Method For Facilitating Control System Testing And Simulation

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for facilitating control system testing, and interfacing with an external dynamic process model by means of a test and simulation tool, the control system including a plurality of control module aspect types, each control module aspect type being one of a control module type and a field device signal type, wherein the method includes: c) receiving, via an I/O port of the test and simulation tool, control module aspect type data from a control module aspect type of the control system, d) converting the control module aspect type data to simplified control module aspect type data based on the control module aspect type, e) providing the simplified control module aspect type data to a simplified general control module aspect type, the simplified general control module aspect type being a simplified representation of the control module aspect type, and f) performing a feedback simulation using the simplified general control module aspect type and the simplified control module aspect type data, or g) sending the simplified control module aspect type data from the test and simulation tool to the external dynamic process model.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for facilitating testing of a control system for process control or process safety, and interfacing of the control system with an external dynamic process model, by means of a test and simulation tool, the control system comprising a plurality of control module types control module type, wherein the method includes: c) receiving, via an I/O port of the test and simulation tool, control module type data from a control module type of the control system, d) converting the control module type data to simplified control module type data based on the control module type, e) providing the simplified control module type data to a simplified general control module type, the simplified general control module type being a simplified representation of the control module type, wherein the converting in step d) involves changing the format of the control module type data based on a predetermined rule of mapping from the control module type to the corresponding simplified general control module type, and f) performing, by means of the test and simulation tool, a feedback simulation using the simplified general control module type and the simplified control module type data, or g) sending the simplified control module type data from the test and simulation tool to the external dynamic process model.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising, prior to step c), a) obtaining all control module types of the control system and all of their instances to set up interfacing control module types corresponding to that of the control system.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, comprising b) mapping each interfacing control module type to a respective simplified general control module type.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the mapping involves finding a match between the interfacing control module types and the simplified general control module types of a data set including a plurality of simplified general control module types.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein step c) involves receiving the control module type data by a corresponding interfacing control module type.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step f) involves performing a feedback simulation using the simplified control module type data to obtain feedback simulation data.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein in case the control module type data is control module type data the feedback simulation is a device feedback simulation.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, comprising h) sending feedback simulation data to the control module type.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein step h) involves converting the feedback simulation data to obtain converted feedback simulation data adapted to a protocol used by the I/O port, and sending the converted simulation data to the control module type via the I/O port.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the simplified general control module type has fewer state parameters than the control module type.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step h) comprises sending the simplified control module type data to the external dynamic process model via an object linking and embedding for Process Control, OPC, DA/UA server.

12. A computer program comprising computer code which when executed by processing circuitry of a test and simulation device causes the test and simulation device to perform the method including: c) receiving, via an I/O port of the test and simulation tool, control module type data from a control module type of the control system, d) converting the control module type data to simplified control module type data based on the control module type, e) providing the simplified control module type data to a simplified general control module type, the simplified general control module type being a simplified representation of the control module type, wherein the converting in step d) involves changing the format of the control module type data based on a predetermined rule of mapping from the control module type to the corresponding simplified general control module type, and f) performing, by means of the test and simulation tool, a feedback simulation using the simplified general control module type and the simplified control module type data, or g) sending the simplified control module type data from the test and simulation tool to the external dynamic process model.

13. A computer program product comprising a storage medium provided with a computer program which when executed by processing circuitry of a test and simulation device causes the test and simulation device to perform the method including: c) receiving, via an I/O port of the test and simulation tool, control module type data from a control module type of the control system, d) converting the control module type data to simplified control module type data based on the control module type, e) providing the simplified control module type data to a simplified general control module type, the simplified general control module type being a simplified representation of the control module type, wherein the converting in step d) involves changing the format of the control module type data based on a predetermined rule of mapping from the control module type to the corresponding simplified general control module type, and f) performing, by means of the test and simulation tool, a feedback simulation using the simplified general control module type and the simplified control module type data, or g) sending the simplified control module type data from the test and simulation tool to the external dynamic process model.

14. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein step c) involves receiving the control module type data by a corresponding interfacing control module type.

15. The method as claimed in claim 7, comprising h) sending feedback simulation data to the control module type.

16. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein step h) comprises sending the simplified control module type data to the external dynamic process model via an object linking and embedding for Process Control, OPC, DA/UA server.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] The specific embodiments of the inventive concept will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0041] FIG. 1 schematically shows a block diagram of a test and simulation device;

[0042] FIG. 2 schematically depicts a block diagram of control system software, a test and simulation tool, and an external dynamic process model interfacing with the test and simulation tool;

[0043] FIG. 3 schematically depicts a simplification of the system shown in FIG. 2; and

[0044] FIG. 4 shows a method for facilitating control system testing, and interfacing with an external dynamic process model by means of the test and simulation tool.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] The inventive concept will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplifying embodiments are shown. The inventive concept may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the inventive concept to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the description.

[0046] FIG. 1 shows an example of a test and simulation device 1. The test and simulation device 1 is configured to interface with a control system and comprises processing circuitry 3 and a storage medium 5.

[0047] The processing circuitry 3 may use any combination of one or more of a suitable central processing unit (CPU), multiprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor (DSP), application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) etc., capable of executing any herein disclosed operations concerning testing and simulation.

[0048] The storage medium 5 may for example be embodied as a memory, such as a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), or an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) and more particularly as a non-volatile storage medium of a device in an external memory such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or a Flash memory, such as a compact Flash memory.

[0049] The test and simulation device 1, and in particular the storage medium 5, may comprise computer code defining a test and simulation tool, configured to perform the methods disclosed herein when executed by the processing circuitry 3. The test and simulation tool may for example interface with the control system software by means of a plug-in or an application. The test and simulation tool does not form part of the control system software used for controlling control module types, such as valves and pumps. The test and simulation tool is hence external to the control system software in this sense.

[0050] FIG. 2 schematically shows a block diagram of a test and simulation tool 7 interfacing with a control system 6 using a plug-in 8. The test and simulation tool 7 is software, which is configured to interface with the control system software 9. The test and simulation tool 7 is furthermore configured to interface with external dynamic process models ii of external dynamic process model software 13.

[0051] The test and simulation tool 7 may be used for facilitating testing of a control system. A control system in this context should be construed broadly and may encompass e.g. a process control system or a safety instrumented system for a process.

[0052] The control system includes control system software 9 which comprises controllers configured to control various entities or control module aspect types, also referred to as control module logic types, in the form of control module types 9a and 9b. The control module types may for example be different type of valves, pumps/motors, digital and analogue sensors, etc. In the example, control module type 9a is a valve type A and control module type 9b is a valve type B.

[0053] The controllers are configured to communicate with field devices, such as sensors, by means of I/O. The control system software 9 thus comprises control module aspect types, also referred to as control module logic types, in the form of field device signal types, for example field device signal type 9c. The field device signal types are related to the I/O of the controllers. The controllers may for example be configured to control the control module types 9a and 9b based on field device signal type data of the corresponding field device signal type, such as field device signal type 9c. As an example, valve type A may be associated with a pressure sensor, and both of these entities may be associated with a specific controller of the control system 6. The field devices may have different signal types as defined by the field device signal types. The field device signal types may for example be different type of analogue signal types or digital Boolean signal types.

[0054] The test and simulation tool 7 comprises a control interface 7a, a converter 7b, and a simulation interface 7c. The control interface 7a is populated with the control module aspect types of the control system 6 with the number of instances of each control module aspect type corresponding to that of the control system 6.

[0055] The control module types 9a and 9b are generally referred to as interfacing control module types 9a and 9b when they have been populated in the control interface 7a. The field device signal type(s) 9c are generally referred to as interfacing field device signal type 9c when they have been populated in the control interface 7a.

[0056] This population or configuration may be obtained when the test and simulation tool 1 is initially set up, and may be automatically or manually generated for example by obtaining the current control module aspect type configuration and instances thereof from the control system software 9 via for example the plug-in 8.

[0057] There is a respective I/O port boa and bob between the control module types 9a and 9b in the control system software 9 and the interfacing control module types 9a and 9b in the control interface 7a of the test and simulation tool 7. There is a respective I/O port we between the field device signal types 9c of the control system 6 and the interfacing field device signal types 9c in the control interface 7a.

[0058] The simulation interface 7c is populated with simplified general control module aspect types in the form of simplified general control module types 15a and 15b and in the form of simplified general field device signal types 15c. The simplified general control module types 15a and 15b are mappings of the interfacing control module types 9a and 9b, respectively. The simplified general field device signal types 15c are mappings of the interfacing field device signal types 9c.

[0059] The simplified general control module types are simplified representations of the corresponding control module type 9a and 9b. The simplified general control module types 15a and 15b may communicate with simpler protocols, and may comprise fewer parameters than the interfacing control object types 9a and 9b. The simplified general field device signal types are simplified representations of the corresponding field device signal types 9c.

[0060] The above-described mapping may initially be made manually by a user. When a data set or library of mappings between interfacing control module types 9a, 9b and simplified general control module types 15a, 15b has been created and mappings between interfacing field device signal types 9c and interfacing simplified general field device signal types 15c has been created, the mappings may be performed automatically when populating a future configuration.

[0061] The converter 7b is configured to provide a conversion between the interfacing control module types 9a and 9b of the control interface 7a and the simplified general control module types 15a and 15b of the simulation interface 7d. The converter 7b is configured to provide conversion between the interfacing field device signal types 9c and the interfacing simplified general field device signal types 15c. This conversion may include both signal conversions, i.e. protocol conversion, and in the former case object type conversion.

[0062] The test and simulation tool 7 may further comprise a test interface 7d. The test interface 7d may include a user interface which allows a user to set the operation of the test and simulation tool 7. In particular, the test interface 7d enables a user to interact with the control interface 7a and with the simulation interface 7c.

[0063] Additionally, the test and simulation tool 7 may include a simulation source block 7e, allowing a user to select a simulation source via the test interface 7d. The simulation source block 7e may be connected to a server such as an OPC DA/UA server 17 via a simplified protocol. The simulation source block 7e communicates via simplified protocols, of a type available on the simulator interface side of the converter 7b. The server or OPC DA/UA server 17 may in turn be connected to the external dynamic process modeling software 13, and in particular to an external dynamic process model 11 via the simpler protocol. The external dynamic process modeling software 13 comprises an external dynamic process model 11, including simplified general control module types 15a and 15b and simplified general field device signal type(s) 15c interfacing with those of the simulation interface 7c, as shown in FIG. 3 which depicts a simplification of the test and simulation tool 7. In addition to being able to select simulation from the external dynamic process model 11, other simulation sources may also be selected by means of the simulation source block 7e via the test interface 7d. For example, in the case of communication with field device signal types, signal feedback simulation may be selected, and in the case of communication with control module types, device feedback simulation may be selected. A method for facilitating control system testing, and interfacing with an external dynamic process model by means of the test and simulation tool 7 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0064] Steps a) and b) below concern the initial set-up, configuration, or population of the control module types and field device signal types in the test and simulation tool 7. Steps a) and b) may be carried out manually or automatically. These two steps are generally carried out once, to obtain the correct configuration or population concerning the interfacing control module types, and simplified general control module types and the interfacing field device signal types, and simplified general field device signal types.

[0065] In a step a) the control module types 9a and 9b and all of their instances are obtained for all controllers of the control system 6. The control module types 9a, 9b obtained by the test and simulation tool 7 are used to set up an interfacing control module type configuration corresponding to that of the control system 6 in the test and simulation tool 7. The interfacing control module type configuration includes the interfacing control module types 9a and 9b in the control interface 7a.

[0066] The field device signal types 9c are also obtained from the control system 6, in particular all instances of the field device signal types 9c are obtained by the test and simulation tool 7. The field device signal types 9c are used to set up interfacing field device signal types 9c corresponding to those of the control system 6.

[0067] In a step b) each interfacing control module type is mapped to a respective simplified general control module type. In this manner, the simulation interface 7c is populated by the simplified general control module types 15a and 15b.

[0068] Additionally, each interfacing field device signal type is mapped to a respective simplified general field device signal type. In this manner, the simulation interface 7c is populated by the simplified general field device signal types.

[0069] The mapping may be performed based on predetermined rules. For example, by identification of the interfacing control module type, and hence its I/O command and state parameters, a predetermined rule may determine which parameters are to be included in the simplified general control module types, and in what format the state parameters are to be presented. For example, an interfacing control module type, and hence also the control module type, may include several input state parameters, as exemplified by the control module type data 21a in FIG. 3, which includes input states XGL and XGH, and output states XGS, Y and nY, all of them in VT_BOOL format. After conversion, the simplified control module type data 21b has input states opened and closed and the output states are open and close, all of them in the VT_BOOL format. The predetermined rule may also for example determine that the format of the state parameters are to be converted from for example Boolean to a bitmask signal, or from integer values to a float value. Hence, by means of these predetermined rules, which may be set when the test and simulation tool is initially configured, mappings of interfacing control module types, and hence control module types, to simplified general control module types may be performed in step b). Similar considerations apply also to the mapping of interfacing field device signal types to simplified general field device signal types.

[0070] It is according to one variation possible to override a mapping/conversion for selected instance(s). Overridden signal converters for a control module instance may be saved as a template that can be applied to instances of the same control object type.

[0071] The mapping in step b) involves finding a match between the interfacing control object types and the simplified general control module types in a data set or library comprising a plurality of simplified general control module types, each of which is associated with a particular control module type. In this manner the converter interface 7a and the simulator interface 7c are populated. The same applies also for the field device signal types and the simplified general field device signal types.

[0072] The above steps a) and b) may be carried out manually or automatically.

[0073] In a simulating operation, the method may involve the following steps.

[0074] The user may set up the particular simulation using the test interface 7d. When performing simulation involving field device signal types steps c)-g) may be carried out as described below. In this case, control module aspect type data is received in step c) by the test and simulation tool 7 in the form of field device signal type data. An example of field device signal type data is a pressure from a field device that is a sensor which measures pressure. An example of field device signal type data 19 is shown in FIG. 3. The field device signal type data 19a may then be converted in a step d) to simplified control module aspect type data in the form of simplified field device signal type data 19b. The simplified field device signal type data is provided to the corresponding simplified general field device signal type 15c in a step e). An operator may by using the test interface 7d select a particular simulation in a step f) to perform signal feedback simulation, whereby the simplified field device signal type data 19b is sent back to the control system 6 and the corresponding field device signal type 9c by converting it to feedback simulation data, or g) to send the simplified field device type data 19b to the external dynamic process model 11. This allows for testing of the controller in question.

[0075] In the control module aspect type data is control module type data 21, in step c) the control module type data 21a is received from a controller of the control system 6 via an I/O port of the test and simulation tool 7. For example, a controller associated with valve type A, or control module type 9a, may send control module type data, e.g. including a control signal, via the I/O port boa to the control interface 7a, and in particular to the interfacing control module type 9a.

[0076] In step d) the control module type data 21a is converted to simplified control module type data 21b based on the control module type or on the receiving interfacing control module type 9b. The conversion is thus performed by the converter 7b. This conversion is hence performed based on the mappings of step b). Predetermined rules may thus be utilised for converting the control module type data 21a to simplified control module type data 21b. The conversion may involve conversion of the format of the control module type data 21a, and/or reduction of the number of state parameters included in the control module type data 21a, and/or generalizing the names of the parameters as exemplified in the simplified control module type data 21b. This essentially corresponds to a communications protocol conversion from a more complex communications protocol to a simpler communications protocol.

[0077] As previously noted, the conversion by converter 7b may be overridden in step b) by modifying the converter 7b between the interfacing control module types and the simplified general control module type.

[0078] In step e) the simplified control module type data 21b is provided to the simplified general control module type 15a, 15b.

[0079] In step f) a feedback simulation is performed using, or based on, the simplified general control module type and the simplified control module 3o type data. This simulation is performed by the test and simulation tool 7, i.e. without utilizing an external dynamic process model. The internal simulation type may be selected via the test interface 7d and the simulation source block 7e. For example, the simulation may concern device feedback simulation when performing steps c)-e) for control module type data.

[0080] Step f) may involve performing a feedback simulation using the simplified control module type data 21b to obtain feedback simulation data. The feedback simulation data is then fed back to the controller which sent the control module type data, in the control system 6 in a step h). Step h) involves converting the feedback simulation data to obtain converted feedback simulation data adapted to a protocol used by the controller, and sending the converted simulation data to the controller via the I/O port, in this example I/O port boa. The converter 7b thus converts the feedback simulation data to obtain the converted feedback simulation data.

[0081] Alternatively, or additionally, in a step g) the simplified control module type data 21b may be sent from the test and simulation tool 7 to the external dynamic process model 11. Step g) may also involve sending feedback simulation data in the same manner as described in step h) back to the controller.

[0082] The above steps describe different simulation scenarios. The test and simulation tool 7 may however also be configured to enable testing of the control system 6. This testing may for example involve I/O testing, in which control module type data or field device signal type data is received by the test and simulation tool land sent back to the control system 6 without performing any conversion or simulation as described above. Electronic test documentation and test scope may be provided by the test and simulation tool 7 to facilitate the test procedure.

[0083] The inventive concept has mainly been described above with reference to a few examples. However, as is readily appreciated by a person skilled in the art, other embodiments than the ones disclosed above are equally possible within the scope of the inventive concept, as defined by the appended claims.