COMMAND AND REPORTING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATION

Abstract

The invention relates to a main module (10) for a command and reporting system (50), which main module comprises a control unit (16) and a device interface (18) for coupling to at least two command and reporting devices (12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.n) in a line topology. The main module (10) also has a bus interface (13) for connecting to a superordinate control unit (11), wherein the control unit (16), by means of the device interface (18), is designed to control at least two command and reporting devices (12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.n) separately by means of a command signal (20). According to the invention, the command signal (20) is designed for device-address-free delivery at the respective command and reporting device (12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.n) and has a target cell (22) and an incrementable counting cell (24) for this purpose. The invention further relates to a method (100) by means of which the device-address-free delivery is implemented. The invention further relates to a computer program product (80) suitable therefor, to a command and reporting system (50) in which the invention is implemented, and to an automation system (60) equipped with a corresponding command and reporting system (50).

Claims

1. A main module for a command and reporting system, the main module comprising: a controller; a device interface coupleable to at least two command and reporting devices in a line topology; and a bus interface connectable to a higher-level controller, wherein the controller is configured, with the device interface, to control two or more of the at least two command and reporting devices separately by a command signal, and wherein the command signal has a target cell and an incrementable counting cell for device-address-free delivery at the respective command and reporting device.

2. The main module of claim 1, wherein the device interface is configured as a serial interface, is configured to transmit data from at least one command and reporting device of the at least two command and reporting devices to the main module, or a combination thereof.

3. The main module of claim 1, further comprising at least one digital input configurable by a user, at least one analog input configurable by the user, or a combination thereof.

4. The main module of claim 1, further comprising at least one digital output configurable by the user, at least one analog output configurable by the user, or a combination thereof.

5. The main module of claim 1, further comprising at least one safety signal input for a safety-oriented device.

6. The main module of claim 1, wherein the command signal is configured to transport a parameter separately to at least one of the at least two command and reporting devices.

7. The main module of claim 5, wherein the controller has a connection for an exchangeable storage module configured to transmit at least one parameter for the safety-oriented device.

8. A method for sending a command signal from a main module to an individual target device from a plurality of command and reporting devices that are connected to the main module in a line topology, the method comprising: generating a command signal, the command signal comprising a target cell and a counter cell; setting a value for the target cell corresponding to the individual target device and setting an initial value for the counter cell; transmitting the command signal to a command and reporting device of the plurality of command and reporting devices, the command and reporting device being directly connected to the main module; forwarding the command signal to a further command and reporting device of the plurality of command and reporting devices and increasing the value of the counter cell by one increment when, while receiving the command signal, the value of the counter cell differs from the value of the target cell; and receiving and processing the command signal by the target device when, while receiving the command signal, the value of the counter cell corresponds to the value of the target cell.

9. In a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions executable by a controller of a main module that is connected to a plurality of command and reporting devices in a line topology to send a command signal from the main module to an individual target device from the plurality of command and reporting devices that are connected to the main module in the line topology, the instructions comprising: generating a command signal, the command signal comprising a target cell and a counter cell; setting a value for the target cell corresponding to the individual target device and setting an initial value for the counter cell; transmitting the command signal to a command and reporting device of the plurality of command and reporting devices, the command and reporting device being directly connected to the main module; forwarding the command signal to a further command and reporting device of the plurality of command and reporting devices and increasing the value of the counter cell by one increment when, while receiving the command signal, the value of the counter cell differs from the value of the target cell; and receiving and processing the command signal by the target device when, while receiving the command signal, the value of the counter cell corresponds to the value of the target cell.

10. A command and reporting system comprising: a plurality of command and reporting devices that are connected to each other in a line topology; and a main module that is coupled to one command and reporting device of the plurality of command and reporting devices by a device interface, the main module comprising: a controller; the device interface, which is coupleable to at least two command and reporting devices of the plurality of command and reporting devices in the line topology; and a bus interface connectable to a higher-level controller, wherein the controller is configured, with the device interface, to control two or more of the at least two command and reporting devices separately by command signal, and wherein the command signal has a target cell and an incrementable counting cell for device-address-free delivery at the respective command and reporting device.

11. An automation system comprising: a higher-level controller that is coupled to a command and reporting system, the command and reporting system comprising: a plurality of command and reporting devices that are connected to each other in a line topology; and a main module that is coupled to one command and reporting device of the plurality of command and reporting devices by a device interface, the main module comprising: a controller; the device interface, which is coupleable to at least two command and reporting devices of the plurality of command and reporting devices in the line topology; and a bus interface connectable to a higher-level controller, wherein the controller is configured, with the device interface, to control two or more of the at least two command and reporting devices separately by command signal, and wherein the command signal has a target cell and an incrementable counting cell for device-address-free delivery at the respective command and reporting device.

12. The command and reporting system of claim 10, wherein the device interface is configured as a serial interface, is configured to transmit data from at least one command and reporting device of the at least two command and reporting devices to the main module, or a combination thereof.

13. The command and reporting system of claim 10, wherein the main module further comprises at least one digital input configurable by a user, at least one analog input configurable by the user, or a combination thereof.

14. The command and reporting system of claim 10, wherein the main module further comprises at least one digital output configurable by the user, at least one analog output configurable by the user, or a combination thereof.

15. The command and reporting system of claim 10, wherein the main module further comprises at least one safety signal input for a safety-oriented device.

16. The automation system of claim 11, wherein the main module further comprises at least one safety signal input for a safety-oriented device.

17. The automation system of claim 11, wherein the command is configured to transport a parameter separately to at least one of the at least two command and reporting devices.

18. The automation system of claim 16, wherein the controller has a connection for an exchangeable storage module configured to transmit at least one parameter for the safety-oriented device.

19. The main module of claim 5, wherein the safety-oriented device is an emergency-stop device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The features of the individual embodiments may be combined with one another. In the figures, shown in detail:

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic view of a command and reporting system according to an embodiment;

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic structure of a command signal according to an embodiment;

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic view of the sequence of a method according to an embodiment in a command and reporting system; and

[0030] FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of an embodiment of the method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a command and reporting system 50 according to an embodiment. The command and reporting system 50 includes a main module 10 having a control unit 16. The control unit 16, and thus the main module 10, is connected to a plurality of command and reporting devices 12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.n that form a line topology. In this case, a first command and reporting device 12.1 has a line connection 19 that is coupled to a device interface 18 of the main module 10 via a device line 14. Via a further line connection 19, the first command and reporting device 12.1 is connected to an adjacent second reporting device 12.2 via line connections 19 and a device line 14. The linkage thus realized is continued analogously to the last command and reporting device 12.n. The control unit 16 of the main module 10 is configured to generate a command signal 20 that is output via the device interface 18. The command signal 20 may be transported via the device lines 14 to the last command and reporting device 12.n in the line topology. The main module 10 also has a bus connection 13 to which a bus line 15 is connected. The bus line 15 establishes a bidirectionally communicative connection between the main module 10 and a higher-level control unit 11. In FIG. 1, the higher-level control unit 11 is configured as a programmable logic controller (PLC). As a result of the bus line 15 and the bus connection 13, the main module 10 is suitable for receiving commands from the higher-level control unit 11 and/or sending data to the higher-level control unit from the command and reporting devices 12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.n.

[0032] The main module 10 also has a safety signal input 38 that is configured to receive safety-related signals 39 from at least one safety-oriented device 40 not shown in greater detail. A safety-oriented device may be a device such as an emergency stop device. The safety signal input 38 is also configured to transmit parameters 28 to at least one safety-oriented device. The main module 10 is also provided with a digital input 30 via which digital additional devices 36 not shown in more detail may be connected. The digital additional devices 36 transmit digital input signals 31 to the main module 10. In the same way, the main module 10 has an analog connection 32 that is configured to receive analog input signals 33 originating from analog additional devices 41 not shown in more detail. Likewise, the main module 10 has a digital output 34 and an analog output 36. By way of the digital output 34 and the analog output 36, digital and/or analog output signals 31, 33 are respectively sent to at least one digital and/or analog additional device 36, 41 not shown in more detail.

[0033] The main module 10 also has a memory connection 42 that is configured to detachably receive an exchangeable storage module 45. The storage module 45 is configured to store configuration and parameterization data for the main module 10 and the devices 12, 36, 40, 41 coupled thereto and to transfer the configuration and parameterization data to the control unit 16. Between the memory connection 42 and the control unit 16, there is a communication link that is secure against data loss and non-intended data changes. Non-intended data changes may be, for example, the dropping of a bit (e.g., a corresponding value reversal) or an unauthorized write access. The command and reporting system 50 according to FIG. 1 is part of an automation system 60 not shown in more detail.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows diagrammatically the structure of a command signal 20 that is generated and sent by the control unit 16 of the main module 10 from FIG. 1. The command signal 20 includes a plurality of data lines 26 in which data may be written by the control unit 16 and/or a command and reporting device 12. The sequence of the data lines 26 defines the format of the command signal 20. Certain data lines 26 are used to transport parameters 28 to a designated command and reporting device 12. One of the data lines 26 is configured as a target cell 22. The value in the target cell 22 is determined by the control unit 16 of the main module 10 when generating the respective command signal 20. The value in the target cell 22 is invariable during the method 100 according to one or more of the present embodiments, which is explained in more detail by way of example in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. The value in the target cell 22 is configured such that the value in the target cell 22 corresponds to a chain position of a target device 35 in a line topology. The target device 35 represents the command and reporting device 12 to which the command signal 20 is to be supplied. The command signal 20 also includes a counting cell 24 that is described with an initial value 27 when generating the command signal 20. The value in the counting cell 26 may be changed during the method 100 according to one or more of the present embodiments by adding an increment 25. The counting cell 26 is incremented by a command and reporting device 12.

[0035] An embodiment of the method 100 for sending a command signal 20 from a main module 10 to a particular command and reporting device 12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.n is shown in FIG. 3 by way of example. The structure from FIG. 3 essentially corresponds to that from FIG. 1. The same reference characters have the same technical meaning. The command and reporting device 12.3 to which the command signal 20 is to be supplied forms the target device 35. The command and reporting devices 12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.n and the main module 10 together act as a command and reporting system 50 that is associated with an automation system 60. In the method 100, in a first method act 110, a command signal 20 is provided by the control unit 16 from the main module 10. The command signal 20 is to be supplied to the target device 35. The command signal 20 may be generated by the main module 10. In other words, the command signal 20 may be generated by the control unit 16 of the main module 10, and/or the command signal 20 is sent by a higher-level control unit 11 not shown in more detail to the main module 10. The chain position of the target device 35 is stored in a target cell 22 of the command signal 20 in a second method act 120. The command signal 20 generated in the first act 110 also includes a counting cell 24 into which an initial value 27 is written by the control unit 16 in the second method act 120.

[0036] In a subsequent third method act 130, the command signal 20 is output by a device interface 18. Via a device line 14, the command signal 20 reaches a first command and reporting device 12.1 that is directly connected to the main module 10. The device line 14 is connected to a line connection 19. The command signal 20 is evaluated in the first command and reporting device 12.1. It is detected whether the value in the target cell 22 corresponds to the value in the counting cell 24. In other words, it is detected whether the first command and reporting device 12.1 is the target device 35. In the method sequence according to FIG. 3, this is not the case. In a fourth method act 140, the value in the counting cell 24 is increased by one increment 25. In the fourth method act 140, the command signal 20 is forwarded via the corresponding device line 14 along a transport direction 43 to the second command and reporting device 12.2. In the second command and reporting device 12.2, it is also checked whether the value in the counting cell 24 corresponds to the value in the target cell 22. The fourth method act 140 with the increase of the value in the counting cell 24 by the increment 25 is repeated, and the command signal 20 is sent further along the transport direction 43.

[0037] The third command and reporting device 12.3 detects that this is the target device 25. This is detected by identifying that the value in the counting cell 24 corresponds to the value in the target cell 22. As a result, a device-specific delivery of the command signal 20 to the target device 35 is achieved. In this case, the command and reporting devices 12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.n are free of addresses that are stored therein. As a result, an address-free delivery is provided on the side of the command and reporting devices 12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.n, which leads to a simplification and reduction of the requirements in terms of computing power. In the third command and reporting device 12.3, which is used as a target device 35, a fifth method act 150 follows, in which the command signal 20 is received and converted. The method 100 according to one or more of the present embodiments is thus completed, and an end state 200 occurs. In the control unit 16 of the main module 10, a computer program product 80 is stored in an executable manner and is configured to implement the corresponding method 100 in the main module 10. The command and reporting devices 12 are equipped with a subprogram 81 that converts the method acts 140, 150 into the individual command and reporting devices 12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.n and thus interacts with the computer program product 80 in the main module 10.

[0038] The method 100 from FIG. 3 is exemplary. The description based on FIG. 3 applies without loss of generality to any other command and reporting device 12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.n as a target device 35 in a line topology with n command and reporting devices 12.

[0039] FIG. 4 diagrammatically shows a sequence of an embodiment of the method 100, which is converted by a computer program product 80 into a control unit 16 in a main module 10 of a command and reporting system 50. In a first method act 110, a command signal 20 including a target cell 22 and a counting cell 24 is generated. The command signal 20 is generated by the control unit 16 of the main module 10.

[0040] In a second method act 120, the value of the counting cell 22 is described by the control unit 16 with an initial value 27. In the second method act 120, the target device 35 is determined, and the target cell 22 is described accordingly. In a subsequent third method act 130, the command signal 20 is sent from the main module 10 to the directly connected first command and reporting device 12.1. A branch 135 follows in which it is checked whether the first command and reporting device 12.1 that receives the command signal 20 immediately after the third step 130 is the target device 35. This is done by a comparison between the values in the target cell 22 and the counting cell 24. If the value of the counting cell 24 differs from the value in the target cell 22, the fourth method act 140 follows. In the fourth method act 140, the value of the counting cell 24 is increased by one increment 25. The command signal 20 is forwarded to an adjacent command and reporting device 12.2 with a constant value in the target cell 22 and the changed counting cell 24. This sequence (i.e., the execution of the fourth act 140 and the decision at the branch 135) is repeated as required, and the command signal 20 is forwarded to further command and reporting devices 12.3, 12.n. The counting cell 24 is then incremented.

[0041] If it is detected in the branch 135 that the value in the counting cell 24 corresponds to the value in the target cell 22, the fifth method act 150 follows. The command signal 20 is received therein and processed by the target device 35 (e.g., one of the command and reporting devices 12) in a line topology. The final state 200 then occurs, in which the command and reporting system 50 is available for a new execution of the method 100.

[0042] The elements and features recited in the appended claims may be combined in different ways to produce new claims that likewise fall within the scope of the present invention. Thus, whereas the dependent claims appended below depend from only a single independent or dependent claim, it is to be understood that these dependent claims may, alternatively, be made to depend in the alternative from any preceding or following claim, whether independent or dependent. Such new combinations are to be understood as forming a part of the present specification.

[0043] While the present invention has been described above by reference to various embodiments, it should be understood that many changes and modifications can be made to the described embodiments. It is therefore intended that the foregoing description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that all equivalents and/or combinations of embodiments are intended to be included in this description.