Testing method and testing device for starting up systems which are controlled by means of a program logic

• US 7,117,395 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2003
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Opaterny, Thilo
• Primary Examiner(s): Baderman, Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONTINO, PAUL F
• Application Number:
  US10/428,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20040073850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 714/725, 714/39, 717/131, 717/132, 717/133, 717/127
• US Class Current: 714/39
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence

Abstract

When systems controlled using a program logic, such as automation systems, are started up, it is necessary to observe individual program areas specifically. Program areas of this type are usually described by one or more modules of a program. This presents the problem that, in order to obtain an accurate analysis, the requests for these modules have to be identified in connection with the modules themselves, since they are ordinarily used multiple times. The present testing method and testing device are used to calculate and display a hierarchical request tree that shows the requests corresponding to a selected module. One or more requests for the selected module can be selected for observation by selecting individual lines of this request tree.

Claims

1. Testing method for commencing operation of a system that is controlled with a program logic, comprising:

generating a cross-reference list with identifiers used within the program logic and respective locations of use of the identifiers,

selecting module identifiers that are used to identify modules within the program logic and respective locations of use of the module identifiers, and

generating an overview depiction of at least some requests of a selected one of the modules identified by the respective module identifier, for

selecting at least one specific request of the selected module, and for

observing execution of the at least one specific request of the selected module with an editor,

wherein the overview depiction displays a view showing all modules that request the selected module and any modules that request said all modules that request the selected module, within said execution.

2. Testing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system is an automation system.

3. Testing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cross-reference list is a complete cross-reference list with all the identifiers used within the program logic and the respective locations of use of the identifiers.

4. Testing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the program logic is implemented in a graphic programming language and is comprised at least largely of modules.

5. Testing method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the graphic programming language comprises ladder diagram or sequential function chart.

6. Testing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locations of use of the module identifiers generated in the cross-reference list respectively comprise the module request and a respective return address for the request.

7. Testing method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

analyzing the return addresses related to the selected module, and displaying the overview depiction of the requests of the selected module in a hierarchical request tree with a viewer.

8. Testing method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

aborting calculation of a request path of the selected module if the return address related to the selected module is listed multiple times.

9. Testing method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the viewer includes a marking tool that marks at least one line in the request tree and thereby uniquely defines at least one request of the selected module.

10. Testing method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

displaying the request of the selected module that is uniquely defined by marking the at least one line in the request tree.

11. Testing device for starting up a system controlled with a program logic, comprising:

a filter element selecting module identifiers, which identify modules of the program logic and respective locations of use of the identifiers, from a cross-reference list of all the identifiers used within the program logic and the locations of use of the identifiers within the program logic,

a display device displaying the list of module identifiers to select one or more modules,

a translation unit translating all requests of this module into a hierarchical display, and

a viewer displaying the hierarchical display showing a selected module, all modules that request the selected module, and any modules that request said all modules that request the selected module.

12. Testing device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the system is an automation system.

13. Testing device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the viewer comprises a marking tool marking individual requests in the hierarchical display.

14. Testing device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising an editor observing execution of a module uniquely defined by selecting a specific request of the selected module.

15. A method, comprising:

translating a program logic into machine language and generating a cross reference list containing identifiers within the translated program logic and locations for each of the identifiers;

selecting module identifiers from the cross-reference list to produce a module identifier list containing module identifiers and locations for each of the module identifiers;

selecting one module identifier from the module identifier list as a selected module; and

generating and displaying a chart showing all modules that request the selected module,

wherein the chart further shows any modules that request said all modules that request the selected module.