Control Signal Timing Alignment for Multi-Point Abnormality Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing control apparatuses struggle to monitor and detect abnormalities using measurement values from different measurement points or processes, as they do not provide a solution for handling time lags between these values.

Innovation Solution

A control apparatus that includes a delay time adding unit, which adjusts measurement values by adding an appropriate delay based on the difference between mechanisms or processes, using design data and actual measurement values, and employs a buffer memory to optimize data access and storage, allowing for real-time detection of abnormalities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If measurement values from different measurement points or processes are used for abnormality detection, then the monitoring coverage and detection capability are improved, but time lags between these measurement values cause determination errors and reduce reliability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveabnormality detection accuracyVSAvoidtime lag between measurement values
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The delay time adding unit pre-calculates and adds appropriate delay times to measurement values from different measurement points or processes before they are used for determination. This preliminary timing adjustment ensures that all measurement values are synchronized to the same reference time, eliminating determination errors caused by time lags while maintaining the ability to detect abnormalities across multiple processes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control apparatus introduces a timing synchronization mechanism that acts as an intermediary between measurement values from different sources. This mediator adds calculated delay times to align the timing of measurement values, allowing them to be properly correlated for abnormality detection without the harmful effects of time misalignment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If delay time is determined based on design data and operational parameters, then the determination processing is facilitated and real-time detection is enabled, but the system complexity increases due to multiple data sources and calculation requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetermination processing speedVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system determines delay times by utilizing changes and relationships between existing operational parameters rather than requiring complex new measurements. By calculating delay times based on the difference between operational parameters of different mechanisms or processes, the system achieves real-time synchronization using data already available in the control apparatus, avoiding additional system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The control apparatus uses its own existing operational parameter data to automatically calculate and apply the necessary delay times. The system serves itself by utilizing its internal data resources and processing capabilities to perform timing synchronization, eliminating the need for external complex timing devices or additional measurement systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3385805B1Control apparatus, control program, control system, and control method
Publication Date: 2022.08.31 OMRON CORP
  • EP3385805B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3385805B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3385805B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a mechanism for facilitating determination processing that uses a plurality of measurement values. A control apparatus for controlling a control target is provided. The control apparatus includes: an acquisition unit configured to acquire a measurement value related to the control target; a determination unit configured to determine whether or not the control target is in a predetermined state based on a plurality of measurement values acquired at predetermined points in time, or based on temporal changes in a plurality of measurement values detected during a predetermined period of time; and a delay time adding unit configured to add a predetermined delay time to at least one measurement value out of the plurality of measurement values that are used by the determination unit to perform determination.