SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MEMORY MAP UTILIZATION

• US 20160170405A1
• Filed: 12/10/2014
• Published: 06/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Cargnelli, Claudio, Allcock, David John
• Application Number:
  US14/566,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20160170405A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/418 Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible manufacturing systems [FMS], integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] or computer integrated manufacturing [CIM]
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25428 Field device
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40346 Compatibility index

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided. In one embodiment, a system comprises an electronic device configured to be used in an industrial control system. The electronic device includes a processor and a memory. The electronic device additionally includes a backwards compatible memory map stored in the memory, wherein the electronic device is configured to provide for a backwards compatibility mode of operations by applying the backwards compatible memory map and at least one memory map setpoint, wherein the backwards compatibility mode of operations provides for communications with an external device, and wherein the at least one memory map setpoint is included in an older version of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an electronic device configured to operate in an industrial control system comprising;

a processor;

a memory; and

a backwards compatible memory map stored in the memory, wherein the electronic device is configured to provide for a backwards compatibility mode of operations by applying the backwards compatible memory map and at least one memory map setpoint, wherein the backwards compatibility mode of operations provides for communications with an external device, and wherein the at least one memory map setpoint is included in an older version of the electronic device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the backwards compatible memory map comprises an address offset and wherein the processor is configured to receive a communications data from the external device and to derive the at least one memory map setpoint based on the communications data and the address offset.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory comprises a processor-executable code, and wherein the processor is configured to execute the processor-executable code based on the backwards compatible memory map and the at least one memory map setpoint.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor comprises a register, and wherein the processor is configured to read data from the register, write data to the register, or a combination thereof, based on the at least one memory map setpoint.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the backwards compatible memory map comprises a range, a step, a unit of measure, a format code, or a combination thereof.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one memory map setpoint comprises a ModBus-compatible address.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises an industrial motor controller configured to receive an input power and to provide an output power suitable to drive an electric motor.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the external device comprises an industrial controller configured to control plant operations, receive operator commands, determine plant operation commands, issue commands to other devices in the industrial system, monitor the industrial system, collect data about the industrial system, or a combination thereof.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the backward compatible mode of operations includes communicating with other devices in the industrial system at compatible time intervals.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the compatible time intervals are dynamically determined by the processor.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the compatible time intervals are stored in the memory of the electronic device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the backwards compatible memory map provides for the backwards compatibility mode of operations when an a hardware or a software switch is actuated.

13. A tangible, non-transitory machine-readable media, comprising executable code configured to:

receive a first instruction from an external system;

determine a setpoint for a backwards compatible memory map based on the first instruction;

execute a second instruction based on the backwards compatible memory map and the setpoint;

determine if a desired response time has elapsed;

delay until the desired response time has elapsed; and

respond to the external system.

14. The tangible, non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 13, wherein the second instruction comprises an instruction to read from a register, write to a register, or a combination thereof, based on the setpoint.

15. The tangible, non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 13, comprising a plurality of backwards compatible memory maps, and wherein each of the plurality of backwards compatible memory maps supports a corresponding older electronic device communications with the external system.

16. A method for interfacing with an external device in an industrial system comprising:

using a processor included in an electronic device to perform the steps of;

determining a setpoint for a backwards compatible memory map based on a first instruction received from the external device;

executing a second instruction based on the backwards compatible memory map and the setpoint;

determining if a desired response time has elapsed;

delaying until the desired response time has elapsed; and

responding to the external device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second instruction comprises reading from a register, writing to the register, or a combination thereof, based on the setpoint.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the desired response time comprises a preferred communications rate of an older version of the electronic device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the desired response time comprises a preferred communications rate of the older version of the electronic device.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the backwards compatible memory map comprises an address offset and wherein the processor is configured to interpret the first instruction to derive the at least one memory map setpoint based on the first instruction and the address offset.