Granted Patent B2

US 7,996,113 · App. 12/237,944 · Granted Aug 9, 2011

Abstract

Claims (49)

1. A method for integrating a real and virtual manufacturing automation system where a part appears to a programmable logic controller to flow between a virtual world domain of the system and a real world domain of the system, said method comprising:

providing a first real world machine in the real world domain of the system;

providing a first primary real world sensor in the real world domain of the system for sensing a position of the first real world machine;

providing a primary real world actuator in the real world domain of the system for actuating the first real world machine;

providing a virtual world machine in the virtual world domain of the system;

providing a primary virtual world sensor in the virtual world domain of the system for sensing the position of the virtual world machine;

providing a primary virtual world actuator in the virtual world domain of the system for actuating the virtual world machine;

providing an interface device for transferring signals between the virtual world domain of the system and the real world domain of the system;

providing a programmable logic controller that controls the actuators ; and

providing an input/output (I/O) device that processes signals sent to the programmable logic controller from the sensors and signals sent from the programmable logic controller to the actuators, said programmable logic controller controlling the operation of the actuators, so as to provide virtual coupling between sensors and actuators in the virtual world domain of the system and the real world domain of the system for both a real and a virtual part.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising providing a voltage translation device for converting voltage signals transmitted between the input/output device and the interface device so as to provide a direct electrical connection between the real world domain of the system and the virtual world domain of the system.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the programmable logic controller controls a part flow from the first real world machine to the virtual world machine, said method further comprising providing a duplicated virtual actuator that is coupled to the primary virtual world sensor by a virtual coupling interface and a switching device, wherein the switching device switches an output signal from the input/output device intended for the primary real world actuator to the duplicated virtual actuator through the interface device.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the programmable logic controller controls a part flow from the virtual world machine to the first real world machine, said method further comprising providing a duplicated virtual sensor coupled to the primary virtual world actuator by a virtual coupling interface and a switching device, wherein the switching device switches an input signal to the input/output device from the first primary real world sensor to the duplicated virtual sensor and the interface device through the interface device.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the programmable logic controller controls a part flow from the primary real world machine to the virtual world machine using the virtual part, said method further comprising providing a duplicated virtual actuator coupled to the primary virtual world sensor by a virtual coupling interface and the virtual part and a switching device, wherein an output signal from the input/output device intended for the primary real world actuator is directed to the duplicated virtual actuator through the interface device to be received by the primary virtual world sensor.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the programmable logic controller controls a part flow from the virtual world machine to the real world machine using the virtual part, said method further comprising providing a duplicated virtual sensor coupled to the primary virtual world actuator through a virtual coupling interface and the virtual part and a switching device, wherein the switching device switches an input signal from the input/output device that would generally be from the primary real world sensor to the duplicated virtual sensor through the interface device.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the programmable logic controller controls a part flow only in the real world domain of the system, said method further comprising a second real world machine and a second primary real world sensor for sensing the position of the second real world machine, where the part flow is from the first real world machine to the second real world machine, said method further comprising providing a duplicated virtual actuator coupled to the primary virtual world sensor by a virtual coupling interface and the virtual part where an output of the primary virtual world sensor is provided to the second primary real world sensor through the interface device.

8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising providing a first complimentary pair of a physical sensor and an actuator and a second complimentary pair of a physical sensor and an actuator in the real world domain of the system, wherein the sensor in the first complimentary pair senses signals from the actuator in the first complimentary pair that is driven by the I/O device to by-pass the primary virtual world sensor through the interface device, and wherein the actuator in the second complimentary pair receives signals that are supposed to be sent to the primary virtual world actuator through the interface device from the I/O device and cause the sensor in the second complimentary pair to generate signals.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the real and virtual manufacturing automation system is an automotive manufacturing automation system.

10. An integrated real and virtual manufacturing automation system including a virtual world domain and a real world domain, said system comprising:

a first real world machine in the real world domain of the system;

a first primary real world sensor in the real world domain of the system for sensing a position of the first real world machine;

a primary real world actuator in the real world domain of the system for actuating the first real world machine;

a virtual world machine in the virtual world domain of the system;

a primary virtual world sensor in the virtual world domain of the system for sensing the position of the virtual world machine;

a primary virtual world actuator in the virtual world part domain of the system for actuating the virtual world machine;

an interface device for transferring signals between the virtual world domain of the system and the real world domain of the system;

a programmable logic controller configured to control the actuators; and

an input/output (I/O) device that processes signals sent to the programmable logic controller from the sensors and signals sent from the programmable logic controller to the actuators, said programmable logic controller configured to control the operation of the actuators, so as to provide virtual coupling between sensors and actuators in the virtual world domain of the system and the real world domain of the system for both a real part and a virtual part.

11. The system according to claim 10 further comprising a voltage translation device for converting voltage signals transmitted between the input/output device and the interface device so as to provide a direct electrical connection between the real world domain of the system and the virtual world domain of the system.

12. The system according to claim 10 wherein the programmable logic controller controls a part flow from the first real world machine to the virtual world machine, said system further comprising providing a duplicated virtual actuator that is coupled to the primary virtual world sensor by a virtual coupling interface and a switching device, wherein the switching device switches an output signal from the input/output device intended for the primary real world actuator to the duplicated virtual actuator through the interface device.

13. The system according to claim 10 wherein the programmable logic controller controls a part flow from the virtual world machine to the first real world machine, said system further comprising providing a duplicated virtual sensor coupled to the primary virtual world actuator by a virtual coupling interface and a switching device, wherein the switching device switches an input signal to the input/output device from the first primary real world sensor to the duplicated virtual sensor and the interface device through the interface device.

14. The system according to claim 10 wherein the programmable logic controller controls a part flow from the primary real world machine to the virtual world machine using the virtual part, said system further comprising providing a duplicated virtual actuator coupled to the primary virtual world sensor by a virtual coupling interface and the virtual part and a switching device, wherein an output signal from the input/output device intended for the primary real world actuator is directed to the duplicated virtual actuator through the interface device to be received by the primary virtual world sensor.

15. The system according to claim 10 wherein the programmable logic controller controls a part flow from the virtual world machine to the real world machine using a virtual part, said system further comprising providing a duplicated virtual world sensor coupled to the primary virtual world actuator through a virtual coupling interface and the virtual part and a switching device, wherein the switching device switches an input signal from the input/output device that would generally be from the primary real world sensor to the duplicated virtual sensor through the interface device.

16. The system according to claim 10 wherein the programmable logic controller controls a part flow only in the real world domain of the system, said system further comprising a second real world machine and a second primary real world sensor for sensing the position of the second real world machine, where the part flow is from the first real world machine to the second real world machine, said system further comprising providing a duplicated virtual actuator coupled to the primary virtual world sensor by a virtual coupling interface and the virtual part where an output of the primary virtual world sensor is provided to the second primary real world sensor through the interface device.

17. The system according to claim 10 further comprising a first complimentary pair of a physical sensor and an actuator and a second complimentary pair of a physical sensor and an actuator in the real world domain of the system, wherein the sensor in the first complimentary pair senses signals from the actuator in the first complimentary pair that is driven by the I/O device to by-pass the primary virtual world sensor through the interface device, and wherein the actuator in the second complimentary pair receives signals that are supposed to be sent to the primary virtual world actuator through the interface device from the I/O device and cause the sensor in the second complimentary pair to generate signals.

18. The system according to claim 10 wherein the real and virtual manufacturing automation system is an automotive manufacturing automation system.

19. An integrated real and virtual manufacturing automation system including a virtual world domain and a real world domain, said system comprising:

a first real world machine in the real world domain of the system;

a first primary real world sensor in the real world domain of the system for sensing a position of the first real world machine;

a primary real world virtual actuator in the real world domain of the system for actuating the first real world machine;

a virtual world machine in the virtual world domain of the system;

a primary virtual world sensor in the virtual world domain of the system for sensing the position of the virtual world machine;

a primary virtual world actuator in the virtual world domain of the system for actuating the virtual world machine;

an interface device for transferring signals between the virtual world domain of the system and the real world domain of the system;

a programmable logic controller configured to control the actuators;

an input/output (I/O) device that processes signals sent to the programmable logic controller from the sensors and signals sent from the programmable logic controller to the actuators, said programmable logic controller configured to control the operation of the actuators, so as to provide virtual coupling between sensors and actuators in the virtual world domain of the system and the real world domain of the system for both a real part and a virtual part;

a voltage translation device for converting voltage signals transmitted between the input/output device and the interface device so as to provide a direct electrical connection between the real world domain of the system and the virtual world domain of the system; and

duplicated sensors, duplicated actuators and switching devices that by-pass signals depending on the direction of a part flow between the real world domain of the system and the virtual world domain of the system and whether the system is working on the real part or the virtual part.

20. The system according to claim 19 further comprising a first complimentary pair of a physical sensor and an actuator and a second complimentary pair of a physical sensor and an actuator in the real world domain of the system, wherein the sensor in the first complimentary pair senses signals from the actuator in the first complimentary pair that is driven by the I/O device to by-pass the primary virtual world sensor through the interface device, and wherein the actuator in the second complimentary pair receives signals that are supposed to be sent to the primary virtual world actuator through the interface device from the I/O device and cause the sensor in the second complimentary pair to generate signals.

Assignments (12)