Industrial Machine Control Memory Mapping Without Program Rework
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control programs for industrial machines require significant time and effort to modify when attributes of data units change, particularly due to the need to relocate data between SRAM and DDR memory, disrupting the series of physical addresses and necessitating program updates.
Innovation Solution
A control device and setting system that utilizes virtual addresses to maintain data unit accessibility without modifying the control program, by converting virtual addresses to physical addresses using a conversion table, allowing attributes to be changed without disrupting the program's functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If data units are relocated between SRAM and DDR memory when attributes change, then memory allocation efficiency is improved, but program modification time and effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a conversion table as an intermediary layer between the control program and physical memory. The conversion table stores correspondence relationships between virtual addresses and physical addresses, allowing data units to be relocated in memory without requiring program modification. When attribute changes occur, only the conversion table needs to be updated, not the entire control program, thus resolving the contradiction between memory allocation efficiency and program modification time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a virtual address dimension to the traditional single physical address system. By introducing virtual addresses that remain constant while physical addresses can change, the system enables flexible memory reallocation. The conversion table maps the virtual address space to the physical address space, allowing data units to move between SRAM and DDR memory without affecting the control program that operates in the virtual address space
2Ease of operation
If physical addresses are changed to reflect new memory locations, then data accessibility is improved, but program functionality is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The conversion table serves as a mediator that decouples the control program from physical memory locations. The program continues to use stable virtual addresses while the conversion table translates these to current physical addresses. This intermediary layer ensures that data accessibility is maintained through accurate address translation while program functionality remains undisturbed
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the address space that mirrors the physical address structure but remains independent of actual memory locations. This virtual address copy allows the program to operate with stable address references while the physical memory layout can be reorganized for optimal performance without affecting program execution
3Ease of operation
If conversion data management is automated, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service automation where the control device automatically generates, updates, and manages the conversion table without user intervention. When attribute changes occur, the system automatically recalculates physical addresses, updates the conversion table, and ensures program continuity. This automation improves ease of operation while the increased complexity is confined to the background management system rather than the user interface
Data Source
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AI summary
To eliminate time and effort involved in modifying a program, provided is a control device (20) configured to control an industrial machine (30), the control device including : a plurality of memories including a first memory (22) configured to hold data when a power supply is off and a second memory (23) configured to inhibit data from being held when the power supply is off. An attribute setting module (201) is configured to set, in each of a plurality of data units, an attribute indicating whether the data unit is to be held when the power supply is off. An address setting module (202) is configured to set an address of each data unit such that each data unit is stored in one of the plurality of memories corresponding to the attribute.