State controller

• US 20040099653A1
• Filed: 05/05/2003
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamatake Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamatake Corporation
• Inventors: Kato, Hiroyuki, Hirayama, Hirofumi
• Granted Patent: US 6,946,626 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/482
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/023 Industrial applications

Abstract

A state control apparatus includes a calculator for calculating adjustment amounts for adjusting a plurality of end effecting devices on the basis of preset values and measured amounts measured by a plurality of meters. The measured amounts indicate respective states of the end effecting devices. The adjustment amounts are required for conforming the measured amounts to the preset values, respectively. The state control apparatus further includes a parameter generator for generating a plurality of parameters on the basis of settings by a user. The state control apparatus further includes a comprehensive controller for outputting activating signals for activating the respective end effecting devices based on the respective adjustment amounts and the plurality of parameters. When the comprehensive controller outputs one of the activating signals for activating one of the end effecting devices, the comprehensive controller does not output the other activating signals for activating the other end effecting devices.

Claims

1. A state control apparatus comprising:

a calculator for calculating adjustment amounts for adjusting a plurality of end effecting devices on the basis of preset values and measured amounts measured by a plurality of meters, the measured amounts indicating respective states of the end effecting devices, the adjustment amounts being required for conforming the measured amounts to the preset values, respectively;

a parameter generator for generating a plurality of parameters on the basis of settings by a user; and

a comprehensive controller for outputting activating signals for activating the respective end effecting devices based on the respective adjustment amounts and the plurality of parameters, wherein when the comprehensive controller outputs one of the activating signals for activating one of the end effecting devices, the comprehensive controller does not output the other activating signals for activating the other end effecting devices.

2. The state control apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the parameter generator generates a prioritization parameter indicating a prioritization among the end effecting devices, wherein the comprehensive controller preferentially outputs the activating signal for activating the end effecting device having a higher priority indicated by the prioritization parameter in a cycle-time that is capable of being allocated for activating the end effecting devices sequentially, and wherein the comprehensive controller does not output the other activating signal for activating the other end effecting device having a lower priority indicated by the prioritization parameter in the cycle-time when the cycle-time is occupied with a period for outputting the activating signal for activating the end effecting device having the higher priority.

3. The state control apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the parameter generator generates a prioritization parameter indicating a prioritization among the end effecting devices, wherein the comprehensive controller preferentially outputs the activating signal for activating the end effecting device having a higher priority indicated by the prioritization parameter in a cycle-time that is capable of being allocated for activating the end effecting devices sequentially, and wherein the comprehensive controller outputs the other activating signal for activating the remaining end effecting devices having lower priorities indicated by the prioritization parameter in a remaining period in the cycle-time after a period for outputting the activating signal for activating the end effecting device having the higher priority.

4. The state control apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein the comprehensive controller allocates the remaining period among activation periods for the remaining end effecting devices in such a manner that the respective activation periods for the remaining end effecting devices are proportional to the corresponding adjustment amounts.

5. The state control apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the parameter generator generates a limitation parameter corresponding to a limitation of time period for activating at least one of the end effecting devices in a cycle-time that is capable of being allocated for activating the end effecting devices sequentially, and wherein the comprehensive controller adjusts outputs of the activating signals for the end effecting devices on the basis of parameters including the limitation parameter.

6. The state control apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the parameter generator generates a limitation parameter corresponding to a limitation of time period for activating at least one of the end effecting devices in a cycle-time that is capable of being allocated for activating the end effecting devices sequentially, and generates a prioritization parameter indicating a prioritization among the end effecting devices, and wherein the comprehensive controller adjusts outputs of the activating signals for the end effecting devices on the basis of the limitation parameter and the prioritization parameter.

7. The state control apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the comprehensive controller preferentially outputs the activating signal for activating the end effecting device having a higher priority indicated by the prioritization parameter in the cycle-time, and wherein the comprehensive controller does not output the other activating signal for activating the other end effecting device having a lower priority indicated by the prioritization parameter in the cycle-time when the cycle-time is occupied with a period for outputting the activating signal for activating the end effecting device having the higher priority.

8. The state control apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the comprehensive controller preferentially outputs the activating signal for activating the end effecting device having a higher priority indicated by the prioritization parameter in the cycle-time, and wherein the comprehensive controller outputs the other activating signal for activating the remaining end effecting devices having lower priorities indicated by the prioritization parameter in a remaining period in the cycle-time after a period for outputting the activating signal for activating the end effecting device having the higher priority.

9. The state control apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein the comprehensive controller allocates the remaining period among activation periods for the remaining end effecting devices in such a manner that the respective activation periods for the remaining end effecting devices are proportional to the corresponding adjustment amounts.

10. The state control apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein when a sum of the adjustment amounts for the end effecting devices is in excess of an amount corresponding to a length of a cycle-time that is capable of being allocated for activating the end effecting devices sequentially, the comprehensive controller multiplies each ratio of each adjustment amount to the sum of the adjustment amounts with the length of the cycle-time, thereby obtaining each activation period for each end effecting device.

11. The state control apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising an activation decider for generating information, which indicates whether or not each end effecting device should be activated, on the basis of the states measured by the meters, the activation decider and the calculator being used alternatively, wherein the parameter generator generates a mode parameter indicating to use either the activation decider or the calculator, and generates a limitation parameter corresponding to a limitation of time period for activating at least one of the end effecting devices in a cycle-time that is capable of being allocated for activating the end effecting devices sequentially when the activation decider is used, and wherein the comprehensive controller allocates the cycle-time among activation periods for activating the end effecting devices on the basis of parameters including the limitation parameter when the activation decider is used.

12. The state control apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the parameter generator generates a grouping parameter indicating a manner for grouping the end effecting devices when the end effecting devices are classified into a plurality of groups, wherein when the comprehensive controller outputs one of the activating signals for activating one of the end effecting devices belonging to a group, the comprehensive controller does not output the other activating signals for activating the other end effecting devices belonging to the same group.

13. The state control apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the parameter generator generates a prioritization parameter indicating a prioritization among the end effecting devices in each group, and wherein the comprehensive controller adjusts respective activations of the end effecting devices in each group on the basis of parameters including the prioritization parameter.

14. The state control apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the comprehensive controller preferentially outputs the activating signal for activating the end effecting device having a higher priority in each group indicated by the prioritization parameter in a cycle-time that is capable of being allocated for activating the end effecting devices in each group sequentially, and wherein the comprehensive controller does not output the other activating signal for activating the other end effecting device having a lower priority in each group indicated by the prioritization parameter in the cycle-time when the cycle-time is occupied with a period for outputting the activating signal for activating the end effecting device having the higher priority.

15. The state control apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the comprehensive controller preferentially outputs the activating signal for activating the end effecting device having a higher priority in each group indicated by the prioritization parameter in a cycle-time that is capable of being allocated for activating the end effecting devices sequentially, and wherein the comprehensive controller outputs the other activating signal for activating the remaining end effecting devices having lower priorities in each group indicated by the prioritization parameter in a remaining period in the cycle-time after a period for outputting the activating signal for activating the end effecting device having the higher priority.

16. The state control apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the comprehensive controller differentiates an activating start moment of an end effecting device belonging to a group from that of another end effecting device belonging to another group.

17. The state control apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the comprehensive controller delays a start moment of outputting the activating signal for an end effecting device.

18. A state control apparatus comprising:

a calculator for calculating adjustment amounts for adjusting a plurality of end effecting devices on the basis of preset values and measured amounts measured by a plurality of meters, the measured amounts indicating respective states of the end effecting devices, the adjustment amounts being required for conforming the measured amounts to the preset values, respectively;

a parameter generator for generating a prioritization parameter indicating a prioritization among the end effecting devices on the basis of settings by a user; and

a comprehensive controller for deciding whether each end effecting device should be activated or not on the basis of the adjustment amounts and the prioritization parameter, wherein when the comprehensive controller activates one of the end effecting devices, the comprehensive controller deactivates the other end effecting devices.

19. The state control apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein the comprehensive controller activates the end effecting device having a higher priority indicated by the prioritization parameter and deactivates the other end effecting devices when the adjustment amounts indicate a plurality of end effecting devices should be activated.