Arrangement for distributed control system

• US 7,418,481 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2003
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC), Kvaser Consultant Aktiebolag
• Original Assignee: TimeGalactic AB (Scimitar)
• Inventors: Fredriksson, Lars-Berno
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US10/523,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20060077998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,868 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/236, 709/249, 709/250
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

In an arrangement, functions and/or structures in a distributed control system (24) that works with a first protocol (28) are analysed and/or monitored. A first unit (23) is connected or can be connected to the control system, which first unit, due to its compatibility with the first protocol, receives and/or sends task instructions concerning the functions and/or structures. The first unit comprises or is connected to a second (22) and transforms at least those parts in the first protocol that relate to the task instructions concerning the functions and/or structures into a second protocol, by means of which the said tasks can be initiated and/or carried out in a tool arrangement (1) that is comprised in or can be connected to the second unit. This tool arrangement works with the second protocol, whereby primary readings and/or modifications in the first protocol on the basis of the analysis and/or monitoring can be carried out by means of secondary readings and/or modifications in the second protocol. The analysis and monitoring are simplified and tools and protocol-handling can be separated. In addition, time functions in the system(s) can be made unambiguous.

Claims

1. An arrangement for at least one of analyzing, simulating and monitoring functions and/or structures in a distributed control system (24) that works with a first protocol (29), comprising:

at least one first unit (23, 26) connected to the distributed control system via contacts (5′

, 6′

, 6″

), the at least one first unit, by means of the first protocol, receives and/or sends task instructions concerning the monitoring functions and/or structures; and

a second unit (22) connected the first unit and to a tool arrangement interactable with a user and further comprising;

a first computer (21) able to carry out calculation, simulation and/or analysis tasks, or

a second computer connected to the first computer that is adapted to configure the second computer, wherein the second computer is adapted to carry out at least some of the tasks of the first computer,

wherein the at least one first unit transforms, at least those parts in the first protocol (29) that relate to said tasks into a second protocol (28), by means of which the tasks or parts of tasks can be carried out by the second unit (22),

wherein the second unit, by means of the second protocol (28) or a third protocol (27), can communicate with the tool arrangement, which by readings and/or modifications in the first protocol and in the first and second protocols, respectively, can carry out the readings and/or modifications in a same way in the second and third protocols, respectively,

wherein the at least one first unit (23, 26) further comprises at least one microprocessor which communicates partly with the distributed control system by means of a connection, a protocol and a bit speed valid for the distributed control system, and communicates with the second unit (22),

wherein the second unit is equipped with at least one microprocessor adapted to communicate and exchange information with the at least one first unit and the tool arrangement, and

wherein primary readings and/or modifications in the first protocol on the basis of the analysis and/or monitoring can be carried out by means of secondary readings and/or modifications in the second protocol.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second protocol is developed to serve as a common platform for the analysis tasks of two or more systems with different protocols.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second unit provides a common time base for units working in parallel.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first unit is arranged for independent collection, processing and saving of information from the connected distributed control system and in that the information generated in this way is arranged to be able to be read and/or interpreted via information generated by the second unit (22).

5. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein second parts of task instructions downloaded or transferred from the first computer (21) can be allocated for use in second computer units in different systems.

6. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein during interaction between the first computer and the user, rules are generated for automatic repetition, and the rules are further modified for a second computer with regard to the collected information and presentation of results of the analysis task.

7. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the tool arrangement is adapted with a connection arrangement adapted to communicate with one or more of the microprocessors via serial or wireless communication.

8. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first or second unit is adapted to communicate via a serial communication in one direction and with a microprocessor (4) via a serial communication towards the other direction and to work with a reduced interface toward users.

9. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first or second unit communicates with one or more units via a serial communication by means of the at least one microprocessor and works with a reduced interface toward at least one user, carries out processing of signals from an other unit according to rules attained from the other unit, and comprises a number of units having microprocessors which communicate with serial communication.

10. The arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the units further comprise a local clock which respectively is adjusted or related to a clock in the other unit.

11. The arrangement of claim 7, wherein the communication is by at least one of USB, Bluetooth and Ethernet.

12. The arrangement of claim 8, wherein the serial communication is by at least one of CAN and LIN and the reduced interface is at least one of light diodes and summers.

13. The arrangement of claim 9, wherein the serial communication is by at least one of CAN and LIN and the reduced interface is at least one of light diodes and summers.