PLC Functional Modules for Energy Management Functionalities

• US 20140222170A1
• Filed: 01/31/2014
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schultze, Stephan, Osterfeld, Henning
• Granted Patent: US 10,108,166 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/22
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/05 Programmable logic controllers, e.g. simulating logic interconnections of signals according to ladder diagrams or function charts
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/15121 Plc build into application, like power invertor

Abstract

A method for programming a programmable logic controller for controlling at least one energy consumer of a machine, includes providing at least one energy consumer functional module and at least one energy control functional module in a programming device for selection by a programmer in order to program an energy management program configured to provide at least one energy management functionality for the machine. The at least one energy consumer functional module containing data specific to the at least one energy consumer. The at least one energy control functional module containing data specific to the at least one energy management functionality.

Claims

1. A method for programming a programmable logic controller configured to control at least one energy consumer of a machine, comprising:

selecting at least one of (i) at least one energy consumer functional module, and (ii) at least one energy control functional module in a programming device in order to program an energy management program configured to provide at least one energy management functionality for the machine,

wherein the at least one energy consumer functional module is configured to contain data specific to the at least one energy consumer, and

wherein the at least one energy control functional module is configured to contain data specific to the at least one energy management functionality.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one energy consumer functional module is configured, in terms of programming, to control the at least one energy consumer.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein:

the at least one energy consumer functional module is configured, in terms of programming, to internally directly control the at least one energy consumer using an energy profile, and

the energy profile is one of sercos Energy, PROFIenergy, and CIPenergy.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one energy consumer functional module is configured, in terms of programming, to receive status information from the at least one energy consumer.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one energy consumer functional module is configured, in terms of programming, to log onto the at least one energy control functional module.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one energy control functional module is configured, in terms of programming, to control the at least one energy consumer functional module.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one energy control functional module is configured, in terms of programming, to simulate the at least one energy consumer functional module.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one energy control functional module is configured, in terms of programming, to provide an externally callable log-on method.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one energy control functional module is configured, in terms of programming, to control at least one other entity of the energy control functional module.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one energy control functional module is configured, in terms of programming, to log onto another entity of the energy control functional module.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

selecting at least one command functional module,

wherein the command functional module is configured, in terms of programming, to output an operating command of the energy management functionality to at least one of (i) the at least one energy control functional module, and (ii) the at least one energy consumer functional module.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the at least one command functional module is configured, in terms of programming, to log onto the at least one energy control functional module.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the operating command of the energy management functionality includes at least one of (i) an energy mode specification, (ii) a pause time, and (iii) an availability time.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the at least one energy control functional module is configured, in terms of programming, to convert the operating command of the energy management functionality into an operating command for the at least one energy consumer.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

selecting at least one input/output functional module, and

wherein the input/output functional module is configured, in terms of programming, to collect and group data relevant to energy management for visualization purposes.

16. A computation unit, comprising:

a programming device including at least one energy consumer functional module and at least one energy control functional module,

wherein the computation unit is configured to carry out a method for programming a programmable logic controller configured to control at least one energy consumer of a machine,

wherein the method includes selecting at least one of (i) the at least one energy consumer functional module, and (ii) the at least one energy control functional module in the programming device in order to program an energy management program configured to provide at least one energy management functionality for the machine,

wherein the at least one energy consumer functional module is configured to contain data specific to the at least one energy consumer, and

wherein the at least one energy control functional module is configured to contain data specific to the at least one energy management functionality.

17. The computation unit according to claim 16, wherein a computer program includes a program code configured to cause the computation unit to carry out the method when the program code is executed on the computation unit.

18. A machine-readable storage medium comprising:

a computer program product including a program code configured to cause a computation unit to carry out a method for programming a programmable logic controller configured to control at least one energy consumer of a machine when the program code is executed on the computation unit,

wherein the method includes selecting at least one of (i) at least one energy consumer functional module, and (ii) at least one energy control functional module in the programming device in order to program an energy management program configured to provide at least one energy management functionality for the machine,

wherein the at least one energy consumer functional module is configured to contain data specific to the at least one energy consumer, and

wherein the at least one energy control functional module is configured to contain data specific to the at least one energy management functionality.