Programmable Logic Controller Automatic Error Cancellation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Programmable logic controllers require manual intervention to clear error states, leading to increased maintenance costs and system downtime, especially in continuous operation facilities like plant facilities, as existing automatic error cancellation processes do not verify if error factors are fully eliminated before canceling errors.

Innovation Solution

A programmable logic controller with an error detection unit, storage for error occurrence information, an error cancellation processing unit that determines and performs cancellation only when the error factor is eliminated, and a permission setting unit to manage automatic error cancellation, allowing for continuous operation and reduced downtime.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If automatic error cancellation is performed without verifying error factor elimination, then error cancellation speed is improved, but error state accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveerror cancellation timeVSAvoiderror state accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring error factors and only canceling errors when the error factor is confirmed to be eliminated. The error cancellation determination unit checks whether the error factor that caused the error has been removed before permitting error cancellation, ensuring accurate error state management while maintaining automation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary verification by checking whether the error factor has been eliminated before executing error cancellation. This preliminary check prevents premature error cancellation and ensures that errors are only canceled when appropriate, maintaining both automation and accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If manual error cancellation operation is required, then error state accuracy is maintained, but maintenance costs and system downtime increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveerror state accuracyVSAvoidsystem availability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service by automatically determining whether error factors have been eliminated and canceling errors without requiring manual intervention. The error cancellation determination unit and error cancellation execution unit work together to autonomously manage error states, reducing maintenance costs and preventing system downtime while maintaining accurate error state tracking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The automated system uses feedback from error factor monitoring to trigger appropriate error cancellation actions, eliminating the need for manual operations while maintaining error state accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Speed

If error is canceled before error factor elimination is confirmed, then system responsiveness is improved, but error recurrence risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveerror response speedVSAvoiderror prevention reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary verification of error factor elimination before canceling errors. The error cancellation determination unit checks whether the error factor has been removed as a preliminary step, ensuring that errors are only canceled when the error factor is confirmed to be eliminated, thus preventing error recurrence while maintaining fast response.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system takes preliminary anti-action by preventing error cancellation until the error factor is confirmed to be eliminated. This preliminary check acts as a safeguard against premature error cancellation that could lead to error recurrence.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentUS9798611B2Programmable logic controller

Publication Date: 2017.10.24 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP

AI summary

A programmable logic controller includes an error detection unit, a data memory storing error occurrence information indicating, for each error kind, whether the error detection unit has detected an error, an error automatic cancellation processing unit determining whether an error factor of each error has been eliminated and, when the error factor has been eliminated, performing an error cancellation process including a process to change the error occurrence information to error non-occurrence, and an error-automatic-cancellation-permission determination unit referring to an error automatic cancellation permission setting and determining, when the error detection unit detects an error, whether the error is canceled by the error automatic cancellation processing unit on the basis of the error automatic cancellation permission setting, wherein the error automatic cancellation processing unit performs the error cancellation process on the error that the error-automatic-cancellation-permission determination unit has determined that the error automatic cancellation processing unit is to cancel.