Network system, function setting method, and function setting program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10778770-B2
Application number	US-201816106552-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2018
Priority date	Mar 11, 2016
Publication date	Sep 15, 2020
Grant date	Sep 15, 2020

Abstract

In a network system, an own subsystem recognition unit is provided in each of subsystems, and holds a state and a function of the own subsystem. A shared information communication unit acquires states and functions of the subsystems. An objective acceptance unit accepts a setting of a target state. A shared storage unit stores knowledge regarding a combination structure of functions of the respective subsystems necessary for realizing the target state. A structure setting unit automatically sets a combination structure of functions of the respective subsystems, including determining whether the function of each of the subsystems is to be activated, based on the target state, states and functions of the subsystems, and the knowledge regarding a combination structure. A role determination unit determines functions to be executed by the respective subsystems based on the automatically set combination structure. A role notification unit notifies the subsystems of the determined respective functions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A network system comprising a plurality of subsystems connected via a network, each of the plurality of subsystems in the network system comprising a processor configured with a program to:
perform operations comprising operation as an own subsystem recognition unit, that holds an operating state and a function of the respective subsystem; and
perform operations comprising at least one of:
operation as an acquisition unit that acquires operating states and functions of the plurality of subsystems;
operation as an objective acceptance unit that accepts a setting of a target state of the network system for implementing a predetermined objective;
operation as a shared storage unit that stores knowledge regarding a combination structure of functions of the plurality of subsystems necessary for realizing the target states;
operation as a structure setting unit that automatically sets the combination structure of functions of the plurality of subsystems by performing operations comprising determining whether the function of each of the plurality of subsystems is to be activated, based on: the target state; the operating states and the functions of the plurality of subsystems; and the knowledge regarding the combination structure;
operation as a determination unit that determines functions to be executed by the plurality of subsystems based on the combination structure automatically set by the structure setting unit; and
operation as a notification unit that notifies the respective subsystems of the functions determined by the determination unit, wherein
the operation as the acquisition unit, the operation as the objective acceptance unit, the operation as the shared storage unit, the operation as the structure setting unit, the operation as the determination unit, and the operation as the notification unit are all performed in the network system.

2. The network system according to claim 1 , further comprising a management system that manages the plurality of subsystems, the management system comprising a processor configured with a program to perform operations comprising operation as the acquisition unit that acquires operating states and functions of the plurality of subsystems from the own subsystem recognition units of the plurality of subsystems.

3. The network system according to claim 1 , further comprising a management system that manages the plurality of subsystems, the management system comprising a processor configured with a program to perform operations comprising operation as, the acquisition unit,
for each of the plurality of subsystems, the processor is configured with the program to perform operations comprising operation as an other subsystem recognition unit that recognizes operating states and functions of the others of the plurality of subsystems, and
the processor of the management system is configured with the program such that the acquisition unit acquires operating states and functions of the plurality of subsystems from the own subsystem recognition unit and the other subsystem recognition unit of any of the plurality of subsystems.

4. The network system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the acquisition unit is provided in any of the plurality of subsystems, and the processor of the subsystem in which the acquisition unit is provided is configured with the program such that the acquisition unit recognizes and acquires operating states and functions of the plurality of subsystems excluding the subsystem in which the acquisition unit is provided.

5. The network system according to claim 4 , wherein the processor of at least one of the plurality of subsystems is configured with the program such that any of the plurality of subsystems is provided with the objective acceptance unit, the structure setting unit, the determination unit, and the notification unit, and notifies the others of the plurality of subsystems of functions of the others of the plurality of subsystems.

6. The network system according to claim 4 ,
wherein the processor of each of the plurality of subsystems is configured with the program such that the plurality of subsystems connected to the network are each provided with the objective acceptance unit, and
in response to one of the plurality of subsystems accepting a setting of the target state, the one of the plurality of subsystems that accepted the target state notifies the others of the plurality of subsystems of the accepted target state.

7. The network system according to claim 6 , wherein the processor of a predetermined one of the plurality of subsystems is configured with the program to perform operations further comprising operation as a function coordination unit that coordinates functions to be executed by the plurality of subsystems, and
the processor of each of the plurality of subsystems is configured with the program such that:
each of the plurality of subsystems are provided with the acquisition unit and the structure setting unit;
the structure setting unit of each of the plurality of subsystems determines the function of the respective subsystem from the automatically set combination structure;
the subsystems other than the predetermined one of the plurality of subsystems each notify the predetermined one of the plurality of subsystems of the determined function of the respective subsystem, and
the processor of the predetermined one of the plurality of subsystems is configured with the program such that the function coordination unit coordinates functions of the plurality of subsystems based on the combination structure automatically set by the predetermined one of the plurality of subsystems and the functions of the others of the plurality of subsystems that have been notified.

8. The network system according to claim 7 ,
wherein the processors of at least some of the plurality of subsystems are configured with the program such that:
the at least some of the plurality of subsystems are each provided with the function coordination unit, and
one of the at least some of the plurality of subsystems that performs the coordination is changed based on the target state and a current operating state and function of each of the plurality of subsystems.

9. The network system according to claim 4 ,
wherein the processors of the plurality of subsystems are configured with the program such that:
the plurality of subsystems are each provided with the objective acceptance unit, the acquisition unit, the structure setting unit, the determination unit, and the notification unit, and
one of the plurality of subsystems that is to automatically set the combination structure is changed based on the target state and a current operating state and function of each of the plurality of subsystems.

10. The network system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor of at least one of the plurality of subsystems is configured with the program such that,
in response to a newly set target state being accepted by the objective acceptance unit, the structure setting unit automatically sets a new combination structure based on the new target state;
the determination unit determines new functions to be executed by the plurality of subsystems based on the new combination structure, and
the notification unit notifies the plurality of subsystems of the respective new functions.

11. The network system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor of at least one of the plurality of subsystems is configured with the program such that, in response to the own subsystem recognition unit recognizing a change in the operating state of the respective subsystem that affects a role that the subsystem is currently executing in order

Assignees

• Omron Tateisi Electronics Co

Inventors

• Hisano Atsushi
• Yamada Ryota
• Ando Tanichi
• Yamaji Yusuke
• Yamato Tetsuji
• Takizawa Koji

Classifications

• G08B13/19656

  Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet · CPC title

• G08B13/19608 Primary

  Tracking movement of a target, e.g. by detecting an object predefined as a target, using target direction and or velocity to predict its new position · CPC title

• G08B25/08

  using communication transmission lines {(G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence)} · CPC title

• H04L67/125

  involving control of end-device applications over a network · CPC title

• Y02P90/02

  Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] · CPC title