Control Arithmetic Circuit for Internal Event Notification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control apparatuses, such as programmable logic controllers (PLCs), lack effective mechanisms for immediate event notification and processing within functional units when a fault or abnormality occurs, primarily focusing on external notifications rather than internal communication.
Innovation Solution
A control apparatus with an arithmetic device equipped with a communication circuit, processor, and monitoring circuit that detects events, stores messages, and transmits them to functional units via a communication line, utilizing a watchdog timer, memory error detection, communication abnormality monitoring, and power supply detection to manage operational states and execute necessary processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a monitoring program is executed using a CPU to notify external servers of events, then external notification capability is improved, but internal event notification to functional units is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The notification system is segmented into two distinct pathways: external notification (to servers) and internal notification (to functional units). The monitoring circuit is separated from the CPU, with dedicated event detection capabilities that can independently notify both external systems and internal functional units through the communication circuit.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring circuit acts as an intermediary between the CPU and functional units for event notification. It detects events independently and uses the communication circuit as a mediator to transmit notifications to functional units, enabling internal event propagation without burdening the CPU.
2Reliability
If event notification is implemented only to external servers, then external monitoring is improved, but immediate internal processing capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring circuit performs preliminary event detection and prepares notifications independently of the CPU's processing cycle. By detecting events and queving notifications in advance through the communication circuit, the system ensures immediate internal processing capability while maintaining reliable external monitoring.
3Measurement precision
If a dedicated monitoring circuit is added for internal event notification, then event detection capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring circuit is designed with multi-functionality, serving both external notification (to servers) and internal notification (to functional units) purposes. The communication circuit is also utilized for internal notifications, reducing the need for separate dedicated hardware and thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
An arithmetic device and a control apparatus capable of executing a process according to an event occurring in one or more functional units connected through a communication circuit are provided. The arithmetic device configuring the control apparatus includes: a communication circuit for exchanging data with the functional units through the communication line; a processor for executing at least one of an arithmetic processing using data acquired from the functional units and a generation processing of data to be transmitted to the functional units; and a monitoring circuit connected to the communication circuit and the processor, and includes: a detection unit that detects an event occurring in the arithmetic device; a storage unit that stores a message associated with each event; and a start unit that gives an instruction to the communication circuit in accordance with the detected event to transmit a message associated with the detected event.