Factory Control Network Loopback for Abnormality Diagnosis
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing amount of data communicated through networks in factory automation systems due to IoT integration makes it difficult for controllers to perform effective abnormality detection and diagnosis while maintaining control data communication between controllers and slave devices.
Innovation Solution
A control system configuration where a first controller generates and manages control frames, and a second controller performs loopback communication and stores or transmits diagnosis frames to a database, reducing the load on the first controller and allowing for efficient abnormality detection without reducing the amount of acquired data, utilizing a CPU and dedicated IC for loopback communication to minimize time delays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the controller performs abnormality detection and stores communication data, then abnormality diagnosis capability is improved, but the load on the controller increases and communication efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the controller's functions by separating the control frame management (performed by the first controller) from the diagnosis frame processing (performed by the second controller). This segmentation allows each controller to specialize in specific tasks, reducing the overall load on individual controllers while maintaining both control efficiency and abnormality detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The second controller acts as an intermediary that receives control frames, performs loopback communication to verify transmission integrity, and separately handles diagnosis frames. This intermediary role enables the system to maintain communication efficiency while still performing comprehensive abnormality detection through the dedicated diagnosis frame processing.
2Measurement precision
If the controller acquires more diagnosis data, then abnormality detection precision is improved, but the processing load and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the diagnosis frame processing function from the main control flow. The second controller is dedicated to receiving and processing diagnosis frames separately from control frames, allowing comprehensive abnormality data collection without interfering with the time-critical control operations. This extraction enables precise abnormality detection while maintaining real-time control responsiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic transmission of diagnosis frames at predetermined intervals, separate from continuous control frame communication. This periodic approach allows accumulation of sufficient diagnosis data for precise abnormality detection while ensuring that control operations are not delayed, as the diagnosis data collection occurs in periodic cycles rather than continuously interfering with control timing.
3Adaptability or versatility
If loopback communication is processed through the CPU, then flexibility and control are improved, but processing speed and time efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces CPU-based software processing with hardware-based dedicated IC processing for loopback communication. The dedicated IC performs the loopback function directly in hardware, eliminating the need for CPU intervention in time-critical path operations. This substitution maintains the necessary control flexibility through programmable features while achieving the speed required for real-time communication verification.
Data Source
AI summary
This control system comprises controllers and slave devices. A control network is formed by connecting the slave devices between the controllers over communication cables. The controller generates and manages control frames for communication through the control network. The controller receives and copies the control frames, and perform loopback communication of the control frames to the controller of the control network. The controller stores the copied the control frames, or transmits the copied control frames to a database device connected by an information communication network.