System and method for accessing devices in a factory automation network

Abstract

A system and method for configuring a resource in a network is disclosed. The system is accessible by a web tool and includes a configuration database being capable of storing a plurality of parameters for configuring the resource. A configuration page also accessible via the web tool, includes a form to facilitate configuration of the resource. The form is capable of receiving a resource parameter entry and a configuration option selection. The configuration option selection and the resource parameter entry compose a magic-URL. A configuration agent is responsive to the magic-URL wherein the agent and the magic-URL cooperate to manage the configuration database.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A system for configuring a resource in a network, the network being accessible via a web tool, the system comprising: 
 a configuration database being capable of storing a plurality of parameters for configuring the resource;    a configuration page being accessible via the web tool and having a form to facilitate configuration of the resource, the form being capable of receiving a resource parameter entry and a configuration option selection;    a magic-URL comprising the configuration option selection and the resource parameter entry; and,    a configuration agent being operably responsive to the magic-URL wherein the agent and the magic-URL cooperate to manage the configuration database.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a remote procedural call mechanism for facilitating communication between the web tool and the interface module.  
 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 an interface module being operably connected between the resource and the web tool, the interface module being accessible via the magic-URL.  
 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the configuration agent includes an agent API.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a configuration component having a component API and being operably connected to the configuration agent wherein the component API, configuration agent, and configuration database cooperate to configure the resource.  
 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a configuration component web page, the configuration component web page being created in response to the magic-URL and the configuration database.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the resource is a global configuration component.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the configuration database includes a resource parameter selected from the group consisting of a type field, a symbol field, a network address field, and a length field.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the resource is an address server database.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the configuration database includes a resource parameter selected from the group consisting of a role name field, a MAC address field, an IP address field, a subnet mask field, and a gateway field.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the resource is a DHCP server database.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the resource is a bandwidth management component.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the remote procedure call mechanism comprises Java/JMI.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the remote procedure call mechanism comprises MS DCOM.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the remote procedure call mechanism comprises CORBA/ORBs.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the remote procedure call mechanism comprises SOAP/XML.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the configuration database is embedded within the interface module.  
     
     
         18 . A method for configuring a network resource comprising the steps of: 
 providing a resource configuration page communicable with a web tool, the configuration page including a form for facilitating configuration of the resource, the form being capable of receiving a resource parameter entry and a configuration option selection;    receiving a magic-URL, the magic-URL being responsive to the resource configuration page and comprising the configuration option selection and the resource parameter entry;    selecting a configuration API in response to the magic-URL; and,    configuring the resource in response to the configuration API.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising the step of: 
 providing a network configuration page comprising a link to the resource configuration page, the network configuration page having information about the network.  
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising the steps of: 
 maintaining the configuration database to reflect the configuration of the resource; and,  
 creating a configuration database page for providing information about the configuration database, the configuration database page being accessible via the web tool.  
 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising the step of: 
 maintaining the network configuration page to be representative of the configuration database.  
 
     
     
         22 . A method for configuring a network resource comprising the steps of: 
 providing a resource configuration page being accessible by a web tool and having a form for facilitating configuration of the resource, the form being capable of receiving a resource parameter entry and a configuration option selection;    constructing a magic-URL in response to the resource configuration page, the magic-URL comprising the configuration option selection and the resource parameter entry;    selecting a configuration API in response to the magic-URL; and,    configuring the resource in response to the configuration API.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising the step of: 
 providing a network configuration page comprising a link to the resource configuration page, the network configuration page providing information about the network.