# US 2016/0179085 A1 · Control system for controlling operation of a numerically controlled machine tool, and back-end and front-end control devices for use in such system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0179085 A1 - Document ID: US20160179085A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/909,321 - Filed: 2013-07-30 - Published: 2016-06-23 - Earliest claimed: 2013-07-30 - Assignees: Dmg Mori Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Dmg Mori Aktiengesellschaft; Dmg Mori Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Reinhold SEITZ; Dominic SCHINDLER; Peter PRUSCHEK - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160179085A1 ## CPC - G05B 19/414: Structure of the control system, e.g. common controller or multiprocessor systems, interface to servo, programmable interface controller - G05B 2219/31113: General, vendor indenpendant display and control interface for sensor actuator - G05B 2219/34303: PNC is plc, pic and nc cooperation - G05B 2219/36231: Translate, convert machine independent to machine dependent program - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract The present invention relates to a control system for controlling operation of a numerically controlled machine tool (100), the system comprising a back-end control device (300) and a front-end control device (200) communicably connected to the back-end control device (300). The back-end control device (300) comprises a numerical controller (310), a programmable logic controller (320), a first communication interface (330) being communicably connected to the numerical controller (310) and the programmable logic controller (320), and an interface server module (410) of a second communication interface (400) being communicably connected to the first communication interface (330). The front-end control device (200) comprises an interface client module (420a) of the second communication interface (400) being adapted to communicably connect to the interface server module (410), second processing means (210) for executing a second operating system (213), a basic module application (211), and a plurality of control applications (212a-212g), the basic module application (211) being for accessing data in the numerical controller (310) and the programmable logic controller (320) via the one or more interface client modules (420a), the interface server module (410) and the first communication interface (330), a display unit (230) for displaying one or more control screens to a user, an input unit (240) for receiving control input operations from the user, and a first human-machine interface (250) being communicably connected to the display unit (230) and the input unit (240), and including a first graphical user interface (251) for controlling the one or more control screens displayed on the display unit (230) and for processing control input operations of the user. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Control system for controlling operation of a numerically controlled machine tool, the system comprising a back-end control device and a front-end control device communicably connected to the back-end control device, wherein the back-end control device comprises: a numerical controller, a programmable logic controller, first storage means for storing data, the first storage means comprising one or more PLC registers of the programmable logic controller and one or more NC registers of the numerical controller, first processing means for executing a first operating system on the basis of data stored in the first storage means, and a first communication interface utilizing a first interface language protocol and an internal NC/PLC communication protocol, and being communicably connected to the numerical controller, the programmable logic controller and the first storage means by means of the internal NC/PLC communication protocol; wherein the back-end control device or the front-end control device comprises: an interface server module of a second communication interface utilizing a plurality of interface language protocols including the first interface language protocol and a second interface language protocol, and being communicably connected to the first communication interface by means of the first interface language protocol, the interface server module being configured to convert between the first interface language protocol and one or more other interface language protocols of the plurality of interface language protocols, including interface language conversion from the first interface language protocol to the second interface language protocol and from the second interface language protocol to the first interface language protocol; and wherein the front-end control device comprises: one or more interface client modules of the second communication interface utilizing the second interface language protocol and/or a second internal communication protocol, and being adapted to communicably connect to the interface server module of the second communication interface by means of the second interface language protocol, second processing means for executing a second operating system, a basic module application, and a plurality of control application, the basic module application executed on the second processing means being adapted to access data stored in the first storage means the one or more interface client modules of the second communication interface the interface server module of the second communication interface and the first communication interface, second storage means for storing data received from the numerical controller, the programmable logic controller and the first storage means via the first communication interface, the interface server module of the second communication interface and the one or more interface client modules of the second communication interface, a display unit for displaying one or more control screens to a user, an input unit for receiving control input operations from the user, and a first human-machine interface being communicably connected to the display unit and the input unit, and including a first graphical user interface for controlling the one or more control screens displayed on the display unit and for processing control input operations of the user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the basic module application executed on the second processing means is adapted to request data stored in the first storage means by issuing control commands of the second interface language protocol and/or the second internal communication protocol to the one or more interface client modules, which are adapted to transfer the control commands of the second interface language protocol and/or the second internal communication protocol to the interface server module. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system according to claim 2, wherein the interface server module is adapted to convert the received control commands of the second interface language and/or the second internal communication protocol to corresponding control commands of the first interface language protocol, and to transfer the converted control commands of the first interface language protocol to the first communication interface, which is adapted to request the corresponding data from the first storage means upon receipt of the converted control commands of the first interface language protocol. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the basic module application is adapted to control retrieval of new control application data and update data via one or more communication interfaces and/or data interfaces of the front-end control device, and to control installation of one or more new control applications on the basis of retrieved new control application data and to control updating of one or more existing control applications based on retrieved update data. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the control applications executed on the second processing means are communicably connected to the basic module application and are enabled to access data stored in the first storage means through the basic module application, the control applications executed on the second processing means are communicably connected to the basic module application, and the basic module application is adapted to store result information and/or statistical information received from one or more control applications into the second storage means, one or more first control applications of the plurality of control applications executed on the second processing means are adapted to observe data related to one or more second control applications of the plurality of control applications, and/or one or more first control applications of the plurality of control applications executed on the second processing means are adapted to modify data related to one or more second control applications of the plurality of control application. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the first human-machine interface is configured to provide a plurality of sets of user operable widgets, each user operable widget being operable by the user via the input unit, wherein the first graphical user interface is configured to control a plurality of first control screens such that each first control screen includes a configuration of a respective set of user operable widgets, the first graphical user interface being configured to switch among one or more first control screens displayed on the display unit on the basis of user input operations input via the input unit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein further comprising: a second human-machine interface being adapted to communicably connect to the first communication interface and the first human-machine interface, and including a second graphical user interface for controlling at least one second control screen, the first graphical user interface being further configured to control displaying either one or more first control screens or a third control screen on the display unit, wherein the third control screen includes a part corresponding to the at least one second control screen provided by the second graphical user interface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system according to claim 7, wherein the first graphical user interface is configured to control the third control screen such that the third control screen further includes a configuration of a respective set of user operable widgets provided by the first human-machine interface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system according to claim 7, wherein the second graphical user interface is comprised in the front-end control device and being executed on the second processing means; or the second graphical user interface is comprised in the back-end control device being executed on the first processing means, and the first and second graphical user interfaces are communicably connected via a graphical desktop sharing system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the first graphical user interface is further configured to control displaying an application selection screen on the display unit having a set of user-operable application selection widgets, each application selection widget being adapted for enabling selection of one or more of the plural control applications by the user; and/or the first graphical user interface further configured to control, for each selected control application, displaying a respective application screen for the respective selected control application, each application screen including a set of application related user-operable widgets. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the input unit and the display unit integrated into an operation unit comprising a touch user interface including a touch pad or touch screen combining at least parts of the input unit and the display unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the first graphical user interface includes one or more user-operable widgets communicably connected to the basic module application and/or to one or more interface client modules; and/or the one or more widgets are adapted to access data in the first and second storage means via the basic module application, and/or the one or more widgets are adapted to access data in the first storage means via the one or more interface client modules. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the front-end control device further comprises a web server module adapted to access data in the first storage means the one or more interface client modules. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13, wherein a first remote control device including: a second web browser module, a second display unit for displaying one or more control screens to a user and a second input unit for receiving control input operations from the user, wherein the second web browser module is adapted to communicably connect to the to the web server module of the front-end control device and to access the second storage means and the basic module application of the front-end control device via the web server module, and to access the first storage means, the numerical controller and the programmable logic controller of the back-end control device via the web server module, the one or more interface client module, the interface client server and the first communication interface, and wherein the second display unit is configured to display the one or more control screens provided by the first graphical user interface via a graphical desktop sharing system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein a second remote control device including: a processing means, a remote application executed in the processing means, and a third graphical user interface for providing an remote application screen on the basis of the execution of the remote application, wherein the third graphical user interface communicably connected with the first graphical user interface of the front-end control device, and the first graphical user interface is adapted to control displaying the remote application screen on the first display unit of the front-end control device via a graphical desktop sharing system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein a data collection device comprising an interface client module communicably connected to a database storage means, and utilizing the second interface language protocol and being communicably connectable with one or more interface server modules of one or more back-end control devices, the data collection device being configured to access data in storage means of the one or more back-end control devices via the interface client module and the respective interface server modules and first communication modules of the respective back-end control devices, wherein the data collection device comprises a database storage means for storing history data received from the one or more back-end control devices via the interface client module. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) Front-end control device for use in a system according to claim 1, comprising: one or more interface client modules of the second communication interface utilizing the second interface language protocol and/or a second internal communication protocol, and being adapted to communicably connect to the interface server module of the second communication interface by means of the second interface language protocol, second processing means for executing a second operating system, a basic module application, and a plurality of control applications, the basic module application executed on the second processing means being adapted to access data stored in the first storage means via the one or more interface client modules of the second communication interface the interface server module the second communication interface, and the first communication interface, second storage means for storing data received from the numerical controller, the programmable logic controller and the first storage means via the first communication interface, the interface server module of the second communication interface, and the one or more interface client modules of the second communication interface, a display unit for displaying one or more control screens to a user, an input unit for receiving control input operations from the user, and a first human-machine interface being communicably connected to the display unit and the input unit, and including a first graphical user interface for controlling the one or more control screens displayed on the display unit and for processing control input operations of the user. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) Front-end control device according to claim 17, further comprising: an interface server module of a second communication interface utilizing a plurality of interface language protocols including the first interface language protocol and a second interface language protocol, and being communicably connected to the first communication interface by means of the first interface language protocol, the interface server module being configured to convert between the first interface language protocol and one or more other interface language protocols of the plurality of interface language protocols, including interface language conversion from the first interface language protocol to the second interface language protocol and from the second interface language protocol to the first interface language protocol. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) Back-end control device for use in a system according to claim 1, comprising: a numerical controller a programmable logic controller, first storage means for storing data, the first storage means comprising one or more PLC registers of the programmable logic controller and one or more NC registers of the numerical controller, first processing means for executing a first operating system on the basis of data stored in the first storage means, a first communication interface utilizing a first interface language protocol and an internal NC/PLC communication protocol, and being communicably connected to the numerical controller, the programmable logic controller and the first storage means by means of the internal NC/PLC communication protocol, and an interface server module of a second communication interface utilizing a plurality of interface language protocols including the first interface language protocol and a second interface language protocol, and being communicably connected to the first communication interface by means of the first interface language protocol, the interface server module being configured to convert between the first interface language protocol and one or more other interface language protocols of the plurality of interface language protocols, including interface language conversion from the first interface language protocol to the second interface language protocol and from the second interface language protocol to the first interface language protocol. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) Communication interface for use in a system according to claim 1, comprising: an interface server module utilizing a plurality of interface language protocols including one or more first interface language protocols and the second interface language protocol, and being communicably connectable to the first communication interfaces of one or more NC/PLC back-end control devices by means of the one or more first interface language protocols utilized by the first communication interfaces, and one or more interface client modules utilizing the second interface language protocol and/or a second internal communication protocol, and being adapted to communicably connect to the interface server module by means of the second interface language protocol.