Counter unit, counter unit control method, control device, and control system

A control device that performs an input and output process on ON/OFF data for controlling ON/OFF of an actuator in a predetermined control cycle, adapted to receive a feedback value from a counter unit and transmit a target value and a timing adjustment value to the control device,

• the counter unit comprises:
• a measurement unit configured to count a number of pulses of a pulse signal and measures an actual measurement value;
• a comparison unit configured to determine a match between the actual measurement value measured by the measurement unit and the target value;
• an output unit configured to execute an output to the actuator when the comparison unit determines that the actual measurement value and the target value match;
• and
• a communication unit configured to receive the target value and the timing adjustment value from the control device that performs an input and output process on the ON/OFF data in a predetermined control cycle,
• wherein the output unit comprises an output delay unit configured to adjust a timing of the output from a first point in time when the comparison unit determines that the actual measurement value and the target value match to a second point in time when a time independent of a cycle of the pulse signal indicated by the timing adjustment value has elapsed,
• wherein the output unit is constituted by a logic circuit based on hardware, and
• the time indicated by the timing adjustment value is an integer multiple of a clock of the logic circuit
• wherein the timing adjustment value is updated using a feedback value indicating an actual state of a workpiece realized by the actuator to which the output is accepted from the counter unit,
• the control device comprising:
• an update unit configured to update the timing adjustment value using a value indicating an actual state of a workpiece realized by the actuator to which an output is accepted from the counter unit as the feedback value related to the output,
• wherein the timing adjustment value updated by the update unit and the target value are transmitted to the counter unit.

A control system comprising:

• an counter unit comprising:
• a measurement unit configured to count a number of pulses of a pulse signal and measures an actual measurement value;
• a comparison unit configured to determine a match between the actual measurement value measured by the measurement unit and a target value;
• an output unit configured to execute an output to an actuator when the comparison unit determines that the actual measurement value and the target value match;
• and
• a communication unit configured to receive the target value and the timing adjustment value from a control device that performs an input and output process on ON/OFF data for controlling ON/OFF of the actuator in a predetermined control cycle,
• wherein the output unit comprises an output delay unit configured to adjust a timing of the output from a first point in time when the comparison unit determines that the actual measurement value and the target value match to a second point in time when a time independent of a cycle of the pulse signal indicated by a timing adjustment value has elapsed,
• wherein the output unit is constituted by a logic circuit based on hardware, and
• the time indicated by the timing adjustment value is an integer multiple of a clock of the logic circuit
• wherein the timing adjustment value is updated using a feedback value indicating an actual state of a workpiece realized by the actuator to which the output is accepted from the counter unit;
• the control device that performs the input and output process on the ON/OFF data in the predetermined control cycle, the control device comprising:
• an update unit configured to update a timing adjustment value using a value indicating an actual state of a workpiece realized by the actuator to which an output is accepted from a counter unit as a feedback value related to the output, wherein the timing adjustment value updated by the update unit and a target value are transmitted to the counter unit;
• and
• a state detection device that detects an actual state of the workpiece realized by the actuator to which the output is accepted from the counter unit and transmits a value indicating the detected actual state of the workpiece as the feedback value to the control device.