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US 6,510,352 B1Granted
Methods and apparatus for object-based process control
AssigneeThe Foxboro Company
InventorsPaul C. Badavas, Peter D. Hansen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The provides improved control devices, systems and methods for operation thereof. These rely on control devices that provide virtual machine environments in which Java objects, or other such software constructs, are executed to implement control (e.g., to monitor and/or control a device, process or system). These objects define blocks which are the basic functional unit of the control. They also define the input, output and body parts from which blocks are formed, and the signals that are communicated between blocks. The objects also define nested and composite groupings of blocks used to control loops and higher-level control functions.
Claims72
A control device comprising:
- a virtual machine environment,
- the virtual machine environment executing an object or other software construct (collectively, “object”) that configures the control device to provide a control function,
- the object communicating a datum with an entity that stores the datum, and
- the object accessing the datum by reference to storage maintained in the entity.
1 more element
A control system comprising:
- one or more control devices, each providing a virtual machine environment,
- a plurality of objects executing in the one or more virtual machine environments,
- the plurality of objects including a first object and a second object that communicate a datum with one another,
- the first object maintaining a sole instance of the datum as between at least the first and second objects,
- the second object accessing the datum by reference.
2 more elements
A control system comprising:
- one or more control devices, each providing a virtual machine environment,
- a plurality of objects executing in the one or more virtual machine environments,
- the plurality of objects including a first object and a second object between which a connection is established to communicate with one another one or more data contained in a data structure,
- the first object maintaining a sole instance of the data structure and data contained therein as between at least the first and second objects,
- the second object accessing data in the data structure by reference.
2 more elements
A control system comprising:
- one or more control devices, each providing a virtual machine environment,
- a plurality of objects executing in the one or more virtual machine environments,
- the plurality of objects including a first object that communicates a datum with a second object and a third object,
- the first object maintaining a sole instance of the datum as between at least the first, second and third objects,
- the second and third objects accessing the datum by reference.
2 more elements
A control system comprising:
- one or more control devices, each providing a virtual machine environment,
- a plurality of objects executing in the one or more virtual machine environments,
- the plurality of objects including a first object with which connections are established by a second object and by a third object, each connection being for the transfer of data contained in a data structure,
- the first object maintaining a sole instance of the data structure and data contained therein as between at least the first, second and third objects,
- the second and third objects accessing data in the data structure by reference.
2 more elements
A method of operating a control device comprising:
- executing an object or other software construct (collectively, “object”) on a virtual machine environment provided in the control device, the object configuring the control device to provide a control function,
- communicating a datum between the object and an entity that stores the datum, the object accessing the datum by reference to storage maintained in the entity.
A method of operating a control system comprising:
- executing a plurality of objects in virtual machine environments provided on one or more control devices, the objects configuring the one or more devices to provide control functions,
- communicating a datum between first and second ones of the plurality of objects,
- maintaining in the first object a sole instance of the datum, as between at least the first and second objects, and
- accessing by reference the datum with the second object.
1 more element
A method of operating a control system, comprising:
- executing a plurality of objects in virtual machine environments provided on one or more control devices, the objects configuring the one or more devices to provide control functions,
- communicating one or more data contained in a data structure between first and second ones of the plurality of objects,
- maintaining in the first object a sole instance of the data structure and data contained therein as between at least the first and second objects,
- accessing by reference data in the data structure with the second object.
1 more element
A method of operating a control system, comprising:
- executing a plurality of objects in virtual machine environments provided on one or more control devices, the objects configuring the one or more devices to provide control functions,
- communicating one or more data contained, in a data structure between first one of the objects and second and third ones of the objects,
- maintaining in the first object a sole instance of the data structure and data contained therein as between at least the first, second and third objects,
- accessing by reference data in the data structure with the second and third objects.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.