Distributed control system and an associated system component for the distributed control system

• US 6,889,099 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2001
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Doebrich, Udo, Heidel, Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kasenge, Charles R
• Application Number:
  US09/880,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20020023188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 700/95, 700/96, 700/97, 700/98, 700/99, 700/100, 700/1, 700/56, 700/64, 700/69, 710/305, 710/1, 710/5, 710/65
• US Class Current: 700/56
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/418 Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible manufacturing systems [FMS], integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] or computer integrated manufacturing [CIM]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A distributed control system having system components (1, 2, 3). The positions of the system components (1, 2, 3) are stored in respective memories (11, 12, 13) as component-specific data, which represent the spatial coordinates of the positions. The system components (1, 2, 3) transmit their respective positions to a configuration unit (4) via a communications channel (5). By means of a layout plan, e.g., in the form of a piping and installation diagram, the component-specific data of the individual system components (1, 2, 3) is assigned to the configured system components. In addition, a respective physical address is assigned to each of the system components (1, 2, 3). This achieves simple and reliable configuration of the system components (1, 2, 3). The distributed control system is used, in particular, in process apparatuses.

Claims

1. A distributed control system, comprising:

system components comprising at least a first system component and a second system component, the system components having respective memories to store component-specific data that include spatial coordinates of respective positions of the system components;

a configuration unit having an input device for at least one of inputting and generating a layout plan that includes at least information on the respective positions of the system components within the distributed control system; and

a communications channel, to which the system components and the configuration unit are connected to mutually exchange data;

wherein the system components are configured to transmit the respective positions of the system components as the component-specific data to the configuration unit; and

wherein the configuration unit is configured to assign and transmit unique physical addresses on the communications channel to the system components whose respective positions were previously received by the configuration unit as the component-specific data such that the first system component receives an assigned unique physical address in response to a respective position transmitted from the first system component.

2. The distributed control system of claim 1, wherein the distributed control system is configured for implementation in an automation system.

3. The distributed control system of claim 1, wherein the system components are selected from the group consisting of controllers, actual value sensors, and actuators.

4. The distributed control system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the system components comprises a device for automatically determining the position of the at least one of the system components.

5. The distributed control system of claim 4, wherein the device comprises a GPS receiver.

6. The distributed control system of claim 1, wherein at least one the system components has a device for entering the position of the at least one of the components.

7. The distributed control system of claim 1, wherein the configuration unit comprises a generator of the layout plan, wherein the layout plan includes, in form of a piping and installation diagram, information on the respective positions of the system components.

12. The distributed control system according to claim 1, wherein each of said system components contains a respective memory.

13. The distributed control system according to claim 12, wherein each of said system components stores in the respective memory a respective physical location of its system component in spatial coordinates.

8. A system component for a distributed control system, the system component comprising:

a memory to store component-specific data representing spatial coordinates of a position of the system component; and

a communications device connected to a communications channel;

wherein the system component is configured to transmit the position of the system component, as the component-specific data, to the communications device via the communications channel; and

wherein the system component is configured to receive a unique physical address assigned by the configuration unit via the communications channel.

9. The system component of claim 8, wherein the system component is selected from the group consisting of controllers, actual value sensors, and actuators.

10. A method, comprising:

determining positions of respective system components of a distributed control system;

storing the positions in respective memories of the system components;

transmitting the positions to a configuration unit of the distributed control system;

generating a layout plan of the distributed control system, wherein the layout plan includes at least information on the respective positions of the system components within the distributed control system; and

assigning and transmitting unique physical addresses on the communications channel to the system components such that a system component receive a unique physical address in response to a spatial position transmitted from the system component.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the positions of the respective system components are automatically determined.