Control system, control apparatus, control method and computer readable medium

• US 20100161083A1
• Filed: 12/09/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Fujita, Kazuhito, Kishita, Yuri
• Application Number:
  US12/654,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20100161083A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/19
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23219 Different tasks in different memory, called as function of priority of tasks
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23389 Modular program, each process has corresponding program module
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2637 Vehicle, car, auto, wheelchair

Abstract

With utilizing a function of a selection unit 105 in an application layer 101, a microprocessor receives operation requests from a plurality of applications 103, 104, selects a load as a controlled object corresponding to each of the received operation requests, selects an operational pattern to be performed by the selected load, and gives information about the selected load and the selected operational pattern to an output driver unit 106. The microprocessor creates a control signal and makes an input/output driver 107 implementing physical signal input/output in a platform layer 102 output the created control signal to the load represented by the information given by the function of the single output driver unit 106.

Claims

1. A control system, comprising:

a plurality of controlled object devices; and

a control apparatus connected to the plurality of controlled object devices, wherein

the control apparatus comprises;

a microprocessor that performs a plurality of processes based on a plurality of application programs;

a selection unit that identifies an controlled object device corresponding to a process performed by the microprocessor and selects an operation of the identified controlled object device; and

an output unit that creates and outputs a control signal for performing the operation selected by the selection unit, to the identified controlled object device, wherein

the identified controlled object device performs the operation corresponding to the control signal outputted by the output unit; and

the output unit creates a control signal per operations of the controlled object devices, on the basis of single program code.

2. A control system according to claim 1, wherein

the control apparatus further comprises a storage unit that stores a table showing a plurality of operational patterns, wherein

the selection unit selects the operation performed by the identified controlled object device based on the table.

3. A control system according to claim 2, wherein

the storage unit stores the table per the plurality of controlled object devices.

4. A control system according to claim 2, wherein

each operational pattern shown by the table is configured from one of operation identification elements or from a combination of a plurality of the operation identification elements, the operation identification elements comprising:

a wait period until starting and/or stopping an operation;

an operational mode for representing whether an operation is continuously performed or unperformed;

numbers of intermittently performed and/or unperformed operations; and

an operation period for performing and/or unperforming an operation; and

the storage unit stores the table per the operation identification elements.

5. A control apparatus that outputs a control signal for controlling an operation performed by a plurality of controlled object devices connected thereto, comprising:

a microprocessor that performs a plurality of processes based on a plurality of application programs;

a selection unit that selects an operation corresponding to a process performed by the microprocessor; and

an output unit that creates and outputs a control signal for performing the operation selected by the selection unit, wherein the output unit creates a control signal per operations of the controlled object device, on the basis of single program code.

6. A control apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a storage unit that stores a table showing a plurality of operational patterns, wherein

the selection unit selects the operation performed by the identified controlled object device based on the table.

7. A control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

priorities are assigned to the plurality of application programs;

and

the microprocessor performs processes based on an application program having the highest priority among the plurality of application programs.

8. A control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

when the table does not show an operational pattern corresponding to a process performed by the microprocessor, the selection unit adds the operational pattern not shown by the table onto the table.

9. A control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

each operational pattern shown by the table is configured from one of operation identification elements or from a combination of a plurality of the operation identification elements and has identification information, the operation identification elements comprising:

a wait period until starting and/or stopping an operation;

an operational mode for representing whether an operation is continuously performed or unperformed;

numbers of intermittently performed and/or unperformed operations; and

an operation period for performing and/or unperforming an operation.

10. A control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

a plurality of tables are stored by the storage unit, on the basis of numbers of the connected controlled object devices;

and

the selection unit selects the operation based on a table chosen from the plurality of tables and the identification information.

11. A control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

the storage unit stores the table per the operation identification elements;

the selection unit selects the operation based on a table chosen from tables stored by the storage unit and the identification information.

12. A control method for controlling operations of plural devices with using a microprocessor having a plurality of application programs, comprising steps of:

performing processes based on an application program;

receiving an operation request generated through performing the processes;

identifying a device corresponding to the received operation request;

selecting an operation, based on the received operation request, corresponding to the identified device;

creating a control signal for performing the selected operation;

outputting the created control signal to the identified device; and

controlling an operation of the identified device through making the identified device perform an operation based on the outputted control signal, wherein

a control signal per the plural devices is created on the basis of single program code.

13. A control method according to claim 12, further comprising a step of:

preparing a table that shows a plurality of operational patterns per the plural devices, wherein

the operation performed by the identified controlled object device is selected on the basis of the table.

14. A control method according to claim 12, further comprising a step of:

preparing a table that shows a plurality of operational patterns per operation identification elements, each of the operation patterns being configured from one of the operation identification elements or from a combination of a plurality of the operation identification elements, the operation identification elements comprising;

a wait period until starting and/or stopping an operation;

an operational mode for representing whether an operation is continuously performed or unperformed;

numbers of intermittently performed and/or unperformed operations; and

an operation period for performing and/or unperforming an operation, wherein

the operation performed by the identified controlled object device is selected on the basis of the table.

15. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable program for controlling operations of plural devices based on a plurality of application programs, wherein

the computer program when executed causes a computer system to execute steps of:

performing processes based on an application program;

receiving an operation request generated through performing the processes;

identifying a device corresponding to the received operation request;

selecting an operation, based on the received operation request, corresponding to the identified device;

creating a control signal for performing the selected operation;

outputting the created control signal to the identified device; and

controlling an operation of the identified device through making the identified device perform an operation based on the outputted control signal, wherein

a control signal per the plural devices is created on the basis of single program code.

16. A computer readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the computer program when executed causes the computer system to execute further a step of:

preparing a table that shows a plurality of operational patterns per the plural devices, wherein

the operation performed by the identified controlled object device is selected on the basis of the table.

17. A computer readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the computer program when executed causes the computer system to execute further a step of:

preparing a table that shows a plurality of operational patterns per operation identification elements, each of the operation patterns being configured from one of the operation identification elements or from a combination of a plurality of the operation identification elements, the operation identification elements comprising;

a wait period until starting and/or stopping an operation;

an operational mode for representing whether an operation is continuously performed or unperformed;

numbers of intermittently performed and/or unperformed operations; and

an operation period for performing and/or unperforming an operation, wherein

the operation performed by the identified controlled object device is selected on the basis of the table.