EP0315002A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Design system using visual language
Assignee: FLEXIS CONTROL Inc
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Filing: 1988-10-23
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-10-23
Abstract
Abstract The invention is a computer-based tool, in the form of a computer system and method, for designing, constructing and interacting with any system containing or comprising concurrent asynchronous processes, such as a factory operation. In the system according to the invention a variety of development and execution tools are supported. The invention features a highly visual user presentation of a control system, including structure, specification, and operation, offering a user an interactive capability for rapid design, modification, and exploration of the operating characteristics of a control system comprising asynchronous processes. The invention captures a representation of the system (RS) that is equivalent to the actual system (AS) - rather than a simulation of the actual system. This allows the invention to perform tests and modification on RS instead of AS, yet get accurate results. RS and AS are equivalent because AS is generated directly from RS by an automated process. Effectively, pressing a button in the RS environment can "create" the AS version or any selected portion of it, by "downloading" a translation of the RS version that can be executed by a programmable processor in the AS environment. Information can flow both ways between AS and RS. That AS and RS can interact is important. This allows RS to "take on‴the "state" of AS whenever desired, through an "uploading" procedure, thereby reflecting accurately the condition of AS at a specific point in time.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas A. Lipkis
- 👤 William S. Mark
- 👤 Melvin W. Pirtle
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 15:57
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F17/00; G06F30/00; G06F30/10; G06F30/13; G06F30/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
An apparatus for designing and debugging a control system comprising in combination: means for preparing a specification, including means for developing requirements and documenting said requirements; means for designing and organizing said control system including developing a system approach and its documentation; means for developing said control system including implementing said system approach as a design implementation and generating its documentation to produce a developed system; means for simulating and emulating said control system, including activating the design implementation in an artificial environment to demonstrate control system dynamics; means for debugging said system, including means to isolate and correct cause of undesired behavior using simulation techniques to anticipate eventual behavior; means for translating and transferring the developed system into an operational system; means for integrating and checking out said control system in an operating environment, including means for verifying that each element of the operational system interacts and cooperates properly with the other ones of said elements; means for monitoring and interacting with the operational system; means for diagnosing malfunctions of devices and undesired behavior in the operational system; and means for modifying the operational system by modification of said specification.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
191 words
An apparatus for designing and debugging a control system comprising in combination: means for preparing a specification, including means for developing requirements and documenting said requirements; means for designing and organizing said control system including developing a system approach and its documentation; means for developing said control system including implementing said system approach as a design implementation and generating its documentation to produce a developed system; means for simulating and emulating said control system, including activating the design implementation in an artificial environment to demonstrate control system dynamics; means for debugging said system, including means to isolate and correct cause of undesired behavior using simulation techniques to anticipate eventual behavior; means for translating and transferring the developed system into an operational system; means for integrating and checking out said control system in an operating environment, including means for verifying that each element of the operational system interacts and cooperates properly with the other ones of said elements; means for monitoring and interacting with the operational system; means for diagnosing malfunctions of devices and undesired behavior in the operational system; and means for modifying the operational system by modification of said specification.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
159 words
A computer program for designing, constructing and interacting with a control system, said control system comprising functional elements running on computer processors, said functional elements capable of operating concurrently and asynchronously, said computer program comprising in combination: means for designing said control system as a combination of objects, including means for creating a visual representation of said control system; means coupled to said designing means for generating actual instructions that implement said control system from said objects; means coupled to said generating means for sending said actual instructions to selected ones of said computer processors; a run time module that operates on selected ones of said computer processors and controls the execution of said actual instructions; and means coupled to said computer processors and to said designing means for allowing said run time module to interact with said objects whereby a user interacts with a single representation of said control system for specifying, designing and implementing said control system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
159 words
A computer program for designing, constructing and interacting with a control system, said control system comprising functional elements running on computer processors, said functional elements capable of operating concurrently and asynchronously, said computer program comprising in combination: means for designing said control system as a combination of objects, including means for creating a visual representation of said control system; means coupled to said designing means for generating actual instructions that implement said control system from said objects; means coupled to said generating means for sending said actual instructions to selected ones of said computer processors; a run time module that operates on selected ones of said computer processors and controls the execution of said actual instructions; and means coupled to said computer processors and to said designing means for allowing said run time module to interact with said objects whereby a user interacts with a single representation of said control system for specifying, designing and implementing said control system.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
127 words
A method for designing, constructing and interacting with a control system, said control system comprising functional elements running on computer processors, said functional elements capable of operating concurrently and asynchronously, comprising the steps of: designing said control system by creating a plurality of interacting objects; generating actual instructions that implement said control system from said objects, thereafter; simulating the effect of the actual instructions; sending said actual instructions to selected ones of said computer processors; operating a run time module on said selected ones of computer processors to control the execution of said actual instructions; and allowing said run time module to interact with said objects, whereby a user interacts with a single common representation of said control system for specifying, designing and implementing said control system.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
127 words
A method for designing, constructing and interacting with a control system, said control system comprising functional elements running on computer processors, said functional elements capable of operating concurrently and asynchronously, comprising the steps of: designing said control system by creating a plurality of interacting objects; generating actual instructions that implement said control system from said objects, thereafter; simulating the effect of the actual instructions; sending said actual instructions to selected ones of said computer processors; operating a run time module on said selected ones of computer processors to control the execution of said actual instructions; and allowing said run time module to interact with said objects, whereby a user interacts with a single common representation of said control system for specifying, designing and implementing said control system.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
94 words
A computer program comprising in combination: a plurality of design objects for designing a control system that includes functional elements that may operate concurrently and asynchronously; programming objects which provide a means for generating a graphical description of a set of concurrent asynchronous functional elements that comprise an integrated control system; programming objects which provide means for generating programming code that implements said integrated control system; and a run time module means for managing the execution of a portion of said integrated control system, whereby a complex system can be easily designed and implemented.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
94 words
A computer program comprising in combination: a plurality of design objects for designing a control system that includes functional elements that may operate concurrently and asynchronously; programming objects which provide a means for generating a graphical description of a set of concurrent asynchronous functional elements that comprise an integrated control system; programming objects which provide means for generating programming code that implements said integrated control system; and a run time module means for managing the execution of a portion of said integrated control system, whereby a complex system can be easily designed and implemented.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system recited in claim 4 further including: programming objects that provide means for generating means for communicating between concurrently operating ones of said functional elements.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system recited in claim 5 further including: programming objects that include means for simulating the operation of said integrated control system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The invention recited in claim 4 further including a programming object for creating visual images of Grafcet objects.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The invention recited in claim 4 further including communicating objects for communicating information between said functional elements.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The invention recited in claim 4 further including means for communicating information using the Manufacturing Automation Protocol.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The invention recited in claim 1 further including means for communicating information using the Manufacturing Automation Protocol.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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