US-12625829-B2 - Controller, setting method, and setting program

US12625829B2US 12625829 B2US12625829 B2US 12625829B2US-12625829-B2

Abstract

A controller includes a receiver that receives specification of identification information representing a number that identifies a relay device that is connected to a plurality of instruments or a number that identifies a cable that connects the relay device and the controller; a search unit that searches an instrumentation database that records the identification information and input-output information on the instruments that are connected to the relay device in association with each other for input-output information corresponding to the specified identification information; and a setting unit that sets the searched input-output information in an input-output module of the controller.

Inventors

Ichiro WAKE

Assignees

YOKOGAWA ELECTRIC CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240614
Priority Date: 20230629

Claims (8)

1 . A controller comprising: function blocks that acquire information from one of a plurality of instruments that are set in a plant and control another of the plurality of instruments based on the acquired information, to form each control loop; a receiver that receives specification of identification information representing a number that identifies a relay device that is connected to the plurality of instruments or a number that identifies a cable that connects the relay device and the controller; a search unit that searches an instrumentation database that records the identification information and input-output information on the instruments that are connected to the relay device in association with each other for input-output information corresponding to the specified identification information; a setting unit that sets the searched input-output information in an input-output module of the controller; and a builder that specifies a function block among the function blocks that is connected to an instrument corresponding to the input-output information based on information that defines a connection relationship between the instruments and the function block and the input-output information that is searched for by the search unit, and builds the control loop that associates the instrument and the function block.
2 . The controller according to claim 1 , further comprising an authentication request unit that executes a process of, when a connection to a control network for accessing to the instrumentation database is made, invaliding port numbers excluding a port number on which an authentication request is made and making an authentication request relevant to connection to an authentication device and, when the authentication device permits connection, executing a process of validating the invalidated port numbers.
3 . The controller according to claim 1 , wherein the setting unit sets a control parameter and an alarm threshold in the function block.
4 . The controller according to claim 1 , wherein, when the number of instruments corresponding to the input-output information exceeds an upper limit that is set in the input-output module, the setting unit further executes a process of requesting a management device of a system to set input-output information relevant to instruments exceeding the upper limit in number.
5 . The controller according to claim 1 , wherein, when the input-output information is set in the input-output module, the setting unit further executes a process of recording a relationship between a channel of the controller and the input-output information as setting information and setting the setting information in the instrumentation database.
6 . A setting method performed by a computer to execute a process comprising: building function blocks that acquire information from one of a plurality of instruments that are set in a plant and control another of the plurality of instruments based on the acquired information, to form each control loop; receiving specification of identification information representing a number that identifies a relay device that is connected to a plurality of instruments or a number that identifies a cable that connects the relay device and the computer; searching an instrumentation database that records the identification information and input-output information on the instruments that are connected to the relay device in association with each other for input-output information corresponding to the specified identification information; setting the searched input-output information in an input-output module of the computer; specifying a function block among the function blocks that is connected to an instrument corresponding to the input-output information based on information that defines a connection relationship between the instruments and the function block and the input-output information that is searched for by the searching; and building the control loop that associates the instrument and the function block.
7 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored therein a setting program that causes a computer to execute a process comprising: building function blocks that acquire information from one of a plurality of instruments that are set in a plant and control another of the plurality of instruments based on the acquired information, to form each control loop; receiving specification of identification information representing a number that identifies a relay device that is connected to a plurality of instruments or a number that identifies a cable that connects the relay device and the computer; searching an instrumentation database that records the identification information and input-output information on the instruments that are connected to the relay device in association with each other for input-output information corresponding to the specified identification information; and setting the searched input-output information in an input-output module of the computer; specifying a function block among the function blocks that is connected to an instrument corresponding to the input-output information based on information that defines a connection relationship between the instruments and the function block and the input-output information that is searched for by the searching; and building the control loop that associates the instrument and the function block.
8 . The controller according to claim 1 , wherein the control loop includes a flow in which the function block acquires the information from one of the plurality of instruments and controls another of the plurality of instruments based on the acquired information.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The present application claims priority to and incorporates by reference the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-107278 filed in Japan on Jun. 29, 2023. FIELD The present disclosure relates to a controller, a setting method, and a setting program. BACKGROUND Processes for manufacturing various types of products are automated by introducing an automation system to a plant. When a project relevant to the automation system is carried out, engineering, such as designing, construction, and examination, are performed based on designing information that is received from a customer. Patent Literature 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2022-046438 It is however has not been possible to perform engineering on automation systems efficiently. In one aspect, an object is to provide a controller, a setting method, and a setting program that make it possible to perform engineering on an automation system efficiently. SUMMARY It is an object of the present invention to at least partially solve the problems in the conventional technology. According to an aspect of an embodiment, a controller includes a receiver that receives specification of identification information representing a number that identifies a relay device that is connected to a plurality of instruments or a number that identifies a cable that connects the relay device and the controller a search unit that searches an instrumentation database that records the identification information and input-output information on the instruments that are connected to the relay device in association with each other for input-output information corresponding to the specified identification information; and a setting unit that sets the searched input-output information in an input-output module of the controller. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a system configuration according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of an instrumentation database; FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of P&ID data; FIG. 4 is a function block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a DCN according to an embodiment; FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a process of a DCN of the embodiment; FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration; and FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of setting information that is received from a customer. DETAILED OF EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a controller, a setting method, and a setting program disclosed by the present application will be described in detail below according to the drawings. Note that the embodiment does not limit the disclosure. The same number is assigned to the same elements, redundant description will be omitted as appropriate, and embodiments can be combined as appropriate within a range without inconsistency. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of setting information that is received from a customer. As illustrated in FIG. 7, for example, setting information 10 contains an instrumentation database 11, information 12 on a process flow diagram, a specification 13 of requests for a control function and a safety function, operation idea, procedure, and alarm management requirements 14, and a physical plant configuration 15. The instrumentation database 11 includes cable information 11a, instrumentation information 11b, and plant layers 11c. The information 12 in the process flow diagram contains a P&ID (Piping & Instrumentation Diagram) 12a. In a conventional method, when engineering is performed based on the setting information 10, there is a work that is performed manually by a worker. For example, a worker refers to the instrumentation database 11 and makes input output (IO) settings in a plurality of controllers (distributed control nodes (DCNs) below) that configure an automation system and builds a control loop of a function block that leads to IO. As described above, in the conventional method, when engineering is performed based on the designing information, a worker manually makes a setting for the DCNs and it is not possible to carry out a project on the automation system efficiently. When a change in the setting information 10 occurs, the worker refers to the instrumentation database 11 each time and makes resetting on the DCNs and thus the load on the worker increases. The embodiment will be described below. Entire Configuration An example of a system configuration according to the embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the system configuration of the embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the system includes a plant 1, an instrumentation database 50, P&ID data 60, a configuration management device 70, an authentication device 80, DCNs 100a, 100b and 100c. Although illustration in the drawings is omitted, the system may further include another DCN in addition to the DCNs 100a to 100c (for example,