EP0311007A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Programmable controller with multiple task processors
Assignee: Allen Bradley Co LLC
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Filing: 1988-10-04
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-10-04
Abstract
Abstract A programmable controller for operating a machine to carry out programmed functions includes a plurality of program processors (18). Each of the program processors is operable to execute simultaneously a different user control program that directs the operation of the machine to perform specific functions. Each of the processors includes a memory (106) for storing the user control programs and function chart data. The function chart data comprises a series of descriptor files each of which contain an identification of a user control program to execute, a transition condition that indicates when the execution of that user control program is to terminate and which descriptor file is to be processed next as well as the processor to process it. A mechanism is also provided to enable the processor to execute other programs as background tasks without adversely affecting the execution of the control programs.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark A. Flood
- 👤 Michael D. Kalan
- 👤 Peter N. Preis
- 👤 Alden L. Peterson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 22:52
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05B; G05B19/00; G05B19/02; G05B19/04; G05B19/05; G05B19/052; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/10; G05B2219/15; G05B2219/15081
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
A programmable controller for operating a machine to carry out a plurality of programmed functions, which comprises: a backplane (11) having leads (21, 22, 23) for conducting data signals, address signals and control signals; a plurality of processing means (18) connected to said blackplane, each processing means being operable to simultaneously execute a separate user control program that directs the programmable controller to operate the machine to perform a specific function; a memory (106) which stores program execution sequence data and a plurality of user control programs, said memory coupled to said plurality of processing means; means (98) responsive to the program execution sequence data for controlling the execution of the user control programs by said plurality of processing means; an I/O interface means (20) connected to said backplane for coupling the programmable controller to I/O devices; and a system controller (16) for supervising the access of said plurality of processing modules and said I/O interface means to said backplane.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
160 words
A programmable controller for operating a machine to carry out a plurality of programmed functions, which comprises: a backplane (11) having leads (21, 22, 23) for conducting data signals, address signals and control signals; a plurality of processing means (18) connected to said blackplane, each processing means being operable to simultaneously execute a separate user control program that directs the programmable controller to operate the machine to perform a specific function; a memory (106) which stores program execution sequence data and a plurality of user control programs, said memory coupled to said plurality of processing means; means (98) responsive to the program execution sequence data for controlling the execution of the user control programs by said plurality of processing means; an I/O interface means (20) connected to said backplane for coupling the programmable controller to I/O devices; and a system controller (16) for supervising the access of said plurality of processing modules and said I/O interface means to said backplane.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The programmable controller as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said processing means (18) includes means enabling the processing means to execute other programs when a user control program is not being executed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The programmable controller as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said processing means (18) includes means for allotting a given portion of the program execution time to the periodic execution of programs other than a user control program.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The programmable controller as recited in claim 3, wherein said means for allotting includes means for repeatedly interrupting the execution of the user control program upon the expiration of a given interval of time to permit the execution of the other programs.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The programmable controller as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said processing means (18) comprises means (98, 99) for interrupting the program execution by that processing means in response to a signal from a device that is external to said programmable controller.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The programmable controller as recited in claim 5 wherein at least one of said processing means (18) further comprises means for executing an interrupt program routine in response to said interrupting means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
89 words
The programmable controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said program execution sequence data comprises a series of descriptors, each descriptor containing an identification of a user control program, an identification of a transition condition which indicates when the execution of the identified user control program is to terminate, and an identification of the next descriptor to be processed and which processing means (18) will process the next descriptor, and wherein said means (98) for controlling the execution of the user control program includes means for interpreting the descriptors.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The programmable controller as recited in claim 7 wherein each of said processing means (18) includes means (98) for interpreting the descriptors.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The programmable controller as recited in claim 7 further comprising means for forcing the transition conditions to be either true or false regardless of the actual state of the condition.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
124 words
A programmable controller for operating a machine to carry out a plurality of programmed functions, which comprises: means (106) for storing a plurality of user control programs and functions chart data; a plurality of processing means (18) each being operable to execute a user control program that directs the programmable controller to operate the machine to perform a specific function, each of said processing means (18) including means for allotting a given portion of its program execution time to the periodic execution of programs other than the user control programs; and means (98) responsive to the function chart data for controlling the sequence in which the user control programs are executed and which of the processing means is to execute each user control program.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
124 words
A programmable controller for operating a machine to carry out a plurality of programmed functions, which comprises: means (106) for storing a plurality of user control programs and functions chart data; a plurality of processing means (18) each being operable to execute a user control program that directs the programmable controller to operate the machine to perform a specific function, each of said processing means (18) including means for allotting a given portion of its program execution time to the periodic execution of programs other than the user control programs; and means (98) responsive to the function chart data for controlling the sequence in which the user control programs are executed and which of the processing means is to execute each user control program.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
The programmable controller as recited in claim 10 wherein said means for allotting includes means for periodically interrupting the execution of the user control program to permit the execution of the other programs.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
The programmable controller as recited in claim 11 wherein said means for allotting further includes means for halting the operation of the other programs and returning to the execution of the user control program after a predetermined interval of time.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
50 words
The programmable controller as recited in claim 12 wherein said processing means (18) comprises means for suspending the execution of the other program if such execution is not completed at the expiration of the predetermined interval and for resuming the execution upon another interruption of the user control program execution.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
168 words
A programmable controller for operating a machine to carry out a plurality of programmed functions, which comprises: a backbone (11) having leads (21, 22, 23) for conducting data signals, address signals and control signals; a plurality of processor means (18) connected to said backplane, each processor means having a memory (106) for storing user control programs for execution on that processor means and program execution sequence date comprising a plurality of descriptors each identifying a user control program, a transition condition which indicates when the execution of the user control program should terminate, and the next user control program to be executed and which processor means is to execute the next user control program, each of said processor means (18) having means to transmit program execution commands to other processor means; an I/O interface means (20) coupled to said backplane for coupling I/O devices to the programmable controller; and means (16) for controlling access to said backplane by said plurality of processor means and said I/O interface means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
168 words
A programmable controller for operating a machine to carry out a plurality of programmed functions, which comprises: a backbone (11) having leads (21, 22, 23) for conducting data signals, address signals and control signals; a plurality of processor means (18) connected to said backplane, each processor means having a memory (106) for storing user control programs for execution on that processor means and program execution sequence date comprising a plurality of descriptors each identifying a user control program, a transition condition which indicates when the execution of the user control program should terminate, and the next user control program to be executed and which processor means is to execute the next user control program, each of said processor means (18) having means to transmit program execution commands to other processor means; an I/O interface means (20) coupled to said backplane for coupling I/O devices to the programmable controller; and means (16) for controlling access to said backplane by said plurality of processor means and said I/O interface means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
The programmable controller as recited in claim 14 wherein said program sequence data further comprises means for designating one of the user control programs to be executed initially at the start of the program execution.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
The programmable controller as recited in claim 14 further including means (66, 88) for saving the execution status of each processor means (18) upon an electrical power failure so that the execution can resume with the same user control program upon restoration of electrical power.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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