Devices, systems, and methods regarding a PLC system fault

• US 7,752,511 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2007
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Fulton, Temple L., Trapp, Lothar, Fuchs, Heiner
• Primary Examiner(s): KERVEROS, DEMETRIOS C
• Application Number:
  US11/890,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20080126882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 714/725
• US Class Current: 714/725
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/058 Safety, monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/14038 Fault in I-O racks, point level

Abstract

A method for providing a signal indicative of a set single bit flag, which is set for a scan cycle responsive to a detection of a fault in an Input/Output (I/O) device of a programmable logic controller (PLC) system or an I/O interface of the PLC system. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a signal indicative of a set single bit flag, wherein;

said flag is set for a first scan cycle in response to a detection of a fault in an Input/Output (I/O) device of a programmable logic controller (PLC) system or an I/O interface of said PLC system, and said flag is promptly reset at a conclusion of said first scan cycle; and

said flag is set for a second scan cycle in response to a determination that said fault has been cleared, and said flag is promptly reset at a conclusion of said second scan cycle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting said fault.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that said fault has been cleared.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing a message indicative of said fault; and

recording information related to said fault in an entry in a log.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically receiving said signal indicative of said flag at a user control program of a PLC of said PLC system, said user control program written in an International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard 1131-3 compliant language.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically analyzing said signal indicative of said flag via a user control program of a PLC of said PLC system, said user control program written in an International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard 1131-3 compliant language.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically responding, via a rule based action, to said signal indicative of said flag by a user control program of a PLC of said PLC system, said user control program written in an International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard 1131-3 compliant language.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically determining a history of status changes of said flag via a user control program of a PLC of said PLC system, said user control program written in an International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard 1131-3 compliant language.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

resetting said flag for only said second scan cycle responsive to said determination that said fault has been cleared.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically creating an event, via PLC firmware, at a PLC of said PLC system.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to said flag, automatically causing a system interrupt to be executed, via PLC firmware, at a PLC of said PLC system.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to said flag, automatically causing an object block to be executed, via PLC firmware, at a PLC of said PLC system.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to said flag, automatically creating a diagnostic error, via PLC firmware, at a PLC of said PLC system.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said fault is detected via a cyclical redundancy check by said I/O device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said fault is detected via a cyclical redundancy check in a message transmitted from said I/O device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said fault is detected via a cyclical redundancy check in a message transmitted to said I/O interface.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said fault is detected via a cyclical redundancy check by said I/O device of I/O device firmware.

18. A machine-readable medium comprising machine instructions for activities comprising:

providing a signal indicative of a set single bit flag, wherein;

said flag is set for a first scan cycle in response to a detection of a fault in an Input/Output (I/O) device of a programmable logic controller (PLC) system or an I/O interface of said PLC system, and said flag is promptly reset at a conclusion of said first scan cycle; and

said flag is set for a second scan cycle in response to a determination that said fault has been cleared, and said flag is promptly reset at a conclusion of said second scan cycle.

19. A system comprising:

a circuit adapted to provide a signal indicative of a set single bit flag, wherein;

said flag is set for a first scan cycle in response to a detection of a fault in an Input/Output (I/O) device of a programmable logic controller (PLC) system or an I/O interface of said PLC system, and said flag is promptly reset at a conclusion of said first scan cycle; and

said flag is set for a second scan cycle in response to a determination that said fault has been cleared, and said flag is promptly reset at a conclusion of said second scan cycle.