WO2013030619A1

WO2013030619A1 - A method and a system for aspect - oriented processing data provided by a server in industrial automation system

Info

Publication number: WO2013030619A1
Application number: PCT/IB2011/003142
Authority: WO
Inventors: Suresh Kumar; Kjell I. SVENSSON; Roger Dahlgren; Steve Murphy; Yadab DAS
Original assignee: Abb Technology Ltd
Priority date: 2011-08-29
Filing date: 2011-12-23
Publication date: 2013-03-07

Abstract

The invention provides a method for processing data provided by a server, to perform one or more operation. The method includes acquiring the data and metadata from the said server by one or more client either together or separately. Analyzing the data or metadata or both by the client. This is followed by identifying one or more allowable operations from the said data or metadata or both by the client. Performing the said one or more operation that been identified as the one or more allowable operation, by the said client. The invention also provides a system for and in which, the data provided by a server is processed to perform one or more operation in accordance with the method of the invention.

Description

A METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR ASPECT - ORIENTED PROCESSING DATA PROVIDED BY A SERVER IN INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION SYSTEM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to distributed application structure, and more particularly to a method and a system for processing data provided by a server and to provide shared understanding between server and remote clients.

BACKGROUND

Generally, industrial automation systems are based on client - server model of information exchange. The client - server model is a distributed application structure, in which the tasks or workloads are partitioned or divided between the providers of a resource or service, called servers, and service requesters, called clients. In an industrial automation system, industrial controller primarily corresponds to a server as applied to client - server model.

Currently, the information that is exchanged between the server and client is usually raw data or simply called data. Sometimes, syntax for displaying the raw data is sent along with the raw data. Here, the knowledge of semantics of the raw data that being sent by the server needs to be preconfigured in the client, enabling the client to act on the raw data upon receiving the raw data from the server. In other words, the client is required to be preconfigured with sufficient knowledge of the semantics of the raw data so that the client can act on the raw data based on the said preconfigured knowledge.

Any change in the behaviour or workflow defined by the server in relation to raw data requires corresponding changes to be incorporated in the respective clients in order to suit the changes in the behaviour or workflow. Such changes include the changes pertaining to the knowledge of semantics of the raw data and that needs to be preconfigured in the client, as applicable and required.

Hence, there is a need for a solution that caters to the changes in the behaviour or workflow defined by the server without having involved the knowledge of semantics of the raw data or of its changes preconfigured in the client, and also to act on the raw data accordingly. The invention is aimed at providing such solution.

OBJECTS OF THE INEVNTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a method for processing data provided by a server, in which the client is independent of the changes in the behaviour or workflow defined by the server. It is also an object of the invention to provide a method for processing data provided by a server, by which the client acts on the said data accordingly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a system for and in which the method in accordance with the invention is performed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly the invention provides a method for processing data provided by a server, to perform one or more operation. The method of the invention comprises the steps of acquiring the data and metadata from the server by one or more client; analyzing the acquired data or metadata or both by the client; identifying one or more allowable operations, from the data or metadata or both, by the client; and performing the one or more operation that have been identified as the one or more allowable operation, by the client.

Accordingly the invention in another embodiment also provides a method for processing data provided by a server, to perform one or more operation. The method of the invention comprises the steps of acquiring the data from the said server by one or more client; analyzing the acquired data by the client; acquiring metadata accordingly and corresponding to the acquired data from the server, by the client; identifying one or more allowable operations, from the data or metadata or both, by the client; and performing the one or more operation that have been identified as the one or more allowable operation, by the client.

Accordingly the invention also provides a system for and in which, data provided by a server is processed to perform one or more operation, in accordance with the method of the invention. The system of the invention comprises

a server; atleast one client; and a communication network connecting the server and atleast one client and/or of the clients. The said client is preconfigured with vocabulary and / or instructions or the like corresponding to metadata and of the data thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

With reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows a flowchart depicting the method of the invention; Fig. 2 shows a system for and in which, the method of the invention is performed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION:

The invention is herein explained with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 depicting the method and system of the invention, respectively, through non exhaustive exemplary embodiments.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the method (100) of the invention for processing data and a system (200) for performing the method of the invention is shown respectively. The method of the invention is also said to be performed in the system (200).

In a system (200) comprising a server (201) and atleast one client (202), the server and the clients are distributed following client - server model. One or more of these clients (202) may be remote or co- located. The clients and server are connected through and by a communication network (203), and as applicable and required, connection between the clients are established through and by the communication network (203). The communication network referred herein in the description may be a communication network that is wired or wireless or both, and include but not limited to ethernet, short range communication, bluetooth, serial communication etc.

One or more of the clients (202) in the system (200) when required to perform an operation initiates the process for the same and is done in coordination with the server (201). The method for performing the operation by the client involves processing of required data. Such method is described through the method ( 100) of the invention.

The client (202) sends a request to the server (201) in relation to an operation. The server (201) in response to the request for data sent by the client (202) provides data to the client (202). The data that been sent to the client (202) by the server (201) is a raw data. Currently, the semantics of the raw data is interpreted by the client (202) requesting the raw data using the knowledge of the semantics of the raw data already predefined or preconfigured accordingly in each of the clients (202). Upon interpreting the semantics of the raw data, corresponding operation or action is performed by the client (202). It can be noticed that the processing of the data is more reliant on the knowledge of the semantics preconfigured in the clients (202). In the event of any change occurring in the server (201), required changes needs to be incorporated in the clients (202) accordingly. Sometimes, though this is manageable it is not simple. It makes the system less flexible to accommodate changes in the behaviour of the server.

Considering the limitations described above, the method (100) for processing the data is proposed by the invention. Here, the clients (202) requiring the necessary data for performing an operation makes a request for the said data to the server (201). The server (201) accordingly provides the necessary and requested data to the clients (202) requesting the same. In addition to this, the server (201) also provides metadata which purports to the semantics of the data, that provide information about one or more aspects such as workflow, way to interpret the said data, format of request, order of request or the like of the said data provided by the said server. The metadata is provided by the server (201 ) either along with the data in an embedded manner or separately. If in the case of metadata been provided separately, the server

(201) provides the metadata to the clients (202) upon either receiving acknowledgement of receipt of data from the client (202) or receiving a request for metadata from the client (202) separately. Metadata been provided along with data in an embedded manner also include coexistence of metadata with data if not actually been embedded. Such step of acquiring data and metadata from the server (201) by the client

(202) is represented in step (101).

Along the manner of acquiring metadata in accordance with the invention it can be understood that knowledge of semantics need not be preconfigured in the client (202) so as to interpret the semantics of the data. This is addressed by providing metadata having necessary semantics directly by the server (201 ) thereby making the system (200) more flexible to accommodate changes in the behaviour of the server or of any workflow and eliminating the need to incorporate corresponding changes in the clients.

The client (202) analyses (102) the data and metadata in relation to the operation intended to be performed by the client (202). Analyzing the data and metadata through step (102) may include reading the data and metadata provided by the server (201). From the provided data and metadata, especially, the client identifies through step (103) all allowable operations that can be performed in respect of the data been provided. In step (104) the client checks whether the requested or intended or desired operation that needs to be performed is allowable as inferred from the allowable operations that are identified. The client (202) thereafter as represented in step (105) performs the operation by and after having processing the data provided by the server (201), and according to the corresponding or respective action predefined or preconfigured by way of corresponding vocabulary or instructions or the like, in the client (202). It can be understood that the behaviour of the client which may be remote, is dependent on the semantics of the data provided by the server and not on the knowledge of the semantics as known to the contrary. This makes the system more flexible and also stable without being susceptible to changes and of the needs thereof.

Besides performing the operation, as applicable, the invention is further extended catering to displaying the relevant and desired information through a user interface. Also, changes that occur dynamically in the server or of the system can be dealt with accordingly with respect to performing an operation or of displaying information. The invention is not limited to a particular protocol or of data formats. It can be coextensively applied any client - server model employing any protocol or data formats.

The invention is not restricted by the preferred embodiment described herein in the description. It is to be noted that the invention is explained by way of exemplary embodiment and is neither exhaustive nor limiting. Certain aspects of the invention that not been elaborated herein in the description are well understood by one skilled in the art. Also, the terms relating to singular form used herein in the description also include its plurality and vice versa, wherever applicable. Any relevant modification or variation, which is not described specifically in the specification are in fact to be construed of being well within the scope of the invention.

Claims

WE CLAIM:

1. A method for processing data provided by a server, to perform one or more operation , wherein the said method comprising the steps of:

acquiring the said data and metadata from the said server by one or more client;

analyzing the said data or metadata or both by the said client;

identifying one or more allowable operations, from the said data or metadata or both, by the said client; and

performing the said one or more operation that been identified as the said one or more allowable operation, by the said client.

2. A method for processing data provided by a server, to perform one or more operation , wherein the said method comprising the steps of:

acquiring the said data from the said server by one or more client;

analyzing the said data by the said client;

acquiring a metadata accordingly and corresponding to the said data from the said server, by the said client;

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the said one or more operation corresponds to one or more requested and / or desired operation that been requested by the said client to the said server.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the step of acquiring the said data includes making suitable request by the said one or more client to the said server corresponding to performing the said one or more operation by the said client.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the said metadata is a data that provide information about one or more aspects such as workflow, way to interpret the said data, format of request, order of request or the like of the said data provided by the said server.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the said metadata is embedded with the said data provided by the said server.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the step of analyzing the said data or metadata includes reading the said data or metadata accordingly by the said client.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the step of performing the said one or more operation by the said client is based on the vocabulary and / or instructions or the like corresponding to the said metadata and of the said data thereof.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the said vocabulary and / or instructions or the like are preconfigured in the said one or more client.

10. A system for and in which, data provided by a server is processed to perform one or more operation in accordance with the method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the said system comprising:

a server;

atleast one client; and

a communication network connecting the said server and the said atleast one client and/or of the said clients, wherein the said client is preconfigured with vocabulary and / or instructions or the like corresponding to metadata and of the said data thereof.