JP6931099B2 - Programming automation in a 3D graphic editor with tightly coupled logic and physics simulation - Google Patents

Description

Generally speaking, the present invention relates to methods, systems and devices for programming an automation system using a three-dimensional graphic interface that employs tightly coupled logic and physical simulation techniques.

Background Technology In the programming environment of conventional automation software, programmers use a number of separate tools, each of which has a specific purpose for programming aspects of automation behavior. For example, one tool sets up a network protocol, another tool allocates memory for input and output devices, and another tool is used to code instructions. These tools are completely independent and must be manually configured, and any mismatch between the coding used within one tool will often cause errors in another tool or automation. In addition, there is little mapping between the default tool language and the actual physical hardware used to perform the automation. Many of the logical elements defined in automation tools are used in themselves to establish mappings between the structures of each tool and are only indirectly linked to the implementation of some kind of machine behavior.

Some idiomatic applications require that run-time functions can also be generated by porting those instructions to a control device, even though they are commonly used for simulation. That is. For example, in the field of model-based control, the types of equations provided by simulation systems are used to write control programs. In such situations, the actual simulation of the physical device is often not performed. Rather, the programming methods that would normally be used to program a simulation are those used to program control functions. According to another system, their simulation code is translated into a low-level language such as C, which allows the code to be executed in one environment without the need for a special runtime. However, this simulation code is still used as a general-purpose programming language rather than simulating the devices and environments in which automation is developed.

Some conventional controllers and data acquisition boards are programmed using non-standard or proprietary languages. Their controllers are diverse and some of them will perform a kind of simulation in the sense that they can manually control the state of a particular I / O during the test. For example, home automation devices allow users to program lighting on and off through some sort of web interface. However, this type of idiomatic technique does nothing more than a simple switch, manually to allow you to provide a specified physical simulation, for example by utilizing the attributes of the simulated object. Nothing is done beyond the programmed behavior.

Overview The embodiments of the present invention combine one or more of the above disadvantages and disadvantages by providing methods, systems and devices for programming automation in a three-dimensional graphic interface using physical simulation. It is an effort to overcome it. The techniques disclosed herein can be used, for example, to design, simulate and implement various industrial environments and machinery.

Briefly, various embodiments of the present invention describe a graphic simulation environment, in which the logical and physical components are present in the same workspace and they are in place. Can be edited, modified and executed with. For example, according to one embodiment, the simulation can be run at any time during the design process, even if the design is incomplete or fails as a result. Logic can be used to change the state of a component, and new components can be created, for example to represent work items that may interact with other components. Physical simulation of a component allows work items to be removed and modified according to the interaction of physical constraints. Conveyors, for example, can move a box by providing collision assistance and providing a force that pushes the box forward. The sensor can detect and generate a value based on the geometric or other physical attributes of the simulated object. Logic can transfer values to start activities, or else control activities based on those functions. In general, automation can be performed in a simulated environment as if it were a physical combination. The user can inspect the operation of the simulation when running the simulation to find errors, otherwise the function of the system can be verified. The user can stop the simulation at any point to restore the initial state of the object and continue to edit the designed automation.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, a system for designing an automation application based on user input includes a library interface, a three-dimensional workspace, a simulation engine, and a controller code generation unit. The library interface is configured to receive user selections of multiple components from the component library. According to some embodiments, the library can be populated based in part on the device model downloaded from the remote marketplace server. The 3D workspace displays the components and uses the components to generate a system design based on one or more instructions provided by the user. The simulation engine can then generate simulation code based on the system design and execute the simulation code in response to commands from the user. According to some embodiments, the simulation code can be executed in a virtual machine environment. According to some further embodiments, one or more components in the 3D workspace are animated during the execution of the simulation code. The controller code generation unit included in the system described above identifies the physical controllers corresponding to the components in the 3D workspace (for example, based on the device notification message received from the controller) and of those controllers based on the system design. Therefore, it is configured to generate code that can be executed by the controller.

According to some embodiments of the system described above, the 3D workspace can be configured to perform additional functions. For example, according to some embodiments, the component selected by the user can include a physical component associated with one physical device model and a logical element associated with one logical operation. .. In this way, the three-dimensional workspace can generate the association between a plurality of logical elements and a plurality of physical components based on one or a plurality of user instructions. Alternatively (or additionally) the 3D workspace can generate a logical element container containing one or more logical elements based on the first user request. Then, based on the second user request, the association can be generated between the logical element container and at least one physical component among the plurality of physical components. Various techniques can be used to generate such associations. For example, according to one embodiment, this association is generated by: That is,
-Identify the first physical object based on the first user selection
-Connect the logical input port object of the logical element container to the device output port object of the first physical object,
-Identify the second physical object based on the second user selection
-Created by connecting the logical output port object of the logical element container to the device input port object of the second physical object. According to some embodiments, the 3D workspace may be further configured to receive a user configuration of one or more attribute values for at least one physical component of the plurality of physical components. can. These attribute values can correspond, for example, to input to a physical model used to simulate the behavior of one or more physical components during simulation code execution.

According to another aspect of the invention, as described by some embodiments, a system for designing an automation application based on user input comprises a workspace, a simulation engine, and a controller code generation unit. Includes. The workspace is configured to allow the user to generate and manipulate a three-dimensional model of the industrial environment. The simulation engine is configured to simulate the physical behavior of a 3D model. According to one embodiment, the simulation engine animates the 3D model during simulation execution. The controller code generation unit is configured to generate code that can be executed by the controller for one or more physical controllers corresponding to the physical components contained in the 3D model. According to some embodiments, the system also includes a marketplace interface configured to retrieve a new physical device model from the marketplace server. In this way, the marketplace interface can use the new physical device model to generate new physical components for use in the 3D model. According to one embodiment, the marketplace interface can also assist and facilitate the acquisition of physical devices corresponding to the new physical device model by the user (eg, via a marketplace server).

According to yet another embodiment of the invention, a computer-implemented method of designing an automation application based on user input involves the computer receiving user selections of multiple components from a component library. It has been. The computer uses components to generate a system design in a 3D workspace based on one or more instructions provided by the user. The computer then generates simulation code based on the system design and executes this code in response to commands from the user. The computer identifies the physical controllers that correspond to multiple components in the three-dimensional workspace and generates code that can be executed by the controllers for those physical controllers based on the system design.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be clarified by describing exemplary embodiments in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings will give the best understanding of the aforementioned and other aspects of the invention. Although preferred embodiments are shown in the drawings at this time for purposes of exemplifying the invention, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular detailed description.

Diagram showing an overview of a system for programming automation according to some embodiments of the present invention. The figure which shows an example of the engineering tool by some embodiments of this invention. The figure which shows an example of the controller architecture by some embodiments of this invention. The figure which outlines the process performed at the time of automation execution in the simulation environment by some embodiments of this invention. The figure which shows an example of the computing environment which can implement the embodiment of this invention.

Detailed Description The following disclosure describes the invention according to several embodiments intended for methods, systems and devices for programming automation in graphic environments with tightly coupled logic and physical simulation. According to the various embodiments of the invention described herein, simulation and control programming are fused and both incorporated into the same tool so that they are no longer separate execution items. The techniques described herein are, but are not limited to, the design and implementation of systems that are particularly applicable to industrial applications.

FIG. 1 outlines a simulation environment 100 for programming automation according to some embodiments of the present invention. Briefly, component suppliers 105 and 110 provide device models to marketplace servers 115 over network 125. The user 120A at the manufacturer site 120 can then download their models from the marketplace server 115 over the network 125 for use in the simulation environment running on the user computer 120B. The user computer 120B allows the user 120A to generate controller codes 120F and then upload those controller codes 120F to the controllers associated with the physical devices 120D and 120E.

The component supplier 105 and the component supplier 110 supply the models of the physical conveyor and the physical motor to the marketplace server 115 via the network 125, respectively. Each model uses a standardized language, such as Extended Markup Language (XML), to provide detailed information about the device. Models can be designed to be functionally self-contained and intelligent as needed. The model can represent a physical device such as a sensor or actuator, a control device such as a programmable logic controller, and can represent a function applicable in an application without a physical entity. The content of the model can include, for example, detailed information about the geometry, kinematics and behavior of the corresponding physical device. Models can also include displays for interfacing with other models and for providing different configurations. An extension of computer-aided design software can be used to generate models by incorporating mechanical design. The marketplace server 115 acts as a host for the model repository generated by each component supplier. Marketplace server 115 provides an interface to the repository, which allows users to view and download models. For example, in some embodiments, the Marketplace Server 115 uses a web page interface, which provides a catalog of various models available for download. This interface can contain detailed information about each model, including, for example, an image of the modeled physical device, a list of I / O ports, configurable attributes, and a description of model behavior. It has been. According to some embodiments, the Marketplace Server 115 can also handle transactions between the user and various component suppliers. For example, according to one embodiment, the user is charged for each model downloaded from the Marketplace Server 115. According to another embodiment, the marketplace server 115 assists and facilitates a transaction between a user and a component supplier in acquiring a physical device corresponding to a particular model.

At the manufacturer site 120, the user 120A utilizes the user computer 120B to execute the engineering tool 120C (discussed in detail later with reference to FIG. 2). The engineering tool 120C allows the user 120A to download the motor model and the conveyor model to the user computer 120B. The engineering tool 120C can then use the downloaded model in a simulation environment, which performs calculations that mimic the physical activity of the modeled item. Briefly, engineering tools have a 3D graphic editor and dynamics simulation built into the visualization environment. This simulation includes a physical simulation of the hardware device and the machined product that the device operates and deforms. The simulated physical object represents a real hardware device. The simulation for a default device is set so that the behavior of that device is matched and the same actions are performed within the capabilities of the simulation under the same input conditions. Simulation can track the geometry, position, kinematics chain, and dynamics of an object. The simulation can also include the ability to dynamically add and remove objects from the simulation. This ability can be used to simulate deformation of objects such as cutting, squeezing, molding, etc. This capability can also be used to simulate the introduction and removal of processed products from the process.

In simulating an industrial environment, user 120A can easily identify the necessary physical components and layout required to implement a unique process. Once the layout decision is complete, the engineering tool 120C can generate more detailed information (eg parts list and / or blueprint), thereby obtaining the required physical components (they have not yet been obtained). It can be ordered (if any) and configured in the desired layout. In addition to these, according to some embodiments, the engineering tool 120C generates controller code that can be used out-of-the-box in physical components such as programmable logic controllers. For example, according to FIG. 1, the engineering tool can generate a controller code 120F that can be used as-is on the controller associated with the physical motor 120D and the physical conveyor 120E. Therefore, as soon as the design is completed, the controller code 120F is ready for the user, which simplifies the introduction of the physical device.

FIG. 2 shows an example of an engineering tool 200 according to some embodiments of the present invention. Briefly, the engineering tool 200 has a 3D graphic editor and a 3D multi-body dynamics simulation built into the visualization environment. The engineering tool 200 includes a 3D workspace 205, a toolbar 210, and a gallery 215 of logical elements that the user can place within the 3D workspace 205. Note that in the case of FIG. 2, most aspects of the design can be visually obtained within the 3D workspace 205. This allows layout, visualization, programming, and simulation to be performed in a single interface without switching between tools. In addition to this, 3D components and logic work together in the same space, as will be explained later.

The Engineering Tool 200 provides a low cost tool designed to run standalone for ease of use and efficient editing. The components in Engineering Tool 200 behave as if they were in the real world, and animations show how they behave. The components of the physical system can be generated from a vendor-provided selection, in which case the degree of graphic complexity is determined by the vendor (ie, the user does not have to redraw). By connecting the inputs from the sensors to the logic and even to the output devices, the physical system can be "wired" to depict the behavior of the components. In addition to this, according to some embodiments, the simulation provides instant debugging by allowing immediate feedback of internal values and other states. Similarly, simulations can be used to assess automation problems by showing cases where physical interactions are not intended. The engineering tool 200 offers several advantages in industrial design. Programming out-of-the-box in a simulated 3D environment reduces the level of indirectness that can occur during the design and implementation process. In addition to this, three-dimensional physical simulation enables rapid design verification. This permissive engineering model facilitates the search for ideas directly in the test environment.

The gallery 215 included in the engineering tool 200 shown as a specific example in FIG. 2 has a library interface section 215A and a physical section 215B. Library interface section 215A contains various components that can be added to the 3D workspace 205. The user can interact with the tabs contained at the top of Library Interface Section 215A to browse the various physical and logical components available for use within the 3D workspace 205. The physical properties of each component in the 3D workspace can be viewed and adjusted via physics section 215B.

To advance the design with the engineering tool 200, the user drags the device model out of the gallery 215 and places it in the 3D workspace 205. Alternatively, other methods for selecting and positioning objects may be used. Placing the device model within the 3D workspace creates a visual component that represents the model. Each component can have a connection point to which it can attach related components or other objects. According to some embodiments, the connected objects can be automatically aligned and have a collated gap with the surrounding model geometry. Positions within the 3D workspace 205 are intended to represent the physical position of the device in the process, and it is desirable to retain similar geometric dependencies. For example, if there are two conveyors in the process, one conveyor transports the material and the other conveyor drops the material, the simulated behavior follows this pattern. It is desirable to arrange these conveyors so that the ends are connected to each other in the space to be used. FIG. 2 includes a simple design as an example, in which the motor component 205F drives the belt conveyor component 205A to drive the box component 205I between the two optical sensor components 205B and 205D. Move it. By activating the motor component 205F, the belt conveyor component 205A will operate at the specified speed.

Each device model can include a port object that supplies input values and receives output values from the model. For example, in the case of FIG. 2, the motor component 205F includes a motor port object 205G that receives an input value. Based on these input values, the motor component 205F sets its operating speed accordingly. Optical sensor components 205B and 205D include optical sensor port objects 205C and 205E, respectively. Each optical sensor port objects 205C and 205E generate an output value when the individual optical sensors of those objects are triggered.

Logical elements are connected to port objects in the device model to provide functionality to the device model. Logical elements are depicted as blocks with ports, in which one block can be connected to another. A device model can be linked to a logical block by connecting the device model's port object to a logical element's port. Similarly, the user can link two blocks by connecting one block to the port of another block. According to some embodiments, ports can be classified as input type and output type. The input port is connected to the output port, where only one link may be connected to one default input port, or multiple links may be connected to one output port. good. According to another embodiment, the ports can be bidirectional, in which case they can be both input and output terminals at the same time and can be arbitrarily connected. In addition, the ports may be a mixture of different styles and types. According to some embodiments, the port can support various types of values, such as booleans, integers, arrays of values, and structured values containing multiple field values. If the types of each port are incompatible, the connection between each port can be restricted. According to some embodiments, a port can generate a value that is a reference to a component or other logical element, or various groups, so that operations can be performed generically on different types of components. You can perform operations in the logic of your application, such as disabling or iterating.

Various types of logical elements can be used, including, but not limited to, arithmetic operations, selections, signals, memory states, containers, and object influencing factors. According to some embodiments, the logic can be overloaded. For example, positive arithmetic operations can be used for floating point, integer addition, and for performing logical OR operations on Boolean values. Logic can affect the behavior of simulation objects, physical devices, or both, and other logic. In general, like components, logical elements have attributes. Changes in these attributes change the semantics and / or topology of the logical elements. The behavior of logic within a logical element container propagates to the simulation objects (s) connected to that container.

The user can add logic to the system design using the same technique as adding a device. The engineering tool 200 includes a user-selectable gallery of logical elements (not shown in FIG. 2). Logical elements are commonly used to represent a function or operation. The user drags a logical element from the gallery and places it in the 3D workspace. By placing logic on a physical component, the behavior of that component can be changed. The logic attached to a component accompanies that component when it is moved. Users can use logic to enhance simulation, such as creating processed products that can interact with other components. Logical elements can be placed in free space, on device objects, or in logical element containers. Logical elements placed in 3D space or on the 3D device model have 3D positions. The engineering tool 200 can use a component to which a logical element is attached and perform a behavior peculiar to the component. Programming and position can be interrelated. The type of logical element determines its purpose and whether any attached device model will be used as part of its function. The value calculated in the logical element is transmitted by following the link route. When the user rotates and translates or otherwise transforms the workspace view, the position of the logical element will be displayed in the new view position.

The logical element container 205H of FIG. 2 shows an example of a method in which one container can be used to include one group consisting of a plurality of logical elements. For one logical element that behaves in an object that belongs to the 3D world, one element in one container operates on the object that the container belongs to, or recursively this container is in one container itself. If placed, it works in the direction towards the container. A link from the outside of the container to the inside block allows interface ports to be automatically generated in the container and other nested containers as needed. For example, referring to FIG. 2, the logical element container 205H contains logical elements used to control the motor component 205F based on the inputs received from the optical sensor port objects 205C and 205E. In particular, the logical element container 205H adjusts the speed of the motor component 205F between -5 and 5 depending on which of the optical sensor components 205B and 205D is triggered. According to some embodiments, the logical element container can be represented by a two-dimensional field in the engineering tool 200. However, according to another embodiment, a three-dimensional container can be used. The user can move blocks within the logical element container (or between circuits) to relocate the interface ports as needed. In some embodiments, the space occupied by the local element container in the 3D workspace can be opened / closed, inside the circuit when the user is satisfied with the content and wants to reduce the scattering state. Can be hidden. In addition, the container can be copied as a single unit, which creates the contents of a unique container with various I / O connections available. The original container and the copied container can behave independently of each other. For example, different inputs to different containers can result in different outputs, different states can be stored, and nondeterministic operations can produce different results. If the user does not want to change the content, or if the user wants the content to remain linked and the changes are shared, then storage of logic for the copied logic element container, in some cases Can be shared. Logical element containers can also be imported from external devices, allowing complex functions to be packaged and shared between applications. The logical element container can also provide a connection that controls the state of the container itself. The container can provide an input port to activate and deactivate the behavior of the entire contents of the container, including the nested container. When the container is deactivated, the contents of the container cannot be updated and the output port of the container can be set to a default state such as zero or false. Other types of containers can support other types of operations, such as grouping logic performed within a sequence, or behave like a finite state automaton, or a single. One logic group can be executed repeatedly within the time cycle.

Toolbar 210 of Engineering Tool 200 contains various subsections that allow the user to interact with the model. The interface components included in the clipboard subsection 210A allow the user to edit the 3D workspace 205 by cutting (or copying) a portion (eg, one component) of the workspace 205 to their clipboard. can. The portion may then be pasted back into workspace 205, or the whole may be pasted into another workspace. The interface components included in subsection 210B of the toolbar 210 allow the user to select, move and rotate the components in the 3D workspace 205. Although most components are provided to the user by existing device models, the user can interact with the geometry subsection 210C to add various shapes to the 3D workspace 205. In this way, the user can customize the design layout more than it can be obtained by using only the pre-generated device model alone. Similarly, the interface components provided by the style subsection 210D allow the user to adjust the appearance (eg, color, line width, etc.) of the various components placed within the 3D workspace 205. As will be explained in more detail later, the toolbar 210 also contains an execution subsection 210E and a physical subsection 210F, which generate a simulation associated with the components placed in the 3D workspace 205. Then, an interface component for interacting with it is provided. Finally, the view subsection 210G allows the user to choose whether or not to display a particular item within the engineering tool 200.

The engineering tool 200 includes a physical simulation of a hardware device and a processed product on which the device operates and deforms. The execution subsection 210E on the toolbar 210 allows the user to activate and stop the simulation while the system design is being developed within the 3D workspace 205. The interface components included in the physics subsection 210F on the toolbar 210 allow the user to adjust the timing and other attributes of the simulation and also see any errors caused by the simulation. During the simulation run, the workspace maintains, calculates, and animates the various components you add to the workspace. For example, physical objects move and transform based on their dynamic attributes, detection objects detect their corresponding targets, behavior objects read, write, and calculate values. When the user stops the simulation, the 3D workspace 205 can revert to its original configuration and the user can continue editing. According to some embodiments, the user is allowed to edit the system design during the simulation run. In this case, the simulation may be considered running or hibernating, and the user can add, remove, and edit objects at any time. According to some embodiments, the simulation can be performed immediately without explicit compilation by interacting with the interface of execution subsection 210E. Further mentioned here, the design in the 3D workspace 205 does not have to be fully developed and simulations can be performed at any time during the design process. According to some embodiments, visual cues such as color changes or flashes are used to indicate where the logic is active. The user can examine the logic as it runs and change the values to try out the scenario.

Basically, the degree of complexity of the simulation generated by the engineering tool 200 can be any level. However, according to many embodiments of the invention, the engineering tool 200 is configured to allow the user to set and execute simulated objects by specifying high-level attributes for devices and processed products. .. Simulation allows the creation of virtual processed products, following the flow of those processed products through various processes performed by the automation device, any changes that occur in the processed products, and what changes are made to the device. It is possible to calculate what kind of effect it will have. Simulation can also simulate the state and behavior of automation devices to understand how they affect processed products. The simulation fidelity should be sufficient to perform key automation functions in the virtual world and verify the automation programming. Other behaviors that can be performed by simulation are considered useful unless they are realistic and too difficult to identify. Simulation tolerances and accuracy can be adjusted according to size, speed, and general automation needs. Simulations can be provided to align with the field of automation. Robot automation, for example, would probably use simulations that are three-dimensional and kinematic and may use dynamics. Conversely, oil refinery automation may use one-dimensional functions that represent pressure, flow and topology as well as numerical values in liquid networks such as pipes.

FIG. 3 shows an example of controller architecture 300 according to some embodiments of the present invention. The controller architecture 300 is conceptual and envisions a network that combines engineering tools 305 with one or more connected physical devices. Other types of devices may be used, such as physical ports or wired connections. Engineering tool 305 sends a generalized request to the network requesting the identification of any connected device. The device responds with device information 310 provided via device notification message 315. The engineering tool 305 can generate and store a virtual connection between a virtual component and a physical device based on the received device information 310. According to some embodiments, the virtual connection has a component identifier and an application identifier. Therefore, if there are multiple physical devices in the same application, they can be associated with the application identifier, while they can be associated with different virtual devices through different component identifiers.

Continuing with reference to FIG. 3, once the engineering tool 305 has identified the devices and their corresponding virtual connections, the engineering tool 305 propagates the engineering function to the web server 320. An engineering function has an instruction to implement a logical function in a specific physical device. The web server 320 generates a program based on the received engineering function and stores it in the program store 325. According to some embodiments, the engineering tool 305 is configured to generate the program directly and the web server 320 does not execute this function. According to such a scenario, the web server 320 only transmits some program received from the engineering tool 305 to the program store 325 with or without additional preprocessing of the program code. The program is then executed by the physical controller (s), which is conceptually represented by the logic execution arrow 330. The engineering tool 305 and / or the web server 320 can communicate with the physical controller (s) to perform functions such as program start, stop, reset, and so on. Each controller communicates with one or more physical devices using any technique well known in the art. For example, according to some embodiments, the controller has a direct electrical connection to their corresponding physical device and communicates using a protocol such as Universal Serial Bus (USB) or Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). do. According to another embodiment, the controller can communicate with those physical devices over a wired (eg Ethernet) or wireless (eg IEEE 802.11) communication network.

The state store 335 is primarily used to transmit states shared between multiple controllers embedded in the network, but when the program is being executed by the controllers, the engineering tool 305 states about the program. You can also enable the inspection to be performed. That is, the engineering tool 305 can identify the current state of the code being executed in each controller. According to some embodiments, the state store 335 is shared between various physical controllers via the network data share 350. In addition to these, network data share 350 can also be used to share state information of other entities, such as monitoring control and data acquisition servers (SCADA) or unified plant knowledge warehouses. The various entities that can receive data are referred to herein as "partners". The network partner finder 355 can be used to find the partner who requests or needs state information. In a distributed control scenario, these partners can be other controllers with distributed logic. The network partner finder 355 supplies the address of each found partner. The state store 335 can then use those addresses to distribute state information to partners via the I / O communication API 360.

FIG. 4 shows an overview of process 400 performed in simulation environment 100 according to some embodiments of the present invention. In step 405, the user downloads one or more physical device models from the marketplace server. Each physical device model corresponds to one physical device. For example, a physical device model can include instructions for generating a three-dimensional model of a physical conveyor belt, along with various attributes that can be associated with this type of device. The information in the physical device model is used to generate physical components for engineering tools. According to some embodiments, the engineering tool performs this generation automatically. For example, according to one embodiment, the engineering tool includes an interface to the marketplace server. The user can download the physical device model locally through user interaction with this interface, which allows the engineering tool to generate the corresponding physical device model. This generation process may be automatic, or the user may need to explicitly request model generation. Further mentioned here, according to some embodiments, the physical device model can be downloaded at a location other than the marketplace server. That is, for example, multiple users can share a physical device model via email for use in their individual engineering tools.

Continuing with reference to FIG. 4, in step 410 the user creates a system design within the 3D workspace by adding and adjusting components. According to some embodiments, engineering tools work with the workspace to provide a library of components that can be used by the user by clicking and dragging (in a mouse-based environment) or by touching (touching). Components can be selected and placed in the workspace through interactions such as touch and drag (in an environment with a base display). The user then adds a logical component to this environment in step 415. As described above, each logical component is associated with one logical operation, and the user can create a container containing a plurality of logical components. Once logical components have been added to the workspace, the logic is added to the physical components by using them to generate a correspondence between the component's inputs and outputs. For example, as already described with reference to FIG. 2, the output of the physical device component representing the sensor can be combined with the input of the logical container, while the output of the logical container is the physical device component representing the motor. Is associated with the input of. The association between physical and logical components can be performed in a manner similar to the techniques described above for adding components to the workspace. For example, you can generate an association by clicking (or touching) the output of a component and dragging it towards the input of another component.

At step 420, a simulation is performed based on the components in the workspace. This simulation simulates the physical and electrical behavior of a component. According to some embodiments, one or more of these components can be animated during the simulation run. For example, the conveyor belt component can be rotated in response to activation of the attached motor component. As mentioned here, the simulation can be run at any point during the design process. Therefore, after the simulation is run, the user determines if it is producing the desired result. If the desired result is not achieved, steps 410, 415, 420 can be repeated, allowing the user to add physical components and related logic to the workspace. The user can then evaluate the result at each iteration until the desired result is achieved.

Next, in step 425, the controller code is generated based on the system design in the 3D workspace. More specifically, engineering tools identify the physical controllers that correspond to the physical devices and generate code that can be executed by those devices. Various techniques can be used to identify the controller. For example, according to some embodiments, each controller has a fixed hardware address, which is supplied by the user to the engineering tool. According to other embodiments, the engineering tool can perform a device discovery process, in which the engineering tool processes device notification messages received from physical devices to their individual addresses and other associations. Get information. These physical devices may have to be of the same type as the device model selected by the user in the engineering tool, or, as an alternative, the physical device may have a given set of functions defined by the application. It can be anything that is feasible. According to some embodiments, the engineering tool generates and compiles code for each controller based on logical elements and simulation code. According to another embodiment, the engineering tool includes a virtual machine that executes the controller code during the simulation run. Therefore, the code used in the simulation can be used as it is in each controller without further compilation.

Once the code is generated, it is downloaded to the physical controller in step 430. According to some embodiments, engineering tools can send the code directly to the controller over a network connection. According to another embodiment, the engineering tool can be used as an intermediate server or intermediate storage medium to communicate with the physical controller.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a computing environment 500 in which embodiments of the present invention can be implemented. For example, the computing environment 500 can be used to implement one or more components of the simulation environment 100 shown in FIG. Computer and computing environments such as computer system 510 and computing environment 500 are well known to those of skill in the art and are therefore briefly described herein.

As shown in FIG. 5, the computer system 510 may include a communication mechanism such as system bus 521, or may include other communication mechanisms for communicating information within the computer system 510. Can be done. Further, the computer system 510 includes one or more processors 520 connected to the system bus 521 to process the information.

Processor 520 may include one or more central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), or any other processor well known in the art. More generally, the processor used herein is a device that executes machine-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium to perform a task, and is any one of hardware and firmware. These combinations can be included. The processor can also include memory that stores machine-readable instructions that can be executed to perform the task. The processor operates in response to the information, in which it manipulates, analyzes, modifies, transforms or transmits the information for use by an executable procedure or information device, and / or routes this information to the output device. do. A processor can, for example, use or include the power of a computer, controller or microprocessor, and condition it with instructions that can be executed to perform special purpose functions that are not performed by a general purpose computer. can do. Processors can be connected to any other processor (including electrically and / or executable components), which allows interaction and / or communication between them. A user interface processor or user interface generator is a well-known element, which includes electronic circuits or software, or a combination thereof, in order to generate a display image or a portion thereof. The user interface includes one or more display images that allow user interaction with the processor or other device.

Continuing with reference to FIG. 5, the computer system 510 also includes a system memory 530 connected to the system bus 521 to store information and instructions to be executed by the processor 520. System memory 530 can include computer-readable storage media in the form of volatile and / or non-volatile memory, such as read-only memory (ROM) 531 and / or random access memory (RAM) 532. .. RAM 532 of system memory can include other dynamic storage devices (eg, dynamic RAM, static RAM, and synchronous DRAM). ROM 531 of system memory can include other static storage devices (eg, programmable ROMs, erasable PROMs, and electrically erasable PROMs). In addition to these, system memory 530 can be used to store temporary variables or other intermediate stage information during instruction execution by processor 520. A basic input / output system 533 (BIOS) including a basic routine for assisting information transmission between each element in the computer system 510 can be stored in the ROM 531 of the system memory during startup or the like. RAM 532 of the system memory can include data modules and / or program modules that are immediately accessible by processor 520 and / or are currently being executed by processor 520. In addition to these, the system memory 530 can also include, for example, an operating system 534, an application program 535, other program modules 536, and program data 537.

The computer system 510 includes one or more storage devices for storing information and instructions, such as a magnetic hard disk 541 and a removable medium drive 542 (eg, floppy disk drive, compact disk drive, tape drive, and / or solid state drive). A disk controller 540 connected to the system bus 521 is also included to control such as. These storage devices can be added to the computer system 510 using the appropriate device interface (eg small computer system interface (SCSI), integrated device electronics (IDE), Universal Serial Bus (USB) or Fire Wire). ..

The computer system 510 also includes a display controller 565 connected to the system bus 521 to control a display 566, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) or liquid crystal display (LCD), for displaying information to the computer user. Can be included. The computer system includes an input interface 560 and one or more input devices such as a keyboard 562 and a pointing device 561 for interacting with the computer user and supplying information to the one or more processors 520. include. Pointing devices 561, such as mice, light pens, trackballs, or pointing sticks, are used to convey direction information and command selection to one or more processors 520 and to control the movement of the cursor on the display 566. Can be. A display 566 can provide a touch screen interface that allows input to supplement or replace the transmission of directional information and command selection by the pointing device 561.

The computer system 510 is the present invention in response to one or more processors 520 executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in memory, such as system memory 530. Part or all of the processing steps of the embodiment can be performed. Such instructions can be read into the system memory 530 from another computer-readable medium, such as a magnetic hard disk 541 or a removable medium drive 542. The magnetic hard disk 541 can include one or more data stores and data files used according to embodiments of the present invention. Data store content and data files can be encrypted for added security. Multiple processors 520 may also be used in a multiprocessing configuration to execute one or more instruction sequences contained within system memory 530. According to an alternative embodiment, a hardwired circuit may be used in place of or in combination with the software instructions. Therefore, the embodiments are not limited to any particular combination of hardware circuit and software.

As mentioned above, the computer system 510 is at least one computer read to hold instructions programmed according to embodiments of the present invention and to contain data structures, tables, records or other data described herein. Possible media or memory can be included. As used herein, the term "computer-readable medium" refers to any medium involved in delivering instructions to one or more processors 520 for execution. Computer-readable media can take many forms, including, but not limited to, non-temporary media, non-volatile media, volatile media and transmission media. Non-volatile examples include optical disks, solid state drives, magnetic disks, and magneto-optical disks, such as magnetic hard disks 541 or removable medium drives 542. A non-limiting example of a volatile medium is a dynamic memory such as a system memory 530. Non-limiting examples of transmission media are coaxial cables, copper wires, and optical fibers, including the wires that make up the system bus 521. The transmission medium can include forms of acoustic or light waves, such as those emitted during data communication by radio waves or infrared rays.

The computing environment 500 can further include a computer system 510 that operates in an environment in which a network is constructed using logical connections with one or more remote computers, such as the remote computer 580. The remote computer 580 can be a personal computer (laptop or desktop), mobile device, server, router, network PC, peer device, or other common network node, and the remote computer 580 generally includes a computer. Includes many or all of the above mentioned elements mentioned in connection with system 510. When used in a networking environment, the computer system 510 may include a modem 572 to establish communication over a network 571 such as the Internet. The modem 572 can be connected to the system bus 521 via the user network interface 570 or through other suitable mechanisms.

The network 571 can be any network or system commonly known in the art, including the Internet, intranet, local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), metropolitan area network. (MAN) A direct connection or set of direct connections, a cellular network, or any other network that can facilitate communication between a computer system 510 and another computer (eg, remote computing 580). Or a medium is included. The network 571 can be wired, wireless, or a combination thereof. Wired connections can be implemented using Ethernet, Universal Serial Bus (USB), RJ-6, or any other wired connection commonly known in the art. Wireless connections can be implemented using Wi-Fi, WiMAX and Bluetooth, infrared networks, cellular networks, satellites, or any other wireless connection technique commonly known in the art. In addition to these, a plurality of networks may be operated independently or in a state of communicating with each other, which facilitates communication in the network 571.

The executable application used herein is a processor to implement a predetermined function, such as a function of an operating system, a contextual data acquisition system or another information processing system, in response to a user's command or input. Contains code or machine-readable instructions for conditioning. An executable procedure is a segment, subroutine, or other separate section of code or part of a code or machine-readable instruction of an application that can be executed to perform one or more specific processes. be. These processes include receiving input data and / or parameters, performing operations based on the received input data, and / or performing functions in response to the received input parameters, and the resulting output data and / Or the supply of parameters.

The graphic user interface (GUI) used herein contains one or more display images generated by a display processor, thereby a processor or other device and associated data acquisition and processing functions. User interaction with is possible. The GUI also contains executable procedures or executable applications. An executable procedure or executable application conditions the display processor to generate a signal that represents a GUI display image. These signals are supplied to a display device that displays an image for viewing by the user. The processor manipulates the GUI display image in response to signals received from the input device under the control of an executable procedure or executable application. In this way, the user can interact with the display image by using an input device that allows user interaction with the processor or other device.

Function and process steps can now be performed completely or partially automatically in response to user commands. An automatically performed activity (including one step) is performed in response to one or more executable instructions or device operations without initiating the activity directly by the user.

The drawing systems and processes are not exclusive. Other systems, processes and menus can be derived according to the principles of the invention to achieve the same objectives. Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it should be understood that the embodiments and modifications described herein are for illustrative purposes only. One of ordinary skill in the art can implement changes to the current design without departing from the scope of the present invention. Moreover, as mentioned above, various systems, subsystems, agents, managers and processes can be implemented using hardware components, software components, and / or combinations thereof. Unless the requirements of the claims of the present application are specifically mentioned using the phrase "means for", those requirements shall be construed in accordance with the provisions of Article 112, paragraph 6 of the US Patent Act. It's not a thing.

Claims (20)

A system for designing automation applications based on user input.
The system includes a computer-implemented automated system engineering tool that includes a three-dimensional workspace, a simulation engine, and a controller code generation unit.
The three-dimensional workspace is
- to display the multiple components,
The three-dimensional work using the plurality of components that connect the first physical element to the second physical element via the logical element based on one or more instructions supplied by the user. It is configured to generate a system design in space
The simulation engine
-Generate a simulation code based on the system design in the 3D workspace,
-In response to a command from the user, execute the simulation code and
However, at least one of the plurality of components in the three-dimensional workspace is displayed as an animation during the execution of the simulation code.
-It is configured to automatically generate a new component based on the simulation code.
The controller code generation unit is
• By the controller for the one or more physical controllers, based on the system design, which is partially based on the at least one logical element, before one or more physical controllers are installed in the automation application. Generate executable code and
When the one or more physical controllers are installed in the automation application, the generated controller code is configured to be installed in the one or more physical controllers.
A system for designing automation applications. The plurality of components
• Multiple physical components, each associated with a physical device model, having at least one input port object and at least one output port object.
· Each logical operation is associated with a plurality of logical elements having at least one input port object and at least one output port object.
The system according to claim 1. The 3D workspace is further
The association between the plurality of logical elements and the plurality of physical components is configured to be generated based on one or more user instructions via at least one input port object and one output port object. Yes,
The system according to claim 2. The 3D workspace is further
-Based on the first user request, a logical element container containing one or a plurality of logical elements among the plurality of logical elements is generated.
-Based on the second user request, it is configured to generate an association between the logical element container and at least one physical component among the plurality of physical components.
The system according to claim 2. The association between the logical element container and at least one of the plurality of physical components is generated by the following, that is,
-Identify the first physical object based on the first user selection
-Connecting the input port object of the logical element container to the output port object of the first physical object,
-Identify the second physical object based on the second user selection
Generated by connecting the output port object of the logical element container to the input port object of the second physical object.
The system according to claim 4. The 3D workspace is further
• It is configured to receive a user configuration of one or more attribute values for at least one of the plurality of physical components, where the one or more attribute values are the simulation. Corresponds to input to a physical model used to simulate the behavior of at least one of the plurality of physical components during code execution.
The system according to claim 2. Execution of the simulation code by the simulation engine includes executing code that can be executed by the controller in a virtual machine.
The system according to claim 1. The system further includes a Marketplace Interface Component, which is a Marketplace Interface Component.
· Extract one or more device models from the marketplace server
- based on said one or more device models, and is configured to generate one or more new components in the component library,
The system according to claim 1. The one or more physical controllers corresponding to the plurality of components in the three-dimensional workspace are identified based on device notification messages received from the one or more physical controllers.
The system according to claim 1. A system for designing automation applications based on user input.
The system is
• An online marketplace that includes physical components that can be obtained from the manufacturer and computer-executable models of said physical components. • Computer-implemented engineering tools, including computer-implemented engineering tools.
- a gallery of the plurality of physical components model and modeled component comprising at least one logic element,
- a three-dimensional model of the industrial automation environment that includes a selected modeled components from the gallery a configuration workspace to allow the user to generate and manipulate, the first of the plurality of physical component model physical component model, the I 1 Tsuniyo of logic elements, associated with the second physical component models of the plurality of physical component model, and the work space,
-A simulation engine configured to simulate the physical behavior of the 3D model and dynamically generate new components in the 3D model.
• Controllers for one or more physical controllers corresponding to the physical components contained in the three-dimensional model of the industrial automation environment before one or more physical controllers are installed in the industrial automation environment. The generated controller executable code includes a controller code generation unit configured to generate code that can be executed by, if the one or more physical controllers are installed in the industrial automation environment. Installed on the one or more physical controllers mentioned above,
A system for designing automation applications based on user input. The simulation engine
-The three-dimensional model of the industrial automation environment is configured to be displayed as an animation during the simulation of the physical behavior of the three-dimensional model.
The system according to claim 10. The three-dimensional model of the industrial automation environment
-Multiple physical components corresponding to one physical device model,
-Multiple logical elements corresponding to one logical device operator,
-Includes at least one association between the plurality of physical components and the plurality of logical elements.
The system according to claim 10. The plurality of logical elements are grouped into one logical element container displayed in the workspace.
The system according to claim 12. The system further includes a device discovery interface, which is a device discovery interface.
-Receive device notification messages from the one or more physical controllers mentioned above
It is configured to identify the one or more physical controllers based on the device notification message.
The system according to claim 12. The system further includes a marketplace interface, which is a marketplace interface.
-Receive a new physical device model corresponding to one physical device from the marketplace server and receive it.
• Based on the new physical device model, it is configured to generate new physical components for use in the three-dimensional model of the industrial automation environment.
The system according to claim 12. The marketplace interface further
-It is configured to assist the user in acquiring the physical device via the marketplace server.
The system according to claim 15. A method of designing an automation application based on user input, performed by a computer.
The method comprises the following steps:: -A step of receiving a user selection of multiple components from a component library containing multiple physical components and at least one logical element by a computer.
A three-dimensional work by the computer using the plurality of components connecting the first physical component to the second physical component by at least one logical element based on one or more instructions supplied by the user. Steps to generate a system design in space,
-A step of generating a simulation code by the computer based on the system design in the three-dimensional workspace, and
-A step of executing the simulation code by the computer in response to a command from the user, and a step of dynamically generating a new component based on the execution of the simulation code.
A step of identifying one or more physical controllers corresponding to the plurality of components in the three-dimensional workspace by the computer.
Prior to the installation of the one or more physical controllers in an industrial automation system, the computer generates code that can be executed by the controller for the one or more physical controllers based on the system design. Including steps
When the one or more physical controllers are installed in the industrial automation system, the generated controller-executable code is installed in the one or more physical controllers.
How to design an automation application performed by a computer. The step of executing the simulation code in response to a command from the user includes a step of executing the code that can be executed by the controller in the virtual machine.
17. The method of claim 17. At least one of the plurality of components in the three-dimensional workspace is animated during execution of the simulation code.
17. The method of claim 17. The method further
A step of receiving a device notification message from the one or more physical controllers by the computer, and
A step of identifying the one or more physical controllers by the computer based on the device notification message.
17. The method of claim 17.

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