Patent · US Expired

Industrial controller programming method using external connection database

US5564049A · kind A · utility

15Cited by
6References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 29, 1994
Grant dateOct 8, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 29, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG05B19/0426
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Subprograms together making up an industrial controller program are encapsulated in shells which make explicit the connection relationships and data flow directions of the subprogram normally implicit in the sharing of variables. The shells also identify the consumer/producer relationship of the variables as may be used to identify data contention problems. Actual connections between subprograms along which variables may be shared are externalized in a connection database that permits ready cross-referencing of such data sharing. Connection information stored in the shell may be used when a shell is cut and pasted to provide an initial suggestion of how to connect the new pasted shell. The automatic reconnection of the pasted shell refers to the previous connections and makes use of a hierarchical arrangement previously determined by the programmer reflecting the logic of the program.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.