Constructing applications in distributed control systems using components having built-in behaviors

• US 6,205,362 B1
• Filed: 11/24/1997
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Eidson, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel, Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US08/976,795
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• Field of Search: 706/14, 706/25, 706/28, 706/20, 706/27, 706/22, 706/908, 706/909, 706/45, 382/157, 700/4, 700/213, 700/9, 700/11, 700/2, 700/52, 700/87, 700/88, 700/1, 700/159, 712/1, 375/130, 375/222
• US Class Current: 700/4
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0421 Multiprocessor system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25232 DCS, distributed control system, decentralised control unit
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25323 Intelligent modules
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33053 Modular hardware, software, easy modification, expansion, generic, oop
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33055 Holon, agent executes task and cooperates with other, distributed control

Abstract

A distributed control system including self-organizing components which are preselected on the basis of built in behaviors which are needed to perform a particular application. The built in behaviors enable the components to automatically self-organize and perform the application once coupled to the network.

Claims

1. A method for constructing an application in a distributed control system, comprising the steps of:

providing a set of available components each having at least one built in behavior associated with the distributed control system;

selecting a set of components for performing the application from among the available components based on the needs of the application;

design a topology for communication among the components based on one or more groupings of the components for the application;

wherein the step of designing a topology for communication among the components comprises the step of designing a topology such that at least one subset of the components are connected to a communication sub-set.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a set of components comprises the step of selecting at least one of the components based on a built in sampling behavior.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a set of components comprises the step of selecting at least one of the components based on a built in alarm generation behavior.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a set of components comprises the step of selecting at least one of the components based on a built in data handling behavior.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a set of components comprises the step of selecting two or more of the components based on a built in collective behavior.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a set of components comprises the step of selecting at least one of the components based on a built in control loop behavior.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the built in control loop behavior includes a built in safe mode behavior.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the built in behavior of one or more of the components includes a set of default parameters.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the default parameters are based upon one or more attached devices.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the default parameters are based upon a class membership.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of designing a topology for communication among the components comprises the step of designing a topology such that at least one subset of the components are connected to a communication sub-net.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of designing a topology for communication among the components comprises the step of designing a communication network in which the components each have a default address.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of modifying the built in behaviors of the components using one or more messages transferred via the topology for communication.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the application is a control loop application.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of modifying the built in behaviors of the components based upon the grouping of the components.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the grouping of the components is based on the topology for communication.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the grouping of the components is based on a type of device to which each components is attached.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the grouping of the components is based on a physical location of each of the components.

19. A method for constructing an application in a distributed control system, comprising the steps of:

providing a set of available components each having at least one built in behavior associated with the distributed control system;

selecting a set of components for performing the application from among the available components based on the needs of the application;

designing a topology for communication among the components based on one or more groupings of the components for the application wherein the step of designing a topology for communication among the components comprises the step of designing a topology such that at least one subset of the components are connected to a communication sub-net.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of selecting a set of components comprises the step of selecting at least one of the components based on a built in sampling behavior.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of selecting a set of components comprises the step of selecting at least one of the components based on a built in alarm generation behavior.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of selecting a set of components comprises the step of selecting at least one of the components based on a built in data handling behavior.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of selecting a set of components comprises the step of selecting two or more of the components based on a built in collective behavior.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of selecting a set of components comprises the step of selecting at least one of the components based on a built in control loop behavior.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the built in control loop behavior includes a built in safe mode behavior.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the built in behavior of one or more of the components includes a set of default parameters.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the default parameters are based upon one or more attached devices.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the default parameters are based upon a class membership.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of designing a topology for communication among the components comprises the step of designing a communication network in which the components each have a default address.

30. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of modifying the built in behaviors of the components using one or more messages transferred via the topology for communication.

31. The method of claim 19, wherein the application is a control loop application.

32. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of modifying the built in behaviors of the components based upon the grouping of the components.

33. The method of claim 19, wherein the grouping of the components is based on the topology for communication.

34. The method of claim 19, wherein the grouping of the components is based on a type of device to which each components is attached.

35. The method of claim 19, wherein the grouping of the components is based on a physical location of each of the components.