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  Controller and operating systemUSPTO Application #: 20060059491Title: Controller and operating system Abstract: A plurality of tasks are managed by being classified into a communication task group, a control task group, and a management task group for management. An execution order of the plurality of tasks is switched by a group unit and, in accordance with a switched task group, information obtained from a LAN or information obtained from each device is processed by a CPU. (end of abstract)
Agent: Mcdermott Will & Emery LLP - Washington, DC, US Inventors: Shoji Suzuki, Kunihiko Tsunedomi, Satoru Funaki, Masahiko Saito, Yasuyuki Kojima, Takanori Yokoyama, Atsushi Ito USPTO Applicaton #: 20060059491 - Class: 718100000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Electrical Computers And Digital Processing Systems: Virtual Machine Task Or Process Management Or Task Management/control, Task Management Or Control The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060059491. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a programmable logic controller (PLC) for monitoring and controlling a device and a robot of a production line in industrial application, or a controller for monitoring and controlling various devices including an air conditioner, a security equipment, an illuminator, an elevator and the like installed in a building or at home, or devices including power, gas and water supply systems and the like for supporting an infrastructure. More particularly, the invention relates to a network controller connected to a network to perform communications with an external device, which necessitates both network communication processing and real-time control processing. [0002] Controllers equipped with network communication functions are installed in various types of equipments and devices, and adapted to perform communications between a host and a terminal or a controller, alternatively between the controllers. At present, generally, priority assignment is first carried out in a fixed manner among operations (tasks) including control processing, network communication processing and the like, and then these tasks are executed and managed by using priority scheduling of a real-time OS. As an example of priority scheduling of the real-time OS available in the conventional art, ".mu.ITRON 4.0 Specifications" Chap. 3.2 (ITRON Division of TRON Association, edited by Hiroaki Takada under monitoring of Ken Sakamura) can be cited. [0003] A technology is also described in JP-A-11-191002 (1999), which guarantees real-time execution of an important task by dynamically changing priority of tasks for controlling a device according to an operating state of the device, to which a controller is connected. [0004] Reductions in size and cost of a controller are significant challenges. To meet the challenges, both control processing and network communication processing must be performed in coexistence on one microprocessor. Generally, the control processing executed on the controller requires a real-time operation, in which the processing must be completed within a predetermined time. On the other hand, the network communication processing of an information system represented by Ethernet or TCP/IP general in the world of Internet or WWW requires a guarantee of stable throughput, in which especially in reception of communication packets, packets irregularly sent in from an external device can be prevented from being left uncaptured. [0005] In the priority scheduling of the conventional art for assigning priority in a fixed manner, various tasks are carried out by the following method. [0006] (1) Low priority is assigned to the control processing, while high priority is assigned to the network communication processing. In this case, throughput is easily guaranteed, because execution on the controller is started from the network communication processing high in priority. On the other hand, the control processing is executed on the controller only in a state where the network communication processing high in priority is not actuated, i.e., there are no packets to be transferred. Thus, it is impossible to predict how long processor time is assigned, making it difficult to guarantee real-time execution. [0007] (2) High priority is assigned to the control processing, while low priority is assigned to the network communication processing. In this case, it is possible to guarantee real-time execution of the control processing, because execution on the controller is started from the control processing high in priority. On the other hand, the network communication processing is executed on the controller only in a state where the control processing high in priority is not actuated at all. Thus, it is difficult to guarantee predetermined throughput. [0008] (3) Equal levels of priority are assigned to the control processing and the network communication network. In this case, executable tasks are carried out on the controller according to an order of a queue. Thus, it is difficult to guarantee both real-time execution of the control processing, and throughput of the network communication processing. [0009] In any case, in the fixed priority scheduling, it is possible to achieve at least one selected from the real-time execution of the control processing and the throughput of the network communication processing. However, it is difficult to achieve both. [0010] On the other hand, the technology described in JP-A-11-191002 (1999) employs a configuration, where priority of tasks for controlling the device according to the operating state of the device, to which the controller is connected, is dynamically changed, different from the fixed priority scheduling. By changing the priority of the tasks, it is possible to guarantee real-time execution of, especially a task having highest priority assigned, or time for assigning the task to the processor. In this case, however, the real-time execution can be guaranteed only for the task of the highest priority. It is still difficult to guarantee both of the tasks of the control processing and the network communication processing. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011] Therefore, objects of the present invention are to provide a controller capable of guaranteeing both real-time execution of control processing and throughput of network communication processing by one information processing means, and an operating system. [0012] In order to achieve the above-described object, in accordance with the invention, there is provided a controller, which is provided with a plurality of tasks, and a program including an operating system for controlling the execution of the tasks, wherein the plurality of tasks are managed by being classified into a communication task group for performing communications with a network communication system and a control task group for monitorially controlling a target to be monitorially controlled; an execution order of the plurality of tasks are switched by a group unit; and in accordance with the switched task group, information obtained from the target to be monitorially controlled or the network communication system is processed. [0013] Specifically, a controller of the present invention comprises a memory for storing a plurality of tasks and a program including an operating system for controlling the execution of the tasks; an I/O interface for transferring information with a target to be monitorially controlled; a network control circuit for transferring information with a network communication system; a microprocessor for processing either of the information in accordance with the program stored in the memory; and task switching means for managing the plurality of tasks stored in the memory by classifying them into a communication task group for performing network communications and a control task group for monitorially controlling the target to be monitorially controlled, and for switching an execution order of the plurality of tasks by a group unit. [0014] In the controller thus constructed, the task switching means can have a function of managing the plurality of tasks by classifying them into the communication task group, the control task group, and a management task group for management including the internal monitoring of the microprocessor, and a function of switching the execution order of the plurality of tasks by a group unit. [0015] For constructing the controller, the following features can be added. [0016] (1) The task switching means switches the execution order of the plurality of tasks by the group unit in accordance with priority in response to a switching command. [0017] (2) The task switching means uniformly changes priority of all the tasks in the group when switching the execution order of the plurality of tasks by the group unit in accordance with the priority. [0018] (3) The task switching means switches the execution order of the plurality of tasks by the group unit in response to a switching command, and uniformly suspends/resumes execution of all the tasks in a group for which execution of the tasks is to be suspended/resumed. [0019] (4) The task switching means switches the execution order of the plurality of tasks by the group unit in accordance with an execution mode for giving priority to communications with the network communication system over control of the target to be monitorially controlled, or an execution mode for giving priority to the control of the target to be monitorially controlled over the communications with the network communication system. [0020] (5) The task switching means manages operation patterns including the execution mode giving priority to the communications and the execution mode giving priority to the control by classifying them into a plurality of operation patterns, switches the plurality of operation patterns in response to an operation pattern switching command, manages execution time of each execution mode for the switched operation pattern, and instructs switching to the other execution mode after a passage of each execution time. [0021] (6) The task switching means switches the execution order of the plurality of tasks by the group unit in accordance with an execution mode giving priority to communications with the network communication system over control of the target to be monitorially controlled, an execution mode giving priority to the control of the target to be monitorially controlled over the communications with the network communication system, or an execution mode giving priority to management over each of the above modes. [0022] (7) The task switching means manages execution time of each execution mode, and instructs switching to the other execution mode after a passage of each execution time. [0023] (8) The task switching means manages operation patterns including the execution mode giving priority to the communications, the execution mode giving priority to the control, and the execution mode giving priority to the management over each of the above execution modes by classifying them into a plurality of operation patterns, switches the plurality of operation patterns in response to an operation pattern switching command, manages execution time of each execution mode for the switched operation pattern, and instructs switching to the other execution mode after a passage of each execution time. [0024] (9) Received information monitoring means is provided to monitor a quantity of received information obtained from communications with the network communication system. The received information monitoring means instructs the task switching means to switch to an operation pattern in accordance with the quantity of received information. [0025] In accordance with the invention, there is provided a controller, comprising the following elements as software: a plurality of tasks for performing communications and control; and task switching means for managing the plurality of tasks by classifying them into a communication task group for communicating with a network communication system, and a control task group for monitorially controlling a target to be monitorially controlled, and switching an execution order of the plurality of tasks by a group unit. Continue reading... Full patent description for Controller and operating system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Controller and operating system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Controller and operating system or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Call stack capture in an interrupt driven architecture Next Patent Application: Method and apparatus for managing tasks in a multiprocessor system Industry Class: Electrical computers and digital processing systems: virtual machine task or process management or task management/control ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Controller and operating system patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 2.52939 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Medical: Surgery , Surgery(2) , Surgery(3) , Drug , Drug(2) , Prosthesis , Dentistry |
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