Automation Event Logging for Temporal Synchronization Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automation systems lack the capability to capture and display the temporal synchronization of automation devices, making it difficult to verify the synchronicity of processes and analyze runtime errors.
Innovation Solution
An automation system with an analysis device connected via a data interface to automation devices, which captures program-flow-related event data with current time information and transmits it to a central analysis device for display, allowing for the evaluation of temporal synchronicity across multiple automation devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If automation devices are connected via fieldbus interfaces for process automation, then process control capability is improved, but capability to capture and analyze temporal synchronization is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates process data transmission (via fieldbus) from program-flow event data transmission (via data interface). This segmentation allows each communication channel to serve its specific purpose without interfering with the other, enabling simultaneous process control and synchronization monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The analysis device acts as an intermediary that collects program-flow-related event data from multiple automation devices via data interfaces, processes this information, and provides temporal synchronization analysis. This intermediary enables synchronization monitoring without modifying the existing fieldbus-based process control architecture.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional fieldbus interfaces are used for automation devices, then process data transmission is achieved, but program-flow event capture capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The automation devices are equipped with multiple interfaces serving different functions: fieldbus interfaces for process data and data interfaces for program-flow event data. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain process control capabilities while simultaneously enabling synchronization monitoring without compromising either function.
3Measurement precision
If temporal synchronization monitoring is added to automation systems, then verification capability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automation devices automatically generate and transmit program-flow-related event data with time information without requiring external intervention. Each device independently captures its own program flow events and sends them to the analysis device, reducing the complexity of implementing synchronization monitoring across the system.
4Reliability
If program-flow event data is continuously transmitted to analysis device, then temporal synchronicity analysis is enabled, but data transmission overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system transmits program-flow-related event data continuously whenever events occur, rather than using periodic sampling. This event-driven approach ensures reliable capture of all synchronization-relevant moments while minimizing data transmission overhead by only sending data when actual program flow events occur, rather than transmitting continuous streams.
Data Source
AI summary
An automation system for process automation including at least one automation device which has at least one fieldbus interface for connection to a bus for transmitting process data, an arithmetic unit, a digital data memory and a data interface for transmitting program-flow-related event data; and an analysis device connected to the at least one automation device. The automation device is set up to run one or more computer programs with the aid of the arithmetic unit and to capture program flow events occurring during the running of the at least one computer program and to store them together with current time information as program-flow-related event data in the digital data memory, and wherein the arithmetic unit of the automation device is set up to continuously send the program-flow-related event data stored in the digital data memory to the analysis device connected via the data interface.