Automation system and method of manufacturing product using automated equipment
First Claim
1. An apparatus for automated control of a system having a plurality of cooperating components involving controlled elements and sensors, the apparatus comprising:
- a simulator configured to simulate operation of said components, said simulator storing data representing states of said components and configured to modify said states over time in accordance with simulated operation of said system;
an input module receiving data from at least said sensors and configured to update in said simulator said data representing states of said components; and
an output module reading from said simulator said data representing states of said components and configured to generate at least controlled element control signals for said controlled elements of said components,wherein said simulator contains a virtual state machine representing said system, and automation of said system is achieved without state machine logic representing said system within said input module and said output module,wherein said simulator comprises;
one or more automated control system component simulators configured to generate said data representing states of said components using a dynamic model of a automated control system component;
one or more product component simulators configured to generate data representing at least one state of a unitary product or component thereof made by said automated control system; and
control logic configured to respond to said data representing said states of components and to said data representing said at least one state of a unitary product or component thereof to generate data representing states of actuators associated with said components,wherein said control system component simulators and said product component simulators comprise said input module and are configured to receiving data from at least said sensors and to update in said component simulators said data representing states of said components.
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Abstract
An automated control of a system having a plurality of cooperating components involving controlled elements and sensors uses a simulator configured to simulate operation of the components. The simulator stores data representing states of the components and modifies the states over time in accordance with simulated operation of the system. An input module receives data from at least the sensors and updates in the simulator the data representing states of the components. An output module reads from the simulator the data representing states of the components and generates at least controlled element control signals for the controlled elements of the components. The simulator contains a virtual state machine representing the system, and automation of the system is achieved without state machine logic representing the system within the input module and the output module.
48 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An apparatus for automated control of a system having a plurality of cooperating components involving controlled elements and sensors, the apparatus comprising:
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a simulator configured to simulate operation of said components, said simulator storing data representing states of said components and configured to modify said states over time in accordance with simulated operation of said system; an input module receiving data from at least said sensors and configured to update in said simulator said data representing states of said components; and an output module reading from said simulator said data representing states of said components and configured to generate at least controlled element control signals for said controlled elements of said components, wherein said simulator contains a virtual state machine representing said system, and automation of said system is achieved without state machine logic representing said system within said input module and said output module, wherein said simulator comprises; one or more automated control system component simulators configured to generate said data representing states of said components using a dynamic model of a automated control system component; one or more product component simulators configured to generate data representing at least one state of a unitary product or component thereof made by said automated control system; and control logic configured to respond to said data representing said states of components and to said data representing said at least one state of a unitary product or component thereof to generate data representing states of actuators associated with said components, wherein said control system component simulators and said product component simulators comprise said input module and are configured to receiving data from at least said sensors and to update in said component simulators said data representing states of said components. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of manufacturing a product using automated machinery having system components including actuators and sensors, the method comprising:
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recording in a computer signals from said actuators and said sensors during operation of said automated machinery or a simulator of said automated machinery using manual control or a first automated control system; generating state machines for said components based on said recorded signals; defining product state machine based on the complete life cycle of a product along the process, preferably including defining a product information path of said product information based on said product path; wherein said state machines for said components and said product state machines form together simulator logic; generating, using said recorded signals, automatic command logic for said automated machinery using said state machines for said components and said products, said automatic command logic defining operation of said system components as a function of a state of a group of said components or products or product components handled by said system of components; generating a user interface for said automated machinery that permits an operator to suspend operation of said automated machinery, change said state of products or product components handled by said system of components, and resume operation of said automated machinery taking into consideration said change; executing said simulator logic using at least said actuators signals generated during operation of said automated machinery using said first control system to produce test sensor signals; comparing said test sensor signals with said recorded sensor signals to correct, if required, said simulator logic, said simulator logic being validated; executing said automatic command logic using as input at least said sensors signals generated during operation of said automated machinery using said first control system to produce test actuator signals; comparing said test actuator signals with said recorded actuator signals to correct, if required, said automatic logic, said automatic command logic being validated; connecting at least one processor executing said validated simulator and automatic command logic and said user interface to said system components including said actuators and said sensors; and controlling said automated machinery to manufacture said product using said validated simulator and automatic command and said user interface. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification