Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Generic control system – apparatus or process – Having protection or reliability feature
Reexamination Certificate
1997-08-22
2001-11-13
Treat, William M. (Department: 2183)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Generic control system, apparatus or process
Having protection or reliability feature
C700S002000, C700S006000, C700S020000, C700S021000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06317638
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed, in general, to computing and processing systems and, more specifically, to various system architectures for a state-machine-based, hybrid real-time control system, and methods of operation thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Automated plant control systems include a comprehensive set of algorithms, or software-definable process control routines, to control and monitor various processes within, for instance, a manufacturing facility. The control systems can be tailored to satisfy a wide range of process requirements globally or within specified portions of the facility. Conventionally, the control systems include a variety of modules, each having its own processor or firmware, linked together by communication buses to result in a distributed process control system. The distributed nature of the system affords high performance with the capability to expand the system incrementally to satisfy growth or modifications in the facility.
In order to allow a user to tailor a process control system to a particular processing environment, it is important to provide such systems with highly-configurable and adaptable systems. Process control systems generally provide a means by which users can create custom control strategies, e.g., software-definable process control routines. In object-oriented programming environments, a complete control strategy may be built from smaller components, such as “blocks” and “parameters.” A block is a software construct, or “object,” used to encapsulate the data and the algorithms of elemental control computations; parameters define the interface to individual pieces of data within a block. Although conventional object-oriented process control systems do provide a user with some means of tailoring a system to their particular needs, conventional process control systems are still evolving toward systems that are high-configurable and flexible to meet the specific requirements of a broad range of processing environments.
Therefore, what is needed in the art are more powerful and flexible architectural features for distributed real-time process control systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide more powerful and flexible architectural features for distributed real-time process control systems.
In the attainment of the above primary object, the present invention provides various system architectures for a state machine-based, hybrid real-time control system and methods of operation thereof. In one embodiment, for use with a state machine capable of controlling a real-time process and having a plurality of states and handlers that govern transitions between ones of the plurality of states, a system for invoking one of the handlers includes an invoke transition that monitors conditions of the real-time process, the invoke transition causing the automatic invocation of the handler when the conditions match a predetermined condition under which the handler is to be invoked, the invoke transition thereby allowing the handler to be invoked without an explicit command. The invoke transition may be contained within a transition block of the one of the handlers and may be embodied in a sequence of instructions executable in data processing and storage circuitry.
In another embodiment, for use with a state machine capable of controlling a device as part of a real-time process and having a plurality of states, a system for driving a device to a particular state, the system includes: (1) a state machine monitor, associated with the device, that monitors a state of the state machine and (2) a device state controller, associated with the device and coupled to the state machine monitor, that drives the device to a particular state based on the state of the state machine, the state machine thereby freed of having to sequence-drive the device to the particular state. The device state controller may drive the device in an abnormal function. The state machine and the device may exist in different architectural layers within a hybrid real-time control system.
In yet another embodiment, for use with hybrid real-time control system having at least first and second architectural layers, a system for coordinating functions between the layers, includes: (1) inter-layer monitors, associated with objects within each of the architectural layers, that receive state and assignment information regarding devices in other architectural layers and (2) object controllers, coupled to the inter-layer monitors, that govern operation of blocks based on the state and assignment information. In various exemplary embodiments, the first layer may be selected from the group consisting of a unit executive layer and a device layer and the second layer may be a sequence layer.
The assignment information may include reservation information regarding whether a device associated with a monitored object has been reserved, the object controllers capable of reserving a device only when the reservation information indicates that the device is unreserved. The object controllers may be capable of ignoring requests from unauthorized objects. The object controllers may also contain information regarding a state previously attained by the objects. The object controllers are capable of changing mode in response to mode changes occurring in the other architectural layers.
In still another embodiment, the present invention provides a state machine capable of controlling a real-time process and having a stopped state and a transition to the stop state. The state machine includes a handler that provides a transition from the stopped state toward a running state, the handler allowing the state machine to recover from the stop state without having to abort from the stopped state. The stopped state may be an abnormal state and the handler may be embodied in a sequence of instructions executable in data processing and storage circuitry. The handler may be capable of being automatically invoked. The transition may lead to a configurable location in a sequence.
In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a state machine capable of controlling a device as part of a real-time process. The state machine includes: (1) a first layer of exception and current transition and current step objects and (2) a second layer of condition, interrupt/step condition and output objects, the state machine thereby organized into a multi-object aggregation hierarchy.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4604744 (1986-08-01), Littlebury et al.
patent: 4866421 (1989-09-01), Szczepanek
patent: 5175679 (1992-12-01), Allen et al.
patent: 5220668 (1993-06-01), Bullis
patent: 5355484 (1994-10-01), Record et al.
patent: 5361389 (1994-11-01), Fitch
patent: 5398336 (1995-03-01), Tantry et al.
patent: 5461573 (1995-10-01), Chakradhar et al.
patent: 5495595 (1996-02-01), Peters et al.
patent: 5602761 (1997-02-01), Spoerre et al.
patent: 5659721 (1997-08-01), Shen et al.
patent: 5734910 (1998-03-01), Corrigan et al.
patent: 5802378 (1998-09-01), Arndt et al.
patent: 5963447 (1999-10-01), Kohn et al.
patent: 6003129 (1999-12-01), Song et al.
Orihara et al., “An Automated Decentralized System Platform Under Multi-Vendor Environments in Building Automatio
McLaughlin Paul F.
Mody Pankaj H.
Rudnick Jurgen
Schreder James M.
Hitt Gaines & Boisbrun
Honeywell Inc.
Treat William M.
LandOfFree
Multi-layer state machine for a hybrid real-time control... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Multi-layer state machine for a hybrid real-time control..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Multi-layer state machine for a hybrid real-time control... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2618613