DE20314067U1 - Human-machine interface device, has web server using Internet protocol to transmit or receive commands from user connected to network, and command processor for interpreting and executing commands - Google Patents

Abstract

The HMI device has a web-server (2) with a command unit (3) for receiving commands via a communication network (4) or for interpreting the commands or executing the commands. The HMI device is connected via the network to at least one network user (5) which is able to transmit the commands. The command unit is a command processor. Internet protocol, preferably HTTP is used to receive or transmit the commands. An independent claim is included for an automation system.

Description

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Description

HMI device with web server

The invention relates to an HMI device with an integrated web server.

Technical facilities are controlled and operated using digital, programmable data processing systems. A technical facility is understood to be any type of technical device and system, both in an individual arrangement and in a data network, e.g. via a field bus. In an industrial application, technical facilities are understood to mean individual operating resources, such as drives, processing machines, intelligent measuring devices, sensors, and much more. A technical facility can also be an entire production facility in which an entire technical process is operated with locally distributed operating resources, e.g. a chemical plant, a production line or a processing plant.

Technical equipment is controlled and operated using digital, programmable data processing systems, which are often designed as an automation system or a component thereof. Automation systems have special devices that form the interface between an operator and the system. Such devices are referred to as HMI devices, i.e. human machine interfaces. These devices are also referred to as devices for "operating and monitoring" technical equipment, abbreviated to "O&M devices". These are located upstream of the devices used to directly control the technical equipment, e.g. the "PLC" programmable logic controllers. This relieves the load on a central control device, e.g. a programmable logic controller (PLC).

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The term HMI device is a generic term and also includes all components belonging to this group of devices, in particular an HMI panel. Examples of such components are "operator panels", which are often referred to as "operating panels" or "OP" for short, and industrial personal computers (IPCs) used as HMI devices or associated programming devices. Due to their special functionality, HMI devices take on functions in a networked automation system, for example, which can generally be seen as the specification and post-processing of data from the technical device to be controlled. This function is referred to as "Supervisor Control and Data Acquisition" (SCADA). For this purpose, an HMI device runs special software. This provides functions that improve the comfort, quality and safety of operation by an operator, e.g. the overview of the device to be operated and the error-free operation of operations. For example, HMI devices can be used to visualize and operate, but also to plan and generate interactive process images of the technical equipment to be operated. On the one hand, this enables a selective display of reactions from the technical equipment, usually in the form of measured values and messages. On the other hand, it is possible to transfer the technical equipment to the desired state by specifying specific operating actions. In addition to these "monitoring and operating" functions, an HMI device can also be used to carry out system-specific configurations, e.g. the configuration of interactive process images.

Servers that are connected to other computers, such as clients or remote computers, in particular via the Internet and provide them with information, usually Internet pages, or receive information from them, are called web servers. Such a web server is an application that runs on one or more computers. A web server is particularly the application that is installed on

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a software application running on a computer. If web servers are installed on any suitable device, for example computers, but also HMI devices, the corresponding device can be reached via the connected Internet and/or Intranet by other network participants, for example remote computers, regardless of the location of both the device with the web server and the network participant. Web servers today serve as a universal information provider on the Internet, but also in local networks that are based on Internet technologies. The option of web server extension modules is often used here, e.g. to enable access to databases, forms, etc. Communication between network participants and web servers usually takes place according to the HTTP protocol (HTTP = Hyper Text Transfer Protocol).

By installing a web server on an HMI device, the HMI device has an interface to a communications network, in particular the Internet/Intranet, which in principle ensures the possibility of accessing the HMI device from a remote location using a network participant, for example a remote computer, without having to be present on site. The disadvantage, however, is that HMI devices, in particular HMI panels, usually only have very limited resources available; in particular, HMI devices have very little storage space and low performance. As a result, only simple file operations, such as upload ads and/or downloads, can be carried out via the interface to the Internet/Intranet implemented using the web server. To carry out further, more complex file operations, in particular control functions, a script is executed on the corresponding web server device on large computer systems, for example PCs, using CGI (Common Gateway Interface). However, this requires a software program, in particular a script engine, such as Perl, which executes the script

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However, the necessary resources are missing on an HMI device, especially an HMI panel.

The object of the present invention is to provide an HMI device with a web server such that any file operations can be carried out on the HMI device via the Internet.

This object is achieved by an HMI device with a web server in that the web server has a command unit for receiving commands via a communication network or for interpreting the commands or for executing the commands, and wherein the HMI device is connected to at least one network participant via the communication network, wherein the network participant is provided for sending the commands.

In addition, the command unit is designed as a command processor. The advantage of this arrangement is in particular that the command unit or command processing unit designed as a command processor or command interpreter, which is implemented or installed in the web server on the HMI device, in particular HMI panel, receives the commands via the communications network, for example the Internet and/or intranet, from another network participant, in particular a remote computer, which is also referred to as a remote computer, interprets them accordingly and executes them. The commands sent by the network participant, in particular commands, with the corresponding executable code are stored on a web page, also referred to as a URL (Uniform Resource Locator), which the web server installed in the HMI device can access, so that no resources of the HMI device are used, since the web page is located on the remote computer, for example.

According to another particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the web server has means for sending a response after execution of the commands. After execution of the corresponding commands by the web server or the HMI

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device, a corresponding response is sent to the calling computer, in particular a remote computer, via the communications network, for example whether the execution was successful or failed. Of course, desired data requested by the remote computer, such as measured values, configuration data, etc., can also be sent as a response. This means that the calling computer, in particular a remote computer, or the user, for example maintenance personnel who operates the calling computer, receives information about the status of the commands to be executed on the one hand and on the other hand or in addition the user receives desired information or data, in particular without having to be present on site.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the web server has means for using Internet protocols to receive the commands or to send a response after the commands have been executed. In addition, an HTTP protocol is provided as the Internet protocol. The advantage of using an Internet protocol, in particular an HTTP protocol, is essentially trouble-free communication between the web server integrated on the HMI device and the remote computer via the Internet, even across firewalls. If other protocols are used, they are usually blocked by the firewalls of the corresponding systems and uninterrupted communication is therefore not possible or only possible to a very limited extent.

According to another extremely advantageous embodiment of the invention, the HMI device can be configured, administered or controlled using the commands that the web server receives and executes via the communication network. This advantageously makes it possible to implement and carry out any imaginable configuration, administration, control or parameterization function on the HMI device, in particular HMI panels, using the transmitted commands, in particular commands in a command language. Such

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Functions include, for example, deleting files, registering DLLs (Dynamic Link Libraries), starting/stopping applications, creating/deleting directory structures, changing colors, exchanging data with other applications, reading/changing complete configurations or parts of the device's configurations, installing/uninstalling additional software, etc. The commands are made available to the web server in a coded GET request on the corresponding web page, the so-called URL (Uniform Resource Locator), according to the HTTP protocol syntax used, for example, while in the so-called POST request they can also be transferred in the corresponding URL or combined as a data block.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the web server is connected to a web browser as an operating and monitoring system via a communications network. This makes it possible to use the HMI device as a remote-controlled or remote-operable operating and monitoring system, so that the corresponding personnel, for example maintenance personnel or controlling personnel, do not have to be present on site. Rather, the desired information or data can be called up from almost any location that is geometrically very far away from the HMI device and, for example, countermeasures can be taken quickly in the event of a fault. This is of course also conceivable and possible if the web server is connected to any application that is able to send and/or interpret and/or receive HTTP requests, i.e. the presence of an HTTP client implementation is sufficient. Such an HMI device according to the invention can advantageously be used with the web server in an automation system.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. It shows:

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FIG 1 an exemplary system of inventive

HMI device with integrated web server, which is connected to a remote computer via the Internet.

Figure 1 shows an example of a system comprising an HMI device 1 according to the invention, in particular an HMI panel, with an integrated web server 2, the web server being connected to another network participant 6, in particular a remote computer, via a communications network 4, in particular an Internet/intranet. Figure 1 also shows a command unit 3 or command processing unit, in particular a command processor or command interpreter, which is installed in the web server 2 on the HMI device 1. In addition, a web page 5 is sketched on the remote computer 6, which is stored and saved together with its contents on the remote computer 6. The arrows 7 indicate that data communication is possible in both directions, i.e. from the remote computer 6 to the web server 2 of the HMI device 1 and from the web server 2 of the HMI device 1 to the remote computer 6. Since the HMI device 1 has very few resources, in particular only a small amount of storage space and low performance, large amounts of data cannot be saved on the HMI panel 1. Thanks to the integrated web server 2, the HMI panel 1 has an interface to the Internet/Intranet 4 and thus to other network participants, in particular remote computers 6. Due to the limited resources of the HMI device 1, however, only simple file operations such as uploads and/or downloads can be carried out despite the interface via the web server 2 to the Internet/Intranet 4. To carry out further file operations, in particular to carry out various control, parameterization, administration and configuration functions, a command unit 3, in particular a command processor or command interpreter, is implemented in the web server 2 of the HMI device 1. The command interpreter 3 receives corresponding commands via the Internet 4, in particular commands from the remote

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Computer 6. The command interpreter or command processor evaluates these commands or interprets them and executes them accordingly on the HMI device 1 or by means of the HMI device 1. The advantage of this arrangement is in particular that the command unit 3, which is designed as a command processor or command interpreter and is implemented or installed in the web server 2 on the HMI device 1, receives the commands via the communications network 4, for example the Internet and/or intranet, from another network participant 6, in particular a remote computer. The commands sent by the remote computer 6, in particular commands, with the corresponding executable code are stored, for example, on the website 5, also referred to as a URL (Uniform Resource Locator), which the web server 2 can access without having to use the resources of the HMI panel 1.

This advantageously makes it possible to implement and carry out any imaginable control or parameterization function on the HMI device 1, in particular HMI panels, using the transmitted commands, in particular commands in a command language. Such functions include, for example, deleting files, registering DLLs (Dynamic Link Library), starting/stopping applications, creating/deleting directory structures, changing colors, exchanging data with other applications, reading/changing complete configurations or parts of the device's configurations, installing/uninstalling additional software, etc. The commands are made available to the web server 2 in coded form in the GET request on the corresponding web page 5, the so-called URL (Uniform Resource Locator), in accordance with the HTTP protocol syntax used, for example, while in the so-called POST request they can also be transferred to the corresponding web page 5 or combined as a data block.

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According to the invention, the command interpreter 3 integrated in the web server 2 of the HMI device 1 sends a response to the remote computer 6 via the Internet/Intranet 4 after the received commands have been executed, in particular transmitting whether the execution of the corresponding command was successful or whether it failed, or the data requested by the calling computer 6 is sent as a response. This data could consist, for example, of configuration data of the HMI device or measured values, etc. As a result, the calling computer, in particular remote computer 6, or the user, for example maintenance personnel who operates the calling computer, receives information about the status of the commands to be executed on the one hand and on the other hand or in addition the user receives the requested data, in particular without having to be present on site.

Since an Internet protocol, preferably an HTTP protocol, is advantageously used for mutual communication between the HMI device 1 and the remote computer 6 via the Internet 4, firewalls that may have been set up for data security in the systems used do not normally pose any obstacles. Mutual communication can therefore be carried out almost without disruption. When other protocols are used, these protocols are usually blocked by the firewalls, so that uninterrupted, mutual communication is not possible or only possible to a very limited extent.

In addition, the web server 2 can also be connected to a web browser as an operating and monitoring system via the Internet/Intranet 4. This makes it possible to use the HMI device 1, in particular the HMI panel, as a remote-controlled or remote-operable operating and monitoring system, so that the relevant personnel, for example maintenance personnel or controlling personnel, do not have to be present on site. In fact, desired

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Information or data can be retrieved from almost any location that is geometrically very far away from the HMI device 1 and can be counteracted quickly in the event of a fault, for example. This is of course also conceivable and possible if the web server 2 is connected to any application that is able to send and/or interpret and/or receive HTTP requests, i.e. the presence of an HTTP client implementation is sufficient. Advantageously, such an HMI device 1 according to the invention with the integrated web server 2 can also be used in an automation system.

In summary, the present invention relates to an HMI device 1 with an integrated web server 2. By integrating a command unit 3 into the web server 2, despite the limited resources of the HMI device 1, any control functions can be carried out on the HMI device 1 by means of commands that are sent via the Internet/Intranet 4 from a remote network participant 6, wherein the coded commands are located, for example, on a website 5 in the remote network participant 6.

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Claims (8)

1. HMI device ( 1 ) with a web server ( 2 ), wherein the web server ( 2 ) has a command unit ( 3 ) for receiving commands via a communication network ( 4 ) or for interpreting the commands or for executing the commands and wherein the HMI device ( 1 ) is connected to at least one network participant ( 5 ) via the communication network ( 4 ), wherein the network participant ( 5 ) is provided for sending the commands. 2. HMI device according to claim 1, characterized in that the command unit ( 3 ) is designed as a command processor. 3. HMI device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the web server ( 2 ) has means for sending a response after execution of the commands. 4. HMI device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the web server ( 2 ) has means for using Internet protocols to receive the commands or to send a response after execution of the commands. 5. HMI device according to claim 4, characterized in that an HTTP protocol is provided as the Internet protocol. 6. HMI device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the HMI device ( 1 ) is configurable or administrable or controllable by means of the commands that the web server ( 2 ) receives and executes via the communication network ( 4 ). 7. HIMI device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the web server ( 2 ) is connected via a communication network ( 4 ) to a web browser as an operating and monitoring system. 8. Automation system with an HMI device ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 7.