Patent ID: 8050258
Filing Date: 2011-11-01
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for handling messages in an automation system comprising programmable logic controllers (PLCs), the method comprising: connecting a plurality of PLC automation devices to form the automation system, wherein at least one of the PLC automation devices of the automation system serves as a data source, and wherein at least some of the PLC automation devices of the automation system serve as a plurality of data receivers; forwarding a message from the data source to the plurality of data receivers, wherein the message from the data source contains information representing an error report or a warning message of the automation system, the message to be processed by at least one of the automation devices serving as the plurality of data receivers, wherein, when the message containing the information representing the error report or warning message of the automation system is processed by said at least one of the plurality of data receivers, said information is no longer valid with respect to the automation devices serving as the plurality of data receivers other than said at least one data receiver; acknowledging the forwarded message by the at least one data receiver of the plurality of data receivers, wherein the acknowledging of the forwarded message by the at least one data receiver comprises an active confirmation by the at least one data receiver indicative of performing a processing of the message containing the information representing the error report or warning message of the automation system forwarded by the data source; withdrawing the forwarded message from the automation devices serving as the plurality of data receivers other than the at least one data receiver upon said acknowledging of the processing of the forwarded message by the at least one data receiver, wherein the withdrawing of the forwarded message from the automation devices serving as the plurality of data receivers other than the at least one data receiver is performed automatically by the automation device serving as the data source; and displaying a message on the respective automation devices serving as data receivers from which the forwarded message was withdrawn, the displayed message indicative that the forwarded message was previously processed by the at least one data receiver.