Transfer line control system utilizing distributed computing

A computer system for controlling an industrial process comprising:

• a data storage area;
• and
• a digital computer connecting to said data storage area and having input and output means for communicating with said industrial process and with an operator and programmed to form the following
• data storage allocation means for allocating space within said data storage area for the storage of blocks of data forming actuations each defining an industrial operation and comprising an interlock defining the operation's onset, an interlock defining the operation's continuation, and an interlock defining the operation's completion, and at least some of said actuations also comprising linkages to other actuations which linkages define executable sequences of actuations,
• solver means having access to said storage area for executing the operations called for by said actuations either in automatic sequence in accordance with said linkages or in response to manual requests from the operator, and
• a background monitor having access to said storage area and called upon by said solver at appropriate times to process said interlocks, notifying said solver and, in at least some cases, giving forth an alarm indication when there is a change in the state of any monitored interlocks,
• said data storage allocation means further defines sequences of actuations to be subsequences having associated therewith a subsequence monitoring interlock formed from a programmable linkage of one or more of said completion interlocks of the actuations in each subsequence to form a subsequence completion interlock, and in which said background monitor is further called upon by said solver, when any given subsequence has run to completion, to give forth an alarm indication when there is a change in the state of the subsequence's linkage of completion interlocks,
• said solver automatically monitors the completion interlocks of at least some actuations, in addition to said subsequences, following the completion of the operation called for by the actuations, as defined by the completion interlocks, and gives forth an alarm indication if any such completion interlock state changes, until a subsequent actuation cancels one or more of these ongoing completion monitoring functions.

A computer system for controlling an industrial process comprising:

• a data storage area;
• and
• a digital computer connecting to said data storage area and having input and output means for communicating with said industrial process and with an operator and programmed to form the following
• data storage allocation means for allocating space within said data storage area for the storage of blocks of data forming actuations each defining an industrial operation and comprising an interlock defining the operation's onset, an interlock defining the operation's continuation, and an interlock defining the operation's completion, and at least some of said actuations also comprising linkages to other actuations which linkages define executable sequences of actuations,
• solver means having access to said storage area for executing the operations called for by said actuations either in automatic sequence in accordance with said linkages or in response to manual requests from the operator,
• a background monitor having access to said storage area and called upon by said solver at appropriate times to process said interlocks, notifying said solver and, in at least some cases, giving forth an alarm indication when there is a change in the state of any monitored interlocks,
• said data storage allocation means further defines sequences of actuations to be subsequences having associated therewith a subsequence monitoring interlock formed from a programmable linkage of one or more of said completion interlocks of the actuations in each subsequence to form a subsequence completion interlock, and in which said background monitor is further called upon by said solver, when any given subsequence has run to completion, to give forth an alarm indication when there is a change in the state of the subsequence's linkage of completion interlocks,
• said solver automatically monitors the completion interlocks of at least some actuations, in addition to said subsequences, following the completion of the operation called for by the actuations, as defined by the completion interlocks, and gives forth an alarm indication if any such completion interlock state changes, until a subsequent actuation cancels one or more of these ongoing completion monitoring functions, and
• operator viewport control means for enabling an operator to view, in an animated fashion, the sequences of actuations and the interlock details and process details of any actuation being executed automatically and in sequence,
• said operator viewport control comprises a manual mode which permits an operator to view and select and call for the execution of any actuation, subject to interlock control.

A computer system for controlling at least one of a plurality of networked transfer line control computers including a plurality of workstation computers for controlling machine tools and a synchronizer computer for controlling the transfer line part movement and said workstation computers together comprising a machine transfer line control system, each computer comprising:

• a data storage area;
• and
• a digital computer connecting to said data storage area and having input and output means for communicating with said transfer line control system and with an operator and programmed to form the following
• data storage allocation means for allocating space within said data storage area for the storage of blocks of data forming actuations each defining a transfer line operation and comprising an interlock defining the operation's onset, an interlock defining the operation's continuation, and an interlock defining the operation's completion, and at least some of said actuations also comprising linkages to other actuations which linkages define executable sequences of actuations,
• solver means having access to said storage area for executing the operations called for by said actuations either in automatic sequence in accordance with said linkages or in response to manual requests from the operator,
• a background monitor having access to said storage area and called upon by said solver at appropriate times to process said interlocks, notifying said solver and, in at least some cases, giving forth an alarm indication when there is a change in the state of any monitored interlocks, and
• operator viewport control means for enabling an operator to view the sequences of actuations, said operator viewport control means comprising a manual mode which permits an operator to view and select and call for the execution of any actuation, subject to interlock control.

A computer system for controlling at least one of a plurality of networked transfer line control computers including a plurality of workstation computers for controlling machine tools and a synchronizer computer for controlling the transfer line part movement and said workstation computers together comprising a machine transfer line control system, each computer comprising:

• a data storage area;
• and
• a digital computer connecting to said data storage area and having input and output means for communicating with said transfer line control system and with an operator and programmed to form the following
• data storage allocation means for allocating space within said data storage area for the storage of blocks of data forming actuations each defining a transfer line operation and comprising an interlock defining the operation's onset, an interlock defining the operation's continuation, and an interlock defining the operation's completion, and at least some of said actuations also comprising linkages to other actuations which linkages define executable sequences of actuations,
• solver means having access to said storage area for executing the operations called for by said actuations either in automatic sequence in accordance with said linkages or in response to manual requests from the operator, and
• a background monitor having access to said storage area and called upon by said solver at appropriate times to process said interlocks, notifying said solver and, in at least some cases, giving forth an alarm indication when there is a change in the state of any monitored interlocks,
• said data storage allocation means further defines sequences of actuations to be subsequences having associated therewith a subsequence monitoring interlock formed from a programmable linkage of one or more of said completion interlocks of the actuations in each subsequence to form a subsequence completion interlock, and in which said background monitor is further called upon by said solver, when any given subsequence has run to completion, to give forth an alarm indication when there is a change in the state of the subsequence's linkage of completion interlocks,
• said solver automatically monitors the completion interlocks of at least some actuations, in addition to said subsequences, following the completion of the operation called for by the actuations, as defined by the completion interlocks, and gives forth an alarm indication if any such completion interlock state changes, until a subsequent actuation cancels one or more of these ongoing completion monitoring functions.

A computer system for controlling at least one of a plurality of networked transfer line control computers including a plurality of workstation computers for controlling machine tools and a synchronizer computer for controlling the transfer line part movement and said workstation computers together comprising a machine transfer line control system, each computer comprising:

• a data storage area;
• and
• a digital computer connecting to said data storage area and having input and output means for communicating with said transfer line control system and with an operator and programmed to form the following
• data storage allocation means for allocating space within said data storage area for the storage of blocks of data forming actuations each defining a transfer line operation and comprising an interlock defining the operation's onset, an interlock defining the operation's continuation, and an interlock defining the operation's completion, and at least some of said actuations also comprising linkages to other actuations which linkages define executable sequences of actuations,
• solver means having access to said storage area for executing the operations called for by said actuations either in automatic sequence in accordance with said linkages or in response to manual requests from the operator,
• a background monitor having access to said storage area and called upon by said solver at appropriate times to process said interlocks, notifying said solver and, in at least some cases, giving forth an alarm indication when there is a change in the state of any monitored interlocks,
• said data storage allocation means further defines sequences of actuations to be subsequences having associated therewith a subsequence monitoring interlock formed from a programmable linkage of one or more of said completion interlocks of the actuations in each subsequence to form a subsequence completion interlock, and in which said background monitor is further called upon by said solver, when any given subsequence has run to completion, to give forth an alarm indication when there is a change in the state of the subsequence's linkage of completion interlocks,
• said solver automatically monitors the completion interlocks of at least some actuations, in addition to said subsequences, following the completion of the operation called for by the actuations, as defined by the completion interlocks, and gives forth an alarm indication if any such completion interlock state changes, until a subsequent actuation cancels one or more of these ongoing completion monitoring functions, and
• operator viewport control means for enabling an operator to view, in an animated fashion, the sequences of actuations and the interlock details and process details of any actuation being executed automatically and in sequence,
• said operator viewport control comprises a manual mode which permits an operator to view and select and call for the execution of any actuation, subject to interlock control.

A method for controlling a transfer line comprising the steps of:

• storing actuations defining a transfer line operation, an interlock defining the operation's onset, an interlock defining the operation's continuation, and an interlock defining the operation's completion;
• establishing linkages between at least some of said actuations and other of said actuations, which linkages define executable sequences of actuations;
• communicating input and output status information relating to the transfer line and said actuations to a human operator;
• executing the operations called for by said actuations either in automatic sequence in accordance with said linkages or in response to manual requests from the operator;
• monitoring the interlocks defined by said actuations when processed by said execution step at appropriate times and, in at least some cases, giving forth an alarm indication when there is a change in the state of any monitored interlock;
• and
• permitting the human operator with a manual mode of operation to view and select and call for the execution of any actuation, subject to interlock control.

A method for controlling a transfer line comprising the steps of:

• storing actuations defining a transfer line operation, an interlock defining the operation's onset, an interlock defining the operation's continuation, and an interlock defining the operation's completion;
• establishing linkages between at least some of said actuations and other of said actuations, which linkages define executable sequences of actuations;
• communicating input and output status information relating to the transfer line and said actuations to a human operator;
• executing the operations called for by said actuations either in automatic sequence in accordance with said linkages or in response to manual requests from the operator;
• monitoring the interlocks defined by said actuations when processed by said execution step at appropriate times and, in at least some cases, giving forth an alarm indication when there is a change in the state of any monitored interlock;
• said step for storing actuations further defines sequences of actuations to be subsequences having associated therewith a subsequence monitoring interlock formed from a programmable linkage of one or more of said completion interlocks of the actuations in each subsequence to form a subsequence completion interlock, and in which said background monitoring step if further called upon by said execution step, when any given subsequence has been fully executed, to give forth an alarm indication when there is a change in the state of the subsequence's linkage of completion interlocks;
• and
• displaying to the human operator, in an animated fashion, the sequences of actuations and the interlock details and process details of any actuation while the operation defined by the actuation is executed automatically and in sequence;
• said execution step automatically initiates monitoring the completion interlocks of at least some actuations, in addition to said subsequences, following the completion of the operation called for by the actuations, as defined by the completion interlocks, and gives forth an alarm indication if any such completion interlock state changes, until a subsequent actuation defines an operation that cancels one or more of these ongoing completion monitoring functions.

A distributed computational system for a transfer line that comprises a plurality of machining workstations each having at least one machine for parts processing and at least one synchronizer workstation having at least one machine for parts transfer past all of the workstations, comprising:

• a compact computational system at each workstation comprising input and output means for connecting the system to machines at the workstation, network means for connecting the system to the other computational systems, a data storage area containing sequences of machine actuations specific to the connected machines at that workstation, solver means and monitor means for defining the machining or parts transfer and monitoring operations to be carried out at that workstation, operator viewport means for permitting the operator to view, in an animated fashion, to execute manually (subject to interlock control), and to edit said actuations (if authorized to do so);
• said operator viewport control means comprising a manual mode which permits an operator to view and select and call for the execution of any actuation, subject to interlock control;
• said synchronizer computational system's data storage area containing actuations which generate all of the following commands, and broadcasts at least the first three of the following commands to the remaining workstations over said network means and awaits acknowledgment of completion of at least the first three of the following commands before proceeding:
• part clamp;
• cycle units;
• part unclamp;
• engage transfer;
• advance transfer;
• disengage transfer;
• and return transfer.

A computational system for controlling a real-time process, comprising:

• a programmable data processing system including means for processing data under program control, process input and output means for accepting process data from and transferring control data to said process, data storage means for storing data, and user viewport means for displaying data visually to a user and for accepting visual data editing commands and process operating commands from the user;
• said system including
• edit means for enabling the user to use said user viewport means to create visual representations of actuations each defining a unique process monitoring and control operation, at least some of said actuations including at least one interlock displayed visually as a ladder logic interconnection of contacts defining a logical relationship of said process data that determines, along with other visual data, at least the onset, duration, or termination of a corresponding process control operation as well as a process monitoring function, and for enabling the user visually to link sequences of two or more actuations into at least one executable sequence, said edit means storing data representations of said actuations within said storage means, and
• solver and monitor means for implementing the process control and monitoring operations defined by said data representations of said actuations, either automatically in sequence as determined by said linked executable sequences while simultaneously causing said viewport means to display to the user, in an animated fashion, the visual representation for each actuation while it is automatically executed, or manually, subject to interlock control, in response to operator manual selection of an individual actuation from visual representations of the actuations displayed to the user by said viewport means.