Field Bus Propagation Delay Diagnosis for Reliable Startup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Factory automation control systems may not start up normally due to settings made by the setting tool, leading to unreliable startup processes.
Innovation Solution
A control device with a communication management part, computation part, and result output part is configured to manage data communication, measure propagation delay time, detect network operation states, and perform cable diagnosis, ensuring reliable startup by providing users with operation state information before the main operation begins.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the control system starts up without propagation delay measurement, then the startup process is faster and simpler, but the reliability of normal startup cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by measuring propagation delay time and detecting network operation states before the control system's main operation begins. The computation part measures propagation delay time from received data transmitted to the field network, and detects operation states including bandwidth load, thereby identifying potential issues before they affect normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device performs self-diagnosis by automatically measuring its own propagation delay time and detecting its own operation states without requiring external testing equipment. The computation part within the control device independently carries out measurements and detections, enabling the system to self-verify its startup conditions.
2Reliability
If propagation delay measurement and network state detection are performed before startup, then startup reliability is improved, but the startup time and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the propagation delay measurement and network state detection functions into the existing startup process of the control device. Rather than adding separate independent testing procedures, the computation part integrates these measurements with the normal initialization sequence, so that startup verification occurs concurrently with system initialization.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the control device monitors bandwidth load and propagation delay, then communication stability is improved, but the computational load and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring propagation delay time and bandwidth load, then using this information to detect network operation states. The control device receives data on the field network, measures propagation delay, and detects operation states including whether the network is operating within acceptable parameters, enabling real-time communication stability verification.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a control device comprising a communication management part, a computation part, and a result output part. The communication management part is for managing data communication using cyclic communication conforming to a prescribed communication cycle with respect to a field network. The computation part is for measuring a propagation delay time from received data corresponding to actual measurement data for a propagation delay having been transmitted to the field network, and detecting an operation state of the field network using the propagation delay time measurement result. The result output part is for outputting the result of the detection performed by the computation part.