Object-Oriented Data Encapsulation in Industrial Controllers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face challenges in communicating data and behavior across hierarchical layers, leading to inconsistencies and difficulties in data management due to unstructured data formats and the need for custom programming, resulting in multiple data copies and complexity in system recovery.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of object-oriented capabilities within industrial controllers allows for structured data objects to be created, enabling well-defined interfaces for data and services, which can be accessed by external clients without knowledge of data location or format, using packaging components to encapsulate data and provide dynamic queries for service location, thereby facilitating consistent data access across layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If unstructured data formats are used in industrial automation systems, then data can be stored at multiple locations across hierarchical layers, but this leads to data inconsistencies and requires multiple custom interfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms unstructured data into structured data by defining specific parameters and data types (e.g., process data, equipment data, material data) that must follow standardized formats. This parameterization enables consistent data representation across all hierarchical layers while maintaining the ability to store data at multiple locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal data structure that can be used across all levels of the automation hierarchy (field device, control, manufacturing execution, enterprise). This single standardized structure replaces multiple custom interfaces, allowing the same data format to serve multiple functions and layers simultaneously.
2Ease of operation
If multiple copies of data are maintained across hierarchical layers, then data accessibility is improved, but system complexity and difficulty in system recovery increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements selective data replication where only essential data is copied to higher hierarchical layers for accessibility, while maintaining references to the master data source. This reduces the number of full data copies compared to traditional approaches, lowering system complexity while preserving data accessibility where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a standardized data interface layer that acts as an intermediary between different hierarchical levels. This mediator manages data access and replication centrally, reducing the complexity that would otherwise arise from multiple direct data connections between layers.
3Adaptability or versatility
If custom programming is used for each data interface, then specific data requirements can be met, but the need for customized software increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent develops universal data structures and communication protocols that can handle diverse data types (process data, equipment data, material data) through a single standardized interface. This eliminates the need for custom programming at each interface while still meeting specific data requirements through configuration rather than code.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables interface adaptability through parameter configuration rather than custom programming. By defining data through parameters and attributes within the standardized structure, the system can adapt to different data requirements without requiring customized software development.
4Adaptability or versatility
If data is stored in unstructured formats, then storage flexibility is maintained, but data communication efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms unstructured data into structured formats with defined parameters, data types, and validation rules. This structuring enables efficient data communication through standardized protocols while maintaining flexibility through configurable parameters that can adapt to different data requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to systems and methods that support object oriented access to information at multiple levels in a control architecture, for example. Such data access can be facilitated as a layer adjacent to or part of an MES system or as a white box cooperating to encapsulate data such as in the controller or the MES layer, for example. In addition, such object oriented data access can be built into a controller as a standard behavior of controller data types and tags of those data types. In this manner, data can be encapsulated as a data object to expose properties and/or methods related to the data utilizing a common interface with each data consumer. Thus, the data consumer can employ object oriented concepts, such as properties, methods, scope qualifiers, access qualifiers (private, protected, public enterprise), polymorphism, inheritance and the like directly with their automation system components.