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US 7,805,725 B2Granted
System and method for synchronizing system modules
AssigneeSiemens Industry, Inc.
InventorsRichard C. Schaftlein, Daniel F. Moon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system is provided for automatically reassigning an interface card and devices associated with the interface card in a programmable logic controller system from a non-deterministic operating environment to a deterministic operating environment so that the change is performed essentially instantaneously to avoid disruption of operations of the PLC devices associated with the interface involved in the reassignment. All operating system registries and configurations are automatically performed. The move provides for an improved response time for devices associated with and controlled by the card.
Claims31
A method comprising:
- reassigning resources in a soft programmable logic controller (PLC), said soft PLC executed on a single computer, said reassigning comprising the steps of:
- selecting a first interface in a first operating environment of the soft PLC;
- selecting a virtual slot in a second operating environment of the soft PLC for installation of the first interface, wherein said second operating environment has non-variable scan cycle timing;
- creating a first installation file in the first operating environment for installation of the first interface in the second operating environment;
- and
- installing the first interface in the second operating environment using the first installation file to reassign a resource between the first operating environment and the second operating environment, an interrupt line of the reassigned resource shared in the second operating environment with at least one real-time card.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- automatically reassigning resources in a soft programmable logic controller (PLC) executed on a single computer, said automatically reassigning comprising the steps of:
- identifying a resource to be reassigned from a first processing mode of the soft PLC to a second processing mode of the soft PLC, wherein said second processing mode has non-variable scan cycle timing;
- removing the resource from operation in the first processing mode;
- creating an installation file containing information of at least one device driver;
- assigning the resource for operation in the second processing mode by using installation parameters associated with the first processing mode, an interrupt line of the assigned resource shared in the second processing mode with at least one real-time card;
- and
- automatically installing the at least one device driver for the resource in the second processing mode using the information from the installation file so that any device in communication with the at least one device driver is functional.
4 more elements
A system comprising:
- a means for executing a soft programmable logic controller (PLC) on a single computer;
- a means for selecting a first interface in a first operating environment of the soft PLC;
- a means for selecting a virtual slot in a second operating environment of the soft PLC for installation of the first interface, wherein said second operating environment has non-variable scan cycle timing;
- a means for creating an installation file in the first operating environment of the soft PLC for installation of the first interface in the second operating environment of the soft PLC;
- a means for installing the first interface in the second operating environment of the soft PLC using the installation file to reassign a resource between the first operating environment of the soft PLC and the second operating environment of the soft PLC, said system adapted to utilize said resource in the soft programmable logic controller (PLC), an interrupt line of the reassigned resource shared in the second operating environment with at least one real-time card.
2 more elements
A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable program code stored thereon, the computer executable program code comprising:
- a soft programmable logic controller (PLC) executed on a single computer;
- a first software component to select an interface in a first operating environment of the soft PLC;
- a second software component to select a virtual slot in a second operating environment of the soft PLC for installation of the interface, wherein said second operating environment has non-variable scan cycle timing;
- a third software component to create an installation file in the first operating environment of the soft PLC for installation of the interface in the second operating environment of the soft PLC;
- a fourth software component to install the interface in the second operating environment of the soft PLC using the installation file to reassign a resource between the first operating environment of the soft PLC and the second operating environment of the soft PLC, an interrupt line of the reassigned resource shared in the second operating environment with at least one real-time card.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.