AUTOMATED CODE GENERATION FOR SIMULATORS

• US 20090089234A1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Glavach, Mark Anson, Sturrock, David Thayer, Drake, Glenn Richardson, Crooks, Cory R., Kolt, Genevieve O'Neill, Palmieri, Frank Anthony JR., Takus, A. David
• Application Number:
  US11/864,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20090089234A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/45
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202

Abstract

A system that generates deployable runtime code modules is provided. The system includes an input component that accepts specifications in accordance with design preferences, a simulation component that creates and executes a simulation of the control program to be implemented, and a code generation component that creates the deployable runtime code.

Claims

1. A simulation code generation tool for an automation system, comprising:

a simulation component that creates and executes a simulation model of one or more components of an industrial control system; and

a code generator component that automatically builds executable runtime code for the one or more components of the industrial control system.

2. The system of claim 1, the execution components are generated as re-usable models for the simulation component.

3. The system of claim 1, the execution components are generated as run-time modules for the one or more components of the industrial control system.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising an artificial intelligence component that creates simulation models for a failed simulation or a new configuration of components in the industrial control system.

5. The system of claim 1, the code generator component further comprises a translation component that maps one or more simulation models to one or more blocks of executable runtime code.

6. The system of claim 1, the code generator component further comprises an implementation component that downloads the executable runtime code to an industrial controller and a monitoring component that compares actual controller responses to a corresponding simulation module.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a database component that stores correlation data from the monitoring component and updated simulation models for an industrial control system.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising an input component that accepts a set of specifications from a user, the specifications include design preferences, performance goals, or objectives.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising an identifier component that determines components or methodologies suitable to achieve specifications set forth by a user and correlates a simulation model to suitable components or methodologies.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising a logic component that determines whether the specifications are within manufacturing capabilities.

11. A method of generating simulation code for an automation system, comprising:

executing a simulation of an industrial automation system; and

generating executable code based at least in part on results of the simulation.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a set of specifications;

identifying components or methods suitable to meet the specifications; and

associating the simulation of the industrial automation system with one or more simulation models of the identified components or methods.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

identifying at least one simulation model that failed simulation;

creating an alternative simulation model; and

re-executing the simulation.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising monitoring simulations to determine alternative executable code modules.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising learning the alternative executable code modules via one or more classifier processes.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating one or more parameters and associating the one or more parameters with one or more fields of a specification.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating at least one simulation model for a component of an industrial automation system, the component includes a programmable controller, an input/output module, a communication module, and an intelligent module.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising translating the simulation model into one or more runtime code modules.

19. The method of claim 18, the runtime code modules are associated with ladder logic, Sequential Function Logic, input/output module codes, communication codes, or remote Internet interface code.

20. A system to automatically generate executable control code, comprising:

means for defining one or more specifications of a control system;

means for simulating the specifications; and

means for generating run time code from simulation of the specifications.