US 2015/0242548 A1 · SIMULATION OF PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLER INPUTS AND OUTPUTS

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments relate to simulation of one or more PLCs 302 which are to be physically implemented on conjunction with other devices 304 306, such as sensors or other devices 304 which provide information or signals to the PLC and/or actuators or other devices 306 which are controlled or otherwise receive information or signals from the PLC 302, e.g. to monitor and/or control various industrial machines or processes. The characteristics, physical or other attributes, of the interconnection(s) 308 between the PLC 302 and the other devices 304 306 are modeled 116 118 120 and simulated to ensure that the PLC 302 behaves in a manner consistent with the characteristics of the interconnection 308. Accordingly, using the disclosed embodiments, simulation of a PLC 302 will provide a more accurate representation of the expected actual operation thereof in the actual environment.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A computer implemented method of simulating operation of a programmable logic controller (“PLC”) 302, the PLC 302 having at least one input 310 for receiving an input signal 314 upon which at least a portion of the operation of the PLC 302 is based, the input signal 314 being received by the PLC 302 from a signal source 304 via an interconnection 308 coupled therebetween operative to convey the input signal 314, the method comprising:

modeling, by a processor 102, operation of the PLC 302, including modeling the at least one input 310 thereof (Block 202);
modeling, by the processor 102, at least a portion of operation of the interconnection 308 (Block 204);
causing, by the processor 102, the interconnection model 118 to simulate at least a portion of operation of the modeled interconnection 308 to generate a simulated input signal to the at least one input of the PLC model 116 (Block 206);
providing, by the processor 102, the simulated input signal to the at least one input of the PLC model 116 (Block 208);
and
causing, by the processor 102, the PLC model 116 to simulate operation of the associated modeled PLC 302, wherein at least a portion of the simulated operation is based on the simulated input signal generated by the interconnection model 118 (Block 210).

3 more elements

A system 100 for simulation of operation of a programmable logic controller (“PLC”) 302, the PLC 302 having at least one input 310 for receiving an input signal 314 upon which at least a portion of the operation of the PLC 302 is based, the input signal 314 being received by the PLC 302 from a signal source 304 via an interconnection 308 coupled therebetween operative to convey the input signal 314, the system 100 comprising:

first logic 106 stored in a memory 104 and executable by a processor 102 to cause the processor 102 to model 116 operation of the PLC 302, including modeling of the at least one input thereof 310;
second logic 108 stored in the memory 104 and executable by the processor 102 to cause the processor 102 to model 118 at least a portion of operation of the interconnection 308;
third logic 110 stored in the memory 104 and executable by the processor 102 to cause the processor 102 to cause the interconnection model 118 to simulate at least a portion of operation of the modeled interconnection 308 to generate a simulated input signal to the at least one input of the PLC model 116;
fourth logic 112 stored in the memory 104 and executable by the processor 102 to cause the processor 102 to provide the simulated input signal to the at least one input of the PLC model 116;
and
fifth logic 114 stored in the memory 104 and executable by the processor 102 to cause the processor 102 to cause the PLC model 116 to simulate operation of the associated modeled PLC 302, wherein at least a portion of the simulated operation is based on the simulated input signal generated by the interconnection model 118.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Simulation of programmable logic controller inputs and outputs

Life of this patent

Simulation of programmable logic controller inputs and outputs

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21