EP1646943A1

EP1646943A1 - Method for controlling an exchange of data

Info

Publication number: EP1646943A1
Application number: EP04738790A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Thomas Jachmann; Uwe RÜCKL
Original assignee: Siemens AG
Current assignee: Siemens AG
Priority date: 2003-07-22
Filing date: 2004-06-23
Publication date: 2006-04-19
Also published as: CN1826587A; CN100367215C; WO2005010753A1; DE10333888B3; US20060176891A1; HK1091917A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for exchanging data between a communications unit (7, 8, 9) and a data source (2, 3, 4) of a control system (1), during which a runtime system comprised of hardware components (2, 3, 4) and software components (5, 6) transfers data between the data source (6, 7, 8) and a communications unit (7, 8, 9), and a processing chain (10) controls and/or monitors the exchange of data. The aim of the invention is to provide a method of the aforementioned type that can be modified easily and without interrupting the runtime system. To this end, the invention provides that the processing chain (10) is composed of processing routines (11), which each have a uniform input interface, whereby the processing routines (11) are called up in succession, and the data of a called up processing routine (11) are fed to the input interface of an immediately subsequent processing routine (11). In addition, the runtime system manages a dynamic storage area and accesses this storage area in order to establish the sequence with which the processing routines (11) are called up.

Description

description

Method of controlling data exchange

The invention relates to a method for exchanging data between a communication unit and a data source, in which a runtime system consisting of hardware and software components transmits data between the data source and a communication unit and a processing chain controls and / or monitors the exchange of data.

Such a method is already known from the state of the art. For example, control center systems are usually used to monitor and control large-scale networks such as energy supply networks, water supply lines and rail systems. Larger properties can also be equipped with control center systems to control air conditioning systems, elevators, lighting systems or the like. The components required to control such branched systems are therefore also generally distributed or, in other words, distributed over a large area and connected to one another via a runtime system which has at least one expedient communication network and programmable computer units on which expedient runtime programs enable the exchange of information , In general, hardware interfaces are used for data exchange between the components that supply process values, for example, on the one hand, and the decentrally installed software components of the runtime system, on the other hand. A communication unit, such as an input computer connected to the hardware interface via the communication network, is provided to query these process values. Thieves- Work chain is used to control the data exchange between the components and the communication unit.

For example, the processing chain checks the user name entered in the runtime system for logging in, as well as the relevant password for the authorization to receive the process values of the selected component. In this way, sensitive process values can be shielded from the knowledge of certain users. In addition, machining chains are known which are equipped with a so-called error analysis, by means of which the processing chain, the presence of Inco incompatibili- ty between components used or software modules indicating and, if appropriate solutions to remedy ^'exhibits such shortcomings.

The known method has the disadvantage that the processing chain is monolithically embedded in the source code of the runtime programs that run during normal operation of the control center system. In this way, such processing steps for controlling the data exchange can only be changed by changing the source code of these software components. After the change, the entire runtime programs must be recompiled and installed on the hardware components.

The object of the invention is to provide a method of the type mentioned at the outset which can be changed or expanded easily and without interrupting the runtime system.

The invention achieves this object in that the processing chain is composed of processing routines, each of which has a uniform input interface, the processing routines being called up in succession and the data of a called processing routine of the input interface are fed to a processing routine immediately following it, and that the runtime system manages a dynamic memory area and accesses it in order to determine the order in which the processing routines are called.

According to the invention, the control and monitoring of the exchange of data is designed to be flexible and can be changed as desired even after the runtime system has been started up. For this purpose, the data is processed in sequence, for example a user-entered request for process values of the component, in order of processing routines. The processing routines monitor the queries, for example by storing them in access files, or control them by adding additional data, for example. Each machining routine has a software-defined input interface that is identical for all machining routines. For the exchange, the data processed by the respective processing routine are then fed to the input interface of the immediately following processing routine. In other words, each processing routine is compatible or interchangeable with the other processing routines due to its uniform input interface. The processing routines can therefore be called in any order without the data exchange between the processing routines causing error messages or worse damage. According to the invention, the runtime system comprises runtime programs and hardware components that consist of computers, physical

Control center networks, interfaces or the like are composed. The physical control center networks include also wireless network connections. The runtime programs can be distributed over the hardware components.

In order to be able to change the sequence of the processing routines according to the respective requirements even while the software components of the runtime system are running, the software of the runtime system manages a dynamic memory area, the memory size of which can thus also be changed during the operation of the runtime system. The runtime system accesses processing data stored in the memory area to determine the sequence in which the processing routines are called. The processing data can be, for example, a configuration file in which the addresses of the desired processing routines are listed line by line, the runtime system processing the lines one after the other and thereby calling the processing routine listed in each line by their address. The runtime system processes the lines of configuration data sequentially until the end of the configuration file is displayed to the runtime system.

As a result of the dynamic management of the memory area, any number of lines can be provided and any number of processing routines can be called up. This can advantageously be used as early as the development of the software components of the runtime system by integrating error diagnosis or, in other words, error analysis routines into the processing chain. After the runtime programs run largely error-free, the number of error diagnosis routines can be greatly reduced in order to use them

How to increase the speed of a data exchange or in other words to improve the so-called performance of the runtime system. This is by no means necessary Change software components of the runtime system. Within the scope of the invention, for example, only a re-parameterization is to be carried out. This also applies to the search for errors after the implementation of the runtime system, which can be limited, for example, by the subsequent addition of error analysis routines in the processing chain.

Both hardware components and software components are suitable as data sources. For example, the data source can be a component of a control center system, the runtime system being connected to the component via appropriate interfaces. Deviating from this, however, the data source can also be a software module, for example a software driver, or a database with information data that correspond to a specific state or the version of a system.

According to the invention, the dynamically managed memory area is a memory area of the so-called RAM memory of a computer.

The data are advantageously provided with a user ID, at least one authorization routine checking the user ID for a match with entries in predefined user lists and, if it is found that there is no match between the user ID and the user lists, the forwarding of the data is terminated. In this way, only those process values are displayed for which the user is authorized to receive. Sensitive data can thus be displayed user-specifically. Within the scope of the invention, the user ID does not necessarily have to have an individualization character. For example, the user ID can have a role-specific character in that the user as such has a particular character Group or role is assigned. For example, the user can be characterized as a developer or parameterizer by the user ID.

It is furthermore expedient to provide the data with a data source-specific source data identifier, one or more of the processing routines controlling the exchange of the data as a function of the source data identifier. Like the user ID, the source data is identified by adding so-called metadata to the data to be exchanged.

According to a further development which is advantageous in this regard, at least one processing routine is a buffering routine in which buffering data, each with a buffering data identifier, are buffered, the buffering routine displaying the buffering data identifier assigned to the buffering data identifier and the exchange of the data if the source data identifier matches one of the buffering data identifier - breaks. If the source data identifier is, for example, a component identifier, it is possible, for example, to prompt the processing routine when certain process values of a control center system are queried to temporarily store certain process values. The temporarily stored process values are, for example, process values that change only slowly or not at all in comparison with the polling frequency, or parameters that were entered by an authorized third party. When queried again, the processing routine, which is also called the buffering or caching routine, for example, makes the requested process value available without the corresponding component being accessed by the runtime system. Access by the runtime system to the Component has become superfluous, which speeds up the process.

In this context, any other display options are conceivable that cannot be listed in detail here. For example, a so-called enrichment routine can convert coded data from the runtime system into user-understandable data. In order to control the data display or the data flow, the enrichment routine also adds additional control or, in other words, metadata to the data to be exchanged between the communication unit and the data source.

One of the processing routines is advantageously an error analysis routine which checks the data for the presence of errors. This can be any fault analysis tool. For example, the data can be checked to determine whether letters or the like have been entered instead of a natural number or an integer. However, the error analysis routine can also monitor the compatibility of protocols or hardware components of the runtime system.

At least one processing routine is advantageously a monitoring routine which stores the data and / or monitoring data derived from the data in a monitoring file. In this monitoring file, for example, all accesses to the runtime system are stored in one month, so that it can be documented who accessed which data source, for example a component of a control center system, when. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the runtime system has a network server with a server program and at least one client computer with a browser program, each browser program accessing the server program via the Internet. In this exemplary embodiment of the invention, data exchange is not only made possible, for example, not only via a control center communication network which is closed to the outside, but also via existing connections to the Internet which have already been physically implemented. Of course, it is also possible within the scope of the invention, for example, to integrate the communication network of the control center system into a superordinate so-called intranet, which in turn can be connected to the Internet.

According to a further development in this regard, at least one processing routine is a tracing routine, which checks the path of the data in the runtime system and generates security parameters as a function of the check. Based on these security parameters, the display or forwarding of the data can now be controlled, for example. If, for example, a user of the method is connected to the runtime system via a so-called intranet, fewer concerns about data sensitivity or security are generally required, since access to the intranet is generally made more difficult by unauthorized persons. In local applications, security concerns can be almost completely eliminated, while only insensitive data or process values are displayed when accessed via the Internet.

A configuration file is expediently loaded into the dynamic memory area, the configuration file determining the structure and the sequence of the processing routines. The configuration file is, for example, at Initialization of the runtime system called. In addition, however, it is also possible for the user to trigger the call of the configuration file by the runtime system. The configuration file can also be called up after the implementation by the runtime system without the user, for example at certain times.

Further useful embodiments and advantages of the invention are the subject of the following description with reference to the figure of the drawing, wherein

FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram for the schematic representation of the method according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a flow chart to illustrate the method according to the invention. A control center system 1 is schematically shown, which consists of local protection devices 2 and 3 and a central control center 4 for controlling and monitoring the protection devices 2, 3. The protective devices 2 and 3 are connected to voltage converters, not shown in the figures, which are coupled on the primary side to a network branch of an energy distribution network, likewise not shown. The transformer current on the secondary side, which is proportional to the current in the network branch, is sampled by a measured value acquisition unit of the protective device 2 to obtain sampled values, and the sampled values are then digitized to digital current values. The protective devices 2 or 3 can trigger appropriate switches or circuit breakers that interrupt the current flow in the network branch, for example if the digital current values exceed a threshold value in the event of a short circuit, for example. The protective devices 2 or 3 are arranged in the immediate vicinity of the network branch, ie the primary conductor. The control center 4 is provided for monitoring and controlling the protective devices 2 or 3. For this purpose, it is connected to the protective devices 2 and 3 via an expedient communication network, not shown in the figures. To ensure a secure data exchange between the protective devices 2 or 3 and the control center 4, a continuously running runtime program 5 is provided, which is distributed over the hardware components of the runtime system. The runtime program 5 accesses via hardware driver 6

Hardware interfaces of components 2, 3, 4 of the control center system 1. For example, digital current values of the protective device 2 are stored in a register of the protective device 2 and can be supplied to the control center 4 via the communication network (not shown), the hardware drivers 6 taking over the addressing and control of the data flow together with the runtime program 5.

In order to be able to monitor the states of the components 2, 3 or 4 of the control center system 1 from the outside, that is to say from locations that are not integrated in the communication network of the control center system 1, communication units such as, for example, a stationary single-user computer 7, a laptop 8 or a so-called PDA are provided connected to the internet via a modem connection, ISDN, DSL or a wireless local network connection. The runtime system comprises an Internet computer on which a server program of the runtime program 5 runs. The communication units use their browser programs 14 to access the server program via the lines of the Internet. It is therefore possible for a user to query and / or control process values of the control center system 1 via the Internet. To control the data exchange between components 2,

3 and 4 of the control center system 1 and the communication units 7, 8 and 9, a processing chain 10 is provided, which is composed of processing routines 11 running one after the other. In order to enable a smooth data exchange between the processing routines 11 in any order, the software each have a uniform output interface and a uniform input interface, the data to be controlled and monitored from the output interface of one of the processing routines to the input interface of the subsequent processing routine subsequently called reach.

To query the current value digitized by the protective device 2, a user establishes, for example, the physical connection of his PDA to the Internet using the PDA 9 via a wireless, so-called Bluetooth connection. The user then logs on to the runtime program 5 via his PDA 9, stating his user name and password. Then, for example, he selects protective device 2 and the process value required by protective device 2 from a protective device tree displayed to him. Depending on the selection on the PDA 9, the runtime program 5 generates a component identifier as source data identifier that is specific to the protective device 2. In other words, a component address is generated depending on the selection made by the user. Furthermore, a register address for the selection of the desired current value is generated. The runtime program 5 also generates control data, in this case a so-called “read signal, with which the addressed hardware interface is informed that the addressed register is to be read out. Before running through the processing chain 10 Data still includes a user ID depending on the user name.

In the event of a request for representation of the digital current value of the protective device 2, these request data pass through the processing chain 10 in a request direction 12. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the first processing routine is a security routine 11a, which accepts the data at its input interface from the runtime program 5. The security routine 11a determines whether the user is authorized to query the data. For this purpose, the security routine 11a compares the user ID of the query data with lists embedded in the security routine and only forwards the data to the output interface of the authorization routine 11a if the user ID matches an entry in this list.

From there, the data arrive at the input interface of a buffer routine 11b. The buffer routine 11b checks whether the requested process values are specific process parameters that were defined by the software when the buffer routine was created. Such process values are, for example, only slowly or not at all changing process values compared to the time interval between two successive queries.

If the buffer routine 11b determines that such a specific process parameter stored in it by a previous query is queried, it makes this previously queried process parameter available and aborts the further query. Otherwise, it passes the data directly to a user routine 11c via its output interface. The user routine 11c passes the data in the request direction 12 to a so-called person without processing the data Tracing routine lld continues, from which the runtime program 5 takes over the processed data again. In the request direction 12, the data is not processed by the tracing routine lld either.

The runtime program 5 then accesses the process values of the selected component 2 via the assigned hardware interface 6 and adds a current value as a process value to the data. The runtime program 5 then transfers the data with the current value of the input interface

Tracing routine lld. The data now runs through the processing chain 10 in the direction 13. The tracing routine lld uses the query data to check from which point the user accesses the runtime program 5. If the user has logged on to the runtime program 5, for example via a local network which is very difficult to access from the outside, the display options of the runtime program are not restricted by the tracing routine lld. In the present example, however, the user of the PDA 9 is logged on to the runtime program 5 via the Internet, so that for security reasons only limited information should be displayed. For this purpose, the tracing routine lld adds further security data to the queried current value and the remaining query data, with which a specific display format of the runtime program 5 is generated.

The data then arrives at the user routine 11c, which adds display parameters to the data depending on the role of the user. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the user is a parameterizer for whom even highly specialized display data, for example for the determination of errors, could be helpful, which, on the other hand, are confusing for the normal user. The user routine 11c submits the request data forth such display parameters that cause the runtime program 5 to display all data.

The data then passes from the user routine 11c to the buffering routine 11b. In the direction of the arrow 13 shown, the buffering routine 11b and the security routine 11a do not process the data. The security routine 11a finally sends this to the runtime program 5, which displays the data on the PDA 9 in accordance with the processing parameters.

Claims

claims

1. A method for exchanging data between a communication unit (7,8,9) and a data source (2,3,4), in which a runtime system consisting of hardware (2,3,4) and software components (5, 6) Data is transmitted between the component (6, 7, 8) and a communication unit (7, 8, 9) and a processing chain (10) controls and / or monitors the exchange of the data, characterized in that the processing chain (10) consists of processing routines (11 ), which each have a uniform input interface, the processing routines (11) being called up one after the other and the data of a called processing routine (11) being fed to the input interface of a processing routine (11) immediately following it, and that the runtime system manages a dynamic memory area and accesses this to determine the order in which the processing routines (11) are called.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the data are provided with a user ID, wherein at least one authorization routine (11a) checks the user ID for a match with entries in predetermined user lists and the forwarding if a mismatch is found between the user ID and the user lists the data is canceled.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, that the data are provided with a data source-specific source data identifier, one or more of the processing routines (lld) controlling the processing of the data by the processing routine (lld) depending on the source data identifier.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one processing routine (11) is a buffering routine (11b) in which buffering data are buffered, each with a buffering data identifier, the buffering routine (11b) if the source data identifier matches one of the buffering data identifier displays the buffer data assigned to the buffer data identifier and interrupts the exchange of the data.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, which means that at least one processing routine (11) is a fault analysis routine which checks the data for the presence of predetermined faults.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the processing routine (11) is a monitoring routine which stores the data and / or monitoring data derived from the data in a monitoring file.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, that the runtime system has a network server with a server program and at least one client computer with a browser program (14), each browser program (14) accessing the server program via the Internet.

8. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, that a at least one processing routine (11) is a tracing routine (lld) which checks the path of the data in the runtime system and generates security parameters as a function of the check.

9. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, that a configuration file is loaded into the dynamic memory area, the configuration file determining the structure and the sequence of the processing routines.