Abstract: A control system, apparatus, and method are provided. In the control system, plural apparatuses in time synchronization with one another are connected to a network, and the network transfers a frame periodically exchanged by the apparatuses. The apparatuses include a control device and an apparatus controlled by the control device. Each apparatus in the control system is connected over the network, to a first apparatus that transmits a frame that arrives at each of the apparatuses and a second apparatus that receives a frame transmitted from each of the apparatuses. Each apparatus includes information on a frame transfer path and transfer timing based on a synchronous time. When a frame does not arrive at defined time through the transfer path and when a condition associated with a cycle is satisfied, one or more of the apparatuses is configured to transmit a resend request through the transfer path.

Abstract: Information is backed up with a simple configuration. A control device that controls an object, the control device includes: a storage configured to store information controlling the object; and a change detector configured to detect that information in the storage is changed, in which the control device executes backup processing of the information stored in the storage when the change detector detects that the information in the storage is changed during operation.

Abstract: A control system includes plural control devices connected to a network, each of the control devices including a program storage, an operation module, and an arbitration module. The program storage stores a control program including a command to calculate and update a control instruction that is a value related to control of a control target. The operation module operates the control program of the program storage of the control device. The arbitration module disposes plural control programs including a command to calculate and update an identical control instruction in another one of the plural control devices, and arbitrates an operation time between the plural control programs such that updatings of the identical control instruction do not conflict with each other in the plural control programs.

Abstract: The present invention decides a reference timer for synchronizing time in consideration of an indicator which indicates a length of a transmission path. A timer decision means for deciding a reference timer out of timers having a plurality of transfer apparatuses acquires, for each of the plurality of transfer apparatuses, a path indicator which indicates a length of a path on a network through which data passes from the transfer apparatus to an end apparatus, and decides a reference timer out of timers of one or more transfer apparatuses having the path indicator which indicates that a path to the end apparatus has a predetermined length out of the plurality of transfer apparatuses.

Abstract: A control system includes a control target and plural devices, and the control target and the devices are connected to a network. The control system includes a program storage provided in each device storing a control program that calculates control data using data exchanged with the control target, an execution module and a disposition module. The execution module is included in each device and causes a processor to execute programs including a disposed control program. The disposition module disposes control programs in one or more of the devices. The disposition module determines a device in which the control program is disposed from among the plural devices based on a communication delay time between the devices and information about a resource usable for execution of the control program of each device for each control program.

Abstract: According to the present invention, when there is a change in a network configuration, timers of a changed network configuration are synchronized with a timer having high accuracy among the timers. This control system has a network configuration in which one or more control devices each for controlling a target can be communicably connected to a network, and each of the one or more control devices has: a timer for managing time with accuracy; a communicator for transmitting a control command to a target corresponding to said control device on the basis of the time managed by the timer; and a timer synchronizer that, when the network configuration is changed, time-synchronizes, among timers of each control device of a changed network configuration, timers with another timer having higher accuracy than the timers.

Abstract: A control system, apparatus, and method are provided. In the control system, plural apparatuses in time synchronization with one another are connected to a network, and the network transfers a frame periodically exchanged by the apparatuses. The apparatuses include a control device and an apparatus controlled by the control device. Each apparatus in the control system is connected over the network, to a first apparatus that transmits a frame that arrives at each of the apparatuses and a second apparatus that receives a frame transmitted from each of the apparatuses. Each apparatus includes information on a frame transfer path and transfer timing based on a synchronous time. When a frame does not arrive at defined time through the transfer path and when a condition associated with a cycle is satisfied, one or more of the apparatuses is configured to transmit a resend request through the transfer path.

Abstract: A control system includes one or more control devices, and an information processing device. The information processing device and the one or more control devices are communicatively connected and time-synchronized with each other. The information processing device includes a processor configured to perform control calculation processing of calculating control data in accordance with control calculation based on data received from each of the one or more control devices. Each of the control devices includes a controller configured to perform input/output processing of transferring incoming data from a field device to the information processing device and outputting the control data received from the information processing device to the field device, and the control calculation processing and the input/output processing are performed within a period of time based on the time synchronization and shared between each of the control devices and the information processing device.

Abstract: A rule for transferring data over a communication network is changed for each communication apparatus without spending time and cost. In a communication system in which a plurality of communication apparatuses are connected to a network, at least one of the plurality of communication apparatuses includes rule storage means for storing a plurality of transfer rules for transferring data over the network, transfer means for transferring data incoming over the network in accordance with one of the plurality of transfer rules, and rule switching means for switching one transfer rule to another transfer rule when the communication apparatus receives a notification from the outside.

Abstract: A controller includes a processor and a communication circuit. The controller controls an object of control by sequentially repeating, on a predetermined control cycle, the transmission of the output data, the reception of the input data, and execution of a control program for generating the output data using the input data. In the transmission of the output data, the processor executes: storing of the output data in a frame, the output data having been generated by the execution of the control program in a previous control cycle; and control of the communication circuit such that the frame, in which the output data is stored, is transmitted to the object of control. The processor executes, in a current control cycle, at least a part of the storing of the output data in a frame that is to be executed in a next control cycle.

Abstract: A control system includes: a search part that, among one or more moving systems, searches for the moving system that meets preset requirements; an instruction part that outputs to a moving mechanism included in the moving system being searched an instruction for moving a second machine to be controlled included in the moving system being searched by the search part to a position operable in linkage with a first machine to be controlled; and a provision part that provides to a storage part of a second control device included in the searched moving system a linking user program for controlling the second machine to be controlled to operate in linkage with the first machine to be controlled. This makes it possible to efficiently perform dynamic recombination of the machines to be controlled.

Abstract: Reliability with which a control device at a transmission destination can receive data is improved. In a communication system in which a plurality of control devices for factory automation are connected to a network, a communication protocol among the control devices includes a publish/subscribe type. Each of the control devices includes: a data storage unit in which control data is stored; a publisher unit that transmits data including a state of the control device of the publisher unit itself to other control devices than the control device; and a subscriber unit that receives data from each of the other control devices. When a state of each of the other control devices that is received by the subscriber unit satisfies a reception allowing condition, the publisher unit transmits the control data of the control device of the publisher unit itself.

Abstract: A communication system in which a plurality of communication apparatuses in time synchronization with one another are connected over a network is provided. Each of the communication apparatuses includes management means for allowing transmission in accordance with a predetermined communication schedule, of cyclically transmitted first data to be used for control of a manufacturing apparatus or a production facility, second data which should be delivered to a destination within a designated time period, and third data different from the first and second data, selection means for selecting a data transfer scheme for each piece of data to be transmitted from among an on-the-fly scheme, a cut-through scheme, and a store-and-forward scheme based on the communication schedule, and a transmission and reception circuit which transfers each piece of data received from another communication apparatus to yet another communication apparatus in accordance with the data transfer scheme determined for that data.

Abstract: A communication system according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a communication system in which a plurality of communication devices are connected to a network. The plurality of communication devices include a time master including a master clock that manages time of the communication system and a plurality of time slaves each of which includes a slave clock time-synchronized with the master clock. Each of the plurality of time slaves includes a synchronization unit that performs time synchronization with another communication device connected adjacent to a master side on the network and a communication unit that notifies the time master of time synchronization information indicating time synchronization accuracy of the own device obtained by the synchronization unit.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of control devices includes: an upper communication part which transmits/receives first data to/from other control devices via a first network; and a lower communication part which transmits/receives second data to/from one or more equipment via a second network. The upper communication part has a first timer time-synchronized with each other among the plurality of control devices. The lower communication part determines, based on the time of the first timer, a timing to start processing for transmitting the second data to the one or more equipment.

Abstract: A first control device connected to a network in which data is updated at every predetermined cycle transmits, at every predetermined cycle, first data used for controlling a manufacturing device or a production facility, using a first communication band among communication bands possessed by the network. A second control device connected to the network and time-synchronized with the first control device transmits second data used for setting and managing the manufacturing device or the production facility, using a second communication band other than the first communication band among the communication bands possessed by the network.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of control devices includes: an upper communication part which transmits/receives first data to/from other control devices via a first network; and a lower communication part which transmits/receives second data to/from one or more equipment via a second network. The upper communication part has a first timer time-synchronized with each other among the plurality of control devices. The lower communication part determines, based on the time of the first timer, a timing to start processing for transmitting the second data to the one or more equipment.

Abstract: A communication apparatus connected to a network over which data is updated every predetermined cycle is provided. The communication apparatus includes first scheduling means for securing a first communication band necessary for updating every predetermined cycle, first data to be used for control of a manufacturing apparatus or a production facility, second scheduling means for securing a second communication hand necessary for delivering second data to a destination within a designated time period in a communication hand other than the first communication band of communication bands of the network, and third scheduling means for securing a third communication band for transmitting third data in a communication band set as neither of the first communication band and the second communication band of the communication bands of the network.

Abstract: A controller includes a processor and a communication circuit. The controller controls an object of control by sequentially repeating, on a predetermined control cycle, the transmission of the output data, the reception of the input data, and execution of a control program for generating the output data using the input data. In the transmission of the output data, the processor executes: storing of the output data in a frame, the output data having been generated by the execution of the control program in a previous control cycle; and control of the communication circuit such that the frame, in which the output data is stored, is transmitted to the object of control. The processor executes, in a current control cycle, at least a part of the storing of the output data in a frame that is to be executed in a next control cycle.

Abstract: A control device includes a cyclic communication part and a communication management part. A cyclic communication part controls communication of first control data of which arrival in a first guarantee time is guaranteed according to a preset cyclic period and second control data of which arrival in a second guarantee time longer than the cyclic period is guaranteed and of which a sequence of information included is determined. The communication management part manages a communication schedule of first control data and second control data. When new second control data is acquired while the second control data is divided into a plurality of communication data and communicated according to the cyclic period, the communication management part determines a communication sequence of the plurality of second control data according to priorities of the plurality of second control data.