INPUT OUTPUT CLONING FOR INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION

• US 20140156234A1
• Filed: 12/03/2012
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Maturana, Francisco, Hall, Kenwood
• Application Number:
  US13/692,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20140156234A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/2
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23452 Simulate sequence on display to control program, test functions
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23456 Model machine for simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30

Abstract

Methods and systems for creating and running and industrial control system simulation are described herein. The physical I/O and other modules of the industrial control system may be modeled and specific communication channels may be created by a modeling software module. This may increase the likelihood that the timing of the simulation may be more like real-time operation of the industrial control system. This may enhance the system design and save time of system design and start-up and troubleshooting of the operational industrial control system.

Claims

1. A computer apparatus comprising software that when executed by the computer apparatus directs the apparatus to simulate operation of an industrial system;

the software comprising;

simulation configuration software, that when executed by the computer apparatus directs the apparatus to create a simulation of an industrial control system, and a simulation executable file;

simulation execution software that when executed by the computer apparatus directs the apparatus to receive the simulation executable file from the simulation creation software, and execute the simulation executable file to run a simulation;

communication software that when executed by the computer apparatus directs the apparatus to communicate with the simulation execution software to assist in running the simulation, and to further communicate with at least one industrial control module; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having the user simulation configuration software, the simulation execution software, and the communication software stored thereon.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the simulation configuration software comprises an industrial module modeler software configured to model the at least one industrial control module for the simulation.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the industrial module modeler software is configured to establish communication links between the simulation and the at least one industrial control module.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the simulation creation software and/or the simulation execution software is configured to synchronize the timing between the simulation and the at least one industrial control module.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the simulation configuration software, the simulation execution software, and the communication software is instantiated on a simulation module configured to assist in the running of the simulation.

6. A system for simulation of an industrial automation system, comprising:

a workstation configured to create a simulation of an industrial control system, create a simulation executable file based on the simulation, and execute the simulation executable file to run the simulation;

an industrial control system capable of sending and receiving data related to the running simulation on the workstation, and controlling physical industrial control modules within the industrial control system based at least in part on the running simulation;

wherein the creating the simulation comprises modeling the industrial control module and creating communication links between the modeled industrial control module and the physical industrial control module.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the industrial control system comprises one or more physical industrial control modules.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the creating a simulation of an industrial control system comprises modeling the one or more industrial control modules, and creating communication links between the modeled industrial control module and the physical industrial control module.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the industrial control system comprises a simulation module configured to assist in the running of the simulation, and configured to send and receive data related to the running simulation.

10. The system of claim 6, further comprising an execution workstation configured to receive the simulation executable file and execute the simulation executable file to run the simulation, and wherein the industrial control system is configured to send and receive data related to the running simulation on the execution workstation.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the communication between the workstation and executable workstation comprises TCP-type communication.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the communication between the execution workstation and industrial control system comprises one or more user data protocol-type communication links.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the workstation and the execution workstation comprise Windows-based operating system.

14. A method for creating a simulation of an industrial automation system comprising:

creating a simulation of an industrial control system at least in part using a simulation creation module on a computer;

modeling industrial modules at least in part using the simulation creation module on a computer;

creating communication channels between the modeled industrial control module and a physical industrial control module at least in part using a simulation execution module; and

synchronizing the timing between the simulation and the physical industrial control module at least in part using the simulation execution module.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising executing the simulation at least in part using the workstation and the physical industrial control module.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising an industrial control system, which comprises the physical industrial control module.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the creating a simulation is accomplished at least in part using C++ programming language.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the modeling is accomplished at least in part using an industrial module modeler.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the creating communication channels is accomplished at least in part using an industrial module modeler.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the creating a simulation is accomplished at least in part using software libraries.