Network Unit Diagnosis Information Routing via Self-Service
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Solution Overview
Problem
In control systems, acquiring diagnosis information from control networks requires explicit device designation, leading to inefficient communication band usage and user intervention, as seen in existing methods.
Innovation Solution
A network unit that includes a diagnosis-information transmission request unit, a routing control unit for relay-routing diagnosis information requests based on stored routing information, and a diagnosis-information creation unit, allowing diagnosis information to be collected without explicit user instruction on the source device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If explicit device designation is required to acquire diagnosis information, then the source of diagnosis information can be clearly identified, but user intervention is needed and communication efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The network unit automatically identifies the source control network and collects diagnosis information without requiring explicit user designation. The system performs self-service by using its own network number as the destination network number in the diagnosis information transmission request, enabling automatic source identification and eliminating the need for user intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The network unit pre-configures routing information that includes correspondence between destination control networks and identification information on relay station network units. This preliminary setup enables the system to automatically determine the source control network when receiving diagnosis information, eliminating the need for real-time user designation.
2Reliability
If all devices in the control system are monitored for diagnosis information, then comprehensive diagnosis coverage is achieved, but communication band is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the necessary diagnosis information from the control network connected to the network unit, rather than collecting information from all devices in the control system. By focusing on the locally connected control network and using the network unit's own network number as the destination, the system obtains sufficient diagnosis information with minimal communication overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of performing complete action by monitoring all devices, the system performs partial action by collecting diagnosis information only from the control network directly connected to the network unit. This partial approach is sufficient for acquiring necessary diagnosis information while significantly reducing communication band usage.
3Ease of operation
If diagnosis information is collected without explicit user instruction, then user operation is simplified, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network unit acts as an intermediary that automatically manages the complexity of diagnosis information collection. By incorporating the routing control unit and diagnosis-information creation unit within the network unit, the system centralizes the automation logic in a single component, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a network unit that includes a diagnosis-information management unit that transmits a diagnosis-information transmission request by designating a destination network number while assuming a value other than a station number; a routing control unit that holds routing information indicating correspondence between a destination control network and identification information, and that relay-controls the diagnosis-information transmission request received from the diagnosis-information management unit, another network unit connected to the same programmable logic controller, or a control network connected to the network unit in accordance with the routing information; and a diagnosis-information creation unit that creates the diagnosis information when the diagnosis-information transmission request having a network number of the control network connected to the network unit as the destination network number is received, and it transmits the created diagnosis information to a sender of the diagnosis-information transmission request.