Networked programmable industrial controllers
AssigneeControl Technology Corporation
InventorsKenneth C. Crater, Thomas N. Schermerhorn
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Abstract
Different devices or subsystems, including programmable industrial controllers, are connected to a common network. Each connected device has the capability for autonomous or quasi-autonomous action based on a common pool of information accessible on the network. For example, all or a subset of devices connected to the network may periodically broadcast status data over the shared network medium; status data may include the current state of the controller and/or environmental conditions that the controller monitors.
Claims19
A programmable industrial controller configured for communication with other programmable industrial controllers over a computer network, the controller comprising:
- a network interface for communicating over the network;
- a database for storing (i) a specification of at least one control function, (ii) controller state information, and (iii) state information, received over the network via the network interface, of other controllers;
- a transmission module for periodically transmitting at least some of the controller state information over the network for broadcast to the other controllers;
- and
- an output interface for causing performance of the at least one control function.
A system of linked programmable industrial controllers, the system comprising a plurality of programmable industrial controllers intercommunicating over a computer network, each of the controllers comprising a network interface for communicating over the network;
- a database for storing (i) a specification of at least one control function, (ii) controller state information, and (iii) state information, received over the network via the network interface, of other controllers;
- a transmission module for periodically transmitting at least some of the controller state information over the network for broadcast to the other controllers;
- and an output interface for causing performance of the at least one control function.
A method of operating a linked network of programmable industrial controllers, the network comprising a plurality of programmable industrial controllers intercommunicating over the network, the method comprising the steps of:
- periodically causing each of the controllers to broadcast status data over the network;
- connecting a device to the network;
- and
- continuously populating a database of the device with data received over the network, the populating step comprising (i) creating a database record for each of the controllers connected to the network, (ii) receiving state information from the connected controllers, (iii) storing the state information from each of the controllers in an associated record of the database, and (iv) updating the database as new data is received from the connected controllers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.