Openbus system for control automation networks

• US 5,978,578 A
• Filed: 01/30/1997
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arnon Azarya, Yitzhak Azarya
• Original Assignee: Arnon Azarya, Yitzhak Azarya
• Inventors: Azarya, Arnon, Azarya, Yitzhak
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chaki, Kakali
• Application Number:
  US08/790,974
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 364/130, 364/191, 364/468.09, 364/488.1, 395/3, 395/50, 395/60, 395/61, 395/200.83, 395/701, 395/705, 395/706, 395/821
• US Class Current: 717/100
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/0275 using fuzzy logic only
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/048 Fuzzy inferencing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A novel control automation system for enabling I/O boards to access communication networks for receiving and transmitting real time control information over a communication network is disclosed. The system includes a control bus, a node controller and a development system. External hardware that connects to I/O devices such as sensors, motors, monitors, machines, etc. can be connected to the invention via I/O boards that receives and transmit digital signals, representing control information, to the bus. The bus functions as the hub of operation, receiving network communications, processing cooperative logic and transmitting information over the communication network. The bus enables single or multiple controllers to access real time information generated by the attached hardware. The bus also enables the execution of I/O operations that originated in external controllers and transmitted over the communication network. The bus allows any I/O control board having a common interface, such as ISA, PCI, Compact PCI, etc., to connect to the bus by attachment to one of its slots. An intelligent embedded implementation process provides the logic necessary to enable the connectivity between the I/O boards and the communication network. The development system includes a real-time compiler for generating p-code to be executed on the real-time kernel running in the node controller. The real-time compiler generates p-code from the combination of event triggers, event actions and program logic making up the user'"'"'s application.

Claims

1. A control automation system for controlling a plurality of input and output (I/O) devices in accordance with a user application, said system connected to a network for communicating control automation information, said system comprising:

a development system coupled to said network, said development system for generating p-code, said p-code generated so as to embody event triggers, event actions and program logic that together function to implement said user application; and

at least one node controller coupled to said network for executing in real-time said p-code generated by said development system.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said node controller comprises:

processor means for managing and controlling the operation of said node controller, said processor means for executing a real-time kernel, said kernel implementing said user application embodied in p-code;

network interface means for connecting said node controller to said network;

I/O device interface means for connecting said node controller to said plurality of I/O devices; and

bus means for interconnecting together said real-time kernel, said network interface means and said I/O interface means.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said development system comprises a real-time compiler for generating p-code in accordance with the event triggers, event actions and program logic of said user application.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said kernel means comprises:

an external input signal scanner for reading, storing and determining changes to external input signals received from said plurality of I/O devices;

an event triggers evaluation module for detecting changes to said external input signals and internal entities, said event triggers evaluation module for determining and resolving all event triggers corresponding to said detected changes;

a scheduler for marking all actions corresponding to said event triggers that resolve true;

an action execution unit for executing and implementing said actions marked for execution by said scheduler; and

an entity processor for determining any changes to values assigned to an entity, said entity processor notifying said event triggers evaluation module of said entity value changes.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said I/O device interface means comprises a third party I/O interface control board.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said bus means comprises a bus contained in the group comprising Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, VESA Local (VL) bus, V-bus, Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, VersaModule Europa (VME) bus and Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus.

7. A node controller apparatus for use in a control automation system, said system for controlling a plurality of input and output (I/O) devices in accordance with a user application, said system including a network for communicating control automation information, said apparatus comprising:

processor means for managing and controlling the operation of said node controller, said processor means for executing a real-time kernel, said kernel implementing said user application embodied in p-code;

network interface means for connecting said node controller to said network;

I/O interface means for connecting said node controller to said plurality of I/O devices; and

bus means for interconnecting together said processor means, said kernel means, said network interface means and said I/O interface means.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said I/O device interface means comprises a third party I/O interface control board.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein said bus means comprises a bus contained in the group comprising Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, VESA Local (VL) bus, V-bus, Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, VersaModule Europa (VME) bus and Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus.

10. An apparatus for controlling a plurality of input and output (I/O) devices in accordance with a user application, said apparatus part of a control automation system, said apparatus comprising:

a processor operative to execute said user application;

I/O interface means for connecting said apparatus to said plurality of I/O devices;

kernel means adapted to communicate over a network and operative on said processor for;

reading, storing and determining changes to external input signals received from said plurality of I/O devices;

detecting changes to said external input signals and internal entities and for determining and resolving all event triggers corresponding to said detected changes;

marking all actions for execution that correspond to said event triggers that resolve true;

executing and implementing said actions marked for execution; and

determining any changes to values assigned to an entity making notification of said entity value changes.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said kernel means operative on said processor, in executing and implementing said actions marked for execution, further performs the steps of:

reading the p-code contents of a frame;

analyzing said p-code;

reading the values of external input signals and/or internal entities; and

performing the command embodied in said p-code;

generating any output signals in accordance with said command; and

modifying any entity values in accordance with said command.

12. In a computer system, a method of generating p-code for execution on a node controller as part of a control automation system for controlling a plurality of input and output (I/O) devices in accordance with a user application, said application including event triggers, event actions and program logic, said method comprising the steps of:

generating a plurality of pointer tables, each pointer table associated with either an external input signal or an entity, each pointer table comprising a plurality of pointer entries, each pointer entry pointing to an event trigger;

generating an event trigger table, said event trigger table comprising a plurality of event trigger entries, each event trigger entry corresponding to an action that references the particular external input signal or entity that points thereto;

generating a plurality of actions, each of said actions comprising at least one frame, said actions, said actions representing the generation of output signals and/or the modification of said internal entities; and

wherein said plurality of pointer tables, said event trigger table and said plurality of actions generated in accordance with said event triggers, event actions and program logic making up said user application.

13. A node controller apparatus for use in a control automation system, said system for controlling a plurality of input and output (I/O) devices, said system including a network for communicating control automation information, said apparatus comprising:

a processor for managing and controlling the operation of said node controller;

network interface means for connecting said node controller to said network;

I/O interface means for connecting said node controller to said plurality of I/O devices;

bus means for interconnecting together said processor means, said network interface means and said I/O interface means; and

kernel means adapted to communicate over said network and operative on said processor for;

reading, storing and determining changes to external input signals received from said plurality of I/O devices;

detecting changes to said external input signals and internal entities and for determining and resolving all event triggers corresponding to said detected changes;

marking all actions for execution that correspond to said event triggers that resolve true;

executing and implementing said actions marked for execution; and

determining any changes to values assigned to an entity marking notification of said entity value changes.

14. A node controller apparatus for use in a control automation system, said system for controlling a plurality of input and output (I/O) devices in accordance with a user application, said system including a network for communicating control automation information, said apparatus comprising:

processor means for managing and controlling the operation of said node controller, said processor means for executing a real-time kernel, said kernel implementing said user application embodied in p-code;

network interface means for connecting said node controller to said network; and

bus means for interconnecting together said processor means, said kernel means and said network interface means.