Sequential function chart validation tool
AssigneeRockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
InventorRobert C. Kline, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Automated program validation components are provided to facilitate software program development for industrial control systems and processes. In one aspect, a simulation tool is provided for an industrial automation system. The simulation tool includes a transform component that receives one or more program chart components as input and outputs a subset of model components for simulation. A simulation component executes the subset of model components in order to validate the program chart components.
Claims33
A simulation tool for an industrial automation system, comprising:
- at least one processor;
- at least one memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, the memory having stored therein processor executable instructions configured to implement the simulation tool including;
- a transform component that receives one or more program chart components as input and outputs a subset of model components for simulation, wherein the transform component automatically associates objects in a sequential function chart (SFC) with simplified structures in a model, wherein the model holds static data representative of the SFC, wherein the static data references at least one linear segment;
- and
- a simulation component that executes the subset of model components in order to validate the program chart components.
A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon to facilitate program validation in an industrial automation environment, comprising:
- generating a program chart for an industrial control system;
- reducing the program chart to a simplified model, wherein the simplified model includes at least one of a linear segment, an AND Divergence, an AND Convergence, an OR Divergence, or an OR Convergence;
- and
- executing the simplified model via one or more event messages.
A method to validate an industrial control program, comprising:
- generating a controller chart structure;
- transforming the controller chart structure to a simplified model structure, the simplified model structure comprising at least one static structure and a plurality of dynamic structures, wherein the at least one static structure includes a reference to at least one linear segment;
- simulating the simplified model structure to validate or invalidate the controller chart structure;
- and
- initializing at least one of the plurality of dynamic structures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.