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US 8,948,887 B2Granted
Synchronization of execution of sequential function charts using transition groups
AssigneeRockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
InventorRobert C. Kline, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided that are capable of synchronizing an industrial process. The industrial process may include a plurality of process levels. A visualization group may be displayed, showing the various levels of a process. A transition group may be graphically defined that allows for the linking of the transitions between the various process levels. In certain embodiments, sequential function charts (SFC) may include expanded capabilities that allow for the visual definition, editing, and review of the transition groups. Such SFC embodiments may be capable of process flow synchronization across any levels of the modeled process.
Claims14
A system for synchronizing an industrial process comprising:
- an automation controller configured to control a plurality of sequential processes separated by transitions with a sequential function chart (SFC) sequence processing program;
- and
- a graphical transition group defined by code executed by the automation controller in operation, and graphically linking a plurality of the transitions to synchronize execution of processes, wherein the graphical transition group comprises a graphical transition link configured to link a first transition in the plurality of transitions to a second transition in the plurality of transitions, wherein the graphical transition link is configured to monitor a first sequential process upstream of the first transition and a second sequential process upstream of the second transition to synchronize the execution of the first and the second transitions, the first sequential process comprises a first graphical bar of a length representative of a first execution time of the first sequential process, the second sequential process comprises a second graphical bar of a length representative of a second execution time of the second sequential process, and a third sequential process comprises a third graphical bar of a length representative of a third execution time of the third sequential process, having a lower process level than the first sequential process and displayed inside of the first graphical bar, wherein lower level sequential processes are represented as smaller bars and displayed inside of larger bars of higher level sequential processes.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code adapted to:
- control plurality of sequential processes with a sequential function chart (SFC) sequence processing program;
- define a graphical transition group comprising linked transitions between the plurality of sequential processes;
- and
- synchronize the linked transitions of the graphical transition group to synchronize the processes, wherein the graphical transition group comprises a graphical transition link configured to graphically link a first transition in the linked transitions to a second transition in the linked transitions, and wherein the transition link is configured to monitor a first sequential process and a second sequential process, wherein the first sequential process is visually displayed at a first bar length representative of a first execution time and the second sequential process is visually displayed at a second bar length representative of a second execution time, and a third sequential process comprises a third bar length representative of a third execution time, having a lower process level than the first sequential process and displayed inside of the first bar length, wherein lower level sequential processes are represented as smaller bars and displayed inside of larger bars of higher level sequential processes.
1 more element
A method of synchronizing industrial processes executed by an automation controller comprising:
- defining, in association with a controller that executes a sequential function chart (SFC) sequence processing program for controlling a plurality of sequential processes, a visual transition group comprising a first transition separating a first set of the sequential processes, wherein each of the first set of the sequential processes is visually displayed at a first length bar representative of a first execution time for each of the first set of the sequential processes, and a second transition separating a second set of the sequential processes, wherein each of the second set of the sequential processes is visually displayed at a second length representative of a second execution time for each of the second set of the sequential processes and a third set of sequential processes is visually displayed at a third length bar representative of a third execution time for each of the third set of the sequential processes, having a lower process level than the first set of the sequential processes and displayed inside of the first bar length, wherein lower level sequential processes are represented as smaller bars and displayed inside of larger bars of higher level sequential processes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.