Evaluation system, non-transitory storage medium storing thereon evaluation program, and evaluation method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10656636-B2
Application number	US-201715417412-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2017
Priority date	Mar 14, 2016
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

An evaluation system includes an acquisition module that acquires a safety program, an instruction extraction module that extracts an instruction directed to processing for causing a target device to operate with safety maintained, a signal extraction module that extracts an input signal and an output signal related to the instruction, a setting module that displays the extracted input signal and the extracted output signal in association with each other, and receives a setting of an expected output value for the displayed output signal, the expected output value being a value for causing the target device to operate with safety maintained, and an evaluation module that changes a value of the extracted input signal and determines whether a value of the output signal calculated by an operation in accordance with the safety program, in response to change of the value of the input signal, is identical to the expected output value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An evaluation system for evaluating functional safety of a safety program for causing a target device to operate with safety maintained, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the evaluation system comprising:
at least one of (a) a processor executing a computer program and (b) hard-wired circuit(s), programmed to operate as an acquisition module configured to acquire the safety program, the safety program including a combination of instructions for determining a value or values of one or more output signals for one or more input signals;
at least one of (a) a processor executing a computer program and (b) hard-wired circuit(s), programmed to operate as an instruction extraction module configured to extract, from the instructions included in the safety program, an instruction directed to processing for causing the target device to operate with safety maintained;
at least one of (a) a processor executing a computer program and (b) hard-wired circuit(s), programmed to operate as a signal extraction module configured to extract an input signal and an output signal related to the instruction extracted from the safety program;
at least one of (a) a processor executing a computer program and (b) hard-wired circuit(s), programmed to operate as a setting module configured to display the extracted input signal and the extracted output signal in association with each other, and receive a setting of an expected output value for the displayed output signal, the expected output value being a value for causing the target device to operate with safety maintained;
at least one of (a) a processor executing a computer program and (b) hard-wired circuit(s), programmed to operate as an evaluation module configured to change a value of the extracted input signal and determine whether a value of the output signal calculated by an operation in accordance with the safety program, in response to change of the value of the input signal, is identical to the expected output value; and
at least one of (a) a processor executing a computer program and (b) hard-wired circuit(s), programmed to operate as a type extraction module configured to extract a type which is set for the instruction related to the extracted input signal,
wherein the extracted type is one of:
a first type defining that, when the value of the input signal is changed to an input value which indicates a condition for causing the target device to operate with safety maintained and thereafter the value of the input signal is restored to an original input value, an output value of a corresponding output signal should be restored to an original value following the value of the input signal being restored to the original input value, and
a second type defining that the output value of the corresponding output signal should not be restored to the original value until a predetermined reset condition is satisfied.

2. The evaluation system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the setting module displays a plurality of the extracted input signals and displays a plurality of output signals related to the extracted input signals, a plurality of output signals being displayed in association with each input signal.

3. The evaluation system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the instruction extraction module extracts an emergency stop function block included in the safety program, and
the signal extraction module extracts an input signal allocated to the emergency stop function block.

4. The evaluation system according to claim 3 , wherein:
the signal extraction module extracts, as a target output signal, a signal which is finally output through another function block connected to an output of the extracted emergency stop function block.

5. A non-transitory storage medium storing thereon an evaluation program for evaluating functional safety of a safety program for causing a target device to operate with safety maintained, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the evaluation program, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to perform:
acquiring the safety program, the safety program including a combination of instructions for determining a value or values of one or more output signals for one or more input signals;
extracting, from the instructions included in the safety program, an instruction directed to processing for causing the target device to operate with safety maintained;
extracting an input signal and an output signal related to the instruction extracted from the safety program;
displaying the extracted input signal and the extracted output signal in association with each other, and receiving a setting of an expected output value for the displayed output signal, the expected output value being a value for causing the target device to operate with safety maintained;
changing a value of the extracted input signal and determining whether a value of the output signal calculated by an operation in accordance with the safety program, in response to change of the value of the input signal, is identical to the expected output value; and
wherein the evaluation program further causes the processor to perform extracting a type which is set for the instruction related to the extracted input signal, and
the extracted type is one of:
a first type defining that, when the value of the input signal is changed to an input value which indicates a condition for causing the target device to operate with safety maintained and thereafter the value of the input signal is restored to an original input value, an output value of a corresponding output signal should be restored to an original value following the value of the input signal being restored to the original input value; and
a second type defining that the output value of the corresponding output signal should not be restored to the original value until a predetermined reset condition is satisfied.

6. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 5 , wherein:
the step of displaying and receiving comprises displaying a plurality of the extracted input signals and displaying a plurality of output signals related to the extracted input signals, a plurality of output signals being displayed in association with each input signal.

7. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 5 , wherein:
the evaluation program further causes the processor to perform extracting an emergency stop function block included in the safety program, and
the step of extracting the input signal and the output signal comprises extracting an input signal allocated to the emergency stop function block.

8. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 7 , wherein:
the step of extracting the input signal and the output signal comprises extracting, as a target output signal, a signal which is finally output through another function block connected to an output of the extracted emergency stop function block.

9. An evaluation method for evaluating functional safety of a safety program for causing a target device to operate with safety maintained, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the evaluation method comprising:
acquiring the safety program, the safety program including a combination of instructions for determining a value or values of one or more output signals for one or more input signals;
extracting, from the instructions included in the safety program, an instruction directed to processing for causing the target device to operate with safety maintained;
extracting an input signal and an output signal related to the instruction extracted from the safety program;
displaying the extracted input signal and the extracted output signal in association with each other, and receiving a setting of an expected

Assignees

• Omron Tateisi Electronics Co

Inventors

• Fujimura Ryosuke
• Takuma Nobuyuki
• Suganuma Hiromu
• Matsui Asahi
• Inoue Masaya

Classifications

• G05B2219/14008

  Pc monitors plc · CPC title

• G05B19/0428

  Safety, monitoring (G05B19/0423 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G05B19/058 Primary

  Safety, monitoring · CPC title

• G05B23/0291

  Switching into safety or degraded mode, e.g. protection and supervision after failure · CPC title

• G05B2219/14116

  Safe, emergency shutdown, esd of system · CPC title