Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating add-on functions for employment with an industrial device. One system includes an electronic processor configured to receive, via a user interface, a user input defining an add-on function. The electronic processor may be configured to compile an object file for the add-on function. The electronic processor may be configured to control access to the object file for executing the add-on function. The electronic processor may be configured to receive a request for the object file. The electronic processor may be configured to transmit the object file for executing the add-on function.

Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating add-on functions for employment with an industrial device. One system includes an electronic processor configured to detect an add-on function call from a user program executing within the industrial device. The electronic processor is also configured to determine a function name of an add-on function associated with the add-on function call. The electronic processor is also configured to provide a set of operations for executing the add-on function, based at least in part on the function name of the add-on function.

Abstract: An industrial controller that integrates execution of a control program on the industrial controller with execution of additional functions on an external processing device is disclosed. Integrating the external processing device provides an improved system for third party development of control functions which may be unique to specific applications. The system manages communication between the industrial controller and the external processing device, manages access to data stored in the industrial controller, and makes the details of the integration transparent to the programmer.

Abstract: Different cores of a multicore processor are used to provide diagnostics of sophisticated hardware without full redundancy by static assignment of the cores during individual cycles of the control program and comparison of the outputs. A method of automatically generating diverse programs for execution by these cores may modify one program to compile two different instructions without functionally changing that program through the use of DeMorgan equivalents and diverse compiler optimizations.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology generally relate to methods and systems for providing a flexible, updatable, and backward compatible programmable logic controller (“PLC”) and instruction set library. The instruction set library in the PLC can be updated without downtime of the PLC or the machines controlled by the PLC. The instruction set library is decoupled from the PLC firmware and bound via an API so that instructions in the executable code are bound to the firmware such that updates to the instruction set library can happen between scans of the executable without requiring the firmware be updated. Further, the instruction set library may be partitioned to limit updates and the amount of the complete instruction set library that is stored on the PLC to only those used by the PLC.

Abstract: Embodiments of this present disclosure may include industrial components in an industrial environment and a control system. The control system may receive a request to perform a control operation using the industrial components and may access a reference array associated with the industrial components. The reference array may include rows and columns, where each row may correspond to a respective industrial component of the industrial components. The control system may identify or program set points in the reference array associated with completing the control operation and may detect current motion components of the plurality of industrial components. The control system may generate control commands for the industrial components based on the current motion components, the set points, and/or the reference array. The industrial components may perform the control operation in response to receiving the control commands.

Abstract: Embodiments of this present disclosure may include industrial components in an industrial environment and a control system. The control system may receive a request to perform a control operation using the industrial components and may access a reference array associated with the industrial components. The reference array may include rows and columns, where each row may correspond to a respective industrial component of the industrial components. The control system may identify or program set points in the reference array associated with completing the control operation and may detect current motion components of the plurality of industrial components. The control system may generate control commands for the industrial components based on the current motion components, the set points, and/or the reference array. The industrial components may perform the control operation in response to receiving the control commands.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology generally relate to methods and systems for providing a flexible, updatable, and backward compatible programmable logic controller (“PLC”) and instruction set library. The instruction set library in the PLC can be updated without downtime of the PLC or the machines controlled by the PLC. The instruction set library is decoupled from the PLC firmware and bound via an API so that instructions in the executable code are bound to the firmware such that updates to the instruction set library can happen between scans of the executable without requiring the firmware be updated. Further, the instruction set library may be partitioned to limit updates and the amount of the complete instruction set library that is stored on the PLC to only those used by the PLC.

Abstract: An industrial controller that integrates execution of a control program on the industrial controller with execution of additional functions on an external processing device is disclosed. Integrating the external processing device provides an improved system for third party development of control functions which may be unique to specific applications. The system manages communication between the industrial controller and the external processing device, manages access to data stored in the industrial controller, and makes the details of the integration transparent to the programmer.

Abstract: Different cores of a multicore processor are used to provide diagnostics of sophisticated hardware without full redundancy by static assignment of the cores during individual cycles of the control program and comparison of the outputs. A method of automatically generating diverse programs for execution by these cores may modify one program to compile two different instructions without functionally changing that program through the use of DeMorgan equivalents and diverse compiler optimizations.

Abstract: Different cores of a multicore processor are used to provide diagnostics of sophisticated hardware without full redundancy by static assignment of the cores during individual cycles of the control program and comparison of the outputs. A method of automatically generating diverse programs for execution by these cores may modify one program to compile two different instructions without functionally changing that program through the use of DeMorgan equivalents and diverse compiler optimizations.

Abstract: The present inventors have recognized that highly reliable operation may be further achieved in industrial control systems by monitoring execution of programs in real time. Such monitoring may include detecting defective program sequences which may be caused by executing a wrong sequence, executing a sequence at a wrong time, and/or a faulty clock. In one aspect, a control program may be divided into executable modules. A first code stream may then execute to control an industrial process or machine using the executable modules stored in a first set. In addition, a second code stream may execute to verify the first code stream using executable modules stored in a second set. First and second execution sequence values may be generated based on execution of the first and second code streams. A comparison of the first and second execution sequence values may detect an error which may have occurred in the program.

Abstract: Different cores of a multicore processor are used to provide diagnostics of sophisticated hardware without full redundancy by static assignment of the cores during individual cycles of the control program and comparison of the outputs. A method of automatically generating diverse programs for execution by these cores may modify one program to compile two different instructions without functionally changing that program through the use of DeMorgan equivalents and diverse compiler optimizations.

Abstract: The present inventors have recognized that highly reliable operation may be further achieved in industrial control systems by monitoring execution of programs in real time. Such monitoring may include detecting defective program sequences which may be caused by executing a wrong sequence, executing a sequence at a wrong time, and/or a faulty clock. In one aspect, a control program may be divided into executable modules. A first code stream may then execute to control an industrial process or machine using the executable modules stored in a first set. In addition, a second code stream may execute to verify the first code stream using executable modules stored in a second set. First and second execution sequence values may be generated based on execution of the first and second code streams. A comparison of the first and second execution sequence values may detect an error which may have occurred in the program.

Abstract: The inventor has recognized that industrial controllers may be updated after they are deployed in the field, while actively controlling an industrial process and without costly downtime, by storing a replacement machine-readable component in an allocated program space, locating and modifying one or more dependent machine-readable components copied in the allocated program space to instead depend on the replacement machine-readable component, re-linking a copy of the control program in the allocated program space, and redirecting execution to the control program in the allocated program space. Replacement machine-readable components could be instructions, libraries, or subroutines of the control program, and are not limited to user logic. The control program in the allocated program space may optimally be tested by verifying an operation before redirecting execution to the control program in the allocated program space.

Abstract: The inventor has recognized that industrial controllers may be updated after they are deployed in the field, while actively controlling an industrial process and without costly downtime, by storing a replacement machine-readable component in an allocated program space, locating and modifying one or more dependent machine-readable components copied in the allocated program space to instead depend on the replacement machine-readable component, re-linking a copy of the control program in the allocated program space, and redirecting execution to the control program in the allocated program space. Replacement machine-readable components could be instructions, libraries, or subroutines of the control program, and are not limited to user logic. The control program in the allocated program space may optimally be tested by verifying an operation before redirecting execution to the control program in the allocated program space.

Abstract: Graphical editing methods are employed to construct programs in high-level graphical languages prior to compilation and operation in controllers for industrial or commercial equipment. The editing methods include process, hardware and program editing tasks for defining both process and hardware I/O points and connecting them to variables in a controller program. Each editing task has a tree graph window, a graph editing window, and a palette with rotating panels of graphical editing tools. The hardware editing taks uses two-layered icons to graphically simulate the hardware environment. A plurality of graph types are based on generalized node-vert-arc graphical elements which are special classes programmed in the Smalltalk programming language. Languages for the controller program include function block, sequential function chart and ladder diagram.