JP2006048457A - Field bus system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a field bus system capable of applying a standard function block not coping with an existing FF face plate block and a custom block arbitrarily prepared by an equipment vender to a control loop without mounting a new FF face plate block every time. <P>SOLUTION: In the field bus system for generating a function block by allocating the function block mounted on field equipment to a face plate block mounted on a controller, connecting the function blocks and constructing the control loop, the controller is provided with a general purpose face plate block to which an optional function block can be allocated. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a field bus system that generates a function block by assigning a function block mounted on a field device to a face plate block mounted on a control device, and constructs a control loop by combining the function blocks. .

  FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram showing an example of a conventional fieldbus system that controls a field device compliant with a fieldbus standard (for example, the foundation fieldbus standard FF-H1) under an engineering environment of a distributed control system. .

  Reference numeral 1 denotes a host device having an operation monitoring function in the distributed control system, and is connected to the control bus 2. Reference numeral 3 denotes a control device connected to the control bus 2, which communicates with the host device 1 and controls the plant field devices via the I / O bus 4.

  An interface card 5 has a gateway function for connecting the I / O bus 4 and the field bus 6 of the FF-H1 standard. Reference numerals 71, 72, 73,... 7n are field devices conforming to the FF-H1 standard connected to the field bus 6, and function blocks FB having various functions are mounted on each field device.

  In addition to the FCS function block 31 corresponding to the existing distributed control system, the control device 3 includes a plurality of FF faceplate blocks for assigning function blocks having various functions implemented in field devices for each function. 32 is implemented.

  FIG. 6 is a table showing the relationship between the function blocks having various functions mounted in the field device and the FF faceplate blocks mounted on the control device 3 correspondingly. Specifically, it is an FF-AI face plate block for the Analog Input block.

  Although the number of standard function blocks conforming to the FF-H1 standard is currently 25, the number of standard function blocks that can be allocated to the FF faceplate block is shown in FIG. In the example of FIG.

  Returning to FIG. 5, reference numeral 8 denotes an engineering station connected to the control bus 2, which builds a control loop by a builder function and downloads it to the host device 1, the control device 3, and field devices (73 in the figure).

  In the engineering station 8, reference numeral 81 denotes a project database generated by engineering, a block tag name composed of a field device tag name and a function block function name, an FF faceplate block name to which the block tag name is assigned, and an FCS function block name. Is registered.

  82 is a list of fieldbus blocks generated based on the registration information in the project database 81. The user calls this on the builder screen, selects the required fieldbus block, and assigns it by dragging and dropping it. Blocks FB-1, FB-2, and FB-3 are generated. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of functional blocks. Furthermore, a control loop is constructed by combining these functional blocks.

  These functional blocks can be generated only by the function block assigned to the FF faceplate block 32 mounted on the control device 3, or can be generated only by the FCS function block 31 mounted on the control device 3. It is also possible to generate both of them together.

  The host device 1 can perform operation monitoring on the function blocks allocated to the FF faceplate block 32 mounted on the control device 3 in the same manner as the FCS function block. FIG. 8 is a screen example of tuning and the face plate (instrument face) of the FF face plate block monitored by the host device 1.

  Patent Document 1 describes an engineering device that generates an execution scheduling object for a function block mounted on a field device.

JP 2004-78572 A

The conventional fieldbus system has the following problems.
(1) The existing FF face plate block prepared by the system does not correspond to all 25 types of standard function blocks, but is limited to only 15 types, for example, and therefore supports FF face plate blocks. Other standard blocks that do not exist cannot be handled as functional blocks in the system, and a control loop cannot be constructed by engineering.

(2) Custom blocks that can be arbitrarily created and implemented by field device vendors are not compatible with FF faceplate blocks prepared by the system, and can be handled as function blocks in the system as well. It is impossible to build a control loop by engineering.

  These problems can be dealt with by newly installing FF faceplate blocks in the control device 3 for each function block that does not support existing FF faceplate blocks. The engineering work of the plate block occurs, and the standard system of the existing distributed control system is changed, which is not efficient.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to create a standard function block that does not correspond to an existing FF faceplate block and a custom block that is arbitrarily created by an equipment vendor in a control loop without mounting new FF faceplate blocks one by one. It is to realize an applicable fieldbus system.

In order to achieve such an object, the configuration of the present invention is as follows.
(1) In a field bus system in which a function block mounted on a field device is assigned to a face plate block mounted on a control device to generate a function block, and the function block is combined to construct a control loop.
The control device includes a general-purpose faceplate block that can assign an arbitrary function block.

(2) The general-purpose faceplate block is at least one of a universal block that is an operation monitoring target from the host device as a functional block of the control device and a simple universal block that is not an operation monitoring target from the host device. The fieldbus system according to (1), which is characterized.

(3) The fieldbus system according to (2), wherein a function block that is not assigned to the face plate block is assigned to the universal block or the simplified universal block.

(4) The fieldbus system according to (2), wherein a custom block arbitrarily created and implemented by a vendor of the field device is assigned to the universal block or the simple universal block.

(5) The fieldbus system according to any one of (2) to (4), wherein the simple universal block has only a coupling function.

(6) The control device acquires only the connection information of the simple universal block used in the engineering station that communicates with the control device, according to any one of (2) to (5), Fieldbus system.

(7) The fieldbus system according to any one of (2) to (6), wherein a function block having an arithmetic function is assigned to the simple universal block.

(8) The fieldbus system according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the fieldbus block conforms to a fieldbus standard.

(9) The fieldbus system according to (8), wherein the fieldbus standard is a foundation fieldbus standard.

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention has the following effects.
(1) System By assigning a standard function block that does not correspond to an existing FF faceplate block to a general-purpose faceplate block, a functional block can be generated and applied to a control loop.

(2) Similarly, by assigning a custom block arbitrarily created by a device vendor to a general-purpose faceplate block, a functional block can be generated and applied to a control loop.

(3) Due to the mounting of the general-purpose face plate block, a change operation for mounting new FF face plate blocks to the existing FF face plate block does not occur, and the existing control system does not change.

(4) By using a simple universal block as a general-purpose faceplate block, it is possible to construct a system that does not consume the resources of the control device, although there are functional limitations, and can be designed so as not to change the resources of the existing control system. It becomes.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of a fieldbus system to which the present invention is applied. The same elements as those of the conventional system described with reference to FIG. Hereinafter, the characteristic part of the present invention will be described.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes a general-purpose face plate block that is additionally mounted on the control device 3 and includes at least one of a universal block 101 and a simplified universal block 102.

  The universal block 101 is positioned as one functional block in the control device 3 in the same way as the mounted FF faceplate block, and a standard block that does not support the FF faceplate block and a custom block that is arbitrarily created by a device vendor. It functions as a general-purpose face plate block that can be arbitrarily assigned to generate a functional block.

  Therefore, when an arbitrary function block is assigned to the universal block 101 and is engineered and registered as a function block, the function block becomes a monitoring operation target of the host device 1 and consumes memory resources of the control device 3. .

  As with the universal block 101, the simple universal block 102 can be engineered by assigning an arbitrary function block to generate a function block, but has a function limitation. The meaning of the prefix “simple” means, in the present invention, a universal block having only a coupling function.

  In other words, a functional block that is engineered by assigning an arbitrary function block to the simple universal block does not seem to exist as a functional block of the control device 3 and does not consume memory resources of the control device, but other FF faceplate blocks In this way, the function block is restricted so that operation monitoring cannot be performed on the host device 1.

  FIG. 2 is a download transition diagram of functional blocks used for constructing a control loop in the engineering station 8. The functional blocks corresponding to the FF faceplate block are downloaded to the host device 1, the control device 3, and the field device 7, but the functional blocks corresponding to the simple universal block are downloaded only to the field device 7, and other functions are transferred to the control device 3. Only the connection information to the function block is downloaded.

  As described above, the function block based on the simple universal block having the feature of not consuming the resources of the control device, on the other hand, has a function restriction that it is not a target of operation monitoring from the host device. However, there are many "calculation blocks" as a feature of the function block assigned to the simple universal block, and it is not necessary to monitor the operation of the calculation block. In this way, operation monitoring for control purposes can be achieved.

  Of course, internal parameters (block parameters that are not input / output terminals of individual blocks) can be monitored individually by directly connecting to the process input / output terminals of the conventional distributed control system. Is possible. When the operation monitoring is not required, but the resource of the control device is to be used effectively, the purpose can be sufficiently achieved by using the simple universal block.

  Next, an example of constructing a control loop in the engineering station 8 using a simple universal block will be described. A functional block in which an arbitrary function block is assigned to a simple universal block can be used as an element constituting a control loop in the same manner as other FF faceplate blocks, except that it is not a target for operation monitoring of a host device.

  Drag and drop the simple universal block registered in the project database 81 and displayed in the fieldbus block list 82 to the builder screen, and drag and drop any function block displayed in the fieldbus block list 82. Thus, a functional block is generated by assigning to a simple universal block.

  An arbitrary control loop can be constructed by combining the function block generated in this way and the function block generated using the other FF faceplate block 32 or the FCS function block 31.

  FIG. 3 is a construction example of a simple control loop using a simple universal block. In this example, an analog input block (AI block) which is a standard function block in a field device, an Arithmetic block (AR block) which is a custom function block having an arithmetic function, and a PID which is an FCS function block provided in the control device 3 Consider building a control loop using blocks.

  An FF-AI block is defined as a functional block as an FF faceplate block corresponding to the AI block, and a simple universal block (FF-SUNV) is defined as a functional block as an FF faceplate block for an AR block that is a custom block. Furthermore, a PID block mounted on the control device 3 is defined as a functional block.

  The terminals of each defined functional block are connected. In the case of the AR block, the input / output parameter name of the corresponding function block is input as the input / output terminal name. Since FF-SUNV is a general-purpose faceplate block, the terminal name is determined by the control loop configuration creator.

  In general, a function block in a field device can be arbitrarily assigned to a simple universal block. However, the standard function blocks (15 blocks shown in FIG. 6) corresponding to the existing FF faceplate block are not assigned. This is because there is no need to use a simple universal block because a corresponding FF faceplate block already exists.

  FIG. 4 is an operation image diagram of control loop construction using the builder function of the engineering station 8. The left screen is a display screen for the control loop construction function (control drawing builder), and the right screen is a screen for displaying a list of engineered function blocks.

  To register a custom block in the control loop construction function, simply drag and drop from the fieldbus block list screen 82 to automatically define a simple universal block, and then drag and drop the corresponding custom block from the fieldbus block list screen. Assign by. Alternatively, a simple universal block can be defined first, and similarly a custom block can be dragged and dropped onto an existing simple universal block.

It is a functional block diagram which shows one Embodiment of the fieldbus system to which this invention is applied. It is a download transition diagram of the functional block used for control loop construction in the engineering station. It is an example of construction of a simple control loop using a simple universal block. It is an operation image figure of control loop construction using the builder function of an engineering station. It is a functional block diagram which shows an example of the conventional fieldbus system. It is a table which shows the relationship between the function block mounted in a field apparatus, and the FF faceplate block mounted in a control apparatus corresponding to this. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structural example of a functional block. It is an example of a screen of the face plate and tuning of the FF face plate block whose operation is monitored by the host device.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Host apparatus 2 Control bus 3 Control apparatus 31 FCS function block 32 FF faceplate block 4 I / O bus 5 Interface card 6 Field bus 71, 72, 73, ... 7n Field apparatus 8 Engineering station 81 Project database 82 List of field bus blocks 9 General-purpose communication bus 100 General-purpose faceplate block 101 Universal block 102 Simple universal block FB-1, FB-2, FB-3 Function block

Claims (9)

In a fieldbus system in which a function block mounted on a field device is assigned to a faceplate block mounted on a control device to generate a function block, and this function block is combined to construct a control loop.
The control device includes a general-purpose faceplate block that can assign an arbitrary function block.   The general-purpose faceplate block is at least one of a universal block that is an operation monitoring target from a host device as a functional block of the control device and a simple universal block that is not a target of operation monitoring from a host device. The fieldbus system according to claim 1.   3. The fieldbus system according to claim 2, wherein a function block not assigned to the face plate block is assigned to the universal block or the simplified universal block.   The fieldbus system according to claim 2, wherein a custom block arbitrarily created and implemented by a vendor of the field device is assigned to the universal block or the simplified universal block.   5. The fieldbus system according to claim 2, wherein the simple universal block has only a coupling function.   6. The fieldbus system according to claim 2, wherein the control device acquires only connection information of the simple universal block used in an engineering station that communicates with the control device.   7. The fieldbus system according to claim 2, wherein a function block having an arithmetic function is assigned to the simple universal block.   8. The fieldbus system according to claim 1, wherein the fieldbus block conforms to a fieldbus standard. 9. The fieldbus system according to claim 8, wherein the fieldbus standard is a foundation fieldbus standard.