Allen-bradley Company, LLC

Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated

Mark E Taylor

Mark A Flood

Michael D Kalan

Douglas J Reichard

Russell William Brandes

James Harry Jarrett

William B Cook

Jeffery William Brooks

Keith M Hogan

John Ethan Belcher

Bruce A Christensen

Diane N Ritchie

Thomas G Rodano

Rae M Varga

Steven P Richter

Bradley J Bittorf

Rae M White

Russel W Brandes

James H Jarrett

The subject invention relates to systems and methods that facilitate display, selection, and management of context associated with execution of add-on instructions. The systems and methods track add-on instruction calls and provide a user with call and data context, wherein the user can select a particular add-on instruction context from a plurality of contexts in order to observe values and/or edit parameters associated with the add-on instruction. The add-on instruction context can include information such as instances of data for particular lines of execution, the add-on instruction called, a caller of the instruction, a location of the instruction call, references to complex data types and objects, etc. The systems and methods further provide a technique for automatic routine selection based on the add-on instruction state information such that the add-on instruction executed corresponds to a current state.

Systems and methods that facilitate management of add-on instruction generation, selection, and/or monitoring during execution

The subject invention relates to systems and methods that facilitate display, selection, and management of context associated with execution of add-on instructions. The systems and methods track add-on instruction calls provide a user with call and data context, wherein the user can select a particular add-on instruction context from a plurality of contexts in order to observe values and/or edit parameters associated with the add-on instruction. The add-on instruction context can include information such as instances of data for particular lines of execution, the add-on instruction called, a caller of the instruction, a location of the instruction call, references to complex data types and objects, etc. The systems and methods further provide a technique for automatic routine selection based on the add-on instruction state information such that the add-on instruction executed corresponds to a current state.

On-line upgrading of a primary industrial controller is provided through the use of a secondary industrial controller that may assume control of the process controlled by the primary industrial controller. A switch-over of control is orchestrated by a system back-up module that may detect removal of the functional components of the primary industrial controller to initiate the switch-over. Determination of removal of functional modules may be provided by a periodic polling of the functional components on the interconnecting communication link. The system back-up module designates one of the functional modules to poll the system back-up module so that complete coverage of removable components may be had.

Redundant automation controller permitting replacement of components

A redundant industrial controller system has a primary controller backed up by a secondary controller and recovers from a power loss by analyzing the state memories of the controllers to reach a determination of which controller would best be suited to assume primary control status without resorting to arbitrary tie-breaking procedures or race conditions. The rules and their inputs are applied by both controllers which independently make the determination as to which controller should be the primary controller.

Redundant automation controller with deductive power-up

An industrial controller provides a primary controller and a redundant secondary controller and allows switchover between the controllers in the event of a failure in the primary controller. The process of qualification of the secondary controller in which its programming is made to match the primary controller may be inhibited to permit the secondary controller to maintain a clean version of an upgraded program executing on the primary controller. The clean program may be reverted to in the event an upgrading of the program in the primary controller is unsuccessful. Switchover is permitted even though the qualification of the secondary controller is not enabled.

Redundant processor controller providing upgrade recovery

A redundant controller employs connection-based messaging to ensure reliability and determinacy in communications. The need to close connections and reopen connections with a backup module when control switches from a primary controller to a secondary controller is eliminated by keeping the secondary controller updated as to the connections that have been opened and having the secondary controller assume the connection identification numbers of the primary controller upon switch-over.

Industrial controller having redundancy and using connected messaging

Growing community of inventors

Chesterland, OH, United States of America

Mark E Taylor