Simulation controls for model variablity and randomness

• US 8,417,506 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2010
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Sturrock, David T., Morse, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THAI Q
• Application Number:
  US12/862,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20100318339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 703/13, 703/22, 717/106, 717/135, 717/139, 711/163
• US Class Current: 703/22
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30

Abstract

A tool for simulating an industrial control system is provided. The tool includes a simulation component to emulate one or more simulation models according to a simulated execution environment. A switch component is associated with the simulation component to selectively enable or disable variability in the simulation models.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

storing, by a system including a processor, model data representing a stochastic simulation model for an industrial automation system in a memory;

receiving, by the system, a programming instruction to disable randomness or variability in the stochastic simulation model; and

in response to receiving the programming instruction, modifying, by the system, the model data to disable the randomness or the variability in the stochastic simulation model including modifying the model data to represent a deterministic simulation model.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the programming instruction further comprises receiving an instruction to permanently disable the randomness or the variability in the stochastic simulation model.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the programming instruction further comprises receiving an instruction to temporarily disable the randomness or the variability in the stochastic simulation model.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing, by the system, the stochastic simulation model.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising examining, by the system, a behavior of the stochastic simulation model.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving, by the system, an alteration to a parameter of the stochastic simulation model based on the behavior.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the system, a second programming instruction to enable the randomness or the variability in the stochastic simulation model; and

enabling, by the system, the randomness or the variability in the simulation model according to the second programming instruction.

8. A device, comprising:

a memory that stores computer-executable components; and

a processor, communicatively coupled to the memory, that facilitates execution of the computer-executable components to at least;

execute a simulation model for an industrial automation system;

receive a programming instruction to disable randomness or variability in the simulation model; and

in response to reception of the programming instruction, disable the randomness or the variability in the simulation model according to the programming instruction.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the programming instruction instructs to permanently disable the randomness or the variability in the simulation model.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the programming instruction instructs to temporarily disable the randomness or the variability in the simulation model.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the processor further facilitates the execution of the computer-readable components to execute the simulation model.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the processor further facilitates the execution of the computer-readable components to facilitate a display of execution data of the at least one simulation model.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the processor further facilitates the execution of the computer-readable components to receive an alteration to a parameter of the simulation model based on the execution data.

14. The device of claim 8, wherein the processor further facilitates the execution of the computer-readable components to:

receive a second programming instruction to enable the randomness or the variability in the simulation model; and

in response to reception of the second programming instruction, enable the randomness or the variability in the simulation model according to the second programming instruction.

15. A computer, comprising:

a simulation tool that creates a simulation model for an element of an industrial automation tool;

a memory that stores the simulation model;

a switch that receives programming instructions to disable randomness or variability in the simulation model; and

a processor that disables the randomness or variability in the simulation model according to the programming instructions.

16. The computer of claim 15, wherein the simulation tool executes a simulation employing the simulation model.

17. The computer of claim 16, further comprising an interface component that displays data related to the simulation.

18. The computer of claim 17, wherein the interface component receives second programming instructions to change a parameter of the simulation model based on the data related to the simulation.

19. The computer of claim 15, wherein the switch receives third programming instructions to enable the randomness or the variability in the simulation model.