Method for executing sequential function charts as function blocks in a control system

• US 8,903,520 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2009
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Karaffa, John Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): DUNN, DARRIN D
• Application Number:
  US12/423,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20100262265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,058 Days
• Field of Search: 717/110, 717/140, 717/146, 700/18, 700/87
• US Class Current: 700/87
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/056 Programming the PLC
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13019 Translate program in order to be used on different plc
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13108 Flow diagram, sequential function chart with transitions and states SFC Grafcet

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for converting Sequential Function Chart (SFC) logic to function block logic for execution by a programmable controller. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving Sequential Function Chart (SFC) logic comprising Steps and Transition on a physical computing device, converting the Steps and Transitions of the Sequential Function Chart logic to function block logic on the physical computing device, and uploading the function block logic from the physical computing device to a controller.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving Sequential Function Chart (SFC) logic comprising Steps and Transition on a physical computing device;

converting the Steps and Transitions of the Sequential Function Chart logic to function block logic on the physical computing device; and

uploading the function block logic from the physical computing device to a controller, wherein converting the Steps and Transitions of the SFC logic comprises converting the Steps and Transitions of the Sequential Function Chart logic to the function block logic using a block library stored on both the physical computing device and in the controller, the block library comprising a plurality of specific function blocks implementing SFC functionality that provide executable code to convert Steps and Transitions of the SFC logic to the function block logic; and

executing the function block logic in the controller by using the block library stored in the controller.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising providing an SFC editor to a user of the physical computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising providing a function block editor to a user of the physical computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of specific function blocks comprise an Active Control Block, an Active Step Time Block, a Transition Control Block, an SFC Control Interface Block, a Transition Activation Control Block, an Actions of Interest Control Block, or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising displaying the SFC logic on a display of the physical computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein uploading the function block logic comprises programming the controller with the function block logic.

7. A physical computing device, comprising:

a tangible machine-readable medium comprising code adapted to;

provide a Sequential Function Chart (SFC) editor to a user;

receive first application code comprising an SFC model;

convert the first application code to a second application code comprising blockware by using a block library stored on both the physical computing device and in a controller, the block library comprising a plurality of specific function blocks implementing SFC functionality that provide executable code to convert Steps and Transitions the SFC model to the blockware; and

output the second application code, wherein the second application code is configured to be executed by the controller by using the block library stored in the controller.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the tangible machine-readable medium comprises code further adapted to program the controller with the second application code.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the controller cannot execute the first application code and can only execute the second application code.

10. The device of claim 7, comprising a display configured to display an interface of the SFC editor.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the blockware comprises a plurality of function blocks corresponding to the SFC logic.

12. A system, comprising:

a programmable logic controller comprising function blocks executable to perform one or more control functions, wherein the function blocks are translated, via a computer, from Sequential Function Chart logic via a block library having a plurality of specific function blocks that provide executable code implementing SFC functionality to convert Steps and Transitions of the Sequential Function Chart logic to the function blocks, wherein the block library is stored in both the programmable logic controller and the computer, and wherein the function blocks are configured to be executed by the programmable logic controller by using the block library stored in the programmable logic controller.

13. The system of claim 12, comprising:

the computer coupled to the programmable logic controller via a network, wherein the computer comprises;

a processor;

a tangible machine-readable medium; and

an application stored on a tangible machine readable medium and executable by the processor, wherein the application is configured to provide a Sequential Function Chart editor to a user and output first application code comprising SFC logic, and the application is configured to convert the first application code to a second application code comprising the function blocks executable by the programmable logic controller.

14. The system of claim 12, comprising a power generation component coupled to the programmable logic controller.

15. The system of claim 12, comprising a turbine coupled to the programmable logic controller.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the function blocks define one or more inputs, one or more outputs, and logic operators acting on the one or more inputs to produce the one or more outputs.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller cannot execute the first application code and can only execute the second application code by using the block library stored in the programmable logic controller.