Programmable Controller Error Analysis via Return Address Mapping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods struggle to analyze execution errors in component-based control programs, as they fail to store input data and correctly identify the caller control program, making it difficult to understand the factors behind execution errors.

Innovation Solution

A programmable controller system that includes a control program storage unit, a return address storage unit, an input data storage unit, a mapping information storage unit, and an execution error information management unit, which stores and retrieves return addresses and input data to identify the caller control program and provide execution error information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If component-based control programs are used to achieve design functions with input data, then program reusability and adaptability are improved, but execution error analysis becomes difficult because input data and caller information are not stored

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprogram reusabilityVSAvoidinput data and caller information

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by storing the return address and input data in dedicated storage units before the callee control program executes. This ensures that when an execution error occurs, the necessary information is already preserved and can be immediately retrieved for error analysis, eliminating the information loss problem while maintaining program reusability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Quantity of substance

If return address is used to identify caller control program, then memory usage is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates because it is difficult to instantaneously identify the caller control program

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvememory usageVSAvoidcaller identification

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces mapping information as an intermediary between the return address and the caller control program identification. The mapping information storage unit stores the correspondence between return addresses and caller program names, allowing the system to retrieve human-readable program names instead of raw addresses. This maintains efficient memory usage while dramatically improving the ease of identifying caller programs during error analysis

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9753444B2Programmable controller, programmable controller system, and method of creating execution error information

Publication Date: 2017.09.05 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP

AI summary

A control program execution unit, when a callee control program is called, stores a return address in a stack and stores input data for the callee control program in a data storage unit. An execution error information management unit, when an execution error occurs, acquires execution error information that includes the return address stored in the stack, the input data stored in the data storage unit, and a program name that corresponds to the return address and is obtained by using mapping information that indicates the storing positions of a control program and the callee control program in a user program storage unit.