Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Siemens Industry, Inc.

Siemens Aktiengesellchaft

Lothar Trapp

Georg Biehler

Wolfgang Füβlein

Temple Luke Fulton

Armin Amrhein

Thilo Opaterny

Heiner Fuchs

Dietmar Schulz

Manfred Prechtl

Georg Rupprecht

William Keith Bryant

Bernhard Jany

Ulrich Göddemeier

Werner Kuske

Klaus Göbel

Wolfgang Füsslein

Methods, apparatus, and systems are provided for a web browser accessible data file system on a programmable logic controller (PLC). The invention includes a PLC which includes a controller module; a file system module coupled to the controller module and adapted to persistently store archive data files; a memory module that stores binary data coupled to the controller module; and a user program module that stores instructions adapted to be executed by the controller module. The instructions may include creating an archive file in a user application format in the file system module; storing binary data in the memory module; converting the binary data to the user application format of the archive file; and storing the converted binary data as an entry in the archive file in the file system module. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.

Methods and apparatus for a file system on a programmable logic controller

There is described a method and a system allowing the use of at least one resource of a first automation system in at least one second automation system, whereby the resource is made available by the first automation system and an identification characteristic is used for the unique identification of the resource in the at least second automation system. A user is enabled to navigate in a simple manner between the application locations of originator and user of a resource. This is achieved by the fact that the use of the resource of the first automation system in the at least second automation system is mapped as a bilateral reference in each case between the automation systems and is stored in each case in a storage area in the automation systems, whereby the bilateral reference also contains application locations of the resource in the respective automation system. By using this method or system, a rapid identification of the communication partners involved with a resource can be displayed and the declaration location or the application location of this resource can be displayed there. This method is particularly suitable for supporting the navigation between a variable made available and its application locations and the corresponding instances in the case of bilateral programmed function block communication. With regard to unilateral programmed function block communication, it is possible to navigate between the variable reference specified at the block and the actual variable. This navigation is effected with system support and always finds all the application locations. A major source of error is thereby avoided.

Navigation between application locations of resources in automation systems

A method for providing a signal indicative of a set single bit flag, which is set for a scan cycle responsive to a detection of a fault in an Input/Output (I/O) device of a programmable logic controller (PLC) system or an I/O interface of the PLC system. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Devices, systems, and methods regarding a PLC system fault

There is described a method and system for using at least one variable of a first automation system in a second automation system, with the variable being made available by the first automation system. An object is to allow a user to program access to a local and remote variable in an identical manner, without having to program special access functions, set up connections and apply a local variable to take up the variable value or to create additional assignment tables and similarly apply the local variable. This object is achieved with a method and system of the type mentioned above, in that an identification feature is used for the unique identification of the variable in the at least second automation system, said identification feature being hierarchically structured and having a system-specific path name and a name for the variable.

Use of variables in a number of automation systems

The invention relates to a method for operating a computer system. The inventive method allows best possible utilization of the efficiency of a concrete target hardware by providing in a program alternative passages of which exactly one is selected for execution by the processor by means of a code.

Method for operating a computer system

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Feucht, Germany

Lothar Trapp