US6201996B1 — Object-oriented programmable industrial controlle…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 188 words

An object-oriented controller in which control functionality is encapsulated in objects that may be rendered accessible to a remotely located computer, the controller comprising: a. an object manager for storing a plurality of obiects corresponding to controlled physical entities, each object specifying at least one control function associated with the entity and including, for each function: i. at least one executable procedure for performing an action associated with the control function; and ii. at least one executable procedure for displaying information associated with the control function, the at least one procedure providing display instructions executable by the remotely located computer and causing display thereon of the information in a predetermined format, wherein iii. the procedures are distinct and subject to independent modification; b. a performance engine for causing performance of the actions in accordance with the procedures associated therewith; and c. a communication module facilitating access to the display procedure by the remotely located computer, such access comprising: i. transfer of the display instructions to the remotely located computer upon request; and ii. modification of the display procedure in accordance with commands transmitted by the remotely located computer.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 188 words

An object-oriented controller in which control functionality is encapsulated in objects that may be rendered accessible to a remotely located computer, the controller comprising: a. an object manager for storing a plurality of obiects corresponding to controlled physical entities, each object specifying at least one control function associated with the entity and including, for each function: i. at least one executable procedure for performing an action associated with the control function; and ii. at least one executable procedure for displaying information associated with the control function, the at least one procedure providing display instructions executable by the remotely located computer and causing display thereon of the information in a predetermined format, wherein iii. the procedures are distinct and subject to independent modification; b. a performance engine for causing performance of the actions in accordance with the procedures associated therewith; and c. a communication module facilitating access to the display procedure by the remotely located computer, such access comprising: i. transfer of the display instructions to the remotely located computer upon request; and ii. modification of the display procedure in accordance with commands transmitted by the remotely located computer.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 25 words

The controller of claim 1 wherein the display instructions cause the remotely located computer to obtain the information from the controller via a computer network.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 21 words

The controller of claim 2 wherein the computer network is the Internet and data is obtained via the HyperText Transfer Protocol.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 37 words

The controller of claim 2 wherein the display instructions cause the remotely located computer to (i) periodically query the controller to obtain updated controller data, and (ii) display the updated data in accordance with the predetermined format.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 36 words

The controller of claim 1 wherein the instructions comprise a procedure responsive to commands issued to the remotely located computer to reconfigure the display, the procedure causing the information to be displayed in a different format.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 45 words

The controller of claim 5 wherein the procedure further causes the remotely located computer to store data representative of the different format such that subsequent access to the display procedure by the remotely located computer results in display of the information in the different format.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 26 words

The controller of claim 1 wherein the items further comprise a procedure facilitating modification of at least some of the items by the remotely located computer.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 29 words

The controller of claim 1 wherein the items further comprise a procedure responsive to commands issued by the remotely located computer concerning performance of the action by the controller.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 34 words

The controller of claim 4 wherein the display instructions further cause the remotely located computer to store, in addition to the updated data, a plurality of previously obtained data samples in a temporal order.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 26 words

The controller of claim 1 wherein the display instructions further comprise a procedure for detecting an alarm condition and issuing an alert signal in response thereto.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 35 words

The controller of claim 9 wherein the display instructions further comprise a procedure for analyzing the current and previously obtained data samples to detect an alarm condition, and issuing an alert signal in response thereto.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 45 words

The controller of claim 1 wherein the items further include a specification of at least one state associated with the control function, the controller further comprising means for monitoring a resource associated with the action and, based thereon, determining the state specified in the database.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 34 words

The controller of claim 12 wherein the selection and performance means is responsive to executable instructions causing it to respond, in causing performance of the action, to the state determined by the monitoring means.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 36 words

The controller of claim 1 wherein the items further include a list of resources associated with the action, the performance means being configured to establish control connections to the listed action resources to perform the action.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 36 words

The controller of claim 12 wherein the items further include a list of resources associated with the state, the monitoring means being configured to establish monitoring connections to the listed state resources to determine the state.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 58 words

The controller of claim 15 further comprising: a. an input/output module for connection to at least one input/output point on a controlled machine; and b. a computer memory comprising a plurality of registers and flags for containing data associated associated with the action, the state resources including the at least one input/output point and the registers and flags.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 22 words

The controller of claim 1 further comprising means for operating an industrial machine, the information comprising quantitative data representative of machine operation.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 173 words

A method of facilitating interaction between a controller and a remotely located computer, the method comprising: a. defining a plurality of objects corresponding to controlled physical entities, each object specifying at least one control function associated with the entity and including, for each function: i. at least one executable procedure for performing an action associated with the control function; and ii. at least one executable procedure for displaying information associated with the control function, the at least one procedure providing display instructions executable by the remotely located computer and causing display thereon of the information in a predetermined format, wherein iii. the procedures are distinct and subject to independent modification; b. selecting and performing actions in accordance with the procedures associated therewith; and c. facilitating access to the display procedure by the remotely located computer by: i. responding to a display request by transferring the display instructions to the remotely located computer; and ii. responding to a modification command issued by the remotely located computer by modifying the display procedure in accordance therewith.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 173 words

A method of facilitating interaction between a controller and a remotely located computer, the method comprising: a. defining a plurality of objects corresponding to controlled physical entities, each object specifying at least one control function associated with the entity and including, for each function: i. at least one executable procedure for performing an action associated with the control function; and ii. at least one executable procedure for displaying information associated with the control function, the at least one procedure providing display instructions executable by the remotely located computer and causing display thereon of the information in a predetermined format, wherein iii. the procedures are distinct and subject to independent modification; b. selecting and performing actions in accordance with the procedures associated therewith; and c. facilitating access to the display procedure by the remotely located computer by: i. responding to a display request by transferring the display instructions to the remotely located computer; and ii. responding to a modification command issued by the remotely located computer by modifying the display procedure in accordance therewith.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of causing the remotely located computer to obtain the information from the controller via a computer network.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 19 wherein the computer network is the Internet and data is obtained via the HyperText Transfer Protocol.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method of claim 19 wherein the display instructions cause the remotely located computer to (i) periodically query the controller to obtain updated controller data, and (ii) display the updated data in accordance with the predetermined format.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of causing the remotely located computer to respond to commands to display the information in a different format.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of causing the remotely located computer to store data representative of the different format such that subsequent display by the remotely located computer occurs in the different format.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of facilitating modification of at least some of the items by the remotely located computer.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of causing the controller to respond to commands issued by the remotely located computer concerning performance of the action by the controller.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of causing the remotely located computer to store, in addition to the updated data, a plurality of previously obtained data samples in a temporal order.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of detecting an alarm condition and causing the remotely located computer to issue an alert signal in response thereto.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 26 further comprising the steps of: a. analyzing the current and previously obtained data samples to detect an alarm condition; and b. causing the remotely located computer to issue an alert signal in response thereto.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 18 further comprising the steps of: a. associating at least one state with the control function; and b. monitoring a resource associated with the action and, based thereon, determining the state.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 29 further comprising the step of responding, in performing the action, to the determined state.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 18 further comprising the steps of: a. defining a list of resources associated with the action; and b. establishing control connections to the listed action resources to perform the action.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 29 further comprising the steps of: a. defining a list of resources associated with the state; and b. establishing monitoring connections to the listed state resources to determine the state.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of operating an industrial machine, the information comprising quantitative data representative of machine operation.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2004-03-12	2004-09-11	2005-03-13	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2008-03-12	2008-09-11	2009-03-13	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2012-03-12	2012-09-11	2013-03-13	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Object-oriented programmable industrial controller with distributed interface architecture

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