Block-Based Control Program Generator with Safety Rule Mediation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional control programs for home appliances and housing equipment are pre-developed by manufacturers, making it difficult to generate, customize, and update a wide variety of safe control programs.
Innovation Solution
An information processing method that allows users to select and arrange function blocks for actuators and heaters based on input operations, while consulting safety rules to modify execution orders and ensure safe operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If control programs are pre-developed by manufacturers, then product safety is ensured, but the ability to generate and customize a wide variety of control programs is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The control program is segmented into multiple independent function blocks, each performing a specific control function. These blocks can be selectively combined and arranged to create various control programs, enabling customization while maintaining safety through systematic block design and validation.
Solution Approach 2:
Safety rules and execution order constraints are established in advance before control programs are generated. The system pre-defines which function blocks can be executed in which orders based on safety requirements, allowing automatic safety verification when user-customized programs are created.
2Ease of operation
If users can freely arrange function blocks, then control program customization is improved, but the risk of unsafe execution orders increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically checks the arranged function blocks against pre-defined safety rules and provides feedback when unsafe execution orders are detected. The arrangement is rejected or corrected if it violates safety constraints, allowing user customization while maintaining execution safety through automatic verification.
Solution Approach 2:
Safety rules act as an intermediary layer between user input (function block arrangement) and system execution. The rules mediate by automatically verifying and constraining the execution order, allowing user freedom in customization while preventing unsafe configurations through rule-based intervention.
3Reliability
If control programs are pre-developed by manufacturers, then safety is ensured, but development time and man-hours are extensive
Solution Approach 1:
The control program is segmented into multiple independent function blocks, each performing a specific control function. These blocks can be selectively combined and arranged to create various control programs, enabling customization while maintaining safety through systematic block design and validation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically generates and validates control programs by arranging function blocks according to user specifications and automatically checking against safety rules. This self-service capability eliminates the need for extensive manual development and safety verification by manufacturers, significantly improving development efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing method includes: selecting M blocks as M selected blocks from among N blocks for driving at least one of an actuator or a heater included in an apparatus, in accordance with an input operation performed by an operator; generating an application, by setting the order of the M selected blocks in accordance with an input operation performed by the operator; consulting a rule that prohibits two or more given blocks from being executed in a given order, and when information included in the application that indicates the order of the M selected blocks correlates with the given order, modifying the application by changing the order in which each of the M selected blocks is executed; and outputting the modified application.