Methods and systems for management and control of an automation control module

An automation control module (ACM) system comprising:

• a network;
• a web-enabled computer electrically connected to said network;
• and
• an ACM electrically connected to said web-enabled computer via said network, wherein said ACM is at least one of a programmable logic controller (PLC), a computer numeric control (CNC), and a motion control product, said ACM comprising an ACM central processing unit (CPU) directly electrically connected to a web and file transfer subsystem without using a backplane, said ACM CPU and said web and file transfer subsystem embedded within said ACM, said web and file transfer subsystem comprising a web server, a file transfer server, and a database, said web and file transfer subsystem configured to:
• receive from said web-enabled computer, via said network, a plurality of user-defined web page files, at least one of said plurality of user-defined web page files comprising at least one ACM tag function that facilitates an exchange of ACM data between said web and file transfer subsystem and said ACM CPU;
• store the plurality of user-defined web page files in said database;
• receive from said web-enabled computer, via said network, a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request to send a first user-defined web page file of the plurality of user-defined web page files to said web-enabled computer;
• process the HTTP request;
• access the first user-defined web page file referenced in the HTTP request;
• parse the first user-defined web page file for the at least one ACM tag function;
• execute the at least one ACM tag function using form data from the HTTP request to transmit ACM data to said ACM CPU to control operation of said ACM;
• enable said user to configure at least one web and file transfer TCP connection of a plurality of web and file transfer TCP connections using said computer;
• and
• disable said plurality of web and file transfer TCP connections when none of said plurality of web and file transfer TCP connections are configured.

A method for management and control of an automation control module (ACM) including an ACM central processing unit (CPU), wherein the ACM is one of a programmable logic controller (PLC), a computer numeric control (CNC), and a motion control product, said method comprising:

• embedding a web and file transfer system within the ACM including electrically connecting the web and file transfer system directly to the ACM CPU without the use of a backplane, the web and file transfer system includes a web server, a file transfer server, and a database configured to store a user-defined web page file;
• electrically connecting the web and file transfer system to a network;
• processing a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request message from the network using the web and file transfer system, the HTTP request message comprising a request to send the user-defined web page file to the network;
• using form data from the HTTP request message to transfer ACM data to the ACM CPU to control operation of the ACM;
• enabling a user to configure at least one web and file transfer connection of a plurality of web and file transfer connections;
• and
• disabling the plurality of web and file transfer connections when the user does not configure the at least one web and file transfer connection.

A method for management and control of an automation control module (ACM) using an ACM system, the ACM system including a network, a web-enabled computer electrically connected to the network, and the ACM electrically connected to the web-enabled computer via the network, the ACM comprising an ACM central processing unit (CPU), wherein the ACM is one of a programmable logic controller (PLC), a computer numeric control (CNC), and a motion control product, said method comprising:

• embedding a web and file transfer subsystem within the ACM including directly electrically connecting the web and file transfer subsystem to the ACM CPU without the use of a backplane, the web and file transfer subsystem includes a web server, a file transfer server, and a database;
• storing at least one user-defined web page file in the database, the at least one user-defined web page file comprising at least one ACM tag function that facilitates an exchange of ACM data between the web and file transfer subsystem and the ACM CPU;
• processing a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request from the network;
• executing the at least one ACM tag function using form data from the HTTP request to transfer ACM data to the ACM CPU to control operation of the ACM;
• enabling a user to configure at least one web and file transfer connection of a plurality of web and file transfer connections;
• and
• disabling the plurality of web and file transfer connections when the user does not configure the at least one web and file transfer connection.