Configurable object for industrial control and monitoring networks
AssigneeRockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJohn Caspers, Kevin Retlich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dedicated memory object for networked, programmable electrical components is designed to be embedded in the components to receive system and component-specific data. The memory object is preferably resident and includes dedicated blocks for system designation data, component designation data, component location data, and data descriptive of the function of the component. The object may also include dedicated blocks for input and output configuration where interface circuitry is provided in the component. The memory object may be initially programmed via a network and subsequently reprogrammed as the system is modified or designations change. The object may be polled to reconstruct system representations and for monitoring and control operations.
Claims28
A configurable object for a networkable electrical component, the object comprising:
- a first memory space allocated to system designation data for an electrical control or monitoring system in which a component is installed;
- a second memory space allocated to physical location designation data representative of a physical location of the component in the system;
- and
- a third memory space allocated to device type data representative of a function of the component in the system.
A device memory object storing a portion of a distributed database, the object comprising:
- a first memory block storing system designation data representative of a system defined by the distributed database;
- a second memory block storing physical location designation data representative of a physical location of a component in the system defined by the distributed database;
- and
- a third memory block storing device type data representative of a function of the component defined by the distributed database.
An embeddable memory object for a networkable control or monitoring device, the object comprising:
- a remotely programmable device designation sector allocated for device designation data representative of a device in which the object is embedded;
- a remotely programmable system designation sector allocated for system designation data including data representative of a system in which the device is operational;
- and
- a remotely programmable device location sector allocated for physical location data representative of a physical location of the device in the system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.