JP2000218476A - Production system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a system from totally affected by the problem of a part of softwares and the failure of a working device and to construct the robust production system by comprising a management object for executing the management and monitoring of an agent. SOLUTION: The controllers 40a-40d and a management device 80 are connected to a network 70. The management device 80 communicates with each controller through the network 70 to manage a system. A storing means 81 provides a zone where a management object 82 exists. The management object 82 is an object to execute the management and the like of the agent, and comprises a producing function for producing a product agent 50 and the device agents 60a-60d, a monitoring function for monitoring whether or not the product agent 50 and the device agents 60a-60d operated, a reproducing function for detecting the agent out of operation on the basis of the result of the monitoring, and reproduce this agent, and the like.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a production system for producing a desired product by processing with a processing device according to a predetermined production procedure.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a factory, actual production is generally performed according to a production management system or a production plan established manually. That is, the processing devices used for production and the order in which the processing devices are used are usually determined in advance.

However, in such a production method, there is an inconvenience that the processing apparatus is used in accordance with a production plan scheduled in advance, so that it is not possible to quickly respond to changes in the production environment such as a failure of the processing apparatus.

[0004] As a production system for solving such inconvenience, a production system in which an agent is introduced is currently being developed. This system will be referred to as an agent-based production system. In an agent-based production system, by having software called an agent that operates autonomously in a distributed environment,
It aims to achieve system flexibility in various aspects. In the agent-based production system, a product agent is provided one-to-one with a product, and the product agent autonomously moves in accordance with a production procedure of the product and requests a processing device to perform necessary processing. The autonomous movement of the product agent makes it possible to flexibly cope with a sudden failure of the processing equipment.

[0005] However, even though individual agents move autonomously, software for managing them to some extent is required. Specifically, it is necessary to have a function of generating an agent or periodically checking whether each agent is moving, and restoring the operation if stopped. In particular, a robust system can be realized by providing a function for recovering an agent. In the conventional agent-based production system, the function of managing individual agents was not sufficiently constructed.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. An agent which is a component of a system is generated, and whether or not these agents are operating normally is monitored. By providing a function to recover when stopped, a robust production system can be realized without affecting the entire system due to some software failures or processing equipment failures. The purpose is to do.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a production system having the following configuration.

(1) A production system in which an agent is introduced and a product is produced by an autonomous operation of the agent, wherein a management object for managing and monitoring the agent is provided.

(2) The management object detects a non-moving agent based on a generation function for generating the agent, a monitoring function for monitoring whether the agent is running, and a monitoring result of the monitoring function. The production system according to (1), further including at least one of a regeneration function for regenerating an agent.

(3) In a production system for producing a desired product by processing with a processing device according to a predetermined production procedure, a control device to which the processing device is connected, and a product agent provided in each control device. First storage means for providing an area where device agents exist, a network to which each control device is connected, a management device connected to the network and communicating with the control device to manage the system; A second storage means provided in the management device, for providing a presence area of the management object, wherein the product agent is provided one-to-one with the product, and selects a necessary processing device according to a product production procedure;
Requests processing to a device agent corresponding to the selected processing device. The device agent is provided one-to-one with the processing device, has information on the corresponding processing device, and processes the processing device in response to the processing request received from the product agent. The management object includes a generation function for generating a product agent and a device agent, a monitoring function for monitoring whether the product agent and the device agent are running, and an agent that is not running based on the monitoring result of the monitoring function. A production system comprising at least one of a regenerating function for detecting and regenerating the agent.

(4) The production system according to (3), wherein the management object notifies the user of the re-creation and the re-creation of the product agent and the device agent.

(5) The production system according to (4), wherein the notification of the regeneration is made by broadcasting.

(6) The product agent and the device agent communicate with the other agent when notified that the operation of the other agent related to the product agent and the device agent is temporarily stopped and the agent is regenerated. The production system according to (3), wherein the operation is restored by performing the following.

(7) The production according to (3), wherein, when the product agent and the device agent are regenerated, the product agent and the device agent communicate with other agents related to the product agent and restore their operations. system.

(8) The production system according to (3), wherein when the product agent and the device agent are notified that the managed object has been regenerated, the product agent and the device agent answer their own creation conditions to the managed object. .

(9) The production system according to (3), wherein the management object has a function of collecting log information necessary for regenerating a product agent and a device agent.

(10) When the device agent is notified that the product agent that has occupied the device agent has been regenerated, the device agent determines that the regenerated product agent has the exclusive right to itself. The production system according to (3), wherein notification is given.

(11) The production system according to (3), wherein when the agent disappears, the management object broadcasts a notice of the disappearance.

(12) The device agent queues the exclusive request received from the product agent, and removes the exclusive request from the queue when the product agent that has queued the exclusive request disappears. (3) The production system according to (1).

(13) The management object periodically checks whether the product agent and the device agent are running, and the product agent and the device agent periodically send a heartbeat notifying that they are running. The production system according to (3), wherein the production system is sent to the management object, and the management object check cycle is equal to the heartbeat cycle.

(14) The management object sends a message to an agent not receiving a heartbeat when a heartbeat does not arrive for a predetermined period, and determines whether the agent is operating based on a response to the message. (13) The production system according to (13).

[0022]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. In the example of FIG. 1, four processing devices 30a to 30d are provided. The control devices 40a to 40d are the processing devices 30
a to 30d. In the example of FIG. 1, one processing device is connected to each control device.
A plurality of processing devices may be connected to one control device.

The storage means 41 is provided in each control device, and stores the product agent 50 and the device agent 60.
a to 60d are provided.

The control section 42 is provided in each control device and controls the control function of the control device. Device agent 60
a to 60d act on the control unit 42 to execute the control function of each control device.

The network 70 includes control devices 40a to 4a
0d and the management device 80 are connected. The management device 80 communicates with each control device via the network 70 to manage the system. The storage unit 81 provides an area where the management object 82 exists. The user interface 90 displays an operation screen of the operator. The operation screen is used when the management object 82 asks the operator for a judgment. The product 100 is processed.

The product agent 50 is provided one-to-one with the product. The product agent 50 has a recipe 51 describing a product production procedure, selects a processing device required for processing according to the recipe, and requests a device agent corresponding to the selected processing device to perform processing. The product agent 50 is the control device 4 where the device agent exists.
Walk between 0a-40d.

The device agents 60a to 60d are provided one-to-one with the processing devices 30a to 30d, and have information specific to the processing device such as what processing can be performed by the corresponding processing device and control the processing device. I do. The device agents 60a to 60d move the processing devices 30a to 30d according to the contents of the processing request passed from the product agent 50.

The management object 82 is an object for managing an agent and the like, and has the following functions. A generation function that generates product agents and equipment agents. A monitoring function that monitors whether product agents and equipment agents are running. A regeneration function that detects an agent that is not moving based on the monitoring results and regenerates this agent. Product agent Collection function that collects the log information necessary to regenerate product agents and device agents.

As the log information, for example, there is information indicating what work the stopped product agent last performed.

The operation of the system shown in FIG. 1 will be described. First,
The operation of producing a product will be described. Product Agent 50
Sends a message to a device agent corresponding to a processing device in order to select a required processing device according to the recipe, and inquires whether the work is possible. When the product agent 50 obtains the use permission of the processing device from the device agent, it moves to the control device where the device agent is located, and requests the processing. Along with this, the product moves to the processing device corresponding to the device agent that has given the use permission to the product agent. In the example of FIG. 1, the product agent 50 moves to the control device 40a where the device agent 60a is located, and accordingly, the product 100 is moved to the processing device 30.
Move to a.

When the necessary work is completed at the destination, the necessary processing equipment is similarly searched for and processed in the next production procedure. By repeating this, the final product is made up.

Next, the communication operation will be described. The product agent 50, the device agents 60a to 60d, and the management object 82 have a one-to-one message communication function. It also has a broadcast function for notifying all.

The one-to-one message communication function is executed in the following cases. Operator's instruction The instruction from the user interface 90 is sent as a message from the management object to the product agent and the device agent. Examples of the message to be sent include an inquiry about an agent state, an emergency stop message, and an end message. Heartbeat A message that periodically informs you that you are moving. The product agent and the device agent notify the managed object. Status report A product agent reports to a managed object when it has completed a task. Work request The product agent requests the equipment agent to perform work on the processing equipment.

All broadcasts performed for the system return processing are issued from the management object 82. Broadcast notifications include: Notification of regeneration of managed object Always issued when a managed object starts up. Each agent receiving this answers their own generation conditions. That is, if it is a product agent, for example, it notifies the management object of the product name, the delivery date, the file name of the production procedure (recipe), and the like. The device agent replies, for example, configuration information of the processing device.

Agent Regeneration Notification When the agent is regenerated and becomes active, the management object notifies this. Each agent receiving this notification performs a process of returning to production when the regenerated agent is related to itself. For example, if a device agent learns by broadcast that the product agent that occupied it has been regenerated, the device agent informs the regenerated product agent that it has exclusive rights to it.

Agent Disappearance Notification Broadcast when the agent is terminated by an instruction from the operator. As with the re-generation notification, the relevant agent performs necessary processing. For example, the device agent queues the exclusive request received from the product agent, and removes the exclusive request from the queue when the product agent that has queued the exclusive request disappears.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure when the management object is initialized. In FIG. 2, even if the management object is restarted by the operator, the currently running agent can be managed as it is, and the device agent required for the system is always operated.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of agent monitoring and regeneration processing. The management object periodically checks whether the product agent and the device agent are running. On the other hand, the product agent and the device agent send a heartbeat for notifying that they are moving to the management object at regular intervals. The check cycle of the managed object is equal to the heartbeat cycle.

FIG. 4 is a time chart showing the check timing of the management object and the generation timing of the heartbeat. Although the product agent and the device agent have different periods, the principle is the same even if the period differs for each agent.

Referring back to FIG. 3, when the heartbeat does not arrive for three cycles from the agent, the management object sends a message to the target agent, and when there is a response, determines that the agent is running. If there is no response, it is determined that the agent is not moving and an inquiry is made to the operator.

Note that the period at which message transmission is started may be other than three periods. Alternatively, the determination may be made if the heartbeat does not arrive for two cycles or more.

FIG. 5 is a state transition diagram of the operation flag of the agent. The operation flag for each agent is managed by the management object. Each operation flag shown in the figure has the following meaning. IAM ALIVE: The agent that receives the heartbeat is considered to be running DON'T KNOW: Initial state of operation flag POSSIBLE: Heartbeat did not come in the first check WORRED: Heartbeat did not come in the second check DEAD: Heartbeat did not come in the third check DISPOSING : Terminated agent The management object manages the state of the agent based on such an operation flag.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram for explaining an example of the detailed structure of the product agent 50. In FIG. 6, the communication means 5
1 performs communication between product agents, communication between product agents and device agents, communication between product agents and managed objects, and the like. Device selection means 52
Selects a processing device for which processing is requested. The operation command storage means 53 stores an operation command to be given to the processing device in a format suitable for reading on the control device side. The processing request means 54 requests the processing device to perform processing. The processing request is performed by reading an operation command corresponding to the requested operation from the operation command storage unit 53 and providing the read operation command to the device agent. The processing history management means 55 manages the processing history of the product. Next destination determination means 56
Determines the upcoming destination of the product agent.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram for explaining an example of the detailed structure of the device agent. Device agent 60
The communication means 61 performs communication between the product agent and the device agent, communication between the management object and the device agent, and the like. The reply means 62 determines whether or not the function included in the processing request from the product agent is included in the function of the corresponding processing device, and returns a reply to the product agent when the function is included. Operation instruction execution means 6
3 executes the operation command given from the product agent and causes the processing device 30 to perform the processing.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram for explaining an example of the detailed structure of the management object. Management object 82
The communication means 821 performs communication between the product agent and the management object, communication between the device agent and the management object, and the like. Generating means 822, regenerating means 8
23, a monitoring unit 824, a notifying unit 825, and a log collecting unit 826 are units that implement the generating function, the regenerating function, the monitoring function, the notifying function, and the log collecting function of the management object 82, respectively.

[0046]

According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

According to the first and second aspects of the present invention, a robust production system can be constructed by providing a management object having an agent management / monitoring function.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a function of generating an agent which is a component of the system, monitoring whether or not these agents are operating normally, and recovering when they are stopped. By providing the management object, it is possible to realize a production system having a robust configuration without affecting the entire system due to a failure of a part of software or a failure of a processing device.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, each agent or object can operate by recognizing the state of generation of the agent and the object.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to make all agents and objects aware of the generation status of agents and objects.

According to the sixth to ninth aspects of the present invention, when an agent is regenerated, it is possible to recover the agent by taking an optimal procedure with an agent related to each other.

According to the tenth aspect, the exclusive relationship between the product agent and the device agent can be reproduced.

According to the eleventh aspect, the disappearance of the agent can be made known to all agents and objects.

According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the processing operation from stagnating due to the effect of the disappeared product agent.

According to the thirteenth and fourteenth aspects, it is possible to check at appropriate timing whether the product agent and the device agent are operating.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize a production system having a robust configuration without the whole system being affected by a failure of a part of software or a failure of a processing device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a detailed structure of a product agent 50.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a detailed structure of a device agent.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a detailed structure of a management object.

[Explanation of symbols]

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A production system in which an agent is introduced and a product is produced by an autonomous operation of the agent, wherein a management object for managing and monitoring the agent is provided. 2. The management object detects a non-moving agent based on a generation function for generating the agent, a monitoring function for monitoring whether the agent is running, and a monitoring result of the monitoring function. The production system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of a regeneration function for regenerating. 3. In a production system for performing processing by a processing device according to a predetermined production procedure to produce a desired product, a control device to which the processing device is connected, a product agent provided in each control device, First storage means for providing an area where a device agent exists, a network to which each control device is connected, a management device connected to the network and communicating with the control device to manage the system; A second storage means provided in the device, for providing an area where the management object exists. The product agent is provided one-to-one with the product, and selects a required processing device in accordance with a product production procedure. Requesting processing from a device agent corresponding to the processed device, the device agent being provided one-to-one with the processing device, It has information about the processing equipment, moves the processing equipment in response to the processing request received from the product agent, and the management object monitors the generation function for generating the product agent and the equipment agent, and whether the product agent and the equipment agent are running. A production system comprising at least one of a monitoring function for detecting an inactive agent based on a monitoring result of the monitoring function and a regenerating function for regenerating the agent. 4. The production system according to claim 3, wherein the management object notifies the user of the re-creation and the re-creation of the product agent and the device agent. 5. The production system according to claim 4, wherein the notification of the regeneration is made by broadcasting. 6. The product agent and the device agent communicate with the other agent when notified that the operation of another agent related to the product agent and the agent is temporarily stopped and the agent is regenerated. The production system according to claim 3, wherein the operation is performed to restore the operation. 7. The production system according to claim 3, wherein when the product agent and the device agent are regenerated, the product agent and the device agent communicate with another agent related to the product agent and restore the operation. . 8. The production system according to claim 3, wherein when the product agent and the device agent are notified that the managed object has been regenerated, the product agent and the device agent answer their own creation conditions to the managed object. 9. The management object according to claim 3, wherein the management object has a function of collecting log information necessary for regenerating a product agent and a device agent.
The production system described. 10. When the device agent is notified that the product agent that has occupied the device agent has been regenerated, the device agent notifies the regenerated product agent that the device agent has exclusive right to the device agent. The production system according to claim 3, wherein: 11. The production system according to claim 3, wherein the management object broadcasts a notice of disappearance when the agent disappears. 12. The device agent queues a proprietary request received from a product agent, and when the product agent that has queued the proprietary request disappears,
4. The production system according to claim 3, wherein the exclusive request is removed from the queue. 13. The management object periodically checks whether the product agent and the device agent are running, and the product agent and the device agent manage a heartbeat for notifying that the product agent and the device agent are running at regular intervals. 4. The production system according to claim 3, wherein the object is sent to an object, and a check cycle of the management object is equal to a cycle of the heartbeat. 14. The management object sends a message to an agent that does not receive a heartbeat when a heartbeat does not arrive for a predetermined period, and determines whether the agent is operating based on a response to the message. The production system according to claim 13, wherein: