Abstract:
The invention presents a system and a method for assisting automation control module (ACM) customers to retrieve information relevant to their specific ACM(s). A service-portal ACM combines a conventional ACM with a service portal and/or a general-purpose computer to facilitate locating relevant information by the customers. The service-portal ACM comprises a first central processing unit (CPU), and a first memory operably connected to the first CPU. A second CPU is operably connected to the first CPU, and a second memory is operably connected to the second CPU for storing a service-portal database containing a first set of service-portal data and one or more links to a second set of service-portal data stored in a remote network server. A first network interface is operably connected to the second CPU and to a gateway configured for enabling the second CPU to communicate with the remote network server.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   The invention relates generally to a system and a method for improving customer accessibility to service-portal data of automation control modules (ACMs) and, more particularly, to a system and a method for providing ACM customers with a service-portal enabled ACM. 
   Automation customers need access to additional product, accessory, or service information in order to evaluate, design, implement, commission, and/or maintain their automation system. With the acceptance of the World-Wide Web (“Web”) as a standard source of information, customers typically have access to standard Web browsers which can be used to obtain information on automation products such as automation control modules (ACMs). However, the links to such information may not always be immediately available to the customer. Moreover, some links may lead to incorrect information, in part because some customers may not be aware of minor differences between similar products and/or services provided by a manufacturer or vendor. Thus, the customers need to verify product information using more conventional ways of communication such as telephone communication. 
   Normally, ACM manufacturers and vendors provide information on their products and/or services in their Web sites. More often than not, however, customers desire information relevant only to their ACMs. Thus, they may have to spend much time and effort in looking up the right information. 
   Further, automation customers use Web server information on an ACM in their daily automation activities to monitor and control automation operations. During these activities, the customers are likely to need additional information to support evaluation, design, implementation, commissioning, and maintenance of automation equipment or services. 
   Accordingly, there is a need for a system and a method for providing ACM customers with customer-specific information on the products that they are using. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   The present invention includes a service-portal automation control module (ACM). The service-portal ACM comprises a first central processing unit (CPU); a first memory operably connected to the first CPU; a second CPU operably connected to the first CPU; a second memory operably connected to the second CPU; and a first network interface operably connected to the second CPU and to a gateway. 
   The first CPU is configured for processing automation control signals. The second memory contains a first set of service-portal data and one or more links to a second set of service-portal data stored in a remote network server. The first network is configured for enabling the second CPU to communicate with the remote network server. 
   The present invention also discloses a method for displaying service-portal data relevant to a user&#39;s ACM in a web browser. The method comprises the steps of opening the web browser in a computer; requesting service-portal data relevant to a user&#39;s ACM; determining whether the requested service-portal data is stored in a service-portal database stored in a memory operably connected to the computer; retrieving the requested service-portal data from the service-portal database; and displaying the requested service-portal data in the Web browser. 
   The method also comprises the steps of opening the web browser in a computer; requesting service-portal data relevant to a user&#39;s ACM; determining whether the requested service-portal data is stored in a service-portal database stored in a memory operably connected to the computer; retrieving at least one link to the requested service-portal data from the service-portal database; retrieving the requested service-portal data from an ACM-manufacturer network server; and displaying the requested service-portal data in the Web browser. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  FIG. 1  depicts a high-level block diagram showing a system embodying features of the present invention;  FIG. 2  depicts a high-level block diagram showing an alternate system embodying features of the present invention;  FIG. 3  depicts a high-level block diagram showing still another embodiment of the present invention; and  FIG. 4  depicts a flow diagram illustrating a principle mode of operation according to the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The principles of the present invention and their advantages are best understood by referring to the illustrated embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 1-4 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , the reference numeral  100  designates a high-level description of a system embodying the present invention. The system  100  includes a service-portal and network-server subsystem (“service portal”)  102  embedded in a service-portal automation control module (ACM)  104 . 
   The system  100  preferably includes a gateway  106 , which comprises a physical medium and intermediate devices such as routers and switches, not shown, but considered to be well-known in the art. The gateway  106  preferably connects a general-purpose computer  108  to the ACM  104  through the service portal  102  embedded in the service-portal ACM  104 . The gateway  106  is preferably also connected to an ACM-manufacturer network server  110  through a connection  112 . 
   Typically, the connection  112  is the Internet, however, it may also be other types of connections such as a direct serial connection. Preferably, the ACM-manufacturer network server  110  is a network server maintained by an ACM manufacturer. In a preferred embodiment, the ACM-manufacturer network server  110  is a Web server configured for providing Web pages via the Internet. 
   Preferably, the general-purpose computer  108  is equipped with interconnected components (not shown) such as a CPU, a memory, a network interface, and a user interface. The memory generally comprises one or more storage devices including but not limited to a hard drive, RAM, ROM, and a tape drive, or any combination thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the general-purpose computer  108  functions as a client computer running a Web browser or any other software tool that makes request(s) to download serviceportal Web page(s) from the ACM-manufacturer network server  110  to the service-portal ACM  104  through the gateway  106 . 
   The block  116  designates a conventional ACM without the service-portal functionality provided by the service portal  102 . Generally, the conventional ACM  116  comprises an ACM CPU  118 , a system memory  120 , and an ACM I/O backplane interface (“backplane interface”)  122 . The ACM CPU  118  carries out typical ACM functions such as user logic and function block execution, I/O scanning, and communications to other devices. Generally, an ACM includes any device used to control the automation of an activity. Examples of ACMs include, but are not limited to, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), computer numeral controllers (CNCs), motion control products, home automation products, and commercial automation products. Accordingly, the conventional ACM  116  may include additional elements not shown in  FIG. 1 , but are considered to be well-known in the art. 
   The system memory  120  generally comprises one or more storage devices (not shown) including, but not limited to, a hard drive, RAM, ROM, and a tape drive, or any combination thereof. Preferably, the system memory  120  stores ACM CPU  118 &#39;s operating system software, the ACM&#39;s automation control program(s) and data, and a configuration file (not shown). Alternatively, the configuration file may be stored in a memory (not shown) of the service-portal ACM  102 . The configuration file refers to a file describing the location, type, mapping, and option selections for all modules in the service-portal ACM  104 . Preferably, the configuration file is downloaded from the ACM-manufacturer network server  110  to the service-portal ACM  104  via the gateway  106  and the connection  112 . Alternatively, the configuration file may be stored in the system memory  120  via a direct serial connection to the ACM from a general purpose computer (not shown but well-known in the art) or stored at the time the conventional ACM  116  is manufactured. 
   The service portal  102  preferably comprises service-portal database  124 , a network server  126 , and a network interface  128 . The service-portal database  124  includes service-portal data and/or links to service-portal data stored in the ACM-manufacturer network server  110 . In a preferred embodiment, the service-portal database  124  takes a Hypertext-Markup-Language (HTML) or Extensible Markup Language (XML) form or any form equivalent thereto to facilitate communications using HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or any equivalent protocol via the gateway  106 . For example, the user  114  may click the links to automatically connect to the ACM-manufacturer network server  110  to bring up the requested service-portal data stored therein. Preferably, the service-portal database  124  is stored in a memory (not shown) of the network server  126 , which generally comprises one or more storage devices including, but not limited to, a hard drive, RAM, ROM, and a tape drive, and the like, or any combination thereof. The network server  126  has its own CPU and/or logic circuits to process instructions relating to the communications with the general-purpose computer  108  and the ACM-manufacturer network server  110  through the network interface  128  and the gateway  106 . The network interface  128  provides a low-level protocol such as TCP/IP, as well as physical connections to the gateway  106  through a connection  130 . The connection  130 , along with the service portal  102  and the general-purpose computer  108 , may constitute a direct serial network, a local area network (LAN), or other types of local networks preferably compatible with TCP/IP protocol or equivalent protocol. 
   The service-portal data includes any useful information to help customers evaluate, order, or use products and/or services. For example, the service-portal data may include, but is not limited to, pricing, order information, trouble shooting, knowledge base, data sheets, start-up information, application notes, wiring diagrams, firmware downloads, product registration, warranty information, sales promotions, payment options, financing, manufacturer&#39;s home page, and the like. A user  114  may use the general-purpose computer  108  to view service-portal data transmitted from the ACM-manufacturer network server  110 . 
   In a preferred embodiment, the service-portal data stored in the service-portal database  124  is customer-specific data frequently requested by the user  114  and most relevant to the ACM and its configuration file. Since the network server  126  can independently communicate with the ACM-manufacturer network server  110  as mentioned above, customer-specific service portal data may be transmitted from the ACM-manufacturer network server  110  to the service portal  102 , based on the information contained in the configuration file. Alternatively, the user  114  may initiate such transmission through the user interface of the general-purpose computer  108 . In any case, the service-portal database  124  contains links to such data normally available from the ACM-manufacturer network server  110 . Since the server-portal database  124  contains the requested data itself and/or a link to such data, the user  114  may efficiently retrieve any server-portal data. 
   Preferably, the network server  126  receives HTTP requests from the general-purpose computer  108  via the network interface  128  and gateway  106 . Typically, these requests use the HTTP “Get” command to request the service-portal Web page(s). Then, the network server  126  retrieves the service-portal Web page(s) and provides an HTTP response back to the general-purpose computer  108 . A more detailed illustration of the mode of operations is provided below with respect to  FIG. 4 . 
   The service portal  102  communicates with the conventional ACM  116  through a connection  132 . Preferably, the connection  132  is a system bus connecting the network server  126  and the ACM CPU  118 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the system memory  120  may have direct access to the connection  132  through a separate system bus  134 . Alternatively, the system buses  132  and  134  may be integrated as a single system bus. Also, the connection  132  may include some interfacing schemes not shown. Since these schemes are generally well-known in the art, they are not illustrated herein. 
   The ACM CPU  118  communicates with one or more interface modules  136  via an ACM backplane  138 . The backplane interface  122  provides an interface between the ACM CPU  118  and the interface modules  136 . The ACM backplane  138  provides a physical and electrical means for connecting various interface modules  136  to the ACM CPU  118  so that data can be exchanged between the interface modules  136  and the ACM CPU  118 . 
   The interface modules  136  provide an interface for real-world inputs to the ACM CPU  118  as parameters for logic and/or function block execution. Examples of such real-world inputs include, but are not limited to, limit/proximity switch status, the position of an object, temperature, pressure, and the like. Additionally, the interface modules  136  provide an interface to real-world outputs as commanded by the ACM CPU  118  to control output devices such as actuators, contactors, and solenoids. The interface module  136  can perform I/O interface or other types of interface, including but not limited to interfaces to various communications networks/protocols such as RS-232, Profibus, DeviceNet etc., interface to servo motors for controlling position and speed of motors, pulse counting, voice and/or video input/output. Multiple interface modules  136  may be connected to the ACM backplane  138 , and overall system performance varies proportionally to the number of interface modules  136  connected to the ACM backplane  138 . 
     FIG. 2  depicts a high-level description of a system  200  embodying features of the present invention. The system  200  is similar to the system  100  of  FIG. 1 , except that the service portal  102  of  FIG. 2  is not embedded in the service-portal ACM  104  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Instead, the service portal  102  of  FIG. 2  is a separate module connected to the conventional ACM  116  via ACM backplane  138 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the ACM backplane  138  is connected to the service portal  102 , and preferably to the network server  126 . Except for this difference in the implementation of the service portal  102 , the underlying principle of the system  200  is substantially the same as that of the system  100  and, therefore, is not described in further detail herein. 
     FIG. 3  depicts a high-level description of a system  300  embodying features of the present invention. The system  300  is similar to the system  100  of  FIG. 1  and the system  200  of  FIG. 2 , except that a service-portal computer  302  combines the functionalities of the general-purpose computer  108  and the service portal  102  as set forth in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In this configuration, the service-portal computer  302  directly communicates with the conventional ACM  116 , or preferably with the ACM CPU  118  and the system memory  120 , through a connection  304 . The service-portal database  124  is stored in the service-portal computer  302 , preferably in a memory or storage medium (not shown) of the service-portal computer  302 . The detailed structure of the service-portal computer  302  is not shown in  FIG. 3 , because it is substantially similar to that of any general-purpose computer. 
   The service-portal computer  302  could be implemented in many different ways, while still being consistent with the spirit of the present invention. For example, the service-portal computer  302  may comprise the general-purpose computer  108 , wherein the service-portal database  124  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  is stored. The service-portal data could be directly downloaded from the ACM-manufacturer network server  110  or provided off-line by the manufacturer of the conventional ACM  116 . In this case, the general-purpose computer  108  is preferably equipped with the ability to communicate with the conventional ACM  116  and the network. Alternatively, the computer/substation  302  may comprise the service portal  102  with a user interface available in the general-purpose computer  108 . 
   Except for the fact that the service-portal computer  302  replaces the service portal  102  and the general-purpose computer  108 , the underlying principle of the system  300  is substantially similar to those of the systems  100  and  200  and, therefore, is not described in further detail herein. 
     FIG. 4  depicts a flow chart  400  illustrating a principle mode of operation according to the present invention. Since the systems  100 ,  200 , and  300  differ in their structural configurations only, the flow chart  400  is equally applicable to the systems  100 ,  200 , and  300 , except for some minor details. Separate explanations will be provided for different configurations adopted by the systems  100 ,  200 , and  300 . 
   Preferably, automation customers such as the user  114  described in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3  use a Web-server interface in their daily automation activities to monitor and control automation operations. During these activities, the customers are likely to need additional information to support evaluation, designing, implementing, commissioning, or maintaining automation equipment or services. In step  402 , the user opens a Web browser from the general-purpose computer  108  (as in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ) or service-portal computer  302  (as in  FIG. 3 ). In this step, the user  114  using the system  100  or  200  interacts with the general-purpose computer  108 . The user  114  using the system  300  interacts with the service-portal computer  302 . 
   In step  404 , the user  114  requests service-portal data by using the Web browser. In  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the Web browser shows a Web page available from the service portal  124 . In  FIG. 3 , the Web page is stored in the service-portal computer  302 . In order to bring up the correct Web page containing the requested service-portal data, the user  114  types in the address of the Web page. Alternatively, the Web browser may already have the address information as a shortcut. Once the Web page is accessed, the user  14  selects text or an image indicating the requested service-portal data by using a user interface of the general-purpose computer  108  or the service-portal computer  302 . Typically, the user  14  clicks on text or image using a mouse connected to the general-purpose computer  108  or the service-portal computer  302 . Once the user  114  initiates this action, a control signal indicating the action triggers step  406 . 
   In step  406 , the service portal  102  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) or the service-portal computer  302  ( FIG. 3 ) determines whether the requested data is stored in the service-portal database  124 . If it is stored there, the requested data is retrieved from the service-portal database  124 , as in step  408  below. The retrieved data is then displayed in the Web browser, as in step  410 . 
   If, in step  406 , it is determined that the requested data is not stored in the service-portal database  124 , then a link to the requested data is retrieved from the service-portal database  124 , as in step  412 . Thus in step  414 , the requested data is automatically retrieved from the ACM-manufacturer network server  110 , to which the link points. Finally, the requested data is displayed in the Web browser in step  410 . 
   It will be understood from the foregoing description that various modifications and changes may be made in the preferred embodiment of the present invention without departing from its true spirit. It is intended that this description is for purposes of illustration only and should not be construed in a limiting sense. The scope of this invention should be limited only by the language of the following claims.