DESC:SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FIRMWARE UP-GRADATION IN PROTECTION DEVICE

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a system and a method for firmware up-gradation in a protection device and more particularly, to a boot loading process for firmware up-gradation in the protection.

Background of the invention

PROFIBUS is an industry-standard communications bus protocol used in process automation and sensor networks using programmable logic controllers. PROFIBUS DP (Decentralized Peripherals) is normally used for data exchange with field devices like sensors and actuators through a programmable logic controller in production automation field applications. The PROFIBUS DP has three separate versions: DP-V0, DP-V1 and DP-V2, each providing newer, more complicated features.

Specifically, the DP-V0 supports only cyclic exchange of data and diagnosis. Further, DPV1 supports acyclic and cyclic data exchange and alarm handling. In PROFIBUS DPV1, there are 255 slots available. Each slot is divided in 255 indexes and each index is again divided in 244 bytes. So there is lot of flexibility for reconfiguring any individual parameter on a run time. DP-V2 supports isochronous mode and data exchange broadcast (slave-to-slave communication).

Typically, a service engineer has to go in the field and reprogram a relay manually. Presently, it is not possible to reprogram or upgrade a firmware from a remote location using profibus communication. Manual programming procedure increases the cost of maintenance for reprogramming, monitoring and the like.
Accordingly, there exists a need to provide a system and a method for firmware up-gradation that overcomes the abovementioned drawbacks of the prior art.

Objects of the invention

An object of the present invention is to reduce time and cost required for maintenance like reprogramming/ firmware up-gradation and monitoring of a relay.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a very flexible way of firmware up-gradation from anywhere and anytime.

Summary of the invention

Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention provides a system for firmware up-gradation in a protection device. The protection device for example a relay and a circuit breaker includes a plurality of Profibus devices. The system comprises a web link module, a server and a plurality of distributed control systems.

The web link module includes a web application configured therein for being accessed by a user to initiate a query request for sharing a data there through for any one of controlling, monitoring and reprogramming the plurality of Profibus devices. The data is selected from any of a Hex file, a metering data, a parameterization data and an I/O Configuration data.

The server is connected to the web link module for sending the data and the query request for sharing of the data to the plurality of distributed control system connected thereto.

The plurality of distributed control system is connected to the server to receive the query request and the data there through for storage therein. The plurality of distributed control system is adapted to decode the query request, break the data into chunks, configure a Profibus communication channel in a Profibus device of the plurality of Profibus devices and generate a boot loading command for sending a chunk of the data to the Profibus device of the plurality of Profibus devices through the Profibus communication channel enabled therein. Specifically, the plurality of distributed control system assigns the chunk of the data to a slot and an index of each Profibus device of the plurality of Profibus devices by enabling a Profibus DP-V1 communication channel therein.

Each Profibus device of the plurality of Profibus devices responds to the decoded query request by sending an acknowledgement to the plurality of distributed control system upon receiving and saving the chunk of the data. The plurality of distributed control system in response to the acknowledgment decreases/checks a counter to continue sending the same chunk of the data, a next chunk of the data or to stop sending the data to the plurality of Profibus devices in response to a reading on the counter. The plurality of distributed control system continues to send the chunks of the data to the plurality of Profibus devices in response to a non-zero reading on the counter and stops sending the chunks of the data to the plurality of Profibus devices in response to a zero reading on the counter that indicates a successful up-gradation.

In another aspect, the present invention discloses a method for firmware up-gradation in the protection device using the system of the present invention.

Brief description of the drawings

Other features as well as the advantages of the invention will be clear from the following description.
In the appended drawings:

Figure 1 shows a block diagram of a system for firmware up-gradation in a protection device, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a flow chart of a slave ramp up sequence for firmware up-gradation in the protection device, in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 3 shows a flowchart of a method for firmware up-gradation in the protection device, in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed description of the invention

The foregoing objects of the present invention are accomplished and the problems and shortcomings associated with the prior art, techniques and approaches are overcome by the present invention as described below in the preferred embodiment.

The present invention provides a system and a method for firmware up-gradation or programming a protection device such as a field relay. The system and the method provide firmware up-gradation, monitoring and programming of the protection device through a profibus protocol communication using a distributed control system in a reduced time period.

The present invention is illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which reference numbers indicate corresponding parts in the various figures.

Referring now to figure 1, in an aspect, a system (100) for firmware up-gradation in a protection device in accordance with the present invention is shown. The protection device (not shown) is selected from a relay, a circuit breaker and the like. The protection device includes a plurality of Profibus devices/nodes (105) (hereinafter ‘the PB device (105)’). Specifically, the PB device (105) is a 12Mbps link device capable being configured/ enabled with a Profibus communication channel and thus serves as a faster way of communication. The PB device (105) includes a memory map of all metering data thereof.

The system (100) includes a web link module (10), a server (20) and a plurality of distributed control systems (30) (hereinafter ‘the DCS (30)’). The web link module (10) is an interface to a client/user. The web link module (10) includes a web application (not shown) configured therein. The web application is capable of being accessed by the user using a predefined username and a password from anywhere using internet. The user accesses the web application to initiate a query request for sharing a data there through any one of mail to the DCS (30) and by direct copying in the DCS (30) via a storage device (not shown) for any one of controlling, monitoring and reprogramming the PB devices (105).

The data is selected from any of a Hex file, a metering data, a parameterization data and an I/O Configuration data. Thus, using the web link module (10), the user uploads the Hex file which is a new binary program file on any one or multiple PB devices (105) at a time for reprogramming the protection device via the DCS (30) as well as initiates the query request for parameters such as the metering data, the parameterization data and the I/O configuration data from any PB devices (105) in a run time and connects to the DCS (30) from anywhere for controlling and monitoring the PB devices (105).

The server (20) is a common server used for data handling between the user and the DCS (30). The server (20) is connected to the web link module (10) for sending the data and the query request for sharing of the data to the DCS (30).

The DCS (30) is like a centralized architecture that increases the flexibility, robustness and decreases the cost and time. The DCS (30) is connected between the server (20) and the PB devices (105) to serve as a data handling node there between. Each DCS (30) is connected to the server (20) and to each and every PB device (105). In an embodiment, one DCS (30) is capable of being connected to maximum 126 PB devices (PB Node 1, PB Node 2….PB Node 126) to form one group. However, it may be evident to those skilled in the art that there can be many groups in the field depending on the PB devices (105) which the user wants to connect. Specifically, each DCS (30) have its own unique address for differentiation from other DCS (30). The DCS (30) includes a memory map of the metering data of the PB devices (105). The DCS (30) also stores the Hex file which the user wants to program.

The DCS (30) is connected to the server (20) to receive the query request initiated by the user and the data there though via http links, mails, directly copying from storage devices and the like for storage therein. Specifically, the DCS (30) receives and stores the query request and the data in a nonvolatile memory thereof. The DCS (30) is adapted to do the following functions:

i. decode the query request and break the data into chunks. In an embodiment, the chunk size is 255 x 244 bytes.
ii. enable the Profibus communication channel in a PB device of the PB devices (105). Specifically, the DCS (30) enables a Profibus DP-V1 communication channel in the PB devices (105) that includes information of Baud rate, Parity bits, Stop bits, application layer, diagnostic bits, security bits, encryption bits and the like. The maximum payload of the Profibus communication channel decides the size of the chunks of the data.
iii. generate a boot loading command for sending a chunk of the data to the PB device of the PB devices (105) through the Profibus communication channel enabled therein. Specifically, the DCS (30) assigns the chunk of the data to a slot (not shown) and an index (not shown) of each PB device (105). The PB devices (105) support a maximum of 255 slots, wherein 1 slot = 255 index and 1 index = 1 chunk = 244 bytes. Using the Profibus communication channel, the user monitors any data and sends the Hex file to the PB device (105) via the DCS (30) for the firmware up-gradation.

Thus, the DCS (30) acts as a master to give the boot loading command to which the PB devices (105) act as slaves as illustrated in figure 2. Each PB device of the PB devices (105) responds to the decoded query request according to the memory map. As per figure 2, initially, the PB Device (105) gets ON or Reset. Thereafter, the PB Device (105) downloads parameterization data from the DCS (30) using the Profibus communication channel. After parameterization, the PB device (105) downloads the I/O Configuration data from the DCS (30) using the Profibus communication channel. Thereafter, the PB device (105) does the data exchange and diagnostic report.

Each PB device of the PB devices (105) sends an acknowledgement in terms of error to the DCS (30) upon receiving and saving the chunk of the data. The PB devices (105) validate the acyclic data write read query, supports acyclic data exchange (read – write), diagnostic and alarm handling.

The DCS (30) in response to the acknowledgment decreases/checks a counter to continue sending the same chunk of the data, a next chunk of the data or to stop sending the data to the PB devices (105) in response to a reading on the counter. The counter indicates the total number of chunks means the total size of data in terms of chunks. Specifically, the DCS (30) continues to send the chunks of the data to the PB devices (105) in response to a non-zero reading on the counter and stops sending the chunks of the data to the PB devices (105) in response to a zero reading on the counter that indicates a successful firmware up-gradation.

Referring now to figure 3, in another aspect, a method (200) for firmware up-gradation in the protection device in accordance with the present invention is illustrated. The method (200) is now described in conjunction with the system (100) of figure 1. The method (200) begins at step (110).
At step (115), the method (200) includes initiating the query request, by the user using the web application configured in web link module (10), for sharing the data for example the Hex file to do firmware up-gradation/programming of the PB devices (105), the metering data, the parameterization data and the I/O Configuration data for controlling and monitoring the PB devices (105). Specifically, the user accesses the web application configured in the web link module (10) using the predefined username and password from anywhere using internet to share the data through any one of mail to the DCS (30) and by direct copying in the DCS (30) via the storage device.

At step (120), the method (200) includes receiving and storing the query request and the data by the DCS (30) from the web link module (10) through the server (20). Specifically, the DCS (30) receives and stores the query request and the data in the nonvolatile memory thereof.

At step (125), the method (200) includes decoding the query request and breaking the data into the chunks by the DCS (30).

At step (130), the method (200) includes enabling the profibus communication channel in each PB Device of the PB devices (105) by the DCS (30).

At step (135), the method (200) includes generating and sending the boot loading command, by the DCS (30), to the PB device of the PB devices (105) which the user wants to reprogram.

At step (140), the method (200) includes assigning/sending each chunk of the data by the DCS (30) to the PB Device of the PB devices (105) through the Profibus communication channel enabled therein by the DCS (30). Specifically, the DCS (30) assigns each chunk of the data to the slot and the index of each PB Device of the PB devices (105) through the Profibus DP-V1 communication channel.

At step (145), the method (200) includes sending the acknowledgement, by the PB devices (105), to the DCS (30) upon receiving the chunks of the data therefrom. The PB devices (105) save the received data in a particular location.

At step (150), the method (200) includes decreasing/checking a counter by the DCS (30) in response to the acknowledgment. Once the acknowledgment is received by the DCS (30), the DCS (30) decreases the counter which is used to check that whether the same chunk of the data is to be resent or next chunk of the data is to be sent or no data is to be sent to the PB devices (105) in response to the reading on the counter. Specifically, the DCS (30) continues to send the chunks of the data to the PB devices (105) in response to the non-zero reading on the counter and stops sending the chunks of the data to the PB devices (105) in response to the zero reading on the counter. The zero reading on the counter indicates that all the chunks have been sent and the Hex file sending is successful resulting in successful firmware up-gradation of the PB devices (105) of the protection device. The method (200) stops at step (155).

Advantages of the invention

1. The system (100) and the method (200) provide the flexibility to the relay for programming and uploading the Hex file through the profibus communication channel.
2. The system (100) and the method (200) provide cost effective solution for firmware up-gradation as any additional support for programming purpose is not required.
3. The system (100) is capable of being utilized as a remote programming feature to allow access thereof from any point in world.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but such omissions and substitutions are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention.
,CLAIMS:We claim:

1. A system (100) for firmware up-gradation in a protection device, the
protection device such as a relay and a circuit breaker having a plurality of Profibus devices (105), the system (100) comprising:
• a web link module (10) having a web application configured therein for
being accessed by a user to initiate a query request for sharing a data there through for any one of controlling, monitoring and reprogramming the plurality of Profibus devices (105), the data being selected from any of a Hex file, a metering data, a parameterization data and a I/O Configuration data;
• a server (20) connected to the web link module (10) for sending the
data and the query request for sharing of the data; and
• a plurality of distributed control system (30) connected to the server
(10) to receive the query request and the data there through for storage therein, the plurality of distributed control system (30) adapted to decode the query request, break the data into chunks, enable a Profibus communication channel in a Profibus device of the plurality of Profibus devices (105) and generate a boot loading command for sending a chunk of the data to the Profibus device of the plurality of Profibus devices (105) through the Profibus communication channel,

wherein, each Profibus device of the plurality of Profibus devices (105) responds to the decoded query request by sending an acknowledgement to the plurality of distributed control system (30) upon receiving and saving the chunk of the data, the plurality of distributed control system (30) in response to the acknowledgment decreases/checks a counter to continue sending the same chunk of the data, a next chunk of the data or to stop sending the data to the plurality of Profibus devices (105) in response to a reading on the counter.

2. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of
distributed control system (30) enables a Profibus DP-V1 communication channel in the plurality of Profibus devices (105).
3. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of
distributed control system (30) assigns a chunk of the data to a slot and an index of each Profibus device of the plurality of Profibus devices (105).

4. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of
distributed control system (30) continues to send the chunks of the data to the plurality of Profibus devices (105) in response to a non-zero reading on the counter.

5. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of
distributed control system (30) stops sending the chunks of the data to the plurality of Profibus devices (105) in response to a zero reading on the counter indicating a successful firmware up-gradation.

6. A method (200) for firmware up-gradation in a protection device, the
protection device such as a relay and a circuit breaker having a plurality of Profibus devices (105), the method (200) comprising the steps of:
• initiating a query request, by a user by accessing a web application
configured in a web link module (10), for sharing a data for any one of controlling, monitoring and reprogramming the plurality of Profibus devices (105) using, the data being selected from any of a Hex file, a metering data, a parameterization data and a I/O Configuration data;
• receiving and storing the query request and the data by a plurality of
distributed control system (30) from the web link module (10) through a server (20);
• decoding the query request and breaking the data into chunks by the
plurality of distributed control system (30);
• enabling a Profibus communication channel in a Profibus device of the
plurality of Profibus devices (105) by the plurality of distributed control system (DCS) (30);
• generating and sending a boot loading command to the Profibus device
of the plurality of Profibus devices (105) by the plurality of distributed control system (30);
• sending a chunk of the data to the Profibus device of a plurality of
Profibus devices (105) through the Profibus communication channel by the plurality of distributed control system (30);
• sending an acknowledgement, by the plurality of Profibus devices
(105), to the plurality of distributed control system (30) upon receiving the chunks of the data therefrom; and
• decreasing/checking a counter, by the plurality of distributed control
system (30) in response to the acknowledgment to continue sending the same chunk of the data, a next chunk of the data or to stop sending the data to the plurality of Profibus devices (105) in response to a reading on the counter, wherein, the plurality of distributed control system (30) continues to send the chunks of the data to the plurality of Profibus devices (105) in response to a non-zero reading on the counter and stops sending the chunks of the data to the plurality of Profibus devices (105) in response to a zero reading on the counter indicating a successful firmware up-gradation.

7. The system (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the plurality of
distributed control system (30) enables a Profibus DP-V1 communication channel in the plurality of Profibus devices (105).

8. The system (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the plurality of
distributed control system (30) assigns a chunk of the data to a slot and an index of each Profibus device of the plurality of Profibus devices (105).