METHODS OF INTEGRATING REAL AND VIRTUAL WORLD USING PHYSICAL SENSOR/ACTUATOR

• US 20090089700A1
• Filed: 09/25/2008
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Barajas, Leandro G., Yuan, Chengyin, Biller, Stephan R., Gu, Fangming
• Application Number:
  US12/237,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20090089700A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41885 characterised by modeling, simulation of the manufacturing system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31078 Several machines and several buffers, storages, conveyors, robots
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39014 Match virtual world with real world
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40288 Integrate sensor, actuator units into a virtual manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A system and method for integrating a real and virtual manufacturing automation system that provides a part flow between a virtual world part of the system including virtual world components and a real world part of the system including real world components. The system includes an interface device for transferring signals between the virtual world part of the system and the real world part of the system, a programmable logic controller for controlling the operation of the system and an input/output device that processes signals sent to the programmable logic controller and signals sent from the programmable logic controller. The programmable logic controller controls the operation of the system where sensors and actuators coupled between the virtual world part of the system and the real world part of the system are physically coupled.

Claims

1. A method for integrating a real and virtual manufacturing automation system where a part flows between a virtual world part of the system and a real world part of the system, said method comprising:

providing a real world machine in the real world part of the system;

providing a primary real world sensor in the real world part of the system for sensing a position of the real world machine;

providing a primary real world actuator in the real world part of the system for actuating the first real world machine;

providing a virtual world machine in the virtual world part of the system;

providing a primary virtual world sensor in the virtual world part of the system for sensing a position of the virtual world machine;

providing a primary virtual world actuator in the virtual world part of the system for actuating the virtual world machine;

providing an interface device for transferring signals between the virtual world part of the system and the real world part of the system;

providing a programmable logic controller that controls the operation of the system; and

providing an input/output (I/O) device that processes signals sent to the programmable logical controller and signals sent from the programmable logic controller, wherein the programmable logic controller controls the operation of the system so that sensors and actuators coupled between the virtual world part of the system and the real world part of the system are physically coupled.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising providing a first complimentary pair of a physical sensor and an actuator and a second complimentary pair of a physical sensor and an actuator in the real world part of the system, wherein the sensor in the first complimentary pair senses signals from the actuator in the first complimentary pair that is driven by the I/O device to by-pass the primary virtual world sensor through the interface device, and wherein the actuator in the second complimentary pair receives signals that are supposed to be sent to the primary virtual world actuator through the interface device from the I/O device and cause the sensor in the second complimentary pair to generate signals.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the programmable logic controller controls a part flow from the real world machine to the virtual world machine, said system further comprising providing a duplicated real world sensor that senses the actuation of the primary real world actuator through a coupling interface and a switching device that switches an output from the duplicated real world sensor to the I/O device instead of allowing a signal from the primary virtual world sensor from being an input to the I/O device.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the programmable logic controller controls a part flow from the virtual world machine to the real world machine, said method further comprising providing a duplicated real world actuator coupled to the primary real world sensor through a coupling interface and a switching device that switches an output signal from the I/O device to the duplicated real world actuator that would otherwise be sent to the primary virtual world actuator.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the programmable logic controller controls a real part flow from the real world machine to the virtual world machine, said method further comprising providing a duplicated real world sensor that is coupled to the primary real world actuator through a coupling interface and a real part, said duplicated real world sensor sending a signal through the interface device and a virtual world part to by-pass the primary virtual world sensor.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the real world machine is a robot.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the real and virtual manufacturing automation system is an automotive manufacturing automation system.

8. An integrated real and virtual manufacturing automation system providing a part flow between a virtual world part of the system and a real world part of the system, said system comprising:

a real world machine in the real world part of the system;

a primary real world sensor in the real world part of the system for sensing a position of the real world machine;

a primary real world actuator in the real world part of the system for actuating the real world machine;

a virtual world machine in the virtual world part of the system;

a primary virtual world sensor in the virtual world part of the system for sensing a position of the virtual world machine;

a primary virtual world actuator in the virtual world part of the system for actuating the virtual world machine;

an interface device for transferring signals between the virtual world part of the system and the real world part of the system;

a programmable logic controller for controlling the operation of the system; and

an input/output (I/O) device that processes signals sent to the programmable logic controller and signals sent from the programmable logic controller, wherein the programmable logic controller controls the operation of the system where sensors and actuators coupled between the virtual world part of the system and the real world part of the system are physically coupled.

9. The system according to claim 8 further comprising a first complimentary pair of a physical sensor and an actuator and a second complimentary pair of a physical sensor and an actuator in the real world part of the system, wherein the sensor in the first complimentary pair senses signals from the actuator in the first complimentary pair that is driven by the I/O device to by-pass the primary virtual world sensor through the interface device, and wherein the actuator in the second complimentary pair receives signals that are supposed to be sent to the primary virtual world actuator through the interface device from the I/O device and cause the sensor in the second complimentary pair to generate signals.

10. The system according to claim 8 wherein the programmable logic controller controls a part flow from the real world machine to the virtual world machine, said system further comprising providing a duplicated real world sensor that senses the actuation of the primary real world actuator through a coupling interface and a switching device that switches an output from the duplicated real world sensor to the I/O device instead of allowing a signal from the primary virtual world sensor from being an input to the I/O device.

11. The system according to claim 8 wherein the programmable logic controller controls a part flow from the virtual world machine to the real world machine, said system further comprising providing a duplicated real world actuator coupled to the primary real world sensor through a coupling interface and a switching device that switches an output signal from the I/O device to the duplicated real world actuator that would otherwise be sent to the primary virtual world actuator.

12. The system according to claim 8 wherein the programmable logic controller controls a real part flow from the real world machine to the virtual world machine, said system further comprising providing a duplicated real world sensor that is coupled to the primary real world actuator through a coupling interface and a real part, said duplicated real world sensor sending a signal through the interface device and a virtual world part to by-pass the primary virtual world sensor.

13. The system according to claim 8 wherein the real world machine is a robot.

14. The system according to claim 8 wherein the real and virtual manufacturing automation system is an automotive manufacturing automation system.

15. An integrated real and virtual manufacturing automation system providing a part flow between a virtual world part of the system and a real world part of the system, said system comprising:

a real world machine in the real world part of the system;

a primary real world sensor in the real world part of the system for sensing a position of the real world machine;

a primary real world actuator in the real world part of the system for actuating the real world machine;

a virtual world machine in the virtual world part of the system;

a primary virtual world sensor in the virtual world part of the system for sensing a position of the virtual world machine;

a primary virtual world actuator in the virtual world part of the system for actuating the virtual world machine;

an interface device for transferring signals between the virtual world part of the system and the real world part of the system;

a programmable logic controller for controlling the operation of the system;

an input/output (I/O) device that processes signals sent to the programmable logic controller and signals sent from the programmable logic controller, wherein the programmable logic controller controls the operation of the system where sensors and actuators coupled between the virtual world part of the method and the real world part of the method are physically coupled;

a first complimentary pair of a physical sensor and an actuator and a second complimentary pair of a physical sensor and an actuator in the real world part of the system, wherein the sensor in the first complimentary pair senses signals from the actuator in the first complimentary pair that is driven by the I/O device to by-pass the primary virtual world sensor through the interface device, and wherein the actuator in the second complimentary pair receives signals that are supposed to be sent to the primary virtual world actuator through the interface device from the I/O device and cause the sensor in the second complimentary pair to generate signals; and

duplicated real world sensors, duplicated real world actuators and switching devices in the real world part of the system that by-pass signals from the virtual world part of the system depending on the direction of the part flow between the real world part of the system and the virtual world part of the system and whether the system is working on a real part or a virtual part.

16. The system according to claim 15 wherein the programmable logic controller controls a part flow from the real world machine to the virtual world machine, said system further comprising providing a duplicated real world sensor that senses the actuation of the primary real world actuator through a coupling interface and a switching device that switches an output from the duplicated real world sensor to the I/O device instead of allowing a signal from the primary virtual world sensor from being an input to the I/O device.

17. The system according to claim 15 wherein the programmable logic controller controls a part flow from the virtual world machine to the real world machine, said system further comprising providing a duplicated real world actuator coupled to the primary real world sensor through a coupling interface and a switching device that switches an output signal from the I/O device to the duplicated real world actuator that would otherwise be sent to the primary virtual world actuator.

18. The system according to claim 15 wherein the programmable logic controller controls a real part flow from the real world machine to the virtual world machine, said system further comprising providing a duplicated real world sensor that is coupled to the primary real world actuator through a coupling interface and a real part, said duplicated real world sensor sending a signal through the interface device and a virtual world part to by-pass the primary virtual world sensor.

19. The system according to claim 15 wherein the real world machine is a robot.

20. The system according to claim 15 wherein the real and virtual manufacturing automation system is an automotive manufacturing automation system.