OPCMessenger

A method executed by a computer system for connecting automation hardware and software over a global communication network to other automation hardware and software comprising the steps of:

• (a) using connector software to request data through a client interface from external software with a communication server interface means which generates a response;
• (b) receiving the response from the communication server interface means and converting the response to a message;
• (c) publishing the message to a message queue on a trigger event selected from the group consisting of:
• (i) transactions triggered by an elapsed interval timer;
• (ii) transactions triggered when a data value received through the configurable connector software client interface means varies from a preset value;
• (iii) transactions triggered when a data value received through the configurable connector software server interface means and varies from a preset value;
• (iv) transactions that are interlocked to a second true logical comparison between a data value from the configurable connector software client interface means and a preset value;
• and
• (v) transactions that are interlocked to a second true logical comparison between a data value from the configurable connector software server interface means and a preset value.

A method executed by a computer system for connecting automation hardware and software over a global communication network to other automation hardware and software comprising the steps of:

• (a) using connector software receiving data through a communication server interface means from external software with a client interface which generates a data write;
• (b) receiving a response from the communication server interface means and converting the response to a message;
• (c) publishing the message to a message queue on a trigger event selected from the group consisting of:
• (i) transactions triggered by an elapsed interval timer;
• (ii) transactions triggered when a data value received through the configurable connector software client interface means varies from a preset value;
• (iii) transactions triggered when a data value received through the configurable connector software server interface means and varies from a preset value;
• (iv) transactions that are interlocked to a second true logical comparison between a data value from the configurable connector software client interface means and a preset value;
• and
• (v) transactions that are interlocked to a second true logical comparison between a data value from the configurable connector software server interface means and a preset value.

A system for connecting automation hardware and software over a global communication network to other automation hardware and software comprising:

• (a) a connector software to request data, wherein the connector software comprises:
• (i) configurable connector software means running in memory on at least one communication server of a computer;
• (ii) configurable connector software communication server interface means in the at least one communication server adapted to receive at least one client request from at least one client application for data and for sending said data in a server response;
• (iii) configurable connector software client interface means in the at least one communication server adapted to issue at least one client request to at least one communication server application for data and for receiving said data in the server response;
• (iv) configurable connector software publishing interface means in the at least one communication server adapted to send data to a message queue, wherein the configurable connector software publishing interface means is adapted to send data to at least one database;
• (v) configurable connector software subscriber interface means in the at least one communication server adapted to receive data from said message queue, wherein the configurable connector software subscriber interface means is adapted to receive data from said at least one database;
• and
• (vi) a configurable application objects adapted to process said received data from the message queue and the database and to transmit the results of said processing;
• (b) a communication server interface means for generating a response to a request from the configurable connector software interface means;
• and
• (c) a message queue to receive data from the configurable connector software publishing interface means in and to send data to the configurable connector software subscriber interface means.