1. A keyboard sled adapted to communicatively interact with a portable computer system, said keyboard sled comprising:
a receiving portion adapted to receive said portable computer system;
an interface connector disposed within said receiving portion and adapted to provide a communicative link said portable computer system when said portable computer system has been inserted in said receiving portion;
a mounting mechanism disposed within said receiving portion, said mounting mechanism for providing positive retention on said portable computer system;
a keyboard portion coupled with said interface connector and for providing input keys; and
a data storage access slot adapted to provide access to a data storage device receptacle of said portable computer system.
2. The keyboard sled as recited in claim 1 wherein said receiving portion is configured to receive said portable computer system in a landscape (horizontal) orientation.
3. The keyboard sled as recited in claim 1 wherein said mounting mechanism is disposed within said receiving portion, such that when said portable computer system is coupled with said keyboard sled, said mounting mechanism is insertable in a mounting hook receiving slot of said portable computer system to provide positive retention of said portable computer system in said keyboard sled.
4. The keyboard sled as recited in claim 1 wherein said data storage access slot is configured as a pass through channel, such that when said portable computer system is coupled with said keyboard sled, said data storage device receptacle of said portable computer system in accessible without requiring the disengaging of said portable computer system from said keyboard sled.
5. The keyboard sled as recited in claim 1 wherein said keyboard portion comprises a complement of alphanumeric keys.
6. The keyboard sled as recited in claim 1 wherein said keyboard portion is a split keyboard having a left portion and a separately located right portion, said two portions comprising a complement of alphanumeric keys.
7. The keyboard sled as recited in claim 1 wherein said keyboard sled further comprises a wireless modem.
8. The keyboard sled as recited in claim 7 wherein said wireless modem is Bluetooth enabled.
9. The keyboard sled as recited in claim 1 wherein said portable computer system is a palmtop computer.
10. A gaming sled adapted to communicatively interact with a portable computer system, said gaming sled comprising:
a receiving portion adapted to receive said portable computer system;
an interface connector disposed within said receiving portion and adapted to provide a communicative link with said portable computer system when said portable computer system is inserted in said receiving portion;
a mounting mechanism disposed within said receiving portion, said mounting mechanism for securing portable computer system when coupled with said gaming sled;
a gaming controls portion coupled to said interface connector and for providing game control input; and
a data storage access slot adapted to provide access to a data storage device receptacle of said portable computer system.
11. The gaming sled as recited in claim 10 wherein said receiving portion is configured to receive said portable computer system in a landscape (horizontal) orientation.
12. The gaming sled as recited in claim 10 wherein said interface connector enables communication between said gaming sled and said portable computer system, provided said portable computer system is coupled with said gaming sled.
13. The gaming sled as recited in claim 10 wherein said mounting mechanism is disposed within said receiving portion, such that when said portable computer system is coupled with said gaming sled, said mounting mechanism is insertable in a mounting hook receiving slot of said portable computer system, so as to provide positive retention of said portable computer system.
14. The gaming sled as recited in claim 10 wherein said data storage access slot is configured as a pass through channel, such that when said portable computer system is coupled with said gaming sled, said data storage device receptacle of said portable computer system in accessible without requiring the disengaging of said portable computer system from said gaming sled.
15. The gaming sled as recited in claim 10 wherein said gaming portion includes joystick functionality and function control buttons.
16. The gaming sled as recited in claim 10 wherein said keyboard sled further comprises a wireless modem.
17. The gaming sled as recited in claim 16 wherein said wireless modem is Bluetooth enabled.
18. A system comprising:
a) a portable computer system having a display orientation controller;
b) a sled comprising:
a receiving portion adapted to receive said portable computer system;
an interface connector disposed within said receiving portion and adapted to provide a communicative link between said sled and said portable computer system, when said portable computer system is coupled with said sled;
a mounting mechanism disposed within said receiving portion, said mounting mechanism for securing said portable computer system;
a keyboard portion coupled to said interface connector and for providing input keys; and
a data storage access slot adapted to provide access to a data storage device receptacle of said portable computer system.
19. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein said receiving portion is configured to receive said portable computer system in a landscape (horizontal) orientation and wherein a display of said portable computer system is controlled by said display orientation controller.
20. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein said mounting mechanism is disposed within said receiving portion, such that when said portable computer system is coupled with said sled, said mounting mechanism is insertable into a mounting hook receiving slot of said portable computer system, so as to provide positive retention of said portable computer system in said sled.
21. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein said data storage access slot is configured as a pass through channel, such that when said portable computer system is coupled with said sled, said data storage device receptacle of said portable computer system is accessible without requiring the disengaging of said portable computer system from said sled.
22. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein said keyboard portion comprises a complement of alphanumeric keys.
23. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein said keyboard portion is a split keyboard, said split keyboard comprising a left side portion and a separately located right side portion, said two portions comprising a complement of input keys.
24. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein said sled further comprises a gaming control portion coupled to said interface connector and adapted to provide gaming input and control.
25. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein said sled further comprises a wireless modem.
26. The system as recited in claim 25 wherein said wireless modem is Bluetooth enabled.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. Method for accessing a functional module (118, 128, 138) of an automation system, wherein the automation system comprises a higher-level device (200) and at least one lower-level device (110, 120, 130) arranged under this higher-level device and wherein the functional module (118, 128, 138) is configured as part of the one or more lower-level devices (110, 120, 130) and is designed to execute at least one device function, the method comprising:
a) providing an access application (Z) with at least one application function to the higher-level device (200), wherein the application function can be adapted for accessing an arbitrary lower-level device and its functional module and wherein the access application comprises at least one first application module (Z1, Z2);
b) providing an operating device (300) that comprises input and output devices for operation by a user;
c) connecting the operating device to the higher-level device by means of a communications connection (460);
d) executing the one or more first application modules on the higher-level device;
e) automatically providing an operating interface of the access application on the operating device;
f) selecting a specific application function by means of the operating interface;
g) selecting or inputting information identifying a specific lower-level device by means of the operating interface;
h) providing data (D) matching the selected or input identification information and describing the specific lower-level device in detail;
i) automatically adapting the selected application function and the operating interface for access to the specific lower-level device and its functional module as a response to the provided data describing the specific lower-level device in detail; and
j) transmitting data between the operating device and the higher-level device, as well as the specific lower-level device after it is connected to the automation system.
2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the automation system comprises several lower-level devices arranged below the higher-level device, wherein each lower-level device has a functional module.
3. Method according to claim 1, wherein, between steps d) and g) of the method, connected, lower-level devices are automatically detected and information identifying each lower-level device is automatically read, and wherein, in step g) of the method, a selection is made from a number of previously designated and read information sets, each identifying a lower-level device.
4. Method according to claim 1, wherein, in step f) of the method, information is input identifying a specific, lower-level device (130) that is, however, not connected.
5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the data describing the lower-level device in detail are stored in a storage unit (115, 125, 135, 255, 355) that is possessed by the lower-level device, the higher-level device, the operating device, or a server on the Internet (500) to which the operating device is at least temporarily connected by means of another communications connection.
6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the data describing a lower-level device in detail are stored in a portable storage unit (80), which can be read by means of a suitable reading device (380) possessed by the operating device.
7. Method according to claim 1, wherein, in step h), the data are provided automatically if the data describing the specific lower-level device in detail are stored in a storage unit that can be read by the higher-level device.
8. Method according to claim 1, wherein the data (D) describing the lower-level device in detail are present as a GSD file (general station description) or IODD file (IO device description) andor in the JSON format (JavaScript Object Notation).
9. Method according to claim 1, wherein, in step j) of the method, data are transmitted as a response to user input performed by means of the operating interface.
10. Method according to claim 1, wherein, in step j) of the method, the data to be transmitted to the specific lower-level device comprise the data describing the device in detail and wherein at least the data describing the specific lower-level device in detail are stored in a storage unit possessed by the higher-level device.
11. Method according to claim 4, wherein, in step j) of the method, the data to be transmitted to the specific lower-level device, wherein these data comprise the data describing the device in detail, are buffered in a storage unit possessed by the higher-level device, and wherein the buffered data are transmitted to the specific lower-level device after the device has been automatically detected as a connected device with reference to the information identifying the device.
12. Method according to claim 1, wherein, in step j) of the method, the data transmitted to the specific lower-level device, wherein this device contains the data describing the lower-level device in detail, are stored in a storage unit possessed by the lower-level device.
13. Method according to claim 1, wherein at least one second application module (22) of the access application is transmitted to the operating device and executed there.
14. Method according to claim 1, wherein, in step d) of the method, the one or more first application modules are executed in interaction with a server application provided and executed on the higher-level device.
15. Method according to claim 14, wherein, in step e) of the method, the operating interface of the access application is provided together with a Web-browser application (WB) provided and executed on the operating device.
16. Method according to claim 13, wherein the one or more second application modules (Z2) involve Java Applets or AJAX technology (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML).
17. Method according to claim 1, wherein the provided operating interface comprises a GUI (graphical user interface).
18. Method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more application functions are an installation function, a processing function, a monitoring function, andor an analysis function.
19. Method according to claim 1, wherein the operating device (300) is a PC, a laptop, a tablet, or a handheld computer.
20. Device that is in the form of a higher-level device (200) of an automation system, wherein at least one device (110, 120, 130) comprising a functional module (118, 128, 138) for executing at least one device function is arranged under the higher-level device, the device comprising:
a first communications interface (265) that is designed to connect the higher-level device to an operating device (300), wherein the higher-level device is designed to communicate with the operating device;
at least one second communications interface (266, . . . , 269) that is designed to connect the higher-level device to the one or more lower-level devices, wherein the higher-level device is designed to communicate with the one or more lower-level devices;
a storage unit (255) with an access application (Z) stored in this unit, wherein this application comprises at least one first application module (Z1, Z2); and
a processor unit (260) that is designed to execute the one or more first application modules of the access application; wherein
the access application is designed to provide at least one application function that can be adapted for accessing an arbitrary lower-level device and its functional module;
the access application is designed to provide an operating interface on the operating device; and
the access application is designed to adapt the operating interface and the one or more application functions for access to a specific lower-level device and its functional module as a response to information identifying the specific lower-level device and to the data describing the specific lower-level device in detail.
21. Device according to claim 20, configured as a memory-programmable controller (SPS) or as a bus coupler.
22. Device according to claim 20, configured as an IO-link master and wherein the one or more second communications interfaces are configured according to the IO-link standard.
23. Device according to claim 20, wherein, under this device, several devices are arranged, each with a functional module and wherein the lower-level devices are connected to the one or more second communications interfaces of the higher-level device andor a number of lower-level devices are each connected individually to another second communications interface of the higher-level device.
24. Device according to claim 20, wherein the first communications interface is configured as a wired or wireless connection to the operating device.
25. Device according to claim 20, wherein the first communications interface is configured according to the Ethernet standard andor for a TCPIP-based data transmission.
26. Device according to claim 20, wherein the access application is further configured to detect connected lower-level devices and for reading at least one information set identifying the appropriate lower-level device.
27. Device according to claim 20, wherein the access application is further designed to read the data describing the lower-level device in detail from a storage unit in which it is stored, wherein this unit may be the storage unit (255) of the higher-level unit or a storage unit (115, 125, 355, 500) possessed by the lower-level device, the operating device, or a server on the Internet with which the operating device is connected at least temporarily by means of a communications connection, and wherein the data describing a lower-level device in detail are present as a GSD file or an IODD file andor in the JSON format.
28. Device according to claim 20, wherein the access application is further configured to enable data transmission between the operating device and the lower-level device as a response to user input performed by means of the operating interface.
29. Device according to claim 20, wherein the access application is designed to enable storage in the storage unit of the higher-level device, that is, at least the data describing the specific lower-level device in detail, wherein these data are possessed by the data to be transmitted to the specific lower-level device.
30. Device according to claim 20, wherein the access application is designed to enable buffering in the storage unit of the higher-level device, that is, the data to be transmitted to a specific lower-level device, wherein these data comprise the data describing the device in detail, and wherein the access application is further configured to detect the specific lower-level device as a connected device with reference to the information identifying the device, and for subsequently enabling transmission of the buffered data to the specific lower-level device.
31. Device according to claim 20, wherein the access application is designed to result in storage in a storage unit of the specific lower-level device, that is, the data transmitted to the device, wherein these data comprise the data describing the device in detail.
32. Device according to claim 20, wherein the higher-level device is designed to transmit at least one second application module (Z2) of the access application to the operating device for executing the application module on the operating device and wherein the application modules are configured to communicate with each other.
33. Device according to claim 20, further comprising a server application stored in the storage unit of the higher-level device, wherein the processor unit is designed to execute the server application, and wherein the access application is adapted for interaction with the server application.
34. Device according to claim 33, wherein the access application is designed to provide the operating interface in interaction with a Web-browser application (WB) executed on the operating device.
35. Device according to claim 32, wherein the one or more second application modules involve Java Applets or AJAX technology.
36. Device according to claim 20, wherein the access application is designed to provide an operating interface comprising a GUI.
37. Device according to claim 20, wherein the access application is designed to provide an installation function, a processing function, a monitoring function, andor an analysis function as the one or more application functions.
38. Device according to claim 20, wherein, in the storage unit of the higher-level device, another application (A) is stored that can be executed by the processor unit and that comprises, as an application function, a control function for controlling at least one part of the automation system.