Method for controlling an industrial automation device

• US 7,881,816 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Research Ltd. (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Mathiesen, Mogens, Aakvaag, Niels, Thonet, Gilles
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Ramesh B
• Application Number:
  US11/793,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20090043407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,870 Days
• Field of Search: 700/1, 700/17, 700 19- 20, 700 47- 48, 700 51- 52, 700/83, 340/3.1, 340/825.29
• US Class Current: 700/47
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A method for controlling an industrial automation device or process including a control unit, at least one actuator, and at least one device arranged for wireless communication with the control unit. The method determines characteristics of the wireless transmissions used to communicate sensor and/or actuator data to the control unit. The method, a system and a graphic interface enable a user to select a control strategy dependent on a value or values of the characteristics of the wireless communications.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an industrial automation device comprising a control unit, at least one actuator and at least one device arranged for wireless communication with said control unit of a process, the method comprising:

determining with a communication parameters unit at least one characteristic or communication parameter of a wireless transmission at least one of from the control unit to the industrial automation device or process and from the device,

statistically processing with the communication parameters unit the at least one characteristic or communication parameter and supplying an estimated correction value to said control unit, and

selecting with the control unit a control strategy dependent on the values of the at least one characteristic or communication parameter of the wireless transmission at least one of from the control unit to the industrial automation device or process and from the device.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

implementing in the control unit a control strategy dependent on an optimization of parameters of a communication channel utilizing a logical or arithmetic model or process based on any from a list of;

state estimator, Kalman filter, and deductive reasoning.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

inputting information dependent on parameters of a communication channel into a neural network or for training the neural network.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

inputting information dependent on parameters of a communication channel into a process for determining a estimated value for a disturbance or an error correction based on Bayesian or Bayesian network logical or calculation model.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

comparing with the communication parameters unit the at least one characteristic to a predetermined value for the characteristic or communication parameter,

statistically processing with the communication parameters unit differences between the determined characteristic or communication parameter value and a predetermined characteristic or communication parameter value, and

supplying from the communication parameters unit the differences to said control unit.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

reading with the communication parameters unit from a medium access control layer any from a list of;

one or more of received signal strength indication, number of failed transmission attempts, and network occupancy.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

reading with the communication parameters unit at least one of the characteristics or communication parameters from a communication layer of the wireless transmission.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

reading with the communication parameters unit at least one of the characteristics from an access control member of a communication channel.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

reading with the communication parameters unit information dependent on any from a list of;

packet loss, packet transmission time delay, packet reception time delay, packet failure rate, transmission time delay variation, and reception time delay variation.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

reading with the communication parameters unit information dependent on sensed carrier characteristics from a physical layer of the wireless transmission.

11. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

reading with the communication parameters unit information dependent on at least one transmission or reception of information containing members.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the information containing members comprise frames or packets.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

reading with the communication parameters unit with the communication parameters unit with the communication parameters unit at least one of the characteristics or communication parameters from a medium access control layer.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

reading with the communication parameters unit at least one of the characteristics or communication parameters from a physical layer of the wireless transmission.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sending with the communication parameters unit a test frame transmitted by a wireless node to at least one other wireless node for scanning purposes, and

reading with the communication parameters unit information from other wireless nodes or access points dependent on the test frame to obtain information about signal strength.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

reading with the communication parameters unit information from wireless nodes or access points dependent on the test frame sent, and

comparing with the communication parameters unit information with a service set identifier or similar.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

reading with the communication parameters unit an update rate for a wireless sensor.

18. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

controlling said industrial automation device at least one computer program in a computer or processor in order to carry out said method.

19. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

controlling said industrial automation device by manipulating a graphical user interface to carry out an action according to the method.

20. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium; and

computer program instructions recorded on the computer readable medium and executable by a computer or processor will cause the computer or processor to carry out a method for controlling an industrial automation device comprising a control unit, at least one actuator and at least one device arranged for wireless communication with said control unit of a process, the method comprising determining with a communication parameters unit at least one characteristic or communication parameter of a wireless transmission at least one of from the control unit to the industrial automation device and from the, device, statistically processing with the communication parameters unit the at least one characteristic or communication parameter and supplying an estimated correction value to said control unit, and selecting with the control unit a control strategy dependent on the values of the at least one characteristic or communication parameter of the wireless transmission at least one of from the control unit to the industrial automation device and from the device.

21. A graphical user interface for controlling an industrial automation device comprising at least one control unit, at least one actuator and at least one device arranged for wireless communication with said control unit of a process, wherein an output value from a device is determined and compared to a reference value, the graphical user interface comprising:

a graphical user interface for displaying data relevant to a part of the control loop, and

a graphic user interface display or manipulation unit configured to control said industrial automation device dependent on at least one characteristic or communication parameter of at least one wireless communication at least one of from the at least one control unit to the industrial automation device and from the device.

22. The graphical user interface according to claim 21, further comprising:

a graphical user interface comprising at least one of a graphical user interface manipulation unit or a display for configuring a reference value for comparison with any of the at least one wireless communication characteristic.

23. The graphical user interface according to claim 22, further comprising:

a graphical user interface comprising at least one of a graphical user interface manipulation unit or a display for displaying a part of the control loop and a representation for at least one control loop parameter that may be corrected dependent on any of the at least one wireless communication characteristic.

24. A system for controlling an industrial automation device, comprising:

at least one control unit,

at least one actuator,

at least one device arranged for wireless communication with said control unit of a process,

a memory storage unit configured to store at least one characteristic of at least one wireless transmission, and

a statistical processor configured to determine an estimate for a control strategy dependent on any of the at least one wireless communication characteristic.

25. The system according to claim 24, further comprising:

a processor configured to compare any of the at least one characteristic to a predetermined value for at least one characteristic and calculating by at least one of a logical or arithmetic process a difference value from the at least one wireless transmission.

26. The system according to claim 24, further comprising:

a processor configured to compare any of the at least one characteristic to a predetermined value for at least one characteristic.

27. The system according to claim 24, wherein said control unit comprises a wireless communication member.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein said at least one sensor comprises a wireless communication transmission member.

29. The system according to claim 24, wherein said at least one actuator comprises at least one wireless communication receiver.

30. The system according to claim 24, wherein the wireless communication member is arranged for wireless communication which comprises at least one physical layer and at least one medium access layer.

31. The system according to claim 24, wherein the wireless communication member is arranged for wireless communication comprising a physical layer and a medium access layer compatible with an IEEE standard 802.11, 802.15.4.

32. The system according to claim 31, wherein the wireless communication member is arranged for wireless communication comprising a logical link control layer.

33. The system according to claim 24, further comprising:

at least one computer program product configured to handle at least one characteristic of at least one wireless transmission and comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium and computer program instructions recorded on the computer readable medium and executable by a computer or processor for causing the computer or processor to carry out a method comprising determining with a communication parameters unit at least one characteristic or communication parameter of a wireless transmission at least one of from the control unit to the industrial automation device and from the device or process, statistically processing with the communication parameters unit the at least one characteristic or communication parameter and supplying an estimated correction value to said control unit, and selecting with the control unit a control strategy dependent on the values of the at least one characteristic or communication parameter of the wireless transmission at least one of from the control unit to the industrial automation device or process and from the device.

34. The system according to claim 24, wherein the memory storage unit comprises a non-volatile storage unit for data storage for storing at least one of the at least one characteristic of at least one wireless transmission or differences or information derived from the characteristics suitable for data retrieval, for use in conjunction with a control action.

35. The system according to claim 24, further comprising:

at least one display connected or connectable to the system and configured to display a graphical user interface comprising a graphical user interface for displaying data relevant to a part of the control loop, and at least one of a graphic user interface display or manipulator configured to control said industrial automation device dependent on at least one characteristic or communication parameter of at least one wireless communication.