SIMULATION CONTROLS FOR MODEL VARIABLITY AND RANDOMNESS

• US 20100318339A1
• Filed: 08/24/2010
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Morse, Richard A., Sturrock, David T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,417,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/13
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30

Abstract

A tool for simulating an industrial control system is provided. The tool includes a simulation component to emulate one or more simulation models according to a simulated execution environment. A switch component is associated with the simulation component to selectively enable or disable variability in the simulation models.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

storing at least one simulation model for an industrial automation system in memory;

receiving programming instructions that disable at least one of randomness or variability in the at least one simulation model; and

employing a processor to disable the at least one of randomness or variability in the at least one simulation model according to the programming instructions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the programming instructions further comprises receiving programming instructions that permanently disable the at least one of randomness or variability in the at least one simulation model.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the programming instructions further comprises receiving programming instructions that temporarily disable the at least one of randomness or variability in the at least one simulation model.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising employing the processor to execute the at least one simulation model.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising examining behavior of the at least one simulation model.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving at least one alteration to at least one parameter of the simulation model based at least in part upon the behavior.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving second programming instructions that enables the at least one of randomness or variability in the at least one simulation model; and

employing the processor to enable the at least one of randomness or variability in the at least one simulation model according to the second programming instructions.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the at least one simulation model further comprises storing at least one stochastic simulation model and employing the processor further comprises employing the processor to disable the at least one of randomness or variability in the at least one simulation model and creating a deterministic simulation model.

9. A device, comprising:

a memory configured to store at least one simulation model for an industrial automation system;

a switch component configured to receive programming instructions that disable at least one of randomness or variability in the at least one simulation model; and

a processor configured to disable the at least one of randomness or variability in the at least one simulation model according to the programming instructions.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the programming instructions permanently disable the at least one of randomness or variability in the at least one simulation model.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the programming instructions temporarily disable the at least one of randomness or variability in the at least one simulation model.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the at least one simulation model.

13. The device of claim 12, further comprising an interface component configured to display execution data of the at least one simulation model.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the interface component configured to receive at least one alteration to at least one parameter of the at least one simulation model based at least in part upon the execution data.

15. The device of claim 9, wherein

the switch is further configured to receive second programming instructions that enable the at least one of randomness or variability in the at least one simulation model;

and

the processor is further configured to enable the at least one of randomness or variability in the at least one simulation model according to the second programming instructions.

16. A computer, comprising:

a simulation tool configured to create at least one simulation model for at least one element of an industrial automation tool;

a memory configured to store the at least one simulation model;

a switch configured to receive programming instructions to disable at least one of randomness or variability in the at least one simulation model; and

a processor configured to disable the at least one of randomness or variability in the at least one simulation model according to the programming instructions.

17. The computer of claim 16, wherein the simulation tool is further configured to execute a simulation employing the simulation model.

18. The computer of claim 17, further comprising an interface component configured to display data related to the simulation.

19. The computer of claim 18, wherein the interface component is further configured to receive second programming instructions to change at least one parameter of the at least one simulation model based at least in part upon the data related to the simulation.

20. The computer of claim 16, wherein the switch is further configured to receive third programming instructions to enable at least one of randomness or variability in the at least one simulation model.