Methods and apparatus employing an action engine for monitoring and/or controlling dynamic environments

• US 9,494,926 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2012
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Opteon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Opteon Corporation
• Inventors: Frazer, Mark J., Hopkins, T. Eric, Schaeffer, Timothy N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Carlos Ortiz
• Application Number:
  US13/646,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20130090745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/021 in which a variable is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0421 Multiprocessor system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0423 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/052 Linking several PLC's
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/054 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/1153 Scan only some I-O registers, use flags
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2214 Multicontrollers, multimicrocomputers, multiprocessing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2231 Master slave
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/07 Responding to the occurrence of a fault, e.g. fault tolerance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2005 using redundant communication controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/126 and has means for transferring I/O instructions and statuses between control unit and main processor

Abstract

A dynamic environment (e.g., an automated industrial process) has multiple conditions in response to which corresponding actions are required, and comprises various equipment, control device(s) to control the equipment, and one or more sensors to generate input signal(s) representing a monitored condition of the environment. A control system for the environment comprises a master processor and one or more co-processors, wherein the master processor configures a given co-processor to evaluate only a first subset of conditions expected to occur in the environment within a specified time period (e.g., less than a response time of the master processor), and to provide first control information representing an action to be taken if a particular condition of the first subset is satisfied. The co-processor receives the input signal(s) representing the monitored condition, processes the input signal(s) so as to determine if the particular condition of the first subset is satisfied, and provides the first control information to the control devices so as to control the equipment. Exemplary applications include dynamic environments in which machine vision techniques and/or equipment are employed.

Claims

1. An action engine to evaluate a plurality of conditions of a dynamic environment, the action engine comprising:

a memory to store at least one event table, the at least one event table being structured as a plurality of successive contiguous memory locations, wherein each memory location of the plurality of successive contiguous memory locations is configured to store contents representing a particular condition of the plurality of conditions to be evaluated by the action engine and a corresponding action to be taken if the particular condition is satisfied; and

at least one scanner, communicatively coupled to the memory so as to access the at least one event table, the at least one scanner comprising processing circuitry configured to;

sequentially process the contents of the respective memory locations of the at least one event table to evaluate the plurality of conditions represented in the contents;

generate a notification signal for each condition of the plurality of conditions that is satisfied upon evaluation; and

generate control information representing at least one action to be taken in the dynamic environment if any of the plurality of conditions is satisfied upon evaluation.

2. The action engine of claim 1, wherein:

A) the dynamic environment includes;

A1) equipment to implement an automated process;

A2) at least one control device to control the equipment in response to at least one control signal; and

A3) at least one sensor to monitor the automated process and generate at least one input signal representing a monitored condition of the plurality of conditions; and

B) the at least one scanner of the action engine;

B1) receives the at least one input signal representing the monitored condition;

B2) processes the at least one input signal so as to determine if at least a first condition represented by the contents of at least a first memory location of the event table is satisfied; and

B3) provides at least first control information representing at least one first action to be taken corresponding to the at least one first condition if the monitored condition matches the at least one first condition.

3. A control system, comprising:

the action engine of claim 2; and

a master processor communicatively coupled to the action engine, the master processor configured to, upon execution of processor-executable instructions stored in the master processor;

provide to the action engine the contents of the respective memory locations of the at least one event table; and

receive from the action engine a notification signal for each condition of the plurality of conditions that is satisfied upon evaluation.

4. A machine vision system, comprising:

the action engine of claim 2;

the equipment to implement the automated process in A1);

the at least one control device in A2) to control the equipment; and

the at least one sensor to monitor the automated process,

wherein;

the equipment to implement the automated process comprises;

robotics equipment; and

lighting equipment to provide controlled ambient lighting for the automated process;

the at least one control device includes a plurality of actuators coupled to the robotics equipment and/or the lighting equipment to control the robotics equipment and/or the lighting equipment;

the at least one sensor comprises at least one image acquisition device to acquire at least one image of at least a portion of the automated process; and

the action engine is communicatively coupled to the at least one control device and the at least one sensor, to receive the at least one input signal generated by the at least one sensor and to control the plurality of actuators and/or the at least one image acquisition device based at least in part on at least the first control information generated in B3).

5. The action engine of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one input interface, communicatively coupled to the at least one scanner, to receive at least one input signal representing a monitored condition of the plurality of conditions of the dynamic environment,

wherein;

the processing circuitry of the at least one scanner compares a value of the at least one input signal to at least a first portion of the contents of at least one memory location of the at least one event table, wherein the first portion of the contents of each memory location represents the particular condition to be evaluated; and

if the value of the at least one input signal matches at least the first portion of the contents of the at least one memory location and representing the particular condition to be evaluated, the processing circuitry of the at least one scanner processes a second portion of the contents of the at least one memory location representing the corresponding action to be taken in the dynamic environment so as to provide at least some of the control information.

6. The action engine of claim 5, wherein:

the at least one event table includes a fixed maximum number of successive contiguous memory locations; and

the maximum number of memory locations is based at least in part on a maximum permissible latency defined by a required response time for providing the control information in the dynamic environment if any condition of the plurality of conditions is satisfied.

7. The action engine of claim 5, wherein the processing circuitry of the scanner comprises:

comparator logic circuitry to compare the value of the at least one input signal to at least the first portion of the contents of the at least one memory location;

action logic circuitry to process the second portion of the contents of the at least one memory location and representing the corresponding action to be taken, and provide the at least some of the control information;

sequencing logic circuitry to control the at least one event table so as to sequentially provide the contents of the respective memory locations to the comparator logic circuitry and the action logic circuitry; and

event table write arbitration logic circuitry to control the at least one event table so as to write new contents to at least one memory register of the at least one event table.

8. The action engine of claim 5, wherein:

the contents of each memory location of the plurality of successive contiguous memory locations includes a condition/action pair, the condition/action pair including a first number of bits constituting the first portion and having respective values representing a particular condition of the plurality of conditions to be evaluated, and a second number of bits constituting the second portion and having respective values representing the corresponding action to be taken if the particular condition is satisfied; and

the processing circuitry of the scanner comprises;

a comparator coupled to the at least one memory location to compare the respective values of the first number of bits representing the particular condition and the value of the at least one input signal representing the monitored condition of the plurality of conditions, the comparator further configured to generate a match signal if the particular condition matches the monitored condition; and

a gate, coupled to the at least one memory location and coupled to the comparator so as to receive the match signal, to output the second number of bits having respective values representing the corresponding action to be taken if the match signal is asserted by the comparator.

9. The action engine of claim 5, further comprising at least one semaphore register, communicatively coupled to the at least one scanner, to store at least one semaphore, wherein:

the at least one semaphore facilitates management of resource contention; and

the at least one scanner acquires and releases the at least one semaphore to ensure availability of at least one resource on which evaluation of at least one condition of the plurality of conditions relies.

10. The action engine of claim 5, wherein:

the at least one input signal includes a plurality of input signals, wherein respective values of the plurality of input signals at a given time represent the monitored condition of the plurality of conditions; and

the at least one input interface is configured to receive the plurality of input signals.

11. The action engine of claim 10, wherein the respective values of the plurality of input signals comprise at least one of:

a plurality of real-time values representing the monitored condition;

a plurality of latched values representing the monitored condition;

at least one multi-bit digital value representing the monitored condition;

a plurality of binary values respectively representing different sensed parameters constituting the monitored condition; and

at least one binary value representing at least one semaphore.

12. The action engine of claim 5, wherein the at least one input interface further is configured to receive the contents of each memory location of the event table from an external device that receives the notification signal generated by the processing circuitry of the at least one scanner.

13. The action engine of claim 5, further comprising:

at least one output interface, communicatively coupled to the at least one scanner, to provide the notification signal for each condition of the plurality of conditions that is satisfied upon evaluation, and to further provide the at least some of the control information based at least in part on the second portion of the contents of the at least one memory location representing the corresponding action to be taken in the dynamic environment.

14. The action engine of claim 13, wherein the corresponding action to be taken in the dynamic environment, as represented by the at least some of the control information, includes at least one of:

sending at least one data packet to at least one control device in the dynamic environment;

setting and/or clearing at least one flag bit;

setting and/or clearing at least one output bit;

setting and/or clearing at least one semaphore; and

latching and/or resetting at least one counter.

15. The action engine of claim 5, wherein:

each memory location of the at least one event table includes at least one memory register having a first number of bits; and

the first portion of the contents of each memory location representing the particular condition to be evaluated includes a second number of bits smaller than the first number, wherein at least some of the second number of bits are nonadjacent bits in the at least one memory register.

16. The action engine of claim 15, wherein:

the second portion of the contents of each memory location representing the corresponding action to be taken in the dynamic environment includes a third number of bits smaller than the first number, wherein at least some of the third number of bits are nonadjacent bits in the at least one memory register.

17. The action engine of claim 5, wherein:

the first portion of the contents of a first memory location of the plurality of successive contiguous memory locations includes a chain bit to link the first memory location to a next memory location of the plurality of successive contiguous memory locations, the first portion of the contents of the first memory location representing a first condition to be evaluated;

the second portion of the contents of the first memory location representing a first corresponding action to be taken in the dynamic environment includes a first action operand indicating that no action is to be taken in the dynamic environment;

the first portion of the contents of the next memory location represents a second condition to be evaluated; and

the second portion of the contents of the next memory location includes a second action operand representing at least one action to be taken in the dynamic environment if both the first condition and the second condition are satisfied.

18. The action engine of claim 5, wherein:

each memory location of the at least one event table includes at least one memory register having a first number of bits;

the first number of bits are partitioned as an op-code, an action parameter, and a condition operand; and

the op-code comprises at least a condition type code and an action operand,

wherein;

the condition type code and the condition operand constitute at least part of the first portion of the contents of each memory location representing the particular condition to be evaluated; and

the action operand and the action parameter constitute at least part of the second portion of the contents of each memory location representing the corresponding action to be taken in the dynamic environment.

19. The action engine of claim 18, wherein:

the first number of bits for the at least one memory register is 64 bits;

the op-code is 16 bits;

the action parameter is 16 bits; and

the condition operand is 32 bits.

20. The action engine of claim 19, wherein the at least one event table includes 128 memory locations.

21. The action engine of claim 18, wherein the op-code further comprises:

a counter field; and

at least one bit relating to processing of the condition type code.

22. The action engine of claim 21, wherein the at least one bit relating to processing of the condition type code includes at least one of:

a chain bit;

an XOR bit;

a notify bit;

a satisfied bit; and

a last condition bit.

23. A method for evaluating a plurality of conditions of a dynamic environment, the method comprising:

A) sequentially processing contents of respective memory locations of at least one event table stored in a memory, the at least one event table being structured as a plurality of successive contiguous memory locations, wherein each memory location of the plurality of successive contiguous memory locations is configured to store a condition/action pair representing a particular condition of the plurality of conditions to be evaluated and a corresponding action to be taken if the particular condition is satisfied;

B) generating a notification signal for each condition of the plurality of conditions that is satisfied upon evaluation in A); and

C) transmitting, to at least one control device so as to control at least one piece of equipment in the dynamic environment, control information representing at least one action to be taken in the dynamic environment if any of the plurality of conditions is satisfied upon evaluation in A).

24. The method of claim 23, wherein A) comprises:

A1) receiving at least one input signal representing a monitored condition of the plurality of conditions of the dynamic environment;

A2) comparing a value of the at least one input signal to at least a first portion of the contents of at least one memory location of the at least one event table, wherein the first portion of the contents of each memory location represents the particular condition to be evaluated; and

A3) if the value of the at least one input signal matches at least the first portion of the contents of the at least one memory location and representing the particular condition to be evaluated, processing a second portion of the contents of the at least one memory location representing the corresponding action to be taken in the dynamic environment so as to provide at least a portion of the control information transmitted in C).

25. The method of claim 24, wherein A3) further comprises:

acquiring and/or releasing at least one semaphore to facilitate processing of the second portion of the contents of the at least one memory location representing the corresponding action to be taken in the dynamic environment.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein:

the at least one input signal includes a plurality of input signals, wherein respective values of the plurality of input signals at a given time represent the monitored condition of the plurality of conditions.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the respective values of the plurality of input signals comprise at least one of:

a plurality of real-time values representing the monitored condition;

a plurality of latched values representing the monitored condition;

at least one multi-bit digital value representing the monitored condition;

a plurality of binary values respectively representing different sensed parameters constituting the monitored condition; and

at least one binary value representing at least one semaphore.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving the contents of each memory location of the event table from an external device that receives the notification signal generated in B).

29. The method of claim 23, wherein C) comprises at least one of:

sending at least one data packet to the at least one control device;

setting and/or clearing at least one flag bit;

setting and/or clearing at least one output bit;

setting and/or clearing at least one semaphore; and

latching and/or resetting at least one counter.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein:

each memory location of the at least one event table includes at least one memory register having a first number of bits; and

the first portion of the contents of each memory location representing the particular condition to be evaluated includes a second number of bits smaller than the first number, wherein at least some of the second number of bits are nonadjacent bits in the at least one memory register.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein:

the second portion of the contents of each memory location representing the corresponding action to be taken in the dynamic environment includes a third number of bits smaller than the first number, wherein at least some of the third number of bits are nonadjacent bits in the at least one memory register.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein:

the first portion of the contents of a first memory location of the plurality of successive contiguous memory locations includes a chain bit to link the first memory location to a next memory location of the plurality of successive contiguous memory locations, the first portion of the contents of the first memory location representing a first condition to be evaluated;

the second portion of the contents of the first memory location representing a first corresponding action to be taken in the dynamic environment includes a first action operand indicating that no action is to be taken in the dynamic environment;

the first portion of the contents of the next memory location represents a second condition to be evaluated; and

the second portion of the contents of the next memory location includes a second action operand representing at least one action to be taken in the dynamic environment if both the first condition and the second condition are satisfied.

33. The method of claim 23, wherein:

each memory location of the at least one event table includes at least one memory register having a first number of bits;

the first number of bits are partitioned as an op-code, an action parameter, and a condition operand; and

the op-code comprises at least a condition type code and an action operand,

wherein;

the condition type code and the condition operand constitute at least part of the first portion of the contents of each memory location representing the particular condition to be evaluated; and

the action operand and the action parameter constitute at least part of the second portion of the contents of each memory location representing the corresponding action to be taken in the dynamic environment.