Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated

Rockwell Technologies, Inc.

Allen-bradley Company, LLC

Raymond John Staron

Kenwood H Hall

Robert J Kretschmann

Subbian Govindaraj

Michael D Kalan

Taryl Jon Jasper

Charles Martin Rischar

David Alan Vasko

Francisco Paul Maturana

Kenneth Scott Plache

James Harry Jarrett

Douglas J Reichard

Ronald Eric Bliss

Paul R D'Mura

Russell William Brandes

Daniel Baliey Seger

Richard J Grgic

Eugene Liberman

Petr Slechta

Pavel Tichy

Marvin J Schwenke

Danny L Carnahan

Sivaram Balasubramanian

Pavel Vrba

J Andrew Sinclair

Christopher E Stanek

David Allen Johnston

Norman Andrew Weatherhead

Richard Alan Morse

Josiah C Hoskins

Robert C Kline

Jan Bezdicek

Jeffery William Brooks

Vladimir Marik

James Andrew Sinclair

Kam-Por Yuen

Thomas J Burke

Stephen D Ryan

Paul F Franklin

Tao Zhao

Colleen A Rinehart

Shoshana L Wodzisz

Pavel Tichý

Vladimír Marík

Paul R D`Mura

Aspects describe multiple interface support that provides dynamic switching between new and old interface revisions. A first interface application is selected from a set of alternative interface applications for an industrial automation system. Support for each interface application included in the set of alternative interface applications is provided. A second interface application is downloaded and associated with the first interface application. The second interface application is enabled during runtime. If needed, the second interface application can be selectively disabled and an operation resumed with the first interface application.

Multiple interface support

An industrial control configuration can be a dynamic entity where different controllers are added, are subtracted, fail, etc. When dynamic functions occur, bindings of the configuration can benefit from a modification. Therefore, automatic adjustment of bindings can occur to facilitated improved operation. Automatic adjustment can be practiced when the industrial control configuration is a distributed control configuration without reliance upon a central database.

Automatically adjustable industrial control configuration

A simulation environment is provided for running a process simulation used to validate an industrial control program. The simulation environment exposes the I/O module configurations defined in the control program and retrieves module configuration information therefrom. This I/O module configuration information is combined with generic, module-specific I/O module profiles to create a pool of available controller I/O points, which can be selectively associated with I/O points in the simulation to create an I/O point mapping. During control program validation, simulated I/O data is exchanged between the process simulation and the I/O module instances in the controller in accordance with the I/O point mapping. A variation of these techniques for use with cloud-based emulations is also described.

Industrial simulation using redirected I/O module configurations

A simulation environment for running a process simulation used to validate an industrial control program. The simulation environment exposes the I/O module configurations defined in the control program and retrieves module configuration information therefrom. This I/O module configuration information is combined with generic, module-specific I/O module profiles to create a pool of available controller I/O points, which can be selectively associated with I/O points in the simulation to create an I/O point mapping. During control program validation, simulated I/O data is exchanged between the process simulation and the I/O module instances in the controller in accordance with the I/O point mapping.

The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or method that facilitates employing safety within an industrial environment. An enhancing component can implement at least one of a security level, authentication, authorization, or an access right to a validated action to at least one of the controller or the controller engine instance. The enhancing component can further separate two or more entities within the industrial environment, the first entity related to process control and the second entity related to process safety. Additionally, the enhancing component can employ at least one of a backup controller or a backup controller engine instance in the event of at least one of a software error or a hardware error within the industrial environment.

Security, safety, and redundancy employing controller engine instances

In an industrial control setting, different components can have information that can be valuable to various entities, such as other components, technicians, and the like. A decision can be made as to what information should be available to entities and a determination can be made if the information should be published in a directory or be discoverable. Security can be taken into account in determining if information should be published and decision making can employ adaptive learning, such that a publish and/or discovery decision criterion can be modified based on the learning.

Industrial control metadata engine

Aspects describe multiple machine interfaces that provide automated implementations of a host that executes at least one service. The service comprises internal aspects, which include a reusable definition and a specification, which are hidden from a user or selectively exposed but not modifiable by the user. Functional connections and controls are provided for the automated implementations of the host. Platform configurations, which include the at least one service, interact with the automated implementation of the host. One or more functionalities of the functional connections can be selectively exposed based on a user credential. The automated implementation of the host comprises execution of the at least one service.

Multiple machine interface

System(s), apparatus(es) and method(s) are provided for to managing and developing an industrial system included in the industrial environment. Intelligence related to a configuration of the industrial system is collected and processed to generate information related to operational condition(s) of the industrial system. Intelligence can be collected actively or passively: In active collection, a platform that collects the intelligence retrieves configuration record(s) from the industrial system, whereas in passive collection, the platform received one or more configuration records from the industrial automation system. Collected intelligence is cast into a set of configuration units that defines industrial system and functionality thereof. In addition, a set of services configured to convey specific functionality associated with at least one configuration unit is composed. At least a portion of the generated information can be supplied to the industrial system or one or more components thereof in accordance with a policy configured by the industrial automation system.

Management and development of an industrial environment

In a distributed directory configuration, different nodes can retain information pertinent an industrial control configuration. As information changes in one node, replicas of the information in other nodes can be updated. However, updating can take time and a query can be run upon the directory while nodes have conflicting information. Conflicting information can be identified and resolved such that a query obtains a correct answer.

Directory content resolution

Aspects describe an apparatus, method and system for constructing an application in an industrial automation system. An identification component can receive at least one requirement of the application. Based upon the at least one requirement, the identification component can select at least one service that satisfies the at least one requirement. The at least one service can be associated with at least one operational requirement. The identification component can match at least one host to the at least one service by matching the at least one operational requirement with at least one capability of the at least one service.

Hosting requirements for services

An industrial control configuration can be a dynamic entity where different controllers are added, are subtracted, fail, etc. When dynamic functions occur, bindings of the configuration can benefit from a modification. Therefore, automatic adjustment of bindings can occur to facilitate improved operation. Automatic adjustment can be practiced when the industrial control configuration is a distributed control configuration without reliance upon a central database.

Systems and methods are provided that facilitate dynamic load shedding control in an industrial environment in accordance with one or more production goals provided by a user. One or more production goals for system of industrial load devices (e.g., target product output, desired maximum peak energy demand, and the like) can be provided to a policy engine, which generates goal-based criteria in a standardized format based on the production goals. The goal-based criteria can be provided to a load modulation component, which uses the criteria to calculate load shed priorities for respective load devices on the system designed to ensure that the one or more specified production goals are achieved. The load modulation component can also generate a load shed schedule or load shed criteria used to determine when or under what conditions load shedding is to be initiated in order to achieve the one or more production goals.

Goal-based load management

An object can be used in an industrial control configuration in relation to performing a function or task. Matching can occur such that an object with operational requirements can bind with a host that has capabilities that meet those operational requirements&#x2014;matching can occur automatically as well as through user operation. Once matched, different functionality can be presented to a user pertaining to the object. To assist the user, the object can include external references, logic, local or private data, as well as others in addition to resources. To facilitate operation, capabilities and resources can be published in a directory that can be accessed by different entities&#x2014;sometimes with security constraints in order to protect configuration integrity. Likewise, a subscription system can be employed such that when a change to a related entity is made, a notice can transfer to related entities and operation can alter based upon the change.

Modular object and host matching

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Richmond Heights, OH, United States of America

Raymond John Staron