Automation Device Segmentation for Peripheral Response Time
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automation devices face long response times due to the need for separate planning and processing of peripherals between the device and the host system, leading to inefficient data access and communication management.
Innovation Solution
The automation device is designed with two independent functional units, each with its own network address, allowing for logical partitioning of the address space and direct access paths to peripherals, decoupling the units and enabling transparent, decentralized peripheral management without burdening the control system with additional coordination tasks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a slave connection through virtual modules is implemented for Profibus, then the automation device can connect peripherals to the superordinate computation unit, but the response time of the peripherals becomes long due to separate planning and data copying operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the automation device into two independent functional units: a control unit with its own network address for control tasks, and a communication unit with a different network address for peripheral communication. This segmentation allows the communication unit to handle peripheral access independently, eliminating the need for the control system to perform coordination tasks and data copying, thus reducing response time while maintaining peripheral connectivity
Solution Approach 2:
The communication unit acts as an intermediary between the control unit and the peripherals. It handles all communication and coordination tasks with peripherals, allowing the control unit to focus solely on control operations. This intermediary structure eliminates the bottleneck caused by the control system managing both control and communication tasks, thereby improving response time
2Reliability
If the control system handles coordination tasks for peripheral components, then centralized control is maintained, but the control system performance is adversely affected and response time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control system into two independent functional units with separate network addresses: the control unit handles control coordination tasks, while the communication unit handles peripheral communication tasks. This segmentation distributes the workload, preventing the control system from being overloaded with both control and communication tasks, thus maintaining reliability while improving productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the communication and coordination tasks for peripherals from the control system and assigns them to a dedicated communication unit. This extraction removes the burden of communication management from the control system, allowing it to focus on control tasks and thereby improving overall system performance and response time
3Adaptability or versatility
If two separate plans are created for slave and automation device, then proper peripheral allocation is achieved, but the device complexity and configuration effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements segmentation by providing two independent interface units with different network addresses within the automation device. This allows the device to present itself as two separate logic devices to the superordinate computation unit, enabling independent configuration of control and communication functions without requiring complex separate plans, thus reducing configuration complexity while maintaining proper peripheral allocation
Solution Approach 2:
The automation device is designed with multi-functionality by integrating both control unit and communication unit functions within a single physical device. This allows the device to handle both control tasks and peripheral communication tasks simultaneously through its two interface units, simplifying the overall system architecture and reducing configuration complexity compared to requiring entirely separate devices
Data Source
AI summary
An automation device comprising a first functional unit, a second functional unit, a first network connection for connection to a first data network and a bus master unit for connecting a peripheral component. The first functional unit includes a first interface unit that is assigned a first network address, and the second functional unit includes a second interface unit that is assigned a second network address. A partitioning device can be used to logically partition an address space of the peripheral component, and a first address space can be directly assigned, as a partitioned part of the address space, to a superordinate computation unit that can be connected through the first network connection.