WO2024023936A1

WO2024023936A1 - Virtual machine generation device and virtual machine generation program

Info

Publication number: WO2024023936A1
Application number: PCT/JP2022/028815
Authority: WO
Inventors: 八起高嶋
Original assignee: ファナック株式会社
Priority date: 2022-07-26
Filing date: 2022-07-26
Publication date: 2024-02-01

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a virtual machine generation device acquires, from virtual input/output data in a simulation environment for a control program, input/output information to an industrial machine, and generates, from the input/output information, variable definitions to be added to a prescribed block programming tool, and an input/output command block associated with a code for accessing the virtual input/output data. The virtual machine generation device receives an operation input for configuring an algorithm including the variable definitions and the input/output command block using the block programming tool, and executes the configured algorithm to generate a virtual machine including an interface with the virtual input/output data.

Description

Virtual machine generation device and virtual machine generation program

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a virtual machine generation device and a virtual machine generation program that reproduce the operation of an industrial machine on a virtual environment.

In order to efficiently develop control programs for industrial machines such as machine tools or robots, for example, a control program to be implemented in a control device such as a CNC or PLC is simulated in a virtual environment and its operation is simulated. Verification is being carried out.
Furthermore, a technique has been proposed for reproducing, in a virtual environment, the operation of an industrial machine according to a simulation of a control program.

JP 2021-182207 Publication Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 08-063207 International Publication No. 2020/009128

However, in order to reproduce the operations of industrial machines, users are forced to learn a high-level programming language and to define a huge amount of signal state change patterns.
Therefore, there is a need for a system that can easily construct the operation of industrial machinery in a virtual environment in conjunction with control program simulation.

The virtual machine generation device of the embodiment acquires input/output information to the industrial machine from virtual input/output data in a simulation environment of a control program, and defines variables for adding the input/output information to a predetermined block programming tool. , and an input/output command block associated with a code for accessing the virtual input/output data. The virtual machine generation device receives an operation input for configuring an algorithm including the variable definition and the input/output command block using the block programming tool, and executes the configured algorithm to generate the virtual input/output data. Create a virtual machine that includes an interface with.

The virtual machine generation program of the embodiment is for causing a computer to function as the virtual machine generation device.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a virtual PLC system according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating virtual input/output data managed by the virtual IO unit of the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an input/output command block according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a definition file of an input/output command block according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a procedure executed by the input/output command block of the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a starting block including an event command according to an embodiment. It is a figure which illustrates the stop position designated in the sequence program of embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a temporary stop command block according to the embodiment. It is a figure which illustrates the definition file of the temporary stop command block of embodiment, and the procedure to be executed. It is a figure which illustrates the block program comprised including the event command and temporary stop command block of embodiment. FIG. 2 is a first diagram illustrating a block program including blocks related to machine operation commands according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a second diagram illustrating a block program including blocks related to machine operation commands according to the embodiment.

An example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described below.
This embodiment shows a system that provides a virtual machine that is equipped with an interface to virtual IO signals (input/output data) when a control program for an industrial machine (hereinafter also simply referred to as a machine) is run in simulation.
Here, the control program is a sequence program of a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), and is a virtual PLC device that simulates the sequence program, and a virtual machine generation device that operates a virtual machine that cooperates with this virtual PLC device. A PLC system is illustrated.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a virtual PLC system 1 of this embodiment.
The virtual PLC system 1 includes a virtual PLC device 11 and a virtual machine generation device 12.

The virtual PLC device 11 is an information processing device (computer) equipped with a control section (processor) and a storage section (memory), and is communicatively connected to the virtual machine generation device 12 through the same housing or via a network.

The virtual PLC device 11 includes a sequence program analysis section 111, a sequence program execution section 112, a virtual IO section 113, a sequence program suspension section 114, and a sequence program restart section 115. These functional units are realized by the control unit reading and executing various software stored in the storage unit.

The sequence program analysis unit 111 reads the sequence program stored in the storage unit, and outputs variable information and signal information used in the sequence program to the virtual IO unit 113.

The sequence program execution unit 112 executes the sequence program and simulates the control state of the machine and peripheral devices.

The virtual IO unit 113 manages variable information and signal information that are virtual input/output data of the sequence program executed by the sequence program execution unit 112. The virtual IO unit 113 outputs this virtual input/output data to the input/output information of the virtual machine generation device 12, and writes data output from the virtual machine operating in the virtual machine generation device 12 to variable information and signal information. Provided to the sequence program execution unit 112.

The sequence program temporary stop unit 114 receives a temporary stop request from a virtual machine running in the virtual machine generation device 12, and performs a stop process on the sequence program execution unit 112. This stopping process may be immediate, or any position provided in advance in the sequence program may be specified.

The sequence program restart unit 115 performs restart processing on the sequence program execution unit 112 in response to an operation input from the user indicating a restart request.

The virtual machine generation device 12 is an information processing device (computer) that includes a control section (processor), a storage section (memory), a display section 20, a speaker 30, etc., and is installed in the same housing as the virtual PLC device 11, or Communication is connected via a network.

The virtual machine generation device 12 includes an input/output information acquisition unit 121 , an input/output command generation unit 122 , an event command generation unit 123 , a position information acquisition unit 124 , a temporary stop command generation unit 125 , and a parts information acquisition unit 126 , a machine operation command generation section 127 , and an execution section 128 . These functional units are realized by the control unit reading and executing various software stored in the storage unit.

The input/output information acquisition unit 121 acquires variables as input/output information to a virtual machine that simulates an industrial machine from virtual input/output data managed by the virtual IO unit 113 of the virtual PLC device 11, which is a simulation environment for a sequence program. Obtain information and signal information.
Note that the input/output information acquisition unit 121 may directly receive input/output information from the virtual IO unit 113, but may also capture the input/output information in various data formats such as CSV, json, or XML, and store it as input/output information.

Further, the input/output information acquisition unit 121 serves as an interface with the virtual IO unit 113, and manages program codes for the virtual machine to access virtual input/output data as a library.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating virtual input/output data managed by the virtual IO unit 113 of this embodiment.
In a sequence program, a variable (for example, RED_LAMP) can be assigned to an IO signal indicated by an address (for example, %Y1.0).
Furthermore, signals to which no variables are assigned and which are directly specified by addresses during the sequence program (for example, %X1.2) are also included in the virtual input/output data.

The input/output command generation unit 122 defines variables to be added to a predetermined block programming tool and accesses virtual input/output data of the virtual IO unit 113 from the input/output information acquired by the input/output information acquisition unit 121. Generates an input/output command block associated with the code.

Here, the block programming tool is a tool for visual programming that configures a program by combining various blocks that are program parts, and for example, Scratch may be adopted, but the tool is not limited to this.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an input/output command block of this embodiment.
The input/output command block is a program component that assigns a value to a signal or a variable assigned to a signal.
The illustrated block associates this value with the virtual IO unit 113 by assigning the value specified in the second blank to the signal or variable specified in the first blank. .

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the definition file of the input/output command block of this embodiment.
The block definition file is described as metadata such as json or XML. In this example, the displayed text and two arguments are defined as the display format of the input/output command block in Figure 3, and a procedure (for example, signal_input) that specifies the behavior when the block is used is specified. There is.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a procedure executed by the input/output command block of this embodiment.
The procedure includes program code managed as a library by the input/output information acquisition unit 121 in order to access virtual input/output data of the virtual PLC device 11, and defines the operation of the virtual machine to rewrite specified signals or variables. are doing.

The event command generation unit 123 generates a definition of an event command according to a change in virtual input/output data of the virtual PLC device 11 from the input/output information acquired by the input/output information acquisition unit 121.
The definition of an event command indicates a component that constitutes a starting block of a program, and detects a change in the value of a variable or signal as a trigger for starting a program.

Furthermore, the event command generation unit 123 may further define, as the event command, an operation event from the user to the virtual machine that does not depend on variables or signals.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a start block including an event command according to this embodiment.
Here, a general-purpose start block is illustrated in which an event command related to rewriting a variable such as "RED_LAMP is TRUE" is selectively input.
Note that each event command may be generated as a dedicated start block.

The position information acquisition unit 124 acquires position information for specifying a temporary stop position from the sequence program executed by the virtual PLC device 11.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating stop positions specified in the sequence program of this embodiment.
The stop position is specified by a program line number in text format, a ladder net number, or the like, and a breakpoint indicating an arbitrary stop position is written.
The label of this breakpoint (for example, point_1) is acquired as position information.

The pause command generation unit 125 generates a pause command block associated with a code for temporarily stopping the sequence program at any of the acquired position information.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a temporary stop command block of this embodiment.
The temporary stop command block is acquired by the position information acquisition unit 124, for example, to stop the program "immediately", to stop the program at net number "4", to stop the program at breakpoint "point_1", etc. This is a program component that allows you to select or directly input location information.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the definition file of the temporary stop command block and the procedure to be executed in this embodiment.
This example is a definition file for a block that stops the program "immediately", and defines the text to be displayed and an argument with "immediately" specified as the default.
A procedure (send_break) that defines the operation when this block is used issues a pause request to the sequence program pause unit 114 of the virtual PLC device 11 according to an argument.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a block program including an event command and a temporary stop command block according to the present embodiment.
In this example, when the "door open" operation is performed on the virtual machine, the sequence program is temporarily stopped at the breakpoint "%L4".

The component information acquisition unit 126 extracts identification information of a component from the machine design data, and acquires at least one of image data or audio data regarding the operation of this component.
The design data is, for example, mechanical design CAD data or electrical design CAD data, from which a parts list including manufacturer and model number information is extracted. The parts information acquisition unit 126 extracts the corresponding image data and audio data from a predetermined database based on the manufacturer and model number information.

The machine motion command generation unit 127 generates a stencil definition including a machine motion command for presenting the acquired image data or audio data.
For example, when a tower lamp is extracted as a part, image data corresponding to each operation of the tower lamp, such as blinking a red LED and lighting a blue LED, is defined as a stencil (for example, Scratch's costume).
Furthermore, various alarm sounds and the like are defined as selectable audio data.

FIG. 11 is a first diagram illustrating a block program including blocks related to machine operation commands according to the present embodiment.
In this example, the event command "RED_LAMP is TRUE", which changes the virtual input/output data, is used as a trigger to change the image of the tower lamp to "flashing red LED" and display it on the display unit 20, and to emit "alarm sound 1". An algorithm for outputting to the speaker 30 is configured.

FIG. 12 is a second diagram illustrating a block program including blocks related to machine operation commands according to the present embodiment.
In this example, the virtual input/output data is referenced, and if the variable "BLUE_LAMP" is TRUE, "turn on the blue LED" is executed as the machine operation command, and then the input/output command block is used to signal the virtual input/output data. An algorithm is configured to write TRUE to "%X1.2".

The execution unit 128 receives operation input for configuring an algorithm including variable definitions and input/output command blocks using the block programming tool, and executes the configured algorithm to create virtual input/output data of the virtual PLC device 11. Create a virtual machine that includes an interface with.

Furthermore, the execution unit 128 may operate the virtual machine in accordance with the event command by accepting an operation input for configuring an algorithm including a program start block containing the event command.

Furthermore, the execution unit 128 may suspend the sequence program in accordance with the event command by accepting an operation input for configuring an algorithm including a program start block including the event command and a pause command block. .

Furthermore, the execution unit 128 may accept operation input for configuring an algorithm including machine operation commands, and may present image data or audio data to clearly indicate the operation of the virtual machine to the user.

According to this embodiment, the virtual machine generation device 12 has an interface with virtual input/output data of a sequence program being simulated in the virtual PLC device 11, and creates program parts for this interface in a block programming tool. Provided for. Thereby, the virtual machine generation device 12 can easily construct, on the virtual environment, the operation of the machine in conjunction with the simulation of the sequence program by the virtual PLC device 11.

Further, the virtual machine generation device 12 can easily incorporate changes in variables or signals according to the simulation execution of the sequence program in the virtual PLC device 11 as a trigger for the operation of the virtual machine, using a program component that defines an event command. can.
Furthermore, the virtual machine generation device 12 can operate the virtual machine more appropriately by defining an operation corresponding to an operation input to the machine as an event command.

In addition, the virtual machine generation device 12 can pause the simulation of the sequence program in conjunction with the event command block by providing a pause command block that specifies a position extracted from the sequence program as a program component. . Therefore, the virtual machine generation device 12 can provide a debugging environment using program execution resumption, step execution, or the like.

Additionally, the virtual machine generation device 12 can present images (animation) and audio expressing machine motion using program components that define machine motion commands.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the individual embodiments described above. These embodiments may be modified by various additions, substitutions, It is possible to change, partially delete, etc. For example, in the embodiments described above, the order of each operation and the order of each process are shown as examples, and are not limited to these.

In this embodiment, the virtual PLC device 11 and the virtual machine generation device 12 of the virtual PLC system 1 have been described as independent information processing devices, but the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, the virtual machine generation device 12 may be incorporated into the virtual PLC device 11, or may be configured by a plurality of information processing devices.

The virtual machine generation method by the virtual machine generation device 12 is realized by software. When realized by software, programs constituting this software are installed on the computer. Furthermore, these programs may be recorded on removable media and distributed to users, or may be distributed by being downloaded to users' computers via a network.

1 Virtual PLC system 11 Virtual PLC device 12 Virtual machine generation device 20 Display section 30 Speaker 111 Sequence program analysis section 112 Sequence program execution section 113 Virtual IO section 114 Sequence program temporary stop section 115 Sequence program restart section 121 Input/output information acquisition section 122 Input/output command generation unit 123 Event command generation unit 124 Position information acquisition unit 125 Pause command generation unit 126 Parts information acquisition unit 127 Machine operation command generation unit 128 Execution unit

Claims

an input/output information acquisition unit that acquires input/output information to the industrial machine from virtual input/output data in a simulation environment of the control program;
an input/output command generation unit that generates an input/output command block associated with a variable definition to be added to a predetermined block programming tool and a code for accessing the virtual input/output data from the input/output information;
The block programming tool accepts an operation input for configuring an algorithm including the variable definition and the input/output command block, and executes the configured algorithm to create a virtual program including an interface with the virtual input/output data. A virtual machine generation device comprising: an execution unit that generates a machine.
an event command generation unit that generates a definition of an event command according to a change in the virtual input/output data from the input/output information;
The execution unit receives, from the block programming tool, an operation input for configuring an algorithm including a program start block including the event instruction, and executes the configured algorithm to execute the operation input according to the event instruction. The virtual machine generation device according to claim 1, which operates a virtual machine.
The virtual machine generation device according to claim 2, wherein the event command generation unit further defines an operation event for the virtual machine as the event command.
a position information acquisition unit that acquires position information for specifying a temporary stop position from the control program;
comprising a pause command generation unit that generates a pause command block associated with a code for temporarily stopping the control program based on any of the position information,
The execution unit receives an operation input from the block programming tool to configure a program start block including the event command and an algorithm including the pause command block, and executes the configured algorithm. The virtual machine generation device according to claim 3, wherein the control program is temporarily stopped in response to the event command.
a parts information acquisition unit that extracts identification information of parts from the design data of the industrial machine and acquires at least one of image data or audio data regarding the operation of the part;
a machine motion command generation unit that generates a stencil definition including a machine motion command for presenting the image data or the audio data,
The execution unit receives an operation input for configuring an algorithm including the machine operation command through the block programming tool, and presents the image data or the audio data by executing the configured algorithm. A virtual machine generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
A virtual machine generation program for causing a computer to function as the virtual machine generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.