Industrial Controller Code Migration Using Functional Design Specs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Aging industrial controller systems pose challenges in migrating to newer systems due to unreadable or inaccessible logic code, lack of comments, and poor documentation, leading to lengthy and costly manual processes for code redevelopment.

Innovation Solution

A system that monitors and analyzes the input and output states of an industrial controller to generate a functional design specification, which is then used to create equivalent code for a new controller system, leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning for autonomous code generation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual code redevelopment is performed for migrating industrial controllers, then code functionality can be preserved, but migration time and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecode functionality preservationVSAvoidmigration time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a functional copy of the original controller's behavior by monitoring its input-output states and replicating this behavior in the new controller through generated code, rather than manually copying the inaccessible source code

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of code redevelopment with an automated system that uses monitoring devices, analysis software, and code generation algorithms to perform the migration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If manual code redevelopment is performed for migrating industrial controllers, then code functionality can be preserved, but labor costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecode functionality preservationVSAvoidmigration cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs the migration task automatically through self-service mechanisms, where the code generation system itself carries out the analysis and code creation without requiring extensive manual intervention from developers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the manual labor process with an automated computer-based system that performs monitoring, analysis, and code generation, significantly reducing human labor costs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If traditional HMI control instructions are used, then operator control capability is maintained, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperator control capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal control interface that can work with different controller types and instruction sets, allowing the same HMI to control both old and new controllers without adding complexity to the operator interface

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20250155856A1Industrial control code generation utilizing functional design specifications

Publication Date: 2025.05.15 ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECH INC

AI summary

Techniques for converting an initial control program code version to a new control program code version are disclosed herein. In at least one implementation, input and output states of an industrial controller are monitored while the industrial controller executes the initial control program code version to operate a machine system and functional design specification for the industrial controller is generated. An instruction set of the industrial controller is converted into a new instruction set for a new industrial controller, and one or more equivalent instructions in the new instruction set that are equivalent to instructions in the instruction set of the industrial controller are identified. The new control program code version is generated based on at least the functional design specification and the one or more equivalent instructions in the new instruction set that are equivalent to the instructions in the instruction set of the industrial controller.