Control system, control device and control method

• US 6,694,198 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2001
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sato, Makoto, Takaku, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ramesh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hartman, Jr., Ronald D
• Application Number:
  US09/840,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20020002407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 700/1, 700/2, 700/19, 700/20, 700/83, 700/9, 700/17, 700/11-12, 709/328, 709/201, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/220, 345/173, 345/326, 710/10, 710/72
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence

Abstract

In a control system in which a control device and an information processing device are connected to each other with a predetermined data bus, a control system, a control device, and a control method in which the control device can omits many processing procedures are proposed. A control device stores corresponding definite information corresponding to definite information stored in the information processing device and defining functions of the information processing device. The control device acquires the definite information from the information processing device, recognizes the functions of the information processing device on the basis of the corresponding definite information which is stored in the control device, and controls the information processing device, thus making it possible to efficiently and exactly control the information processing device.

Claims

1. A control system, comprising:

a data bus;

at least one information processing device connected to said data bus, said information processing device having a storage device operable to store definite information defining functions of said information processing device;

a control device connected to said at least one information processing device through said data bus, said control device including;

a storage unit operable to store corresponding definite information corresponding to said definite information;

an input unit operable to receive an entered input operation;

an acquiring unit operable to acquire said definite information from said information processing device in response to said entered input operation;

a recognition unit operable to read out said corresponding definite information corresponding to said definite information from said storage unit and to recognize said functions of said information processing device from said corresponding definite information corresponding to said definite information solely on the basis of said definite information; and

a control unit operable to control said information processing device on the basis of said recognized functions.

2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein:

information representing the contents of function blocks is stored as said definite information in said storage device for each of said function blocks which are expressed as a unit of executing logical functions of said information processing device; and

information corresponding to said definite information representing the contents of said function blocks is stored in said storage unit as said corresponding definite information for each of said function blocks.

3. The control system according to claim 1, wherein:

information representing an amount of control items to be controlled by function blocks is stored in said storage device as said definite information for each of said function blocks which are expressed as a unit of executing logical functions of said information processing device; and

information corresponding to said definite information representing said amount of control items to be controlled by said function blocks is stored in said storage unit as said corresponding definite information for each of said function blocks.

4. The control system according to claim 1, wherein:

information representing the contents of function blocks is stored as said definite information in said storage device for each combination of said function blocks which are expressed as a unit of executing logical functions of said information processing device; and

information corresponding to said definite information representing the contents of said function blocks is stored in said storage unit as said corresponding definite information for each combination of said function blocks.

5. The control system according to claim 1, wherein:

information representing an amount of control items to be controlled by function blocks is stored in said storage device as said definite information for each combination of said function blocks which are expressed as a unit of executing logical functions of said information processing device; and

information corresponding to said definite information representing said amount of control items to be controlled by said function blocks is stored in said storage unit as said corresponding definite information for each combination of said function blocks.

6. The control system according to claim 1, wherein said control device includes a producing unit operable to produce new corresponding definite information corresponding to said definite information when said storage unit does not contain said corresponding definite information.

7. A control device to which at least one information processing device to be controlled is connected by a data bus, the information processing device storing definite information defining functions of the information processing device, the control device comprising:

a storage unit operable to store corresponding definite information corresponding to the definite information;

an input unit operable to receive an entered input operation;

an acquiring unit operable to acquire the definite information from the information processing device in response to said entered input operation;

a recognizing unit operable to read out said corresponding definite information corresponding to said definite information from said storage unit and to recognize the functions of the information processing device from said corresponding definite information corresponding to said definite information solely on the basis of said definite information; and

a control unit operable to control the information processing device on the basis of said recognized functions.

8. The control device according to claim 7, wherein:

information representing the contents of function blocks is stored as the definite information in the information processing device for each of said function blocks which are expressed as a unit of executing logical functions of the information processing device; and

information corresponding to the definite information representing the contents of said function blocks is stored in said storage unit as said corresponding definite information for each of said function blocks.

9. The control device according to claim 7, wherein:

information representing an amount of control items to be controlled by function blocks is stored in the information processing device as the definite information for each of said function blocks which are expressed as a unit of executing logical functions of the information processing device; and

information corresponding to the definite information representing said amount of control items to be controlled by said function blocks is stored in said control device as said corresponding definite information for each of said function blocks.

10. The control device according to claim 7, wherein:

information representing the contents of function blocks is stored as the definite information in the information processing device for each combination of said function blocks which are expressed as a unit of executing logical functions of the information processing device; and

information corresponding to the definite information representing the contents of said function blocks is stored in said storage unit as said corresponding definite information for each combination of said function blocks.

11. The control device according to claim 7, wherein:

information representing an amount of control items to be controlled by function blocks is stored in the information processing device as the definite information for each combination of said function blocks which are expressed as a unit of executing logical functions of the information processing device; and

information corresponding to the definite information representing said amount of control items to be controlled by said function blocks is stored in said storage unit as said corresponding definite information for each combination of said function blocks.

12. The control device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a producing unit operable to produce new corresponding definite information corresponding to the definite information when said storage unit does not contain said corresponding definite information.

13. A method of controlling an information processing device by a control device in a control system in which the control device and the information processing device are connected to each other by a data bus, said method comprising:

receiving an entered input operation at the control device;

operating the control device to acquire definite information from the information processing device in response to said entered input operation, the definite information defining functions of the information processing device;

storing said corresponding definite information corresponding to the definite information in said control device when said corresponding definite information is not already stored therein;

reading out said stored corresponding definite information corresponding to said definite information;

recognizing in the control device the functions of the information processing device from said corresponding definite information corresponding to said definite information solely on the basis of the definite information; and

operating the control device to control the information processing device on the basis of the recognized functions.

14. The control method according to claim 13, wherein:

information representing the contents of function blocks is stored as the definite information in the information processing device for each of the function blocks which are expressed as a unit of executing logical functions of the information processing device; and

information corresponding to the definite information which represent the contents of the function blocks is stored in the control device as the corresponding definite information for each of the function blocks.

15. The control method according to claim 13, wherein:

information representing an amount of control items to be controlled by function blocks is stored in the information processing device as the definite information for each of the function blocks which are expressed as a unit of executing logical functions of the information processing device; and

information corresponding to the definite information representing the amount of the control items to be controlled by the function blocks is stored in the control device as the corresponding definite information for each of the function blocks.

16. The control method according to claim 13, wherein:

information representing the contents of function blocks is stored as the definite information in the information processing device for each combination of the function blocks which are expressed as a unit of executing logical functions of the information processing device; and

information corresponding to the definite information representing the contents of the function blocks is stored in the control device as the corresponding definite information for each combination of the function blocks.

17. The control method according to claim 13, wherein:

information representing an amount of control items to be controlled by function blocks is stored in the information processing device as the definite information for each combination of the function blocks which are expressed as a unit of executing logical functions of the information processing device; and

information corresponding to the definite information representing the amount of control items to be controlled by the function blocks is stored in the control device as the corresponding definite information for each combination of the function blocks.

18. The control method according to claim 13, further comprising:

producing said corresponding definite information corresponding to the definite information when the control device does not contain the corresponding definite information; and

storing the new corresponding definite information.