A method and system for publish-subscribe communication architecture for highly-versatile (HV) field devices in control and automation system implements reception at an HV field device, from a client device or application, of a message indicating a selection of one of a plurality of publish categories. The publish category corresponds to a type of information desired by the client device or application. The field device transmits to the client device or application an identification of each of a plurality of publish lists corresponding to the selected publish category, which publish lists are each stored on the field device and each include a set of parameters associated with the field device. The field device receives, from the client device or application, a selection of one of the publish lists identified by the field device, and transmits to the client device or application the set of parameters associated with the selected publish list.

A first control device connected to a network in which data is updated at every predetermined cycle transmits, at every predetermined cycle, first data used for controlling a manufacturing device or a production facility, using a first communication band among communication bands possessed by the network. A second control device connected to the network and time-synchronized with the first control device transmits second data used for setting and managing the manufacturing device or the production facility, using a second communication band other than the first communication band among the communication bands possessed by the network.

A system is provided to conduct communication in a facility with equipment in hazardous and safe areas. The system includes at least one field device in a hazardous area of the facility; one or more controllers, located in a safe area of the facility, for managing the at least one field device; and a field barrier, between the safe and hazardous areas, to limit at least electrical energy, which is supplied to the at least one device, at or below an electrical energy threshold in the hazardous area. The system also includes a bus system to supply electrical energy across the field barrier to the at least one field device using electrical wiring and to enable communication between the at least one field device and the one or more controllers across the field barrier using one or more fiber optic cables.

A control device includes a first processor that acquires a synchronization signal that is generated every first period, and a second processor that generates a second period that is obtained by dividing the first period by n (n1), generates a control signal, using a timer, every third period that is obtained by dividing the second period by m (m2), where at least one of a plurality of control signals generated in the first period is a control signal that should be synchronous with the synchronization signal, and in a case where occurrence of an error between timings of the synchronization signal and the control signal that should be synchronous with the synchronization signal is detected, the second processor corrects the error by temporarily changing a width of the timer that is to be started at next and later times.

A system for performing interactions within a physical environment, the system including: a robot having a robot base that undergoes movement relative to the environment and a robot arm mounted to the robot base, the robot arm including an end effector mounted thereon; a communications system including a fieldbus network; a tracking system including a tracking base positioned in the environment and connected to the fieldbus network, and a tracking target mounted to a component of the robot, wherein the tracking base is configured to detect the tracking target to allow a position and/or orientation of the tracking target relative to the tracking base to be determined; and a control system that communicates with the tracking system via the fieldbus network to determine the relative position and/or orientation of the tracking target and controls the robot arm in accordance with the relative position and/or orientation of the tracking target.

A system for performing interactions within a physical environment including a robot having a robot base that undergoes movement relative to the environment, a robot arm mounted to the robot base, the robot arm including an end effector mounted thereon for performing said interactions, a tracking system that measures a robot position indicative of a position of at least part of the robot relative to the environment, and a control system that determines the robot position; and, controls the robot arm in accordance with the robot position. The tracking system measures the position with a frequency that is at least 10 Hz and measures the position with an accuracy that is at least better than 10 mm, whilst the control system operates with a frequency that is at least 10 Hz.

A communication system includes a plurality of controlled devices each including communication IFs compliant with EtherCAT standards; network connected to communication IF of each of controlled devices, network connected to communication IF of each of controlled devices; control apparatus capable of sending out first control data for controlling controlled devices to network; control apparatus capable of sending out second control data for controlling controlled devices to network; and main control apparatus that performs first control that causes control apparatus to send out the first control data. Main control apparatus further performs second control that causes control apparatus to send out the second control data when the sent first control data fails to reach at least one of controlled devices.

A first control device connected to a network in which data is updated at every predetermined cycle transmits, at every predetermined cycle, first data used for controlling a manufacturing device or a production facility, using a first communication band among communication bands possessed by the network. A second control device connected to the network and time-synchronized with the first control device transmits second data used for setting and managing the manufacturing device or the production facility, using a second communication band other than the first communication band among the communication bands possessed by the network.

A control system includes a to-be-controlled apparatus disposed in a clean room, a control device disposed outside the clean room and controlling the to-be-controlled apparatus through Ethernet communication, and a conversion device disposed in the clean room and mutually converting communication data on Ethernet communication with the control device and communication data on serial communication with the to-be-controlled apparatus.

This control system is provided with a plurality of slave devices and controllers. The controller is connected to one end of a field bus which includes the plurality of slave devices that is linearly connected, and the controller is connected to the other end of the field bus through a communication cable. The controllers are provided with a CPU and a transception part. One of the controllers generates a control frame with the CPU and transmits this from the transception part, and the other of the controllers performs a loop communication of the control frame by the transception part.