System and method to simulate a plurality of networked programmable logic controllers

• US 20060218263A1
• Filed: 02/22/2006
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens Energy & Automation Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Phillips, Scott, Martin, David E., Gibson, C. Eric, Brian, Harry A. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,487,075 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/052 Linking several PLC's
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13186 Simulation, also of test inputs
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/15012 Configuration software for networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30

Abstract

A system and method for simulating a plurality of networked program logic controllers includes, in one aspect of the invention, determining if a configuration of networked program logic controllers exists; populating a configuration by creating a plurality of program logic controllers in a network if the configuration does not exist, the populating of the program logic controllers provided by use of a network view for collecting network information; and interacting with at least one of the program logic controllers to simulate a networked program logic controller.

Claims

1. A method for simulating a plurality of networked program logic controllers, the method comprising:

determining if a configuration of networked program logic controllers exists in a network;

populating a configuration by creating a plurality of program logic controllers in the network if the configuration does not exist, the populating of program logic controllers provided by use of a network view for collecting network information; and

interacting with at least one of the program logic controllers to simulate at least one networked program logic controller.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network information includes at least one selected from the number of the program logic controllers, types of the program logic controllers, I/O connected to the program logic controllers and type of connection for each of the program logic controllers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network information defines at least one node associated with the networked program logic controller.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising deleting the selected node from the network.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising updating and displaying the configuration without the selected node.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the network information defines at least one node and further comprising modifying the node.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising updating and displaying the configuration with the modified node.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the networked program logic controllers has a respective program logic controller view and further comprising opening at least two of the networked program logic controller views for interaction of at least two of the networked program logic controllers.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising returning an error message to the networked program logic controller to correct an improper response by the networked program logic controller.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising assessing a number of program logic controllers in the network, determining a network cycle time and allotting respective processing times to each of the program logic controllers in the network based on the network cycle time.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising adding a delay time to at least one of the processing times.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the network information defines at least one node associated with the networked program logic controller.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising deleting the selected node from the network.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising updating and displaying the configuration without the selected node.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising assessing a number of program logic controllers in the network, determining a network cycle time and allotting respective processing times to each of the program logic controllers in the network based on the network cycle time.

12. A method for simulating a plurality of networked program logic controllers, the method comprising:

determining if a configuration of networked program logic controllers exists in a network;

populating a configuration by creating a plurality of program logic controllers in the network if the configuration does not exist, the populating of program logic controllers provided by use of a wizard in a network view for entry by a user of network information; and

interacting with at least one of the program logic controllers to simulate a networked program logic controller.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the network information includes at least one selected from the number of the program logic controllers, types of the program logic controllers, I/O connected to the program logic controllers and type of connection for each of the program logic controllers.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the network information defines at least one node and further comprising modifying the node.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising updating and displaying the configuration with the modified node.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the networked program logic controllers has a respective program logic controller view and further comprising opening at least two of the networked program logic controller views for interaction of at least two of the networked program logic controllers.

21. A method for simulating a plurality of networked program logic controllers, the method comprising:

determining if a configuration of networked program logic controllers exists in a network;

populating a configuration by creating a plurality of program logic controllers in the network if the configuration does not exist, the populating of program logic controllers provided by use of means for collecting network information; and

interacting with at least one of the program logic controllers to simulate at least one networked program logic controller.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the means for collecting is one of a network view or a wizard in a network view.