HK1143218A - Programming device for a network of control nodes and system with such a programming device - Google Patents

Description

Control node network planning device and system with same

Technical Field

The invention relates to a planning device for a network of control nodes and to a system having such a planning device.

Background

The basis of the modern concept of industrial automation is the idea of decentralized control, in which control tasks to be executed are distributed in a geographically and functionally optimal manner to a plurality of control nodes of the decentralized control system, where the control nodes can communicate with one another and with superordinate systems via an industrial local network. In addition, in the decentralized control system, the effort required for the communication procedure can be reduced, since the individual control node automatically takes over the control tasks with respect to its own area and only needs to communicate with another control node or the upper level system (respectively) for coordination purposes. The basic idea underlying the decentralized control system is to divide the automation task into separate modules, which are functionally and logically complete and which are then arranged close to the program, in order to reduce the effort required for writing and installation. Further, by being subdivided into modules, the complexity is reduced, and therefore, the implementation of functions becomes easier.

Open systems are another trend in automation technology, which enables the user to combine automation components of various manufacturers, and this offers the user the possibility of using the best technical solutions for the individual subtasks and of selecting the manufacturer with the best possible price. In addition, a necessary requirement for the automation components in open systems is that they must provide connectivity, i.e. in principle the individual automation components must be able to exchange data with one another. Furthermore, open systems also require that the automation components be interoperable, i.e. that the respective automation components have to include defined property data (profiles) to ensure cooperation when executing the automation task. Finally, in open systems, interchangeability between automation components from various manufacturers is also required, i.e., the manufacturer's devices must provide the same range of functionality.

Despite the trend towards the use of decentralized open control systems in automation technology, and the cost-effectiveness thereof, the problem of "return-of-investment" in automation technology is still more and more often addressed due to the ever-shortening of product cycles. While products of today are already manufactured in a manner that allows them to be easily automated, the automated systems for manufacturing such products are typically designed specifically for the product, and therefore, adapting them to changes in the product and the program is only possible with a high degree of effort.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides a control node network planning device and a system having the same, which makes a flexible system management possible, especially in connection with changes in production and manufacturing processes.

This object is solved according to the invention by a planning device according to claim 1 and a system according to claim 11, as further advantageous embodiments of the invention are indicated in the dependent claims.

In a decentralized control system comprising a network of control nodes, a planning device according to the invention is provided for determining the communication relationships between the control nodes in the network and, for this purpose, the planning device includes a logging module for determining the control nodes connected to the network, and a system object module connected to the logging module, wherein the system object module comprises a system object model representing the configuration of the control node of the network, and, the system object model determines the communication relationships between the determined control nodes, and a configuration module is connected to the system object module in the planning device, the configuration module transmits the communication relationship determined by the system object module between the control nodes in the network to the control nodes.

The configuration of the invention enables a decentralized control system to be implemented in the form of an open system with a high degree of compatibility with the control nodes, wherein changes in the production and manufacturing process, in particular production expansions and product changes, can be carried out in the decentralized control system in a simple manner and without high effort by means of the planning device of the invention, since the planning device can determine the communication relationships between the individual control nodes and can thus be adapted to the desired production and manufacturing process.

According to a preferred embodiment, the system object modules in the planning device are configured in such a way that the communication between the clients in the control node is also determined on the basis of the system object modules and is then transmitted to the control node via the configuration module, and furthermore, a further increase in flexibility of the decentralized control system is achieved by this configuration, since the process flow in the control node can be adapted to the desired production and manufacturing processes without planning work having to be carried out on the control node itself.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the data transmission between the control nodes in the network can be implemented in the form of data packets which can be transmitted over the network, wherein the control nodes are configured to convert a control node program image or further data which do not belong to the program image into data telegrams, so that the data flow configuration between the control nodes enables the communication relationships between the control nodes to be configured in a simple and flexible manner, thereby achieving a desired adaptation to the production and manufacturing process.

Furthermore, it is preferred that the data transfer between the clients in the control node is implemented in the form of a data image processing procedure, wherein each client in the control node is configured to have direct access to the control node program image transferred between the clients or to other data not belonging to the program image, and the method in terms of data transfer provides a fast data exchange in the control node, in particular the data image processing procedure may be implemented in a cyclic manner as well as in an acyclic manner.

Drawings

FIG. 1: a schematic diagram of a network having control nodes and a planning device is shown;

FIG. 2: it displays the configuration of a planning device; and

fig. 3A to 3C: which shows an identification phase, a configuration phase, and a mechanical operation phase in a network.

Detailed Description

The use of decentralized control systems in industrial automation, i.e. with software control and monitoring technology programs, is constantly increasing. In such decentralized control systems, the control tasks are distributed to a plurality of control nodes, wherein the control nodes communicate with each other via an industrial local network and, if necessary, with an upper level system. Fig. 1 shows a decentralized control system comprising three control nodes 1A, 1B, 1C and planning means 2 for configuring and monitoring the network, wherein each of the control nodes 1 comprises a network interface 11 forming a physical interface of the network, wherein the control nodes 1 and the planning means 2 are connected to each other via a bus system 3 (known as a field bus) adapted to the industrial requirements, and when the field bus system is used in the process and manufacturing technology, the main requirement for the field bus system is its real-time capability, i.e. the field bus system has to ensure that each transmitted data packet can reach its receiver within a defined guaranteed time.

The control node itself may be subsequently subdivided into functionally and logically complete independent clients. This modularity of the control nodes allows for an ideal decentralization of the control intelligence. Here, like the upper level control node, the clients are configured in such a way that they practically take over the tasks relating to their domain completely and only need to communicate with other clients among the control nodes or, respectively, with other control nodes for cooperative reasons. Fig. 1 shows a control node 1A with three clients 12A, 12B, 12C connected to the network interface 11 of the control node via an internal bus system 13.

Each control node includes a control node statement that indicates the functionality and communication characteristics of the control node. The control node statement is of a standard form for all control nodes and is stored in a data file in a memory area 14 of the control node. Subsequently, similar to the control node, the individual clients also include their own client statements describing the communication and functional characteristics of the client and are stored in the storage area of the client (not shown) or the storage area 14 of the control node as a standardized data file.

In industrial automation, a problem with existing decentralized control systems is that, if the product and manufacturing operations change, the control-relevant content of the system, or the hardware of the control nodes, respectively, must be adapted with a high degree of effort, which adaptation can be achieved with a significant reduction after the use of the planning device 2 provided according to the invention in the system network.

The planning device 2 is connected via the field bus 3 to the control node 1 or the client 12 in the control node, respectively, which can decide in a first step to connect to the network or to the control node of the client in the control node, respectively. Here, through a system object model provided in the planning apparatus 2, the planning apparatus can determine communication relationships between determined control nodes or between determined clients in the control nodes, respectively, and then transmit the communication relationships to the control nodes or the clients in the control nodes, respectively.

A schematic configuration of the programming apparatus is shown in fig. 2. The individual components of the planning device are configured in hardware and in software. The planning device 2 comprises three interfaces: a first fieldbus interface 21 configured as a network interface for connecting the control node 1 via the fieldbus 3, a data interface 22, and a human machine interface 23.

The planning apparatus 2 can output a system statement and, for example, a product and program statement of an engineering system 4 via the data interface 22, as shown in fig. 2, by means of which a system plan for manufacturing a product can be executed. Here, the system statement will include the location and order of the network client with respect to the overall system, as well as a description of the network parameters and communication endpoints.

The system statements and the individual product and program descriptions are converted into an object model (object model) by a system-configuration input module 24 connected to the data interface 22, which ensures that the system statements and the product and program statements are in a standard format.

The planning apparatus further comprises an apparatus-sentence input/output module 25, and the planning apparatus 2 can input or output the control node sentence or the client sentence respectively through the module 25. Here, the device-statement input/output module 25 can exchange the device and client statements with an external database via the data interface 22, or it can also request the device and client statements from the control node or the client in the control node, respectively, via the data interface 21. It is also possible to store updated device statements back into the control node, or into the client in the control node, via the device-statement input/output module 25.

In order to combine the object model including a standardized system statement, product statement, and program statement with the control node statement or the client statement, respectively, to form a system object model, the system-configuration input module 24 and the device-statement input/output module 25 are connected to a system object module 26. The system object module 26 can determine the communication relationship between the control nodes 1 or between the clients 12 in the control nodes, respectively, based on the standardized system statements, product statements, and program statements, and the control node statements, or the client statements, respectively.

In industrial automation control systems, one requirement for the communication relationship is the ability to be real-time, i.e., the decentralized control system must be able to respond to all events occurring in the appropriate time under all operating conditions. Preferably, in order to be able to ensure a fast and deterministic communication, the real-time data exchange between the control nodes in the network or between the clients in the control nodes, respectively, is carried out in a round-robin manner. On the contrary, all the above parameters, which do not need to be evaluated permanently and with time urgency, are exchanged between the control nodes in the network or between the clients in the control nodes, respectively, in an acyclic manner, as required.

The system object module 26 determines the distribution of cyclic and acyclic data exchanges using the communication relationships between the control nodes 1 or between the clients 12 in the control nodes, respectively.

The communication between the control nodes in the network is carried out as a function of the system object module 26 following the rules of the field bus protocol, wherein the data to be exchanged between the control nodes 1 are translated into data telegrams. Here, the ethernet protocol is the preferred communication infrastructure in the field bus, and high data rates can be achieved with the ethernet protocol. In contrast, in order to achieve fast data transmission, the data exchange between the clients in the control node is preferably determined by the system object module 26 in the form of a data image processing program, wherein each client 12 in the control node is configured to perform direct data access to the data exchanged between the clients via the internal bus 13.

Furthermore, the system object module 26 is connected to a logging module 27, and the control node 1 connected to the network or the clients in the control node 1 can be determined by the logging module 27, respectively. To this end, the logging module 27 determines the control nodes connected to the network or the clients in the control nodes, respectively, since each control node connected to the network or each client in the control node comprises a different address associated therewith and is addressable by this address. So, in addition to the field bus address to which the control node itself is fixedly assigned, the client in the control node can also obtain this address, e.g. selectively via Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) or via auto-UP.

The logging module 27 may use various mechanisms in order to automatically identify the control node, or the client in the control node, respectively. The recording module 27 can transmit what are known as broadcast telegrams to all control nodes 1 connected to the network via the field bus interface 21 or to all clients 12 in the network, respectively. In order to disclose the address of the control node or the address of the client in the control node to the recording module 27, the control node 1 in the network or the client 12, respectively, replies to the broadcast message with a reply message, for example, a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) may be used as the network protocol for transmitting the broadcast message, wherein the UDP represents a minimum connectionless network protocol (minimum connectionless network protocol). Alternatively, as an alternative, Universal Plug and play Protocol (UPNP) may be used.

In parallel to the address query, the logging module 27 can also request the control node 1 or the client 12 in the control node, respectively, to send the control node statement or the client statement, respectively, to the device-statement input/output module 25, wherein the control node statement or the client statement describes the network characteristics and functions of the device and is stored in a standardized format in the control node or in the client in the control node, respectively.

As another option for recording the control node 1 or the clients 12 in the control node, respectively, via a broadcast telegram. It is also possible that, when powered on, each control node on the network sends an identification to the logging module 27 of the planning device along with its address, or the address of the client in the control node, respectively. In addition, the control node 1 can also send the control node statement or the client statement to the device-statement input/output module 25, respectively.

The recording module 27 forwards the recorded addresses of the control nodes or the clients in the control nodes and the control node statements or the client statements, respectively, to the system object module 26, and the system object module 26 compares the number of control nodes or clients in the control nodes, respectively, expected by the system object module with the recorded control nodes or clients in the control nodes, respectively. If the number of control nodes or clients in the control node that are respectively recorded cannot fully include the number of control nodes or clients in the control node that are respectively expected according to the system statement, the system object module 26 outputs an error message via the man-machine interface 23, and thus the system configuration procedure performed by the planning apparatus 2 is then interrupted.

Furthermore, the system object module 26 compares the control node or client statement that has been read out from the database 5, respectively, with the currently recorded control node or client statement, respectively, and, if appropriate, can correspondingly update the control node or client statement stored in the database 5, or in the control node or client, respectively.

Each of the communication relationships between the control nodes 1 in the network, or the clients 12 in the individual control nodes, which are determined by the system object module 26 on the basis of the object model that has been standardized by the system-configuration input module 24 and on the basis of the control node statements or client statements that are read in via the recording module 27 or via the device-statement input/output module 25, may indicate the ordering (sort) of the transmitter and receiver with respect to the data transmission and the type of data. The data to be transmitted are subdivided into product parameters, program parameters and control parameters, event data and program data.

Before the production program is parameterized between the control nodes or their clients, the product parameters, program parameters and control parameters are transmitted in an acyclic manner, since they do not have strict requirements for real-time.

Event data is used to notify applications in the control node, or in clients in the control node, respectively, of sporadic events. The event data may be a change in a program signal, the crossing of a threshold, an operator intervention, or the occurrence of an error. In addition, the event data is exchanged non-cyclically between the clients in the communication relationship, and the real-time requirement is not strict.

In contrast, the process data is typically functional data, such as sensor data that is required for the process and manufacturing cycle and that has stringent requirements for real time. Therefore, it is preferable that these program data are exchanged between the clients in a round-robin manner to ensure real-time transmission. However, the program data can also be exchanged between the clients in a non-cyclic manner, and the program data thus transmitted in a non-cyclic manner are program and product parameters for the control node, or the clients in the control node, to execute the application program.

Further, the system object module 26 determines how data transfer is to be performed using the communication relationship. In a data transmission between the control node or the client in a control node and a client in a further control node, the data transmission is effected according to the field bus protocol, wherein the system object module determines the telegram format and, in particular, the data structure in the telegram, and the control node 1 then transmits the program data to be transmitted into the predetermined telegram format by means of its network interface unit 11.

The system object module 26 determines that data transmission is a transparent local communication when communication only takes place between clients in a control node, wherein the clients in the control node carry out data image processing procedures in which the clients perform a direct data access to the transmitted control node program image, and furthermore, a particularly fast data transmission between the clients of a local node is possible since, in contrast to network transmission, there is no need to overwrite data into data telegrams.

The system object module 26 delivers the data record to a configuration-output module 28 using the determined communication relationship, and the configuration-output module 28 converts the communication relationship determined by the system object module 26 into a message, which is then transmitted to the control node 1 or the client 12 in the control node using the fieldbus interface 21 and the fieldbus 3, respectively.

Furthermore, a program-parameter output module 29 connected to the system object module 26 is provided in the planning apparatus 2, which program-parameter output module 29 can convert the program and product parameters distributed by the system object module 26 to the respective clients or control nodes into telegrams and transmit them via the field bus interface 21 and the field bus 3 to the control node 1 or the client 12 in the control node, respectively.

Furthermore, the planning device 2 can also comprise a monitoring module 30, and, in order to monitor the control node or the client in the control node, respectively, during machine operation and to carry out an error logging, the monitoring module 30 is connected to the control node 1 via the field bus interface 21 and the field bus 3, wherein the error can be transmitted via the field bus interface 21 or displayed by means of the human machine interface 23.

Preferably, the human machine interface 23 of the planning apparatus 2 comprises an operator interface 31 available to an operator, and through this interface, a complete system statement, product statement and program statement can be executed in a graphical manner, wherein the data records determined by the system object module 26 including the control node or the client in the control node, the network topology and the network parameters, the control node and client statements and the program and product parameters can be depicted and displayed on the operator interface 31 together with the communication relationship, furthermore, the entire system can be displayed visible on the operator interface 31 in addition to the system object model, the system, product and program statement and the statements of the individual control nodes, and furthermore, the operator interface 31 can be configured such that the individual descriptions can be changed by the operator, the items are then fed back to the system object module 26 via the human machine interface 23.

Fig. 3A-3C illustrate various modes of operation of the distributed control system depicted in fig. 1, wherein the distributed control system has a network of control nodes 1 and a planning device 2 as shown in detail in fig. 2. In fig. 3A and 3B, two initial steps of the planning device 2 are shown, namely the identification phase and the configuration phase of the decentralized control system, and in fig. 3C the mechanical operation is depicted, and in addition, the corresponding data exchange is indicated in the figures by means of arrows.

In the identification phase depicted in fig. 3A, in order to carry out a specific production and manufacturing process, the planning device 2 outputs, for example, the system statements generated by an engineering system 5, wherein the system statements include the orientation and order of the clients on the network with respect to the entire system for executing the desired production and manufacturing process, and further, the planning device 2 outputs a program statement and a product statement from the engineering system, as well as information about network parameters and communication endpoints.

At the same time, the planning device 2 records the control node 1 connected to the network or the client in the control node, respectively, and then, when switched on, the control node 1 or the client in the control node receives a valid address at the field bus interface 3, respectively, via DHCP or automatic IP (for example from a server (not shown)), which valid address may, however, also already be stored in the control node or in the client in the control node, and furthermore the control node or the client in the control node may automatically hand over this address to the planning device 2 at the network during switching on or only after the planning device requires it (for example by means of a broadcast telegram).

In parallel to the identification of the client connected to the network, the planning device 2 can also record the client characteristics, wherein the control nodes and client statements describe the network characteristics of the client and its function, while the planning device 2 receives these control nodes and client statements from an external database (not shown) via the field bus 3, either directly from the control nodes or the client in the control nodes, respectively.

Preferably, the planning apparatus 2 is able to display the entered data in an editable form on the operator interface using the human machine interface, so that the operator will be able to carry out modifications, for example, in the control node and client statements, the product and program parameters, and the network topology and its parameters.

In the configuration phase, which is depicted in fig. 3B, following the identification phase, the planning apparatus 2 determines the communication parameters between the clients on the network, in which the events and data flows are defined and it is determined whether data transmission is to be carried out in a cyclic manner (i.e. with real-time capability) or in an acyclic manner, and then, by means of the planning apparatus 2, the determined data records and the communication relationships K are read together via the field bus 3 into the control node or the clients in the control node, respectively, in which, for the clients, the type of data transmission, the type of data and the transmitter or receiver of the data, etc. are specified, and, furthermore, the planning apparatus 2 transmits the program parameters P which are important for the respective control node or client in the control node in carrying out the production and production process, then, after the initial steps shown in fig. 3A and 3B are completed, the network switches into mechanical mode in order to carry out the desired production and manufacturing process, and in this mode of operation the decentralized control system no longer requires the planning device 2, as shown in fig. 3C, so that the planning device 2 is either subsequently switched off or has the observed function in the production and manufacturing process, which means that it provides the service of fault monitoring and diagnosis, but it may also have the function of a master computer and can therefore be integrated into the control process.

During the production and production process, the control node or the clients in the control node automatically exchange program and event data via the communication relationships which have been configured in advance by the planning device 2, and in a data exchange between clients in a control node, data transmission can be carried out transparently by means of a data image processing program using a direct data access of each client to the control node program image transmitted between the clients, and in a data transmission between the control nodes in the network, data transmission is carried out according to a defined network protocol, wherein the control node data is converted into network telegrams using the corresponding network interface.

Claims (16)

1. Planning device (2) for controlling a network (3) of nodes (1), comprising:

a logging module (27) for determining the control node connected to the network;

a system object module (26) coupled to the logging module, the system object module (26) including a system object model representing the configuration of the control nodes of the network, the system object module being configured to define communication relationships between the determined control nodes based on the system object model; and

a configuration output module (28) coupled to the system object module for transmitting communication relationships between the control nodes in the network to the control nodes, the communication relationships being determined by the system object module.

2. Planning device according to claim 1, wherein the system object module (26) is configured to define the communication relationship between the decided control nodes by means of the addresses of the corresponding control nodes and the kind of data transmission to be carried out.

3. Planning apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the system object module (26) is configured to further determine the communication relationship between clients (12) in the control node (1) on the basis of the system object model, and wherein the configuration output module (28) connected to the system object module is configured to transmit to the control node the communication relationship between the clients in the control node that has been determined by the system object module.

4. A planning apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the system object module (26) is configured to determine the communication relationship between the clients (12) in the control node using a data image processing procedure between the clients and based on the system object model.

5. Planning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a system configuration input module (24) connected to the system object module (26) for inputting data-dependent orientations and sequences of the control nodes in the network and for converting the input data into a standardized system object model.

6. Planning apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the system configuration input module connected to the system object module (26) is further configured to input control node parameters and to convert the input data into the object model.

7. The planning apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a program-parameter output module (29) connected to the system object module (26) for outputting the control node parameters to the control node.

8. Planning device according to one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a device-statement input/output module (25) connected to the system object module for inputting and outputting control node statements.

9. The planning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a monitoring module (30) connected to the system object module for monitoring the control node.

10. The planning device of any one of claims 1-9, further comprising a processing module (23, 31) for representing and/or processing the system object model, the system statement, the product statement, or the program statement.

11. A system comprising a network with control nodes (1) and a planning device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the planning device is arranged to determine the communication relationships between the control nodes, or respectively in the control nodes, during an initial procedure.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the recording module (27) in the planning device (2) for determining the control node (1) connected to the system sends a broadcast message in the network (3) connected thereto, wherein the control node connected to the network replies to the broadcast message with an identification message.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein each control node (1) sends an identification telegram to the logging module (27) of the planning device (2) at power-up.

14. A system according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein each control node (1) is provided with an effective address, and the effective address is stored explicitly, or is obtained via DHCP or via auto-IP, and is then transmitted to the planning device (2).

15. The system according to any of claims 11 to 14, wherein data transmission between the control nodes (1) in the network is carried out in the form of data packets transmitted over the network (3), wherein the control nodes are configured to carry out a conversion of a control node program image into the data telegram.

16. The system according to any of the claims 11 to 14, wherein data transmission between the clients (12) in the control node (1) is implemented in the form of a data image processing program, wherein each client in the control node is configured to perform a direct data access to the control node program image transmitted between the clients.