Analyzer for sequencer controller

Claim 2

In a control system of the type including: i. a device having a plurality of identified condition sensors and controllable devices, and ii. a controller for sequentially comparing each element in a governing function with the condition of a corresponding sensor for altering a controllable device whenever a governing function is satisfied, the improvement of an analyzer for monitoring system operation comprising: A. means for storing the last recorded condition for each condition sensor and controllable device, B. transition monitoring means connected to said controller and said storage means and synchronized with said controller including i. output means for generating an output when the previous and new conditions of a compared condition sensor or controllable device differ, and ii. means for updating said storage means to correspond to the new condition, and C. means for receiving outputs from said transition monitoring means.

Claim 3

A control system as recited in claim 1 wherein said controller additionally includes an output register, A. said transition monitoring output means being connected to transfer its output to said output register, and B. said receiving means comprising a data processing system with means for accepting an output in said output register and for storing the output in sequence.

Claim 4

A control system as recited in claim 1 wherein said transition monitoring output means includes a transition word generator for receiving signals from said controller identifying a condition sensor or controllable device and the type of operation being performed by said controller, said transition word generator comprising: i. means for determining the direction of the transition, ii. means for determining whether said controller is testing a sensor, iii. means for generating a transition word as the output of said transition monitoring output means, the word identifying the transition direction, type of controller operation and the affected device, iv. said updating means responding to said transition word generator for altering the contents of said storage means.

Claim 5

A control system as recited in claim 1 wherein said controller includes means for storing instructions in sequence and an instruction register, certain instructions each including a first portion received by said instruction register for defining an operation to be performed and a second portion identified by a specific condition sensor or controllable device, A. said storage means including addressed decoding means responsive to selected signals from said instruction register for generating a signal corresponding to a previous state of the identified condition sensor or controllable device, and B. said transition monitor being responsive to said selected signals from said instruction register for enabling said storage means.

Claim 6

A control system as recited in claim 4 wherein said receiving means is characterized by a maximum transfer rate at which it can accept data from said output register, said transition monitoring means additionally comprising: i. timing means for defining a maximum time interval corresponding to the maximum transfer rate, ii. means for starting said timer whenever said receiving means receives an output, iii. means responsive to said timer for inhibiting further sequencing by said controller during the timed interval, and iv. means for resetting the timer when said output register is empty.

Claim 7

A control system as recited in claim 4 additionally comprising: A. means for inhibiting control actions by said controller, and B. means for causing said controller to sequentially test each sensor and device whereby said storage means and said receiving means obtain initial conditions.

Claim 8

A control system as recited in claim 4 wherein said transition monitor additionally comprises: i. a status register for storing status information, and ii. means for disabling said transition monitoring means output for selected transitions in accordance with the contents of said status register.

Claim 9

An automatic machine tool system comprising: A. a machine tool with a plurality of identified condition sensors and controllable devices for controlling the operation thereof, B. a controller for selectively activating said controllable devices in response to machine tool status indicated by said condition sensors in response to at least one Boolean expression, said controller including: i. means for sequentially analyzing each element in each expression, each step including comparing the condition of a predetermined condition sensor with a corresponding element in the expression, ii. means responsive to a satisfied expression for altering an identified controllable device, and iii. an output register, C. a data processing system with an input buffer for connection to said output register for receiving data therefrom, and D. a transition monitor connected to said controller including: i. storage means with locations corresponding to each of said condition sensors and controllable devices for storing data indicating respective conditions thereof, ii. a transition word generator connected to said sequential comparison means and said output register in said controller and to said storage means for generating a word when a change in condition is sensed during each comparison step, the transition word identifying a specific condition sensor or controllable device and the direction of change and being transferred to said output register, said data processing system responsive to the receipt of the transition word in said output register for accepting the transition word in said input buffer and storing the word in sequence.

Claim 10

An automatic machine tool system comprising: A. a machine tool with a plurality of identified condition sensors and controllable devices for controlling the operation thereof, B. a controller for selectively activating said controllable devices in response to machine tool status indicated by said condition sensors in response to at least one Boolean expression, said controller including: i. means for sequentially analyzing each element in each expression, each step including comparing the condition of a predetermined condition sensor with a corresponding element in the expression, ii. means responsive to a satisfied expression for altering an identified controllable device, and iii. an output register, C. a data processing system with an input buffer for connection to said output register for receiving data therefrom, and D. a transition monitor connected to said controller including: i. storage means with locations corresponding to each of said condition sensors and controllable devices for storing data indicating respective conditions thereof, ii. a transition word generator connected to said sequential comparison means and said output register in said controller and to said storage means for generating a word when a change in condition is sensed during each comparison step, the transition word identifying a specific condition sensor or controllable device and the direction of change and being transferred to said output register, said data processing system responsive to the receipt of the transition word in said output register for accepting the transition word in said input buffer and storing the word in sequence.

Claim 11

A system as recited in claim 8 wherein: A. said sequential comparison means includes: i. a memory unit for storing instructions, certain instructions identifying a specific condition sensor to be tested or a specific controllable device to be activated, each of the certain instructions corresponding to an element in an expression, ii. an instruction register, and iii. means for generating signals in response to the contents of said instruction register to control operations defined by the instructions during each analysis step, B. said transition monitor including: i. means responsive to said instruction register signals representing said certain instructions for generating enabling signals, ii. said storage means in said transition monitor including addressed decoding means responsive to the enabling signal and the identification of a condition sensor or controllable device for generating a signal corresponding to the stored state of the identified condition sensor or controllable device.

Claim 12

A system as recited in claim 9 wherein said transition word generator includes: i. means for determining the direction of a transition, ii. means for determining the type instruction being processed, iii. means for generating the transition word identifying the transition direction, type of instruction and affected device, and iv. means responding to said transition word for altering the contents of the storage means location corresponding to the identified condition sensor or controllabe element.

Claim 13

A system as recited in claim 10 wherein said data processing system is characterized by a maximum rate at which it can accept data from said output register, said transition monitor additionally comprising: i. a timer for defining a time interval corresponding to the maximum transfer rate, ii. an output flag means for starting said timer and setting said output flag, iii. means responsive to said timer and said flag for inhibiting further sequencing of said controller during the timed interval, and iv. means for resetting said flag when said output register empties to then enable further sequencing.

Claim 14

A system as recited in claim 10 wherein said transition monitor additionally comprises: i. means for inhibiting control actions by said controller, and ii. means for causing said controller to sequentially test each sensor and controllable device whereby said storage means and said utilization device receive initial conditions.

Claim 15

A system as recited in claim 10 wherein said transition monitor additionally comprises: i. a status register, ii. means for loading said status register, and iii. means for disabling said transition generator output for selected transitions in accordance with the control of said status register.

Claim 16

A system as recited in claim 10 wherein said data processing System includes an interrupt facility and said system is adapted to be connected to input/output devices, the appearance of data in said output register generating a priority interrupting signal.

Claim 17

A system as recited in claim 10 wherein said data processing system includes a memory and is adapted to store first and second lists in said memory, a first of said lists containing a reference sequence representing a predetermined operating sequence for said system, said data processing system additionally being programmed to: i. receive data from said output register in sequence for storage in said list, ii. compare the contents of said first and second list in sequence, and iii. generate data for an output peripheral device including any deviations between said first and second lists.

Claim 18

A system as recited in claim 15 additionally being programmed to record the time each transition occurs.