Time-Synchronized Control Architecture for Factory Automation Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing sophistication of factory automation (FA) systems leads to higher throughput and processing time requirements for control calculation processing, necessitating measures for efficient system operation.
Innovation Solution
A control system comprising one or more control devices and an information processing device, where the devices are time-synchronized to coordinate control calculation processing and input/output processing within a shared period of time, allowing the control devices to operate independently without being restricted by processing time requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If control calculation processing is performed with higher throughput requirements, then system sophistication and processing capability are improved, but processing time and system operation efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control system into two distinct functional parts: control devices that perform input/output processing, and information processing devices that perform control calculation processing. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in its respective function, enabling the control devices to operate independently without being burdened by complex calculation requirements, thus reducing processing time while maintaining high throughput capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a time synchronization mechanism as an intermediary that coordinates between control devices and information processing devices. This mediator ensures that data transmission and processing occur within synchronized time periods, enabling efficient coordination without requiring control devices to perform complex real-time calculations, thereby reducing processing time while maintaining system sophistication.
2Adaptability or versatility
If control devices perform both control calculation processing and input/output processing, then system integration is improved, but control device complexity and operation restrictions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the control system into specialized control devices and information processing devices. Control devices are responsible only for input/output processing with field devices, while information processing devices handle control calculation processing. This segmentation reduces control device complexity by removing the burden of running complex control calculation software, while system integration is maintained through time-synchronized data exchange between the segmented components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If control devices run control calculation processing, then processing flexibility is improved, but control device resource requirements and operational constraints increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the control calculation processing function from control devices and relocates it to information processing devices. This extraction frees control devices from operational constraints related to running complex software, allowing them to operate independently with greater ease. Processing flexibility is preserved because the information processing devices perform the calculations using data from control devices and return results in a coordinated manner.
Data Source
AI summary
A control system includes one or more control devices, and an information processing device. The information processing device and the one or more control devices are communicatively connected and time-synchronized with each other. The information processing device includes a processor configured to perform control calculation processing of calculating control data in accordance with control calculation based on data received from each of the one or more control devices. Each of the control devices includes a controller configured to perform input/output processing of transferring incoming data from a field device to the information processing device and outputting the control data received from the information processing device to the field device, and the control calculation processing and the input/output processing are performed within a period of time based on the time synchronization and shared between each of the control devices and the information processing device.