Independent Communication Cycles for Multi-Line Control Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control devices face challenges in maintaining a predetermined update cycle for IO refresh processing as the number of connected functional units increases, leading to longer processing cycles and reduced design freedom.
Innovation Solution
A control device configuration with independent communication lines and a communication unit that executes separate communication tasks in distinct cycles, allowing for independent processing of communication frames by each functional unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the number of functional units connected to communication lines increases, then the data exchange capability is improved, but the transfer time of communication frames increases and the IO refresh processing cycle becomes longer
Solution Approach 1:
The communication lines are segmented into multiple independent channels, allowing data exchange to be divided into parallel communication tasks. Each functional unit can communicate through dedicated channels simultaneously, preventing the communication bottleneck that occurs when all units share a single communication path. This segmentation maintains the IO refresh processing cycle even as the number of functional units increases.
2Productivity
If multiple control processings are executed in a single communication cycle, then the processing efficiency is improved, but the design freedom is reduced and the update cycle may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple control processings are segmented into separate communication tasks, each with its own independently set cycle. This allows each control processing to maintain its optimal update rate without being constrained by the schedules of other processings. The segmentation enables both high processing efficiency through parallel execution and full design freedom in setting appropriate cycles for different control functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication system adopts dynamic cycle configuration where each communication task can have its cycle independently adjusted based on the specific requirements of the control processing. This dynamic approach allows the system to optimize processing efficiency for time-critical controls while maintaining design freedom to set slower cycles for less time-sensitive functions, unlike static single-cycle systems.
Data Source
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Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
This control device comprises a communication unit, one or more functional units, and a plurality of communication lines that connect the communication unit and the one or more functional units and are independent of each other. The communication unit is configured to execute a first task of sending out, with a first cycle, a first communication frame for executing transmission of data collected by the functional unit to the communication unit and/or transmission of data held by the communication unit to the functional unit via a first communication line among the plurality of communication lines, and a second task of sending out, with a second cycle different from the first cycle, a second communication frame for executing transmission of the data collected by the functional unit to the communication unit and/or transmission of the data held by the communication unit to the functional unit via a second communication line among the plurality of communication lines.