Method, computer-readable medium, and system for discovery and registration of controlled devices associated with self-describing modules

Abstract

A system, method, and computer-readable medium for the discovery and registration of controlled devices associated with self-describing Modules in a control system are provided. A controlled device associated with a self-describing module is coupled with a master controller on which the self-describing module is installed. A remote monitoring system is communicatively coupled with the master controller, and a remote monitoring system agent is installed on the master controller. The agent discovers a Module associated with the controlled device and queries the Module for a version thereof. The agent then evaluates whether the Module is self-describing. In the event the Module is self-describing, the agent requests a run-time capabilities object from the Module and registers the controlled device with the remote monitoring system according to the capabilities object.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 discovering a module associated with a controlled device by an agent associated with a remote monitoring system;   evaluating whether the module is self-describing at runtime;   responsive to determining that the module is self-describing, requesting a run-time capabilities object of an object-oriented programming language from the module;   receiving the run-time capabilities object; and   registering the controlled device with the remote monitoring system according to the run-time capabilities object.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein discovering the module comprises discovering the module by invoking an OSGi method by the agent. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein evaluating whether the module is self-describing comprises evaluating the version of the module. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a command for an operation to be performed on the controlled device;   determining the module is self-describing;   accessing the capabilities object; and   invoking the command responsive to determining the command conforms to the capabilities object.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 discovering a second module associated with a second controlled device by the agent;   evaluating whether the second module is self-describing;   responsive to determining the second module is not self-describing, determining a device type and capabilities corresponding thereto; and   generating a second capabilities object based on the capabilities corresponding to the device type.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising registering the second controlled device with the remote monitoring system according to the second capabilities object. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 receiving a command for an operation to be performed on the second controlled device;   determining the second module is not self-describing;   accessing the second capabilities object;   performing reflection on the second capabilities object; and   invoking the command responsive to determining the command conforms to the second capabilities object.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 querying each of a plurality of device component classes for their respective run-time capabilities objects comprising commands, parameters, and properties; and   accumulating the run-time capabilities of the plurality of device component classes into a device capabilities class.   
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for execution by a processing system, the computer-executable instructions, when executed, configured to cause the processing system to:
 discover a module associated with a controlled device by an agent associated with a remote monitoring system;   query the module for a version of the module;   evaluate whether the module is self-describing at runtime;   responsive to determining that the module is self-describing, request a run-time capabilities object of an object-oriented programming language from the module;   receive the run-time capabilities object; and   register the controlled device with the remote monitoring system according to the run-time capabilities object.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions that discover the module comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the processing system to invoke an OSGi method by the agent. 
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions that evaluate whether the module is self-describing comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the processing system to evaluate the version of the module. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the processing system to:
 receive a command for an operation to be performed on the controlled device;   determine the module is self-describing;   access the capabilities object; and   invoke the command responsive to determining the command conforms to the capabilities object.   
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the processing system to:
 discover a second module associated with a second controlled device by the agent;   evaluate whether the second module is self-describing;   responsive to determining the second module is not self-describing, determine a device type and capabilities corresponding thereto; and   generate a second capabilities object based on the capabilities corresponding to the device type.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 13 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the processing system to register the second controlled device with the remote monitoring system according to the second capabilities object. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the processing system to:
 receive a command for an operation to be performed on the second controlled device;   determine the second module is not self-describing;   access the second capabilities object;   perform reflection on the second capabilities object; and   invoke the command responsive to determining the command conforms to the second capabilities object   
     
     
         16 . A control system, comprising:
 a controlled device having a self-describing module associated therewith;   a remote monitoring system; and   a master controller on which the self-describing module and an agent associated with the remote monitoring system are installed, wherein   the agent is configured to
 discover the module, 
 query the module for a version of the module, 
 evaluate whether the module is self-describing at runtime, 
 determine that the module is self-describing, 
 request a run-time capabilities object of an object-oriented programming language from the module responsive to determining that the module is self-describing, 
 receive the run-time capabilities object, and 
 register the controlled device with the remote monitoring system according to the run-time capabilities object. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the agent determines the module is self-describing by evaluating the version of the module. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the agent receives, from the remote monitoring system, a command for an operation to be performed on the controlled device, accesses the capabilities object, and invokes the command responsive to determining the command conforms to the capabilities object. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the agent discovers a second module associated with a second controlled device, evaluates whether the second module is self-describing, determines a device type and capabilities corresponding thereto responsive to determining the second module is not self-describing, and generates a second capabilities object based on the capabilities corresponding to the device type. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the agent registers the second controlled device with the remote monitoring system according to the second capabilities object.