Programmed controller

A method of using a programmed controller emulating one or more state diagrams and for controlling the states of operation of at least one machine or process, which method comprises the steps of:

• (a) executing an applications program comprising a plurality of blocks of statements, each said block of statements (blocks) corresponding to one of said machine or process states of operation and at least some of said blocks comprising one or more compound statements which define the next said block to be executed and an action to be taken during the corresponding state of operation by the machine or process, at least some of said blocks defining a different said action to be taken than the other blocks, the applications program representing each of said one or more state diagrams by a program loop comprising at least one of said blocks
• (b) enabling at least one of said program loops to become active to execution and enabling only one block of said blocks to become active for execution at any one time in said at least one active program loop;
• and
• (c) the step of execution, executing each said active block within each said active program loop for controlling the sequence of execution of said blocks and thereby control said action of the machine or process.

A programmed controller for emulating one or more state diagrams and for controlling the states of operation of at least one machine or process, comprising:

• (a) an applications program comprising a plurality of blocks of statements, each said block of statements (block) corresponding to one of said machine or process states of operation, and at least some of said blocks of statements comprising one or more compound statements which define the next said block to be executed and an action to be taken during the corresponding state of operation by the machine or process, at least some blocks defining a different said action to be taken than the other blocks, the applications program comprising one or more program loops corresponding to each of the one or more state diagrams, each said program loop comprising at least one of said block of statements;
• (b) means for enabling at least one of said program loops to become active for execution, and means for enabling only one of said blocks of statements to become active for execution at any one time in said active program loop;
• and
• (c) the means for enabling comprising means for indicating to said at least one active program loop, said means for indicating comprising means for storing an identifier of the active block and means for storing an identifier to indicate the program loop which comprises the active block;
• and
• (d) means for storing each said means for indicating for facilitating multi-tasking of a plurality of said at least one program loop and for controlling the sequence of execution of said at least one active program loop;
• (e) the means for execution comprising means for executing said compound statements in each said active block with each said active program loop for controlling the sequence of execution of said blocks and for controlling said action by the states of operation of the machine or process.

A method of using a programmed controller emulating one or more state diagrams and for controlling the states of operation of at least one machine or process, which method comprises the steps of:

• (a) executing an applications program comprising a plurality of blocks of statements, each said block of statements (blocks) corresponding to one of said machine or process states of operation and at least some of said blocks comprising one or more compound statements which define the next said block to be executed and an action to be taken during the corresponding state of operation by the machine or process, at least some of said blocks defining a different said action to be taken than the other blocks, the applications program representing each of said one or more state diagrams by a program loop comprising at least one of said blocks;
• and
• (b) enabling at least one of said program loops to become active for execution and enabling only one block of said blocks to become active for execution at any one time in said at least one active program loop;
• (c) the step for enabling comprising the step of storing an identifier of the active block into a variable and the step of storing an identifier into said variable to indicate the at least one active program loop which comprises the active block;
• (d) storing each said variable associated with said at least one active program loop for facilitating multitasking of a plurality of said at least one active program loops and for controlling the sequence of execution of said at least one active program loop;
• and
• (e) executing said compund statement in each said active block with each said active program loop for controlling the sequence of execution of said blocks and for controlling said action of the machine or process.

A programmed controller to emulate one or more state diagrams for controlling the states of operation of at least one machine or process, comprising means for executing an applications program comprising a plurality of blocks of statements (blocks), and each said block corresponding to one of said states of operation, and at least some of said blocks comprising one or more compound statements which define the next block to be executed and an action to be taken during the corresponding state of operation by the machine or process, the applications program comprising one or more program loops corresponding to each of the one or more state diagrams, each said program loop comprising at least one of said blocks, and the programmed controller comprising operating system software, the software comprising:

• (a) means for enabling at least one program loop of said program loops to become active for execution, and means for enabling only one of said blocks of statements to become active for execution at any one time in said active program loop;
• and
• (b) the means for enabling comprising means for pointing to said at least one active program loop, said means for pointing comprising means for storing an identifier of the active block and means for storing an identifier to indicate the program loop which comprises the active block;
• and
• (c) means for storing each said means for pointing for facilitating multi-tasking of a plurality of said at least one program loop and for controlling the sequence of execution of said at least one active program loop;
• (d) means for executing said compound statements in each said active block with each said active program loop for controlling the sequence of execution of said blocks and for controlling said action by the states of operation of the machine or process.

Operating system software, for use in a programmed controller to emulate one or more state diagrams for controlling the states of operation of at least one machine or process, comprising means for executing an application program comprising a plurality of blocks of statements (blocks), each said block corresponding to one of said states of operation and at least some of said blocks comprising one or more compound statements which define the next block to be executed and an action to be taken during the corresponding state of operation by the machine or process the applications program comprising one or more program loops corresponding to each of the one or more state diagrams, each said program loop comprising at least one of said blocks, and the operating system comprising:

• (a) means for enabling at least one program loop of said program loops to become active for execution, and means for enabling only one of said blocks of statements to become active for execution at any one time in said active program loop;
• and
• (b) the means for enabling comprising means for pointing to said at least one active program loop the means for pointing comprising means for storing an identifier of the active block and means for storing an identifier to indicate the program loop which comprises the active block;
• and
• (c) means for storing each said means for pointing to said at least one program loop for facilitating multi-tasking of a plurality of said at least one program loop and for controlling the sequence of execution of said at least one active program loop;
• (d) means for executing said compound statements in each said active block with each said active program loop for controlling the sequence of execution of said blocks and for controlling said action by the states of operation of the machine or process.

A method of structure an operating system for emulating one or more state diagrams and for controlling the states of operation of at leaast one machine or process, comprising the step of executing an applications program comprising a plurality of blocks of statements, each said block corresponding to one of said states of operation, and at least of some of said blocks comprising one or more compound statements which define the next said block to be executed and an action to be taken during the corresponding state of operation, the applications program comprising one more program loops corresponding to each of the one or more state diagrams, each said program loop comprising at least one of said blocks, and which method comprises the steps of:

• (a) enabling at least one of said program loops to become active for execution and enabling only one block of said blocks to become active for execution at any one time in said at least one active program loop;
• (b) the step for enabling comprising the step of storing an identifier of the active block into a variable and the step of storing an identifier to indicate the at least one active program loop which comprises the active block;
• (c) executing said compound statement in each said active block with each said active program loop for controlling the sequence of execution of said blocks and for controlling said action of the machine or process;
• and
• (d) storing each said variable associated with said at least one active program loop into a storage means for facilitating multitasking of a plurality of said at least one active program loops and for controlling the sequence of execution of said at least one active program loop.

A programmed controller for emulating one or more state diagrams for controlling the states of operation of at least one machine or process, comprising:

• (a) means for execution of an applications program which comprises a plurality of blocks of statements, each said block of statements (blocks) when executed being a program state, and each said program state corresponding to one of said machine or process states of operation and at least some of the blocks comprising one or more compound statements which define the next said block to be executed and an action to be taken during the corresponding state of operation by the machine, at least some of said program state defining a different action to be taken;
• (b) means for enabling at least one of said program loops to become active and only one of said blocks to become active in said active program loop at any one time;
• (c) the means for enabling comprising means for pointing to said at least one active program loop, said means for pointing comprising means for storing an identifier for the active block and each said pointer having an identifier to indicate the program loop which comprises the active block;
• and
• (d) means for executing said compound statements in each said active block with each said active program loop for controlling the sequence of execution of said blocks and for controlling said action by the states of operation of the machine or process.

A method of using a programmed controller emulating one or more state diagrams and for controlling the states of operation of at least one machine or process, which method comprises the steps of:

• (a) executing an applications program comprising a plurality of blocks of statements, each said block when executed being a program state, and each said program state corresponding to one of said machine or process states of operation and at least some of the blocks comprising one or more compound statements which define the next said block to be executed and an action to be taken during the corresponding state of operation by the machine, at least some of said block defining a different action to be taken than the other blocks, the applications program comprising one or more program loops corresponding to each of the one or more state diagrams, each said program loop comprising at least some of said blocks;
• (b) enabling at least one of said program loops to become active and allowing only one of said blocks to become active in said at least one active program loop at any one time;
• (c) the step of enabling comprising the step of storing an address of the start of said active block into a pointer and storing an identifier of said at least one program loop with said pointer;
• and
• (d) storing each said pointer associated with said at least one active program loop for facilitating multitasking of a plurality of said at least one active program loop and for controlling the sequence of execution of said at least one active program loop.

A programmed controller for emulating one or more state diagrams for controlling the states of operation of at least one machine or process comprising means for executing an application program which comprises a plurality of blocks of statements (blocks), each said block when executed being a program state, and each said program state corresponding to one of said states of operation, and at least some of the blocks comprising one or more compound statements which define the next said block to be executed and an action to be taken during the corresponding state of operation by the machine, at least some of said blocks defining a different action to be taken than the other blocks, the applications program comprising one or more program loops corresponding to each of the one or more state diagrams, each said program loop comprising at least one of said blocks:

• (a) at least one of said program loops being active and only one of said program states being active in said active program loop at any one time;
• (b) a pointer associated with said at least one active program loop for storing an address of the start of the active program state and each said pointer having an identifier to indicate at least one said active program loop which comprises the active program state;
• and
• (c) means for executing said compound statements in each said active block with each said active program loop for controlling the sequence of execution of said blocks and for controlling said action of the machine or process.

A method of using an operating system for emulating one or more state diagrams and for controlling the states of operation of at least one machine or process comprising the step of executing an applications program comprising a plurality of blocks of statements (blocks), each said block when executed being a program state, and each said program state corresponding to one of said states of operation and at least some of the blocks comprising one or more compound statements which define the next said block to be executed and an action to be taken during the corresponding state of operation by the machine at least some of said program states defining a different action to be taken than the other program states, the applications program comprising one or more program loops corresponding to each of the one or more state diagrams, each said program loop comprising at least one of said blocks, which method comprises the steps of:

• (a) enabling at least one of said program loops to become active and enabling only one of said blocks to become active in said active program loop at any one time;
• (b) the step of enabling comprising the step of storing an identifier of said active block into a variable and the step of storing an identifier of said at least one program loop with said variable;
• and
• (c) storing each said variable associated with said at least one active program loop into storage means for facilitating multitasking of a plurality of said at least one active program loops and for controlling the sequence of execution of said at least one active program loop.

A method of facilitating debugging a finite state applications programs on a programmed controller, said finite state applications program comprising one or more blocks of statements, each when executed by the computer being a program state, and each said program state occurring only when one or more conditions cause said program state to occur, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) recording each said occurrence of each said program state;
• (b) recording said one or more conditions causing the occurrence of said program state;
• and
• (c) displaying the order of occurrence of said one or more program states and/or said one or more conditions responsible for each said program state occurrence, whereby debugging of the finite state applications program is facilitated.

A programmed computer for facilitating debugging of a finite state applications program, said finite state applications program comprising one or more blocks of statements, each when executed by the computer being a program state, and each said program state occurring only when one or more conditions cause said program state to occur, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) means for recording each said occurrence of each said program state;
• (b) means for recording said one or more conditions causing the occurrence of said program state;
• and
• (c) means for displaying the order of occurrence of said one or more program states and/or said one or more conditions responsible for each said program state occurrence, whereby debugging of the finite state applications program is facilitated.

A programmable controller to control the operation of at least one machine or process comprising:

• (a) provision for an applications program using state variable concepts;
• (b) operation systems software able to refer to state variables including programming language and monitor facilities providing necessary support for said functions, with said debugging support means provided as a system service;
• and
• (c) means to record for later use information comprising previous transitions that occurred with regard to which states were active in the system and the order in which the transitions occurred or the activities of previous states.

A programmable controller to control the operation of at least one machine or process comprising:

• (a) provision for an applications program using state variable concepts;
• (b) operating systems software able to refer to state variables including programming language and monitor facilities providing necessary support for said functions, with said debugging support means provided as a system service;
• (c) means provided within the programming language for including debugging functions within an applications program;
• (d) Means for running the program automatically on power up.

A programmable controller to control the operation of at least one machine or process by emulating one or more state diagrams, said controller comprising:

• (a) provision for an applications program defining the one or more state diagrams;
• (b) said applications program comprising at least a plurality of blocks of statements, each said block being a program state corresponding to a state in the state diagrams, and at least some of the blocks containing one or more statements which define at least one control action to be taken during the scanning of the block;
• (c) said program having one or more program loops corresponding to the state diagrams, each said program loop comprising at least one of said blocks;
• (d) at least one of said program loops being active and only one of said program states being active in each of said active program loops at any one time;
• (e) means to enable the controller to process the program statements in each active program state in each active program loop whereby the operation and sequence of the states of the machine or process is controlled.

A method of controlling the operation of at least one machine or process controlled by a programmable controller by emulating one or more state diagrams, said controller using an applications program defining the one or more state diagrams, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing said applications program as at least a plurality of blocks of statements, each said block being a program state corresponding to a state in the state diagrams, and at least some of the blocks containing one or more statements which define at least one control action to be taken during the scanning of the block;
• (b) providing in said program one or more program loops corresponding to the state diagrams, each said program loop comprising at least one of said blocks;
• (c) at least one of said program loops being active and only one of said program states being active in each of said active program loops at any one time;
• and
• (d) processing the program statements in each active program state in each active program loop, whereby the operation and sequence of the states of the machine or process is controlled.