Distributed control system and information processing system

• US 7,103,646 B1
• Filed: 08/09/1999
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Suzuki, Shoji
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess, Glenton B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choudhary, Anita
• Application Number:
  US09/370,152
• Time in Patent Office: 2,584 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/207, 709/220, 709/202, 709/223, 709/224, 718/103, 370/395.42
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

In a real-time distributed control system in which a plurality of network controllers are connected, a middleware module in each control unit executes starting of application modules and calling RT communication processing according to starting order information in application configuration information. RT communication service sends and receives messages between the application modules corresponding to the calling. The application configuration information and the messages are generated by an information processor based on user defined information, and transmitted to each of the units. A network driver executes network communication using a network controller which stores sending and receiving messages. A network driver priority manager determines priority of processing of the network driver corresponding to priorities of sent and received messages, and a scheduler executes processing of the network driver according to the priority of the processing of the network driver.

Claims

1. A distributed control system comprising a network and at least one control unit having a communication means for connecting to said network, wherein said control unit comprises:

a message object configuration information storing means for storing a starting procedure of at least one message object having a network communication function, the message object being for performing communication processing between application programs each of which is constituted by at least one software module, and the message object configuration information storing means comprising a communication Processing priority indicating a priority to execute communication processing; and

a real-time communication processing control means for executing said message object based on the priority by referring to said message object configuration information storing means;

wherein said real-time communication processing control means is a software module executed in a task.

2. A distributed control system comprising a network and at least one control unit having a communication means for connecting to said network, wherein said control unit comprises:

a message object configuration information storing means for storing a starting procedure of at least one message object having a network communication function, the message object being for performing communication processing between application programs each of which is constituted by at least one software module, and the message object configuration information storing means comprising a communication processing priority indicating a priority to execute communication processing; and

a real-time communication processing control means for executing said message object based on the priority by referring to said message object configuration information storing means;

wherein said message object configuration information storing means comprises information indicating one of an in-unit communication and an inter-unit communication, and indicating a communication processing priority in regard to the inter-unit communication.

3. A distributed control system comprising at least one control unit connected to a network, wherein said control unit comprises:

a module configuration information storing means for storing starting procedure of at least one software module which constitutes an application program;

a message object configuration information storing means for storing starting procedure of at least one message object having a network communication function, the message object being for performing communication processing between application programs each of which is constituted by at least one software module, and the message object configuration information storing means including a communication processing priority indicating a priority to execute communication processing;

a module start control means for executing the software module, referring to module configuration information storing means; and

a real-time communication processing control means for executing said message object based on the priority referring to said message object configuration information storing means.

4. A distributed control system according to claim 3, wherein said module start control means is a task.

5. A distributed control system according to claim 3, wherein said module start control means is a function included in an operating system.

6. A distributed control system according to claim 3, wherein said module configuration information storing means includes a software module information to be executed next.

7. A distributed control system according to claim 3, wherein said real-time communication processing control means is a software module executed in a task.

8. A distributed control system according to claim 3, wherein said real-time communication processing control means is a task.

9. A distributed control system according to claim 3, wherein said real-time communication processing control means is a function included in an operating system.

10. A distributed control system according to claim 3, wherein said message object configuration information storing means includes information indicating whether a message object is an in-unit communication or an inter-unit communication.

11. A distributed control system according to claim 3, wherein said message object configuration information storing means includes software module information to be executed next.

12. A control system comprising at least one control unit which includes a module configuration information string means for storing a starting means for at least one software module which constitutes an application program, a message object configuration information storing means for storing a starting procedure of at least one message object having a network communication function, the message object being for performing communication processing between application programs each of which is constituted by at least one software module, and the message object configuration information storing means including a communication processing priority indicating a priority to execute communication processing, a module start control means for executing the software module referring to said module configuration information storing means, and a real-time communication processing means for executing said message object based on the priority referring to said message object configuration information storing means;

a computer having information to be stored in said module configuration information storing means; and

an initializing means existing in said control unit for storing the information in said module configuration information storing means, wherein said control unit, the computer and the initializing means are connected to a network.

13. A control system according to claim 12, further comprises a distributed control middleware code generating tool which receives system configuration information and outputs a program code composed of information to be stored in said module configuration information storing means and said module start control means.