Industrial control system with distributed motion planning
First Claim
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1. An industrial controller comprising:
- a network interface adapted to communicate with one or more connected motor drives;
an electronic computer communicating with the network interface and executing a program stored in non-transient storage medium to;
(1) receive a control program providing motion control instructions;
(2) execute the motion control instructions by calling a function executing to distribute motion planning tasks to motion planning capable motor drives, wherein the function is stored in the industrial controller independent of the control program so that the function can be called by different control programs, the function operable to;
(a) identify a motor drive associated with the motion control instruction; and
(b) determine whether the identified motor drive is capable of executing a motion planner, which provides a time series of motion data for controlling a motor when initiated by a motion command caused by execution of a motion control instruction, and if capable, transmit the motion command to the identified motor drives over the network interface to the identified drive, otherwise transmit the motion command to a motion planner in the industrial controller.
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Abstract
An industrial control system provides motion control functions that may distribute motion planning tasks to capable motor drives and motion devices based on stored drive profiles. The profile-aware functions allow control programs to be used with motor drives that are both capable and incapable of executing a motion planning with automatic distribution of the planning tasks as appropriate. Coordination among different devices in the industrial control system when motion planning is distributed may be accommodated through peer-to-peer communication between drives and non-controller devices.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An industrial controller comprising:
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a network interface adapted to communicate with one or more connected motor drives; an electronic computer communicating with the network interface and executing a program stored in non-transient storage medium to; (1) receive a control program providing motion control instructions; (2) execute the motion control instructions by calling a function executing to distribute motion planning tasks to motion planning capable motor drives, wherein the function is stored in the industrial controller independent of the control program so that the function can be called by different control programs, the function operable to; (a) identify a motor drive associated with the motion control instruction; and (b) determine whether the identified motor drive is capable of executing a motion planner, which provides a time series of motion data for controlling a motor when initiated by a motion command caused by execution of a motion control instruction, and if capable, transmit the motion command to the identified motor drives over the network interface to the identified drive, otherwise transmit the motion command to a motion planner in the industrial controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A motor drive comprising:
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a switching circuit for synthesizing power voltage to a motor; a network interface for communicating with an industrial controller; an electronic computer communicating with the switching circuit and the network interface and executing a program stored in non-transient storage medium to; (1) receive a motion command from an industrial controller over the network interface, the motion command indicating execution of a motion instruction by the industrial controller; (2) in response to the motion command, generate time series of motion data for the switching circuit using a motion planner; and (3) after generation of the time series of motion data for the switching circuit using the motion planner communicate with the industrial controller a motion completion signal indicating completion of the motion command to the industrial controller. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An output module comprising:
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electrical outputs adapted for connection to external equipment; a network interface for communicating with other devices; an electronic computer communicating with the electrical outputs and the network interface and executing a program stored in non-transient storage medium to; (1) receive over the network interface, motion data providing a time series of data values representing motion of a device; (2) receive over the network interface an output camming command from an industrial controller over the network interface; (3) in response to the ramming command, generate at an electrical output, cam data providing a time series of data values representing a cycle of desired motion of a device, the cam data based on the received motion data and a cam function held in the output module mapping motion data to cam data; and (4) after generation of the cam data providing the time series of data values representing a cycle of desired motion of a device, send a completion signal to the industrial controller over the network interface indicating completion of the ramming command to the industrial controller. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An input module comprising:
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electrical inputs adapted for connection to external equipment to receive electrical signal therefrom; a network interface for communicating with other devices; an electronic computer communicating with the electrical inputs and the network interface and executing a program stored in non-transient storage medium to; (1) receive over the network interface motion data providing a time series of data value representing motion of the device and a registration command; (2) in response to a registration command control a recording of motion data based on a predetermined state of an electrical signal from an electrical input; (3) after recording of motion data based on the predetermined state of the electrical signal from the electrical input, send a completion signal to the industrial controller over the network interface, with the recorded motion data, indicating completion of the registration command to the industrial controller.
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26. An input module comprising:
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electrical inputs adapted for connection to external equipment to receive electrical signal therefrom; a network interface for communicating with other devices; an electronic computer communicating with the electrical inputs and the network interface and executing a program stored in non-transient storage medium to; (1) receive over the network interface motion data providing a time series of data value representing motion of the device and a watch command; (2) in response to the watch command, control a recording of an electrical signal from an electrical input based on a predetermined state of the motion data; (3) after recording of the electrical signal from the electrical input based on the predetermined state of the motion data, send a completion signal to the industrial controller over the network interface, with the recorded electrical signal, indicating completion of the watch command to the industrial controller.
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Specification