Method for Operating a System and System

Abstract

A method is provided for operating a system having a plurality of components which interact with one another. The method stores information relating to the interaction of a respective component with the other components in a respective component.

Claims

1.-11. (canceled)

12. A method for operating a system having a plurality of components which interact with one another, the method comprising: storing information relating to the interaction of a respective component with the other components in a respective component.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein a respective component has a microprocessor and an associated program memory for storing an application program, the microprocessor of the component executes the stored application program during operation of the component.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the information is stored in the program memory.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the information is inserted as metadata into a source text, and the respective application program of the component is generated from the source text.

16. Method according to claim 15, wherein the source text is compiled for generating the application program.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the source text is subjected to a link operation after compiling for generating the application program.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the information is inserted as metadata into a source text, and the respective application program of the component is generated from the source text.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein the system further has: a superordinate component; and a data transmission system, wherein the components and the superordinate component are connected to one another for purposes of interchanging data by way of the data transmission system, the method further comprising: reading, via the superordinate component, the information stored in the respective components, evaluating the information which has been read, and displaying the information which has been read and evaluated, in a structured manner.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein the information comprises one of more of: dependencies with respect to other components, relationship links to other components, operative relationships with other components, topology information relating to the data transmission system, and network configurations relating to the data transmission system.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the superordinate component receives operating data relating to the respective components and evaluates the received operating data on the basis of the read information relating to the respective components.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the superordinate component determines an error cause and/or an error source on the basis of the read information relating to the respective components if the operating data indicate an error.

23. A system comprising: a plurality of components which interact with one another, wherein the system is configured to store information relating to the interaction of a respective component with the other components in a respective component.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] The invention is described in detail below with reference to the drawings, in which, in a highly schematic manner:

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a system having a plurality of components and a superordinate component;

[0041] FIG. 2 shows a source text which contains information as metadata; and

[0042] FIG. 3 shows an evaluation operation in which evaluated information is generated from information which has been read from the components of the system illustrated in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an electrical drive system 1.

[0044] The drive system 1 has a plurality of components 2 which interact with one another. The components 2 which interact with one another may be, for example, frequency converters, servo converters, programmable logic controllers, analog and/or digital I/O components, etc.

[0045] The drive system 1 also has a superordinate component 7 which may be an activation/service PC or a programmable logic controller, for example.

[0046] The drive system 1 also has a data transmission system 8, wherein the components 2 and the superordinate component 7 are connected to one another for the purpose of interchanging data by means of the data transmission system 8. The data transmission system 8 may be a field bus, for example. The components 2 and the superordinate component 7 each have conventional field bus drivers 11, for example, for interchanging data via the field bus 8.

[0047] According to the invention, information 3 relating to the interaction of a respective component 2 with the other components 2 is stored in the respective component 2.

[0048] A respective component 2 has a conventional microprocessor 4 and an associated non-volatile program memory 5 for storing an application program 6, wherein the microprocessor 4 of the respective component 2 executes the stored application program 6 during its operation. In this respect, reference is also made to the relevant technical literature.

[0049] The information 3 relating to the interaction of a respective component 2 with the other components 2 is stored in a memory area of the program memory 5 provided for this purpose.

[0050] Referring to FIG. 2, the information 3 is inserted as metadata 3 into a source text 10, wherein the respective application program 6 of the component 2 is generated from the source text 10. The source text 10 is compiled for generating the application program 6 and is subjected to a link operation after compiling.

[0051] Referring to FIG. 3, the superordinate component 7 is designed to read the information 3 stored in the respective components 2, to evaluate the information 3 which has been read and to display the information 9 has been read and evaluated in a structured manner.

[0052] The information 3 stored in the components 2 comprises: dependencies with respect to other components 2, and/or relationship links to other components 2, and/or operative relationships with other components 2, and/or topology information relating to the data transmission system 8, and/or network configurations of the data transmission system 8.

[0053] The superordinate component 7 is designed to receive operating data relating to the respective components 2 and to evaluate the received operating data on the basis of the read information 3 relating to the respective components, for example by determining an error cause and/or an error source on the basis of the read information 3 relating to the respective components if the operating data indicate an error.