Automatic variable linkage mechanism for integrating third party software components

• US 6,345,212 B1
• Filed: 04/19/1999
• Issued: 02/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hurco Companies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Manufacturing Data Systems, Inc. (Tecumseh Products Co. LLC)
• Inventors: Nourse, Bruce E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bahta, Kidest
• Application Number:
  US09/294,667
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 700/1, 700/5, 700/3, 700/30, 700/68, 700/181, 700/90, 700/67, 318/571
• US Class Current: 700/182
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/19 characterised by positioning or contouring control systems, e.g. to control position from one programmed point to another or to control movement along a programmed continuous path
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34069 Shared memory

Abstract

A software-based controller system implemented on a generic computer hardware platform for numerically controlling a machine tool. The software-based controller system includes a servo mechanism associated with the numerically controlled system, a real-time module for performing numeric control operations through the use of the servo mechanism, a p-code runtime engine receptive of interpreted program instructions for performing computational operations independent from the control of the servo mechanism, and a messager module communicating with the real-time module and the runtime engine to implement a pointer architecture that facilitates communication between the real-time module and the runtime engine. The messager module defines a common location in a shared memory that is accessible to the real-time module, runtime engine, and messager module. The real-time module and the runtime engine communicate through this shared memory by using the pointer architecture to point from the real-time module and the runtime engine to the common location in shared memory, thereby supporting control operations on the numerically controlled system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for supporting control operations in a numerically controlled system, comprising:

a real-time module for performing numeric control operations through the use of a servomechanism, said servomechanism associated with the numerically controlled system;

a p-code runtime engine receptive of interpreted program instructions for performing computational operations independent from the control of said servo mechanism;

a messager module communicating with said real-time module and said runtime engine to implement a pointer architecture that facilitate communication between said real-time module and said runtime engine;

a shared memory accessible to said real-time module, said runtime engine, and said messager module, said messager module defining a common shared memory location in said shared memory; and

said real-time module and said runtime engine communicating through said shared memory using said pointer architecture to point from said real-time module and said runtime engine to said common shared memory location, thereby supporting control operations on the numerically controlled system.

2. The computer-implemented system of claim 1 wherein said real-time module includes a first pointer associated with said real-time module that maps to said common shared memory location.

3. The computer-implemented system of claim 2 wherein said runtime engine includes a second pointer associated with said runtime engine that maps to said common shared memory location.

4. The computer-implemented system of claim 3 wherein:

one of said real-time module and said runtime engine is operative to register a variable with said messager module;

said messager module being operative, in response to the registration of said variable, to allocate said common shared memory location for said variable and to assign pointer offsets used by said real-time module and said runtime engine; and

said real-time module and said runtime engine being operative to retrieve said pointer offsets from said messager in order to generate pointers to access said common shared memory location.

5. The computer-implemented system of claim 1 wherein said real-time module issues motion control commands to said servo mechanism, and said runtime engine interprets programmable logic instructions to generate executable digital input output motion commands.

6. The computer-implemented system of claim 1 wherein said servomechanism includes a servo device, a motor and a feedback device.

7. The computer-implemented system of claim 1 wherein said real-time module further comprises:

an interrupt handler for interfacing with said servo mechanism, said interrupt handler executing and completing control tasks within an interrupt interval, where said interrupt interval is a predetermined duration for monitoring feedback control signals;

a move interpolator for supplying motion control commands to said interrupt handler; and

a sequencer for issuing motion control commands to said move interpolator and digital operation commands to said programmable logic controller.

8. A computer-implemented method for supporting control operations in a numerically controlled system, comprising the steps of:

providing a real-time module for performing numeric control operations through the use of a servomechanism, said servomechanism associated with the numerically controlled system;

providing a p-code runtime engine receptive of interpreted program instructions for performing computational operations independent from the control of said servo mechanism;

providing a messager module that facilitates communication between said real-time module and said runtime engine;

defining a common shared memory location in a shared memory, said shared memory accessible to said real-time module, said runtime engine, and said messager module;

implementing a pointer architecture to point from said real-time module and said runtime engine to said common shared memory location; and

communicating between said real-time module and said runtime engine through said shared memory using said pointer architecture, thereby supporting control operations on the numerically controlled system.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 wherein said real-time module includes a first pointer associated with said real-time module that maps to said common shared memory location.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 wherein said runtime engine includes a second pointer associated with said runtime engine that maps to said common shared memory location.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

registering a variable with said messager module by one of said real-time module and said runtime engine;

allocating said common shared memory location for said variable by said messager module in response to the registration of said variable;

assigning pointer offsets by said messager module, said pointer offsets being used by said real-time module and said runtime engine; and

retrieving said pointer offsets from said messager and generating pointers to access said common shared memory location by at least one of said real-time module and said runtime engine.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 wherein said real-time module issues motion control commands to said servo mechanism, and said runtime engine interprets programmable logic instructions to generate executable digital input output motion commands.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 wherein said servomechanism includes a servo device, a motor and a feedback device.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 wherein said real-time module further comprises:

an interrupt handler for interfacing with said servo mechanism, said interrupt handler executing and completing control tasks within an interrupt interval, where said interrupt interval is a predetermined duration for monitoring feedback control signals;

a move interpolator for supplying motion control commands to said interrupt handler; and

a sequencer for issuing motion control commands to said move interpolator and digital operation commands to said programmable logic controller.