprising:

acquiring, by a device including a processor, a specification that defines an interface component;

based on the specification, generating, by the device, a service that is configured to implement the interface component in at least one layer of a set of layers of an industrial environment;

monitoring, by the device, a plurality of host devices operating in the set of layers of the industrial environment to determine whether at least one host device meets an operational requirement of the service;

in response to determining that the at least one host device meets the operational requirement of the service, binds the at least one host device to the service; and

in response to determining that none of the plurality of host devices meet the operational requirement of the service:

periodically observing the set of layers to determine whether a new host device has been added to the set of layers that meets the operational requirement of the service or at least one of the plurality of host devices has been modified to meet the operational requirement of the service;

in response to determining that the new host device has been added to the set of layers that meets the operational requirement of the service to meet the operational requirement of the service, binds the new host device to the service; and

in response to determining that at least one of the plurality of host devices has been modified to meet the operational requirement of the service, binds the at least one modified host device to the service.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

in response to generating the service, signaling, by the device, the plurality of host devices that the service is available.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising locating, by the device, at least one interface component in the set of layers based upon a discovery criteria.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the locating is automatically triggered based on a condition in the industrial environment.

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

identifying, by the device, a plurality of interface components in the set of layers; and

producing a plan of the plurality of interface components within the set of.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution, cause a system including a processor to perform operations comprising:

accessing a specification that defines an interface component;

creating a service, based on the specification, that is configured to implement the interface component in at least one layer of a set of layers of an industrial environment;

monitoring a plurality of host devices operating in the set of layers of the industrial environment to determine whether at least one host device meets an operational requirement of the service;

in response to determining that the at least one host device meets the operational requirement of the service, binds the at least one host device to the service; and

in response to determining that none of the plurality of host devices meet the operational requirement of the service:

periodically observing the set of layers to determine whether a new host device has been added to the set of layers that meets the operational requirement of the service or at least one of the plurality of host devices has been modified to meet the operational requirement of the service;

in response to determining that the new host device has been added to the set of layers that meets the operational requirement of the service to meet the operational requirement of the service, binds the new host device to the service; and

in response to determining that at least one of the plurality of host devices has been modified to meet the operational requirement of the service, binds the at least one modified host device to the service.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , the operations further comprising:

in response to generating the service, signaling, by the device, the plurality of host devices that the service is available.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , the operations further comprising locating, by the device, at least one interface component in the set of layers based upon a discovery criteria.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the locating is automatically triggered based on a condition in the industrial environment.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , the operations further comprising:

identifying, by the device, a plurality of interface components in the set of layers; and

producing a plan of the plurality of interface components within the set of layers.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 29, 2010
From: PLACHE, KENNETH; SEGER, DANIEL B., III; STARON, RAYMOND; KRETSCHMANN, ROBERT J.; JASPER, TARYL; JARRETT, JAMES HARRY; BRANDES, RUSSELL; BLISS, RONALD; KALAN, MICHAEL; GOVINDARAJ, SUBBIAN; HALL, KENWOOD; REICHARD, DOUGLAS J.
To: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 025064/0892 →
Continuity (8)
Continuation In Part 11536715 · Sep 29, 2006
Continuation In Part 11536746 · Sep 29, 2006
Continuation In Part 11536760 · Sep 29, 2006
Continuation In Part 11536791 · Sep 29, 2006
Continuation In Part 12241319 · Sep 30, 2008
Continuation In Part 12241327 · Sep 30, 2008
Continuation In Part 12241342 · Sep 30, 2008
Related Publication 20110022198A1 · Jan 27, 2011