US 6,459,944 B1Granted

Self-organizing industrial control system using a specific process to evaluate bids

AssigneeRockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.

InventorsFrancisco P. Maturana, David A. Vasko, Rebecca J. Herr

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Abstract

An industrial control system uses a number of autonomous control units, each associated with one piece of equipment in an industrial process. The autonomous control units negotiate by bidding among themselves to determine a common set of input and output values for the interconnected machines with which they are associated. Each autonomous control unit determines whether input values are acceptable by using a model of its associated equipment. The model provides anticipated output values which may be compared against a predetermined range of outputs of associated machines, outputs compatible with downstream machines, or the constraints of the overall industrial process according to a designated job to be accomplished. Optimization of the input and output values is provided by allowing preliminary bids to be the subject of optimizing counter-bids if the original bid value could have been accepted.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An autonomous control unit forming part of an industrial controller for controlling a process made up of sub-processes, the autonomous control unit associated with a sub-process and used with other autonomous control units associated with other sub-processes, each sub-process having input variables describing the input values to the sub-process and output variables describing corresponding output values of the sub-process, the autonomous control unit comprising;

a network connection allowing intercommunication between the autonomous control unit and other autonomous control units and the receipt by the autonomous control unit of a job plan describing the process;
(a) an electronic memory holding:
(1) a sub-process model relating the input variables to the output variables for the sub-process;
(2) a constraint table holding a constraining range for the output variables;
(b) an electronic computer communicating with the network connection and the electronic memory and executing a stored program to:
(1) receive a job plan;
(2) receive a bid from a second autonomous control unit describing a proposed value of an input variable of the sub-process of the autonomous control unit;
(3) determine corresponding values of output variables using the model;
(4) when the output variables satisfy the constraint ranges of the subprocess, responding to the second autonomous control unit indicating acceptance of the proposed value of the variable as part of a response to the job plan;
and
(5) when the output variables do not satisfy the constraint range responding to the second autonomous control unit indicating rejection of the proposed value of the variable as part of a response to the job plan.

8 more elements

A method of controlling a process using a plurality of autonomous control units each associated with a sub-process of the process and each having an electronic processor and associated memory, each sub-process having input variables describing the input conditions to the sub-process and output variables describing output conditions of the sub-process, the method comprising the steps of:

1) connecting the autonomous control units together on a network connection allowing intercommunication between the autonomous control units;
2) providing the autonomous control units with a job plan describing the process by means of output variables for the sub-process associated with the autonomous control units;
3) developing a sub-process model relating the input variables to the output variables for each sub-process and loading it into the associated autonomous control unit;
4) transmit a bid to a first autonomous control unit from a second autonomous control unit describing a proposed input variable to the sub-process of the first autonomous control unit;
5) model the proposed input variable in the model of the first autonomous control unit to produce a resultant output variable;
6) when the output variable satisfies constraints of the job plan, responding to the second autonomous control unit from the first autonomous control unit indicating acceptance of the proposed input variable as part of a response to the job plan;
and
7) when the output variable does not satisfy the constraints of the job plan responding to the second autonomous control unit from the first autonomous control unit indicating rejection of the proposed input variable as part of a response to the job plan.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/407,474Filed 28 Sep 1999 · continuation in part
Granted: 1 Oct 2002
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G05B 19/41865
Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible…:…
G05B 2219/32086
Operator till task planning: integrate process planning and job shop scheduling
G05B 2219/32087
Operator till task planning: decentral planning, each plant involved takes part of global
Y02P 90/02
Enabling technologies with a potential contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation: total factory control, e.g. smart factories,…