Factory automation (FA) system, controller, and control method
AssigneeOMRON Corporation
InventorsFumiaki Konishi, Yoichi Kurokawa, Hisanori Igarashi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A technique capable of preventing the loss of packet data for any appropriate one of controllers connected to the same network is provided. An FA system includes a plurality of controllers. Each of the controllers includes: a buffer; a communication module for performing packet communication with one or more other controllers; a packet monitor module for buffering packet data generated in its own controller and packet data received by its own controller in the buffer; and a stop module for stopping, in response to a predetermined stop condition being satisfied, a buffering function of the packet monitor module for a controller specified from the plurality of controllers.
Claims6
A factory automation (FA) system comprising a plurality of controllers each of which controls a driving device to be controlled, the plurality of controllers each including a first processor configured with a first program to perform operations comprising:
- operation as a buffer;
- operation as a communication module for performing packet communication with one or more other controllers;
- operation as a packet monitor module for buffering packet data generated in its own controller and packet data received by its own controller in the buffer;
- and
- operation as a stop module for stopping, in response to a predetermined stop condition being satisfied, a buffering function of the packet monitor module for a controller specified from the plurality of controllers, wherein
- the packet data comprises source information for identifying a source controller and destination information for identifying a destination controller, and
- the FA system further comprises an external device configured to communicate with the plurality of controllers, the external device comprising a second processor configured with a second program to perform operations comprising:
- operation as a communication module for receiving packet data stored in the buffer of each of the plurality of controllers from each of the plurality of controllers;
- and
- operation as a display for displaying the source information and the destination information about each packet data received from each of the plurality of controllers, wherein the display displays packet data having matching source information and matching destination information in a corresponding manner.
A controller that controls a driving device to be controlled, the controller comprising a first processor configured with a first program to perform operations comprising:
- operation as a buffer,
- operation as a communication module for performing packet communication with one or more other controllers;
- operation as a packet monitor module for buffering packet data generated in the controller and packet data received by the one or more other controllers in the buffer;
- and
- operation as a stop module for stopping, in response to a predetermined stop condition being satisfied, a buffering function of the packet monitor module for the controller or a controller specified from the one or more other controllers, wherein the controller is configured to communicate with an external device comprising a second processor configured with a second program to perform operations comprising:
- operation as a communication module for receiving packet data stored in the buffer of each of the controller;
- and
- operation as a display for displaying the source information and the destination information about the packet data received from the controller, wherein the display displays packet data having matching source information and matching destination information in a corresponding manner.
A method of controlling a controller that controls a driving device to be controlled, the method comprising:
- performing packet communication with one or more other controllers;
- buffering packet data generated in the controller and packet data received by the one or more other controllers in a buffer of the controller;
- and
- stopping, in response to a predetermined stop condition being satisfied, the buffering for the controller or a controller specified from the one or more other controllers, wherein
- the packet data comprises source information for identifying a source controller and destination information for identifying a destination controller, and
- the method further comprises communicating with an external device which receives packet data stored in the buffer of the controller and displays the source information and destination information about the packet data received from the controller, such that packet data having matching source information and matching destination information is displayed in a corresponding manner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.