Virtual Controller Synchronization for FA System Simulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing simulation techniques for factory automation systems struggle to accurately simulate programmable controllers and FA systems in parallel, leading to discrepancies in simulation time and progress, which hinders accurate verification of cooperative operations.
Innovation Solution
A simulation program that synchronizes the simulation times of a virtual controller and a virtual system in predetermined cycles, allowing both to stop and restart simultaneously, ensuring accurate simulation of programmable controllers and FA systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the programmable controller and the FA system are simulated separately in parallel, then the development load is reduced and future extensibility is enhanced, but the simulation times of the two simulations may differ, causing them to be stopped at different progress points and failing to accurately simulate the cooperative operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the simulation result acquisition unit continuously monitors and acquires simulation results from both the programmable controller simulation and the FA system simulation. This feedback loop enables real-time comparison and synchronization of simulation progress, ensuring that both separate simulations remain coordinated and accurately represent the cooperative operation between the controller and the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary simulation result acquisition unit that acts as a mediator between the two separate simulation systems. This intermediary component collects, compares, and coordinates the simulation results from both the programmable controller and the FA system, enabling them to run separately while maintaining synchronized progress and accurate representation of their cooperative interaction.
2Reliability
If the programmable controller and the FA system are simulated integrally, then the simulation accuracy of cooperative operations is improved, but the development load increases and extensibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the simulation system into separate modular components: a programmable controller simulation unit and an FA system simulation unit. Each unit can be developed, tested, and maintained independently. The segmentation is coordinated through a simulation result acquisition unit that ensures the separate modules work together accurately, reducing development complexity while maintaining simulation fidelity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal simulation framework that can handle both the programmable controller and the FA system through common interfaces and standardized result acquisition mechanisms. This multi-functional approach allows the system to simulate different configurations and scenarios by simply changing the input parameters rather than rewriting the entire simulation, enhancing extensibility while maintaining accuracy.
3Ease of operation
If the simulations are stopped during operation, then operational flexibility is improved, but the simulation progress may be desynchronized, causing inaccurate resumption of cooperative operation simulation
Solution Approach 1:
The simulation result acquisition unit continuously monitors the progress and state of both simulations even during stop operations. When resumption is requested, the feedback mechanism compares the current states of both simulations and adjusts their progress to ensure they remain synchronized, allowing flexible stopping and resuming while maintaining accurate cooperative operation simulation.
Data Source
AI summary
A program causes a simulation device to function as an acquirer that acquires an execution program executable by a programmable controller and system configuration information indicating a configuration of a factory automation system, and a simulator that performs simulations of an operation of the programmable controller and an operation of the factory automation system by synchronizing, in predetermined cycles, a first simulation time of a virtual controller corresponding to the programmable controller and a second simulation time of a virtual system built based on the system configuration information and causes the virtual system to operate based on a virtual output acquired from the virtual controller executing the execution program.