Control environment command execution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10228679-B2
Application number	US-201213663278-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 29, 2012
Priority date	Nov 11, 2011
Publication date	Mar 12, 2019
Grant date	Mar 12, 2019

Abstract

An automation control system is provided that includes one or more components. The components include an embedded execution engine that is configured to execute one or more commands based upon data communicated to the one or more components from another component of the automation control system. The data is representative of a change to an object in the control system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An execution engine comprising computer-readable instructions stored on a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of an automation control component other than a centralized controller of the automation control system, the execution engine comprising:
instructions to provide redundancy to the centralized controller, via alternative execution to the centralized controller, by executing:
instructions to execute a frame loop comprising a set of computer-readable instructions configured to execute multiple times in a controlled period of time, the set of computer-readable instructions, comprising:
instructions to evaluate expressions of data communicated to the execution engine by the component or a separate component of the automation control system;
instructions to evaluate one or more trigger conditions to determine whether or not the trigger conditions have been met based on the expressions of data;
instructions to schedule execution of a command by the execution engine when the trigger conditions have been met;
wherein the frame loop is configured to run a number of iterations per a period of time;
wherein the number of iterations per the period of time is modified by a type of hardware on which the execution engine is running; and
wherein the instructions to evaluate one or more trigger condition are configured to execute less frequently than the frame loop.

2. The execution engine of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to schedule execution of the command comprise instructions to schedule the command in a separate thread or thread pool when the command does not access data in a memory space used by the frame loop.

3. The execution engine of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to schedule the execution of the command comprise instructions to:
schedule the command in a thread where the frame loop is executed, when the command accesses data in a memory space used by the frame loop.

4. The execution engine of claim 1 , wherein the frame loop is configured to run approximately 30 iterations per second to react to data changes provided to the execution engine.

5. The execution engine of claim 1 , wherein the frame loop is configured to be tuned by skipping a portion of the frame loop at specified time intervals.

6. The execution engine of claim 1 , wherein the frame loop comprises one or both of instructions to:
execute one or more transitions, the transitions representing a change from one data value to another; or
render changes applied by commands that have been executed.

Assignees

• Rockwell Automation Tech Inc

Inventors

• Reichard Douglas J
• Bronikowski Joseph
• Kalan Michael D
• Kowal Steven John
• Govindaraj Subbian
• Jasper Taryl J
• Plache Kenneth S
• Reid Douglas W
• Rischar Charles

Classifications

• G05B2219/163

  Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart, intelligent house · CPC title

• G05B19/408 Primary

  characterised by data handling or data format, e.g. reading, buffering or conversion of data · CPC title

• G05B19/0421

  Multiprocessor system · CPC title

• G05B19/4155

  characterised by program execution, i.e. part program or machine function execution, e.g. selection of a program · CPC title