Distributed control system
First Claim
1. A method of controlling operations of a first machine, a second machine, and a third machine of a plurality of machines over a network in an industrial automation environment, each machine being automated machinery that is configured to perform at least one industrial automation operation and having at least a control unit, a sensor and a device, the method comprising:
- identifying, using the first machine'"'"'s control unit, a first prerequisite operating condition associated with the first machine, wherein the first machine is configured to perform at least a first operation only upon meeting the first prerequisite operating condition;
receiving, by the first machine and directly from the second machine over the network and without the use of a central controller, data indicative of at least one current operating condition associated with the second machine, the data indicative of the second machine'"'"'s at least one current operating condition generated using the second machine'"'"'s sensor and control unit;
determining, using the first machine'"'"'s control unit, whether the at least one current operating condition meets the first prerequisite operating condition;
if the at least one current operating condition meets the first prerequisite operating condition, performing the first operation on the first machine using the first machine'"'"'s device;
if the at least one current operating condition does not meet the first prerequisite operating condition, not performing the first operation on the first machine using the first machine'"'"'s device;
determining at least one current operating condition associated with the first machine;
generating, using the first machine'"'"'s sensor and control unit, data indicative of the first machine'"'"'s at least one current operating condition;
determining a location of the third machine without the use of a central controller; and
sending, directly to the third machine at its determined location, the data indicative of the first machine'"'"'s at least one current operating condition, the first machine'"'"'s at least one current operating condition useable to determine one of performance and nonperformance of an operation on the third machine.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a method for controlling a plurality of machines. The method includes identifying a first prerequisite operating condition for a first machine in the plurality of machines, the first machine having at least one control unit and configured to perform at least a first operation, obtaining at least one current operating condition corresponding to a second machine in the plurality of machines and if the at least one current operating condition meets the first prerequisite operating condition, performing the first operation.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of controlling operations of a first machine, a second machine, and a third machine of a plurality of machines over a network in an industrial automation environment, each machine being automated machinery that is configured to perform at least one industrial automation operation and having at least a control unit, a sensor and a device, the method comprising:
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identifying, using the first machine'"'"'s control unit, a first prerequisite operating condition associated with the first machine, wherein the first machine is configured to perform at least a first operation only upon meeting the first prerequisite operating condition; receiving, by the first machine and directly from the second machine over the network and without the use of a central controller, data indicative of at least one current operating condition associated with the second machine, the data indicative of the second machine'"'"'s at least one current operating condition generated using the second machine'"'"'s sensor and control unit; determining, using the first machine'"'"'s control unit, whether the at least one current operating condition meets the first prerequisite operating condition; if the at least one current operating condition meets the first prerequisite operating condition, performing the first operation on the first machine using the first machine'"'"'s device; if the at least one current operating condition does not meet the first prerequisite operating condition, not performing the first operation on the first machine using the first machine'"'"'s device; determining at least one current operating condition associated with the first machine; generating, using the first machine'"'"'s sensor and control unit, data indicative of the first machine'"'"'s at least one current operating condition; determining a location of the third machine without the use of a central controller; and sending, directly to the third machine at its determined location, the data indicative of the first machine'"'"'s at least one current operating condition, the first machine'"'"'s at least one current operating condition useable to determine one of performance and nonperformance of an operation on the third machine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus in a first machine for controlling a plurality of machines in an industrial automation environment, each machine being automated machinery that is configured to perform at least one industrial automation operation and having at least a control unit, a sensor and a device, the first machine configured to perform at least a first operation over a network, comprising:
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a memory; and a processor configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to; identify a first prerequisite operating condition associated with the first machine, wherein the first machine is configured to perform at least a first operation only upon meeting the first prerequisite operating condition; receive, directly from a second machine of the plurality of machines over the network and without the use of a central controller, data indicative of at least one current operating condition associated with the second machine in the plurality of machines, the data indicative of the second machine'"'"'s at least one current operating condition generated using the second machine'"'"'s sensor and control unit; and determine, using the first machine'"'"'s control unit, whether the at least one current operating condition meets the first prerequisite operating condition; generate a signal to perform the first operation on the first machine if the at least one current operating condition meets the first prerequisite operating condition determine at least one current operating condition associated with the first machine using the first machine'"'"'s device; generate, using the first machine'"'"'s sensor and control unit, data indicative of the first machine'"'"'s at least one current operating condition; determine a location of the third machine without the use of a central controller; and send, directly to at least a third machine of the plurality of machines at its determined location, the data indicative of the first machine'"'"'s at least one current operating condition, the first machine'"'"'s at least one current operating condition useable to determine one of performance and nonperformance of an operation on the third machine. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification