Slave network slave processing method and apparatus information collection method

• US 20050017875A1
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Nakamura, Toshiyuki, Nakayama, Teruyuki, Muneta, Yasuo
• Granted Patent: US 7,369,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.70
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/058 Safety, monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/14012 Safety integrity level, safety integrated systems, SIL, SIS

Abstract

A network system is constructed by connecting a safety PLC constituting a master unit and safety slaves 2 to each other through a safety network 3. The safety slaves each have a device information storage unit 25 for storing individual information and status information of the safety devices connected. The individual information is acquired and stored in advance, while the stored contents of the status information are updated based on the result of monitoring the status of the safety devices in operation. These processes are executed by a MPU 23. In response to a request from the safety PLC, the device information stored are transmitted, so that the safety PLC can collect and manage the device state as well as the normal state of the slave units.

Claims

1. A slave unit connectable to a network, comprising:

information collecting means for collecting the information on devices connected;

device information storage means for storing the information on said devices collected by said information collecting means; and

means for outputting the information stored in said device information storage means through the network.

2. A slave unit according to claim 1, characterized in that said device information include at least one of individual information for specifying the devices and status information indicating the status of the devices.

3. A network system constructed by connecting a controller and the slave unit according to claim 1 to each other through a network, characterized in that

said device information output from said slave unit is transmitted to said controller.

4. A method of processing a slave unit connected to a network to execute:

the collecting process for collecting the information on the devices connected to the particular slave unit;

the process of storing in the device information storage means said device information obtained by executing said collecting process; and

the process of outputting through said network the information stored in said device information storage means.

5. A device information collecting method for a network system constructed by connecting a controller and a slave unit through a network, characterized in that

said slave unit executes:

the collecting process for collecting the information on the devices connected to the particular slave unit,

the process of storing in the device information storage means said device information obtained by executing said collecting process, and

the process of outputting through said network the information stored in said device information storage means, and

said controller acquires and stores said device information output from said slave unit.

6. A device information collecting method for a network system constructed by connecting a controller and a slave unit through a network, characterized in that

said network system is connected with a monitoring device,

said controller and said slave unit perform the control operation by transmitting and receiving the control information such as the I/O information,

said slave unit executes the collecting process for collecting the information on the devices connected to the particular slave unit, the process of storing in the device information storage means said device information obtained by executing said collecting process, and the process of outputting through said network the information stored in said device information storage means, and

said monitoring device acquires and stores said device information output from said slave unit.