Abstract:
Proposed is a training and simulation device for electric functional processes in electric, electromechanical and electrofluidic systems, with a controller ( 14 ) for the simulation and visual reproduction of system components ( 25 - 31 ) on a display ( 11 ), and with electric terminals ( 13 ) located adjacent to the display ( 11 ) for cable connection to hardware components of the system, wherein optical inputs and/or outputs of the simulated system components on the display ( 11 ) are assigned to at least a part of the terminals ( 13 ) and wherein the controller ( 14 ) comprises means for generating electric voltages at the terminals ( 13 ) of assigned outputs of the simulated system components ( 31 ) and/or for generating reactions of the simulated system components ( 25 - 30 ) in dependence on voltages externally applied to terminals ( 13 ) assigned to inputs of said simulated system components.

Description:
This application claims priority based on an International Application filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, PCT/EP2009/007181, filed Oct. 7, 2009, which claims priority to DE 102008051401.2, filed Oct. 11, 2008. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a training and simulation device for electric functional processes in electric, electromechanical and electrofluidic systems, comprising a display on which system components including their operation can be shown and/or simulated. Such a simulation or display of system components or systems in their movements and/or their operational sequence is known. Although such movements and operational sequences can be shown in dependence on parameter processes, connections or links of simulated system components to real hardware components and/or hardware systems are unsuited to visual representation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is based on the problem of creating a training and simulation device of this type which can be combined with real hardware components and/or hardware systems in a simple and clear way in the manner of an interconnection. 
     According to the invention, this problem is solved by a training and simulation device with the features of claim  1 . 
     The device according to the invention in particular offers the advantage that it features real electric terminals for interconnecting the training and simulation device with real hardware components or systems as if the device itself were at least one hardware component. By means of the optical assignment of these terminals to inputs and/or outputs of the simulated system components, electric connections are simulated as if the displayed system components were interconnected with the hardware components as real components. This permits a fast and variable construction of systems, for example for learning or training purposes. The simulated components can be modified, replaced or updated quickly. Real voltages applied to the terminals act on assigned inputs of the simulated system components as if applied to corresponding hardware components, i.e. the simulated system components react accordingly, for example by moving. Similar voltages are applied to terminals assigned to outputs of simulated system components. If the simulated component is a position sensor, for example, a position signal corresponding to the position of a simulated moving object is generated at the respective terminal. 
     The measures listed in the dependent claims allow for advantageous further developments of and improvements to the training and simulation device specified in claim  1 . 
     To assign terminals to inputs and/or outputs of simulated system components, corresponding lines are advantageously provided between terminals and display, which the display shows to lead to the respective inputs and/or outputs. In this way, the terminals can be clearly assigned to inputs and/or outputs of the simulated components. 
     A panel or a panel-shaped housing advantageously forms a device assembly comprising at least the display, the terminals and the controller. Such a compact assembly can easily be located in the region of a real hardware system and connected thereto via the terminals. 
     For operation, in particular for selecting or generating system components on the display, controls are expediently provided on the device assembly or adjacent to the display and/or the display is designed as a touch screen. 
     For communication with an external computer or central processing device, the device assembly is expediently provided with I/O terminals and/or wireless connection means, for example radio and/or internet modules or devices. Any I/O terminals may be designed as bus terminals. 
     In the controller or its memory, any system component to be simulated and reproduced can be stored, and by communicating with a computer device, the stored system components can be altered or further system components can be added. In addition or as an alternative, function modules of stored system components or combinations thereof capable of installation into the device assembly may be provided, such modules being quickly and easily interchangeable. 
     A holder is advantageously provided for accommodating at least one device assembly. This means that several device assemblies can be accommodated and connected to one another by means of the terminals. In this way, the simulated system components are functionally joined to one another. 
     Owing to the facility for storing system components in the controller or by means of function modules, the training and simulation device can be used to great advantage and very variably for very different electric operational sequences. The operation of at least one of the following system components can be simulated and reproduced on the display: switches, relays, measuring instruments, actuators, sensors, electric and/or fluidic circuits, electronic function modules, control panels, motors, drives, voltage sources and generators, conveying apparatus, indicators, light sources, logic circuits and links, action programmes and flow charts. 
     An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing and explained in greater detail in the description below. Of the drawing: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of a training and simulation device according to the invention, with a measuring instrument simulated and reproduced on the display; 
         FIG. 2  shows the same training and simulation device, with two 7-segment indicating elements and a switch simulated on the screen; 
         FIG. 3  shows the same training and simulation device, with a simulated fluidic circuit arrangement and a sensor; and 
         FIG. 4  shows a holding panel for one or more such devices. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The embodiment of the training and simulation device shown in  FIG. 1  has a rectangular flat housing  10  with a display  11  designed as a screen. A plurality of pushbuttons  12  is provided below the display  11 . Fourteen electric terminals  13  are disposed on each side of the display, their number obviously being variable. A controller  14  for the simulation and visual representation of system components on the display  11  is located on or in the flat housing  10 . This controller  14  may be a programmable micro-controller or another programmable logic controller. An ASIC version can also be used. 
     The pushbuttons  12  are used to select the system components to be visually reproduced on the display  11  and also permit programming and re-programming operations. As an alternative or in addition, the display may be designed as a touch screen, permitting the direct input of control commands and other inputs via the touch screen. In individual cases, the pushbuttons may be surplus to requirements. 
     In place of a controller  14  permanently fitted to or installed into the housing, the controller  14  may be designed as variably installable and interchangeable function modules. These function modules may be fixed-programmed for defined stored system components or combinations thereof, or they may be programmable. It is also possible to provide interchangeable function modules in addition to the permanently installed controller. 
     The controller  14  includes a wireless communication module  15 , which may be either integrated or designed as a separate module. It is used for wireless communication with a remote external computer or central processing device. Communication is for example based on radio, Internet, Bluetooth, WLAN or the like. Via this communication module, the controller  14  can be programmed or deprogrammed, or additional virtual system components can be entered. 
     The flat housing  10  is further provided with I/O terminals  16 , which are likewise used for communication with the controller  14  via cable links. Such cable links may for example be designed as bus terminals. Simpler variants may not be provided with I/O terminals  16  or the communication module  15 . 
       FIG. 1  shows a virtual measuring instruments  17  on the display  11 . Its two inputs  18  are virtually connected to a terminal  13  on the left-hand side of the display  11  and to a terminal  13  on the right-hand side of the display  11 , i.e. two terminals  13  are assigned to the two inputs  18 . Lines  19  symbolising conductors run towards the display  13  to illustrate the assignment of the terminals  13 . The lines  19  of the terminals  13  linked to the inputs  18  are continued as lines  20  running to the inputs  18  on the display. The controller  14  which generates, simulates and visually reproduces the lines  20  and the virtual measuring instrument  17  also generates the function assigned to the measuring instrument  17 . As a result, voltages applied to the terminals  13  virtually linked to the measuring instrument  17  effect a deflection of the virtual needle  21  of the measuring instrument  17 . In this configuration, the training and simulation device serves as a measuring instrument and can be used as such in combination with real hardware circuits and components. Others may be simulated using the pushbuttons  12  and/or the touch screen display  11 , for example several different measuring instruments virtually connected to other terminals. In addition, measuring ranges and methods can be changed and varied as well, using the control means. 
     In addition to instruments measuring voltage and current, various other types of electric measuring instruments can obviously be simulated, such as oscilloscopes, frequency meters, digital and analogue instruments and the like. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates the same training and simulation device, and corresponding regions and components are identified by the same reference numbers. For clarity, the communication module  15  and the I/O terminals  16  have been omitted in  FIG. 2 . 
     According to  FIG. 2 , the controller  14  simulates on the display  11  two 7-segment indicating elements  22 , each of which is virtually connected via virtual BCD decoders  23  to four terminals  13  on the left-hand side of the display  11 . Also simulated and reproduced is an electric switch  24  virtually connected to two terminals  13  on the right-hand side of the display  11 . 
     The 7-segment indicating elements  22  are used to reproduce desired values. These may be sensor signals, voltages, currents or other state variables. The corresponding signals are applied by a real hardware system not shown in the drawing to the terminals  13  via cables. The BCD decoders may either be programmed or selected from a plurality of stored decoders in the manner of a modular system. 
     The two terminals  13  which are virtually connected to the switch  24  can likewise be connected to a real hardware configuration via cables. This switch  24  can be operated by way of the pushbuttons  12  or directly via the display  11  designed as a touch screen. According to the drawing, the two terminals  13  virtually connected thereto are in this case genuinely connected to or isolated from each other. This is likewise simulated by the controller  14 . If for example a measuring process is to be initiated by operating the switch  24  in the real hardware configuration connected to the training and simulation device via cables, the measuring result can be indicated on the 7-segment indicating elements  22  immediately. 
     Here, too, many variants of system component could be simulated on the display  11  by the controller  14 . The number of indicating elements  22  may vary and/or other indicating elements could be simulated. In place of an electric switch, several switches or switch combinations could be used, for example relay switches, solenoid switches, electronic switches or the like. 
       FIG. 3  once again shows the same training and simulation device, the controller  14  in this case generating and reproducing on the display  11  an electro-fluidic circuit comprising a 4/2 solenoid valve  25  which controls an operating cylinder  28  with a cushioning arrangement via two return-orifice check valves  26 ,  27 . The 4/2 solenoid valve  25  is a pulse valve with two solenoid coils  29 ,  30  controlling opposite switching positions, each being virtually connected to a terminal  13  on opposite sides of the display  11 . In addition, a position sensor  31  is virtually connected to a terminal  13  on the right-hand side of the display  11 . 
     The electro-fluidic circuit simulated in this way on the display  11  by the controller  14  can be electrically connected to a real hardware configuration, such as a fluidic system or control, via the assigned terminals  13 , thus forming a system in which the virtual system components operate like real system components. This means that the solenoid valve  25  is reversed by applying switching signals to the respective terminals  13 , effecting a movement in the operating cylinder  28 . If the latter reaches the position sensor  31  in a defined position, a corresponding sensor signal is transmitted by the controller  14  at the terminal  13  virtually connected thereto. 
     The electro-fluidic circuit may of course be modified, for example by adding further components. By using the pushbuttons  12  or directly via the display  11  designed as a touch screen, aspects like the restriction characteristics of the return-orifice check valves  26 ,  27 , the cushioning effect in the operating cylinder  28  or the switching times of the solenoid valve  25  can be changed for training or test purposes. In addition, further sensors can be generated, for example pressure and temperature sensors. The controller  14  may for example store a plurality of electro-fluidic circuits which can be retrieved and combined with one another, allowing for modifications and individual extensions. 
     Instead of the electro-fluidic system described by way of example, electric and electro-mechanical systems can be generated together with their respective functions, the assigned terminals  13  then automatically acting as input or output terminals. 
     By means of the controller, further system components and systems can be generated, which may comprise other actuators, electronic function modules, control panels, motors, drives, voltage sources and generators, conveying apparatus, indicators, light sources, logic circuits and links, action programmes and flow charts in any combination. Via the communication module  15  and/or the I/O terminals  16 , further system components can be stored in the controller  14  or its memory in a simple way for variable selection and reproduction. 
       FIG. 4  shows a holding panel  32  for a training and simulation device as illustrated or for several such devices. These may either just be placed on the holding panel  32  or attached thereto. Several training and simulation devices can be connected to one another via the terminals  13 , resulting in the generation of more complex systems and circuits which may one again be interconnected with real hardware components or systems. In this way, complex electric, electro-mechanical or electro-fluidic systems can be generated by uncomplicated means for practice and training purposes in order to test their functions, to learn or to experience, for example by modifying individual system components or their characteristics, which can be achieved virtually in a simple way using the controls. 
     Such a training and simulation device may for example be constructed as a laptop, differing from a commercial laptop only by the additional terminals. 
     According to the above description, the flat housing  10  together with the display  11 , the terminals  13  and the controller  14  as well as the pushbuttons  12 , if provided, forms a device assembly. Instead of a flat housing, the components may alternatively be disposed on a panel or integrated into a larger device.