Parallel Co-Processor Control for Low-Latency Dynamic Environments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional programmable logic controllers (PLCs) exhibit excessively long latencies and are not suited for dynamic environments requiring rapid and precise responses, such as aircraft control or machine vision applications, due to their serial execution of instructions and lack of parallel processing capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A control system employing a master processor and multiple asynchronous slave co-processors, where each co-processor evaluates a subset of conditions based on specific criteria like time scale or patterns of change, significantly reducing latency by distributing condition evaluation and allowing reflexive responses to environmental changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional PLCs are used to control dynamic environments, then device simplicity and ease of operation are maintained, but response time latency becomes excessively long
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into a master processor and multiple slave co-processors, each responsible for evaluating specific subsets of conditions. This segmentation enables parallel processing of control logic, significantly reducing response time latency while maintaining manageable complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from serial instruction execution to parallel processing by adding a temporal dimension to condition evaluation. Multiple co-processors evaluate different condition subsets simultaneously, transforming the single-threaded control flow into a multi-dimensional parallel evaluation structure.
2Productivity
If serial instruction execution is used in PLCs, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity and processing speed deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Control logic is segmented into distinct condition subsets, with each slave co-processor dedicated to evaluating a specific subset. This segmentation enables simultaneous evaluation of multiple conditions across different co-processors, dramatically increasing overall condition evaluation speed and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple slave co-processors are merged with the master processor in a coordinated parallel architecture. Each co-processor contributes to the overall condition evaluation by processing its assigned subset, and their results are combined to generate comprehensive control outputs, achieving high productivity through synergistic parallel operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A dynamic environment (e.g., an automated industrial process) has multiple conditions in response to which corresponding actions are required, and comprises various equipment, control device(s) to control the equipment, and one or more sensors to generate input signal(s) representing a monitored condition of the environment. A control system for the environment comprises a master processor and one or more co-processors, wherein the master processor configures a given co-processor to evaluate only a first subset of conditions expected to occur in the environment within a specified time period (e.g., less than a response time of the master processor), and to provide first control information representing an action to be taken if a particular condition of the first subset is satisfied. The co-processor receives the input signal(s) representing the monitored condition, processes the input signal(s) so as to determine if the particular condition of the first subset is satisfied, and provides the first control information to the control devices so as to control the equipment. Exemplary applications include dynamic environments in which machine vision techniques and/or equipment are employed.