The disclosure relates to a control system for an automation system which is configured to control at least one automation component of the automation system, and which has a standardized data interface and is further configured to receive control instructions from outside via the standardized data interface, to convert the received control instructions into control commands for the at least one automation component and to control the at least one automation component using said control commands, and also a method for operating an automation system.

The disclosure relates to a control system for an automation system which is configured to control at least one automation component of the automation system, and which has a standardized data interface and is further configured to receive control instructions from outside via the standardized data interface, to convert the received control instructions into control commands for the at least one automation component and to control the at least one automation component using said control commands, and also a method for operating an automation system.

A programmable display includes a display data generator that generates display data for pages corresponding to their page identifier, a display portion that displays a page corresponding to the page identifier on its display screen based on the display data that is generated by the display data generator, and a touch detector that detects touch operations on the display screen of the display portion. The display portion generates display data for displaying the device wave of the device that is specified by the subject device settings based on the chronological data, which is stored in the PLC, when the touch detector detects a predetermined second touch operation on the display screen. The display portion displays a second page or a device wave on the display screen based on the display data that is generated by the display data generator.

A camera input expansion unit includes a camera-setting-information storage, a camera expansion processor, an image-recorder, and an image capture interface. The camera-setting-information storage stores setting information on the camera including the conditions of the image capture trigger. The camera expansion processor generates an ON/OFF signal for defining the image capture trigger based on the setting information of the camera. Based on the ON/OFF signal as the image capture trigger, the camera expansion processor acquires the image data which is generated by the camera. The image-recorder records the image data acquired by the camera expansion processor. The image capture interface is provided between the camera expansion processor and the camera. The image capture interface has an image-capture-trigger line propagating the ON/OFF signal to the camera and an image communication line propagating the image data generated by the camera to the camera expansion processor.

A camera input expansion unit includes a camera-setting-information storage, a camera expansion processor, an image-recorder, and an image capture interface. The camera-setting-information storage stores setting information on the camera including the conditions of the image capture trigger. The camera expansion processor generates an ON/OFF signal for defining the image capture trigger based on the setting information of the camera. Based on the ON/OFF signal as the image capture trigger, the camera expansion processor acquires the image data which is generated by the camera. The image-recorder records the image data acquired by the camera expansion processor. The image capture interface is provided between the camera expansion processor and the camera. The image capture interface has an image-capture-trigger line propagating the ON/OFF signal to the camera and an image communication line propagating the image data generated by the camera to the camera expansion processor.

A software-based (soft) real-time hub designed and implemented for use in simulation (or control testing) systems such as to provide a modular soft-real-time PIL. A simulation system of the present description typically may include one or more of the following useful subsystems or components: (a) a soft-real-time hub; (b) simulation interfaces; and (c) hardware emulation subsystems/devices. The soft-real-time hub is typically a combination of hardware and software adapted to provide deterministic data transport between simulations and input/output (I/O) emulation. By creating a common point, the hub enables simulation modules to be swapped out as the simulation system progresses without the operator having to worry about interface timing, forcing, or data visualization. A desirable aspect of the simulation system is it allows for testing certain conditions by forcing I/O and then seeing how the controller or system under testing responds.

A software-based (soft) real-time hub designed and implemented for use in simulation (or control testing) systems such as to provide a modular soft-real-time PIL. A simulation system of the present description typically may include one or more of the following useful subsystems or components: (a) a soft-real-time hub; (b) simulation interfaces; and (c) hardware emulation subsystems/devices. The soft-real-time hub is typically a combination of hardware and software adapted to provide deterministic data transport between simulations and input/output (I/O) emulation. By creating a common point, the hub enables simulation modules to be swapped out as the simulation system progresses without the operator having to worry about interface timing, forcing, or data visualization. A desirable aspect of the simulation system is it allows for testing certain conditions by forcing I/O and then seeing how the controller or system under testing responds.

A programmable controller allocates times obtained by dividing executable time in one operation cycle to a plurality of paths, executes sequence programs of the paths in the respective allocated times, and accumulates remaining time as extra time when execution of each of the sequence programs ends before the end of the allocation time. When it is determined that surplus time occurs on the basis of the accumulated extra time, the programmable controller determines whether each of the sequence programs is executed after being divided, and executes a remainder of a divided sequence program in the surplus time in accordance with a result of the determination.

A programmable controller allocates times obtained by dividing executable time in one operation cycle to a plurality of paths, executes sequence programs of the paths within the respective allocated times, and measures extra time that is a remainder of each of the allocation times when execution of each of the sequence programs ends. Then, the programmable controller determines whether a predetermined sequence program is to be executed in the measured extra time, and instructs the sequence execution unit to execute the predetermined sequence program in the extra time in accordance with a result of the determination.

A dynamically adjustable rate sulfur recovery process continuously calculates and adjusts sour gas stream operating pressure and/or flow rate to maximize sweet gas output, thereby improving efficiency. A corresponding desulfurization system may include a fixed-sized pressure vessel, a flow control valve that controls the rate of flow of a sour gas stream into the pressure vessel, a sensor that measures sulfur concentration in the sour gas stream, a reagent tank, an oxidizer tank, and a phase separator that separates sweet gas as a gaseous phase after hydrogen sulfide in the sour gas stream in the pressure vessel is converted to elemental sulfur, sulfur species, or both by contact with reagent from the reagent tank and oxidizer from the oxidizer tank. A PLC (programmable logic controller) continuously calculates updated flow rates based on sulfur concentration measurements from the sensor to achieve maximum sweet gas production.