RU2625209C1 - System and method for remote equipment control - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: information technology.

SUBSTANCE: remote equipment control system consists of remote control objects with a controller, control objects interface means and control means. Control objects include a remote database, a hardware control server, for interactions between control objects and a remote database. Control objects interface means are connected to a hardware control server. Remote control objects are equipped with a controller and interface means. Control means include a remote database layers for storage and issue of control commands, a real-time communication and autonomous equipment control server connected to a remote database server. Hardware control server provides interaction between control objects and remote database layers, and is connected to a real-time communication server. Control objects interface means are connected to a hardware control server.

EFFECT: increased control efficiency and stability.

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Description

 The present invention relates to the field of computer technology and can be used to control a plurality of objects of technology for various purposes, for example, included in the complexes of radio equipment: means of ground-based spacecraft control systems, etc.

As the closest analogue of the present invention, a remote robot diagnostic system known from the ABB Research Ltd. patent can be selected. - US 8121729, publ. 2012. US 8121729 proposes a system for remote diagnostics of robots (with an appropriate description of the method for remote diagnostics using this system), consisting of the first set of remote control objects - robots, each of which is obviously equipped with at least one controller, means of the interface of control objects - robots, the second set of controls, external to remote control objects. The second set of controls, external to remote control objects, includes at least: a remote database that provides reception and storage of state tables for the mentioned control objects; equipment management server that provides interaction between management objects and a remote database. In addition, management equipment interface tools are connected to this equipment management server.

In turn, the system and method for monitoring remote equipment proposed in this invention represent a further improvement of the systems and method for monitoring remote equipment, and are aimed at creating systems and methods that can provide effective and stable control of diverse equipment, which will include monitoring and diagnostics and management.

This problem is solved using the proposed system and method for monitoring remote equipment. The remote equipment control system consists of the first set of remote control objects, each of which is equipped with at least one controller; management interface tools; the second set of controls external to remote control objects. The second set of controls, external to remote control objects, includes at least a remote database that provides reception and storage of state tables for the mentioned control objects; equipment management server that provides interaction between management objects and a remote database. Management interface facilities are connected to this equipment management server.

In contrast to the analogue, the first set of remote control objects mentioned above is a set of remote entity components — control objects that differ in functional purpose and / or operational features. Each of the control objects is equipped with at least one controller and interface means that are individual for each entity component — the control object. The second set of controls is a set of control entity components external to the mentioned remote entity components. The composition of this second population includes at least layers of the mentioned remote database, providing for each of the mentioned entity components - management objects the storage and issuance of control commands and the reception and storage of state tables, and for storage and management of this remote database corresponding server. This second set also includes a real-time communication server and autonomous equipment management connected to a remote database server, and the equipment management server, which provides interaction between the corresponding entity components - control objects and layers of the remote database and connected to the real communication server time and autonomous control of equipment. The mentioned interface tools, individual for each component-entity - the control object, are connected to this equipment management server. The proposed method for monitoring remote equipment involves the organization and use of the system described above.

The proposed invention is illustrated by diagrams: FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of a system; FIG. 2 - the path of movement of commands between the managing component-entity and the component-entity - the control object; and is carried out in the manner described below, without limiting the various embodiments of the invention, depending on the specific situation.

The ability to use the proposed control system for remote equipment and, accordingly, the control method using it are based on an obvious qualitative change in modern computer tools in the direction of increasing speed, RAM and memory of disk drives. The progress of computer tools constantly updates the tasks of creating centralized control systems in complex technical systems, that is, systems combining both monitoring functions and management functions, creating at the same time opportunities for their solution. In terms of constructing complex technical systems for various purposes, the technological capabilities of modern computer equipment allow us to consider the components of the system based on the use of various hardware and software systems as component entities (entity objects). Those elements of complex technical systems, which are not only a set of tools for processing data, but also for the possibility of redirecting their flows in compliance with the rules for their interaction with data warehouses. (See also the term “entity” in English, which can be used in Russian as “entity”).

Based on this definition, which characterizes the features and technological capabilities of hardware and software tools and complexes, it is possible to design the architecture of a complex technical system designed to control equipment located remotely, solving diverse technological problems and difficult to manage. Using equipment that can be considered as entity components, it is possible to create a complex technical system with good controllability in combination with the ability to diagnose its components. In particular, this task is relevant for control systems of the radio complex, which may include an antenna system, an irradiator control system, a receiving device, etc.

The proposed remote equipment control system, built using the principles described above, can be represented in the form of several subsystems. As the first subsystem, the first of the sets of remote component-entities 1 ₁ ... 1 _N - control objects that differ in functional purpose and / or operating features, each of which is equipped with at least one controller, can be considered. For each of the component entities 1 ₁ ... 1 _N - control objects, individual means of the interface 2 ₁ ... 2 _N are allocated. As the second subsystem, the second of the sets of control entity components external to the mentioned remote entity components can be considered. The composition of this second set includes the entity components 3 ₁ ... 3 _N , 4, 5, which are the control components for the entity components 1 ₁ ... 1 _N - control objects. That is, using entity components both on the side of the control object 1 ₁ ... 1 _N and on the control side, create a system that provides mutual exchange of information, including sending control commands.

The entity components of the second set are at least: a server for storing layers of a remote database 3 ₁ ... 3 _N , a server for real-time communication and autonomous control 4, a server for managing equipment 5. That is, a server for storing and managing layers 3 ₁ ... 3 is allocated _N remote databases, providing for each of the mentioned entity components 1 ₁ ... 1 _N - control objects storage and issuance of control commands and reception and storage of state tables. The server for real-time communication and autonomous control of equipment 4 is connected to a remote database server. Equipment management server 5, which provides interaction between the corresponding entity components 1 ₁ ... 1 _N - control objects and layers 3 ₁ ... 3 _{N of the} remote database, is connected to the real-time communication server and autonomous equipment management 4. Interface tools 2 ₁ ... 2 _N are individual for each component-entity 1 ₁ ... 1 _N - of the control object and are connected to this equipment management server 5. The architecture of the complex technical system consisting of components of the entities 1 ₁ ... 1 _N , 3 ₁ ... 3 _N , 4, 5, described above providing cheat fast and reliable processing of large amounts of data relating to both the management of remote sites, and to monitor their progress, and will be the basis for a method for controlling remote equipment.

The main node in the proposed system is a remote database server, the storage devices of this server are used to store the layers of the database 3 ₁ ... 3 _N - high-level equipment control commands, for example, setting the equipment to certain operating modes at a certain time. Commands are records in databases - sections of storage devices used to store the corresponding records, which contain columns with the number of the operating mode, times to and from the mode and variable data (exact values of frequency parameters, azimuth data, etc. ) In addition, the storage devices of the remote database server are used to store tables of data received from each type of equipment included in the complex (telemetry, digitized signals from receivers, etc.).

The remote database server is connected to the equipment management server 5 through a real-time communication server and autonomous equipment management 4, which is necessary for synchronizing the operation time of the complex equipment, for example, radio equipment, and issuing the necessary instructions. Also, through server 4, autonomous equipment control is possible in case of failure of the remote control equipment. Access to the equipment management server is organized in such a way that the control node is selected in accordance with the commands of the diagnostic program that queries the operability of the communication channel with the remote storage database server 3 ₁ ... 3 _N or the real-time communication server and autonomous equipment management 4. Accordingly, the storage server layers of the remote database 3 ₁ ... 3 _N , as well as a real-time communication server and autonomous control of 4 equipment and equipment management server 5, data set, stored in the memory of the servers, the set of communication lines form a set of hardware and / or software interfaces that will be used to transmit commands to controlled means, for example, to means of a complex of radio equipment.

Each of the devices included in the controlled complex (for example, an antenna system, an irradiator control system, a receiving device, etc. for a complex of radio equipment) 1 ₁ ... 1 _N , as well as external devices for this complex 3 ₁ ... 3 _N , 4, 5, carrying out the issuance of tasks and reception of information, as mentioned above, are considered as entity components. Each of the component components 1 ₁ ... 1 _N , 3 ₁ ... 3 _N , 4, 5 is a combination of hardware and / or software that interacts with each other both within itself and with hardware and / or software outside this component entities. The entity component 1 ₁ ... 1 _N , 3 ₁ ... 3 _N , 4 or 5 can be represented in the databases of the corresponding server or controller as a set of tables, which necessarily include a command table and a state table. That is, the aforementioned real-time communication server and autonomous equipment management 4 and equipment management server 5 are also considered as entity components described above and are control entity components in the proposed system. To issue commands to each managed entity 1 ₁ ... 1 _N , for example, an antenna system, a controller is allocated located on the side of the managed device. For the interaction of controls with each of the control component components 3 ₁ ... 3 _N , 4 or 5, the own hardware and / or software interface 2 ₁ ... 2 _N are allocated, that is, an individual interface for each component component 1 ₁ ... 1 _N.

That is, the communication of the controllers of the component components 1 ₁ ... 1 _N - control objects with the server on which the layers 3 ₁ ... 3 _{N of the} remote database are located is carried out using a set of intermediary commands (intermediary programs) serving the interface hardware (for example , RS485), as well as organizing queries to the database layer tables 3 ₁ ... 3 _N. The tables of the database layers 3 ₁ ... 3 _{N are} decrypted into the commands of the controllers of the managed component-entities 1 ₁ ... 1 _N and transmitted to it through the hardware of the interface 2 ₁ ... 2 _N with the reception of answers sent to the state table of the layers of the database 3 ₁ ... 3 _N. The proposed organization of the movement of commands and data of a controlled complex technical system ensures the use of an almost unlimited number of controlled components-entities 1 ₁ ... 1 _N. The number of control entity components 3 ₁ ... 3 _N , 4, 5, etc. also virtually unlimited. Entity control components can be local or remote, their specific number is determined by the settings of the remote database server, on which you can select many control components of the entity 3 ₁ ... 3 _N - layers of the remote database, which are a combination of memory locations and computer programs, representing terminal machines issuing commands to equipment controllers, implementing the final part of the control algorithm.

Commands for controllers of entity components 1 ₁ ... 1 _N - control objects are contained in tables - dictionaries of the database formed on equipment management server 5. This table containing commands for controllers - low-level commands also contains columns with numbers - 1 ... n representing a linear algorithm for executing low-level commands to a controller. The state machine correlates the columns with mode numbers with the corresponding rows from the table of high-level commands. The program itself sets the variable values, changing the commands from the tables of low-level commands according to a given algorithm. As a result of the execution of each high-level command, each entity component 1 ₁ ... 1 _N - the control object will give out its response information (telemetry, digitized signals from receivers, sign of fulfillment / non-fulfillment, etc.) in the form of a database table in the corresponding layers 3 ₁ ... 3 _N database of the remote server. In the fulfilled version, the terminal control is carried out by the equipment management server 5 via RS-485 interfaces in half-duplex mode, the control of the transmit-receive mode is carried out automatically by the device UART controller, which is the RS-485 physical port.

In general, communication with the controllers of the subsystems can be carried out using instrument interfaces (RS-485, RS-422, RS-232, USB), as well as using network technologies via Ethernet and various communication protocols (TCP / IP, UDP IPX), for which up to 8 RS-485 channels, 4 USB channels, as well as a Network Switch for 24 Ethernet channels are provided. The flexible, extensible architecture of instrument interfaces can be retrofitted beyond the basic configuration, and if necessary, USB port extenders, COM and JPIB interfaces can be added. The system can be used in the construction of hierarchical control systems, providing control transfer and data distribution between entities in such systems with the retrofitting, if necessary, of data storage and storage, as well as their protection and access control.

As a result of using the proposed system and method, it becomes possible to unify the management of various equipment through various interfaces due to the selection of entity components in the equipment complex. The system can be easily modified instead of an entire PC to the level of valve arrays, which minimizes the dimensions of the systems and also increases their reliability.

As a result, the system and method for monitoring remote equipment can be used in the tasks of autonomous, automatic and semi-automatic control of objects and systems for various purposes. Accordingly, a non-exhaustive list of areas of use of the proposed remote equipment control system and, accordingly, the method of its operation can be highlighted:

- management of complex radio engineering facilities (radar and sonar stations, frequency resource management systems, radio telescopes of various types and purposes);

- management of production lines, monitoring and data collection systems, for example, distributed information-measuring networks used in geology, seismic exploration, earthquake early warning systems, climate monitoring systems, etc .;

- integrated management of resuscitation equipment and medical postoperative monitoring;

- Organization of data collection systems and equipment management for microbiological research;

- security and fire alarm systems, access control systems and automatic protection of objects of various categories;

- systems for monitoring and diagnosing the state of technical facilities of high complexity, including automobiles, aircraft, locomotives and wagons, railway track facilities and scientific research automation devices.

Claims (21)

1. Remote equipment control system, consisting of the first set of remote control objects, each of which is equipped with at least one controller, management interface tools the second set of controls external to remote control objects, and the composition of the second set of controls external to remote control objects includes at least a remote database that provides reception and storage of state tables for the mentioned control objects, hardware management server providing interaction between control objects and a remote database, while management object interface means are connected to this equipment management server, characterized in that the aforementioned first set of remote control objects is a set of remote entity components - control objects that differ in functional purpose and / or operating features, each of which is equipped, at least one controller, and interface means, individual for each component-entity - control object, said second set of control means is a set of control entity components external to said remote entity components, and this second population includes at least layers of the mentioned remote database, providing for each of the mentioned entity components - control objects storage and issuance of control commands and reception and storage of state tables, and for storing and managing this remote database a corresponding server is allocated, a real-time communication server and autonomous equipment management connected to a remote database server, said equipment management server providing interaction between the corresponding entity components - control objects and layers of the remote database and connected to a real-time communication server and autonomous control of equipment, while interface tools, individual for each component-entity - the control object, are connected to this equipment management server. 2. A method of monitoring remote equipment, characterized in that they provide for the organization and use of the system according to claim 1.

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