Automated recommendations from simulation

• US 8,548,777 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Sturrock, David Thayer, Drake, Glenn Richardson, Takus, A David, Glavach, Mark Anson, O'Neill Kolt, Genevieve, Palmieri, Frank Anthony Jr., Crooks, Cory R
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivas, Omar Fernandez
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOLL, NITHYA JANAKIRAMAN
• Application Number:
  US11/864,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20090089227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,195 Days
• Field of Search: 703/5, 703/6, 703/7, 703/22, 700/29, 700/30, 700/31, 700/32, 700/108, 700/110, 706/5, 706/12
• US Class Current: 703/6
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/10 using kernel methods, e.g. support vector machines [SVM]

Abstract

An industrial controller simulation system is provided. The system includes a simulation component that enables modeling of an industrial controller system. A suggestion component offers automated recommendations in accordance with the modeling of the industrial controller system.

Claims

1. A simulation system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory having stored thereon computer-executable components configured to implement at least part of the simulation system, the computer-executable components including;

a suggestion component configured to request a subset of device models, from a plurality of device models, and a subset of industry models, from a plurality of industry models, based on a set of specifications for an industrial system and an indication of an industry type to which the industrial system pertains, wherein the plurality of device models model performance of a respective plurality of industrial devices, and the plurality of industry models encode performance data for a plurality of industry types;

and

a simulation component configured to create a simulation model of the industrial system using the subset of the industrial models and one or more device models of the subset of the device models selected via an interface configured to present the subset of the device models as one or more equipment options, wherein at least one of the one or more equipment options is rendered as a schematic that outlines a recommended equipment configuration.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a knowledge data store configured to store at least one past simulation result generated by one or more previous simulations, wherein the suggestion component is further configured to update one or more of the industrial models based on the at least one past simulation result.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a collection component configured to perform an analysis of the at least one past simulation result, wherein the suggestion component is further configured to select the subset of the device models based at least in part on the analysis.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one past simulation result comprises a past simulation result generated by a previous simulation of at least one other industrial system different than the industrial system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of specifications includes at least one of a performance criterion, a cost limit, a production rate, an operating speed, an operating voltage, or an operating torque.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the suggestion component is further configured to generate an automated recommendation that modifies the simulation model based on the subset of the device models and the subset of the industry models.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the automated recommendation includes one or more performance suggestions that increase a performance of a device, a component, or a system associated with the industrial system.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the automated recommendation includes one or more parameter suggestions relating to at least one of a device parameter, an instruction parameter, a message parameter, a network parameter, an equipment parameter, or a controller parameter.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the automated recommendation includes configuration data used for configuration of a component, a control module, a software module, or a communications module associated with the industrial system.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the automated recommendation includes one or more throughput suggestions that are provided to improve a performance of the industrial system.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the automated recommendation includes one or more table values that include at least one of a tag value, a controller data table value, an analog value, a timer value, or a counter value.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the automated recommendation includes an alternative simulation animation that is generated by adjustment of one or more of an item or a property, revision of a simulation in view of the adjustment to yield a revised simulation, and a presentation of the revised simulation as the alternative simulation animation.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the automated recommendation includes one or more optimization routines that include a component or a module to be substituted in place of an existing simulation component comprising the simulation model.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database component configured to store a simulation result of the simulation model and to associate the simulation result with the one or more device models and the subset of the industry models used to create the simulation model.

15. A method of generating an automated recommendation for a simulation, comprising:

retrieving, by a system comprising a processor and based on a set of specifications relating to design of a control system for manufacturing a product and an indication of a type of industry to which the control system relates, a set of device models specifying a set of equipment options for manufacturing the product, and at least one industry model containing industry-specific performance data for the at least one equipment option, wherein at least one of the set of equipment options comprises a schematic that outlines a recommended equipment configuration; and

constructing the simulation using the at least one industry model and a subset of the device models corresponding to a subset of equipment options, of the set of equipment options, selected for inclusion in a simulation of the control system.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising executing the simulation and storing a result of the executing in a simulation data store.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising generating, based on mining of the simulation data store, one or more of a performance suggestion, a parameter suggestion, a configuration suggestion, a throughput suggestion, a table value suggestion, an animation suggestion, or an optimization routine suggestion.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising retrieving, based on the set of specifications and the type of industry, one or more manufacturing models specifying one or more recommended device settings for the control system,

wherein the construction the simulation includes constructing the simulation to include the one or more manufacturing models.

19. A simulation tool for an industrial control system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, having stored thereon computer-executable components configured to implement the simulation tool, the computer-executable components including;

a suggestion component configured to select, in response to receipt of a set of specifications for an industrial process and an indication of an industry type of the industrial process, one or more device models representing one or more equipment configurations capable of carrying out the industrial process, and at least one industry model containing performance data specific to the industry type, wherein the suggestion component is further configured to display at least one of the one or more equipment configurations as a schematic that outlines a recommended equipment configuration;

a simulation component configured to generate a simulation of the industrial process using the at least one industrial model and a subset of the one or more device models corresponding to a subset of the one or more equipment configurations selected via an interface configured to render the one or more equipment configurations.

20. The simulation tool of claim 19, wherein the suggestion component is further configured to generate an automated recommendation that modifies the simulation based on the subset of the one or more device models and the at least one industry model.