Patents by Inventor Shigenori Sawada

Shigenori Sawada has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11811547
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Yoneda, Nobuyuki Sakatani, Ryota Akai, Taiga Niimi, Shigenori Sawada
  • Patent number: 11563599
    Abstract: This control system is provided with a controller, a controller which is a loopback communication device, a first communication route, and a second communication route. The controller generates and transmits control frames to slave devices. The controller performs loopback communication of the control frames. In the first communication route, multiple slave devices are connected between the controller and the controller using communication cables. In the second communication route, the first controller and the second controller are connected over a communication cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventor: Shigenori Sawada
  • Publication number: 20220357715
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Taiga NIIMI, Mitsuhiro YONEDA, Ryota AKAI, Nobuyuki SAKATANI, Shigenori SAWADA
  • Publication number: 20220286267
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Applicant: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Taiga NIIMI, Mitsuhiro YONEDA, Ryota AKAI, Nobuyuki SAKATANI, Shigenori SAWADA
  • Publication number: 20220244697
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Applicant: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryota AKAI, Mitsuhiro YONEDA, Taiga NIlMI, Nobuyuki SAKATANI, Shigenori SAWADA
  • Publication number: 20220247632
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Applicant: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro YONEDA, Taiga NIIMI, Ryota AKAI, Nobuyuki SAKATANI, Shigenori SAWADA
  • Patent number: 11402806
    Abstract: This control system comprises controllers and slave devices. A control network is formed by connecting the slave devices between the controllers over communication cables. The controller generates and manages control frames for communication through the control network. The controller receives and copies the control frames, and perform loopback communication of the control frames to the controller of the control network. The controller stores the copied the control frames, or transmits the copied control frames to a database device connected by an information communication network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Shigenori Sawada, Yasuo Muneta
  • Publication number: 20220173922
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Applicant: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro YONEDA, Nobuyuki SAKATANI, Ryota AKAI, Taiga NIIMI, Shigenori SAWADA
  • Publication number: 20220163939
    Abstract: A master device manages a plurality of slave devices constituting a network including a ring topology. The plurality of slave devices includes: a first slave device serving as a starting point and a terminal point of the ring topology; and a plurality of second slave devices connected between a first output port of the first slave device and a second output port thereof and constituting the ring topology. On the basis of a network configuration detected when the second output port and the output port of a second slave device paired with the second output port are available and of a network configuration detected when the second output port and the output port paired therewith have been made unavailable, the master device determines an incorrect wiring path between the first output port and the second output port and outputs information indicating the incorrect wiring path to an information processing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicant: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Shigenori SAWADA, Norihiro MAEKAWA
  • Patent number: 11340574
    Abstract: The junction device includes a first error detection means that detects a transmission error by monitoring the periodic reception of a first communication frame, and a state switching means that switches, when a transmission error is detected by the first error detection means, a state of the junction device to either a first state in which the signal output from all of the functional units connected to the junction device is disabled or a second state in which the signal output from some of the functional units connected to the junction device is continuously updated based on the configuration of each functional unit connected to the junction device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventor: Shigenori Sawada
  • Publication number: 20220147022
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Applicant: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro YONEDA, Nobuyuki SAKATANI, Ryota AKAI, Taiga NIIMI, Shigenori SAWADA
  • Patent number: 11323323
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Yoneda, Shigenori Sawada
  • Patent number: 11316710
    Abstract: A control system includes a master device and one or a plurality of slave devices connected to the master device via a field network. In a storage unit of each slave device, a node address is arranged in a unique region for each model of the slave devices. The control system further includes an information providing part which provides, in any slave device, information for specifying the region in which the node address is stored in the storage unit to the master device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Shigenori Sawada, Akihiro Tamura, Yuji Ikeo
  • Patent number: 11269313
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Yoneda, Shigenori Sawada, Yasunori Fukuda
  • Patent number: 11251990
    Abstract: Provided is a control device comprising a communication management part and a user application processing part. The user application processing part is for detecting slave devices, which are communication targets of control data having been set using a setting tool, and the slave devices are connected to a filed bus. The communication management part is for managing the communication of the control data in accordance with a control cycle. The communication management part determines the control cycle using a pre-stored propagation delay time for each of the slave devices that are the communication targets of the control data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Yamawaki, Taishi Kawaguchi, Kojiro Baba, Shigenori Sawada
  • Patent number: 11181890
    Abstract: A control system which controls a control target includes a controller connected to one or more devices through a network, and an information processing apparatus connected to the controller. The controller includes an event log containing an event having occurred during a control operation, and network statistical information containing statistical information associated with data transmission on the network. The information processing apparatus includes a factor estimation unit that provides an interactive user interface in accordance with selection of an anomaly phenomenon registered in the event log.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Kojiro Baba, Yasushi Yamawaki, Shigenori Sawada
  • Patent number: 11171799
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Yoneda, Shigenori Sawada, Shinji Murayama, Yasuo Muneta
  • Patent number: 11169492
    Abstract: This control system is provided with a plurality of slave devices and controllers. The controller is connected to one end of a field bus which includes the plurality of slave devices that is linearly connected, and the controller is connected to the other end of the field bus through a communication cable. The controllers are provided with a CPU and a transception part. One of the controllers generates a control frame with the CPU and transmits this from the transception part, and the other of the controllers performs a loop communication of the control frame by the transception part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Shigenori Sawada, Yasuo Muneta
  • Patent number: 11092945
    Abstract: Provided is a control device comprising a communication management part, a computation part, and a result output part. The communication management part is for managing data communication using cyclic communication conforming to a prescribed communication cycle with respect to a field network. The computation part is for measuring a propagation delay time from received data corresponding to actual measurement data for a propagation delay having been transmitted to the field network, and detecting an operation state of the field network using the propagation delay time measurement result. The result output part is for outputting the result of the detection performed by the computation part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Yamawaki, Shigenori Sawada, Kojiro Baba
  • Patent number: 11095382
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Yoneda, Shigenori Sawada