Multiple deployment of applications with multiple configurations in an industrial automation environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9442476-B2
Application number	US-201414569177-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2014
Priority date	Jun 30, 2011
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided to implement a design apparatus for applications in an industrial automation environment. The design apparatus is configured to maintain multiple configuration settings in connection with an application project. At deployment-time, a particular configuration can be selected and utilized when building an application for installation on a target device. The same application project can be utilized to deploy the application to multiple systems through selection of different configurations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
identifying, by a system including a processor, a plurality of devices to which to install an application;
analyzing, by the system, the devices to determine respective characteristics of the devices;
analyzing, by the system, respective environments in which the devices are located and generating respective environmental information for the devices for use in producing respective specialized applications from the application for the devices, wherein the environmental information for a device comprises at least one of a network topology of other devices in communication with the device, installed manufacturing machines in the environment in which the device is located, or installed automation equipment in the environment in which the device is located;
generating, by the system, respective configuration information for the devices based upon the respective characteristics and the respective environmental information of the devices;
producing, by the system, the respective specialized applications from the application for the devices based upon the respective configuration information;
deploying, by the system, to a first device of the plurality of devices a first specialized application corresponding to the first device;
deploying, by the system, to a second device of the plurality of devices a second specialized application corresponding to the second device, and
wherein the first specialized application is different from the second specialized application, and the first device is associated with a first industrial process and the second device is associated with a second industrial process that is different from the first industrial process.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a specialized application for the device comprises at least one of network settings, connection settings, security settings, or linker settings established in accordance with the set of configuration information for the device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the analyzing the devices comprises analyzing respective hardware of the devices.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the respective characteristics of the devices comprise respective hardware characteristics of the devices.

5. A system, comprising:
a memory; and
a processor, coupled to the memory, configured to execute computer-executable modules stored in the memory, the computer-executable modules comprising:
an autonomous configuration module configured to:
evaluate target devices to which an application will be installed and identify respective characteristics of the target devices,
evaluate respective environments in which the target devices are located and generate respective environmental information for the target devices for use in compiling respective builds of the application for the target devices, wherein the environmental information for a target device comprises at least one of a network topology of other devices in communication with the target device, installed manufacturing machines in the environment in which the target device is located, or installed automation equipment in the environment in which the target device is located;

a configuration module configured to generate respective sets of configuration information for the target devices based upon the respective characteristics and the respective environmental information of the target devices, wherein the respective sets of configuration information for the target devices are associated with the application;
a build module configured to compile the respective builds of the application for the target devices based upon the respective sets of configuration information; and
a deployment module configured to:
install on a first target device a first compiled build of the application corresponding to the first target device, and
install on a second target device a second compiled build of the application corresponding to the second target device, wherein the first target device is associated with a first industrial process and the second target device is associated with a second industrial process that is different from the first industrial process.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein a build of the application for the target device comprises at least one of network settings, connection settings, security settings, or linker settings established in accordance with the set of configuration information for the target device.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the autonomous configuration module evaluates the target devices comprising evaluation of respective hardware of the target devices.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the respective characteristics of the target devices comprise respective hardware characteristics of the target devices.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution, cause a system including a processor to perform operations comprising:
evaluating target devices to which to install an application and determining respective characteristics of the target devices;
evaluating respective environments in which the target devices are located and generating respective environmental information for the target devices for use in assembling respective specialized applications from the application for the target devices, wherein the environmental information for a target device comprises at least one of a network topology of other devices in communication with the target device, installed manufacturing machines in the environment in which the target device is located, or installed automation equipment in the environment in which the target device is located;
producing respective configuration information for the plurality of target devices based upon the respective characteristics and the respective environmental information of the target devices;
assembling the respective specialized applications from the application for the target devices based upon the respective configuration information, where each specialized application is different from others of the specialized applications;
installing to a first target device a first specialized application corresponding to the first target device; and
installing to a second target device a second specialized application corresponding to the second target device, wherein the first target device is associated with a first industrial process and the second target device is associated with a second industrial process that is different from the first industrial process.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein a specialized application for the target device comprises at least one of network settings, connection settings, security settings, or linker settings established in accordance with the set of configuration information for the target device.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the evaluating the target devices comprises evaluating respective hardware of the target devices.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the respective characteristics of the target devices comprise respective hardware characteristics of the target devices.

Assignees

• Rockwell Automation Tech Inc

Inventors

• Bliss Ronald Eric
• Sauvain Terrie E
• Plache Kenneth Scott
• Stanek Christopher E

Classifications

• G05B19/04 Primary

  Program control other than numerical control, i.e. in sequence controllers or logic controllers (G05B19/418 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G05B19/41835 Primary

  characterised by program execution · CPC title

• G06F8/63

  Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order · CPC title

• G06F8/64 Primary

  Retargetable · CPC title

• G06F8/61

  Installation · CPC title