Patent ID: 7996113

Claim:
A method for integrating a real and virtual manufacturing automation system where a part appears to a programmable logic controller to flow between a virtual world domain of the system and a real world domain of the system, said method comprising: providing a first real world machine in the real world domain of the system; providing a first primary real world sensor in the real world domain of the system for sensing a position of the first real world machine; providing a primary real world actuator in the real world domain of the system for actuating the first real world machine; providing a virtual world machine in the virtual world domain of the system; providing a primary virtual world sensor in the virtual world domain of the system for sensing the position of the virtual world machine; providing a primary virtual world actuator in the virtual world domain of the system for actuating the virtual world machine; providing an interface device for transferring signals between the virtual world domain of the system and the real world domain of the system; providing a programmable logic controller that controls the actuators ; and providing an input/output (I/O) device that processes signals sent to the programmable logic controller from the sensors and signals sent from the programmable logic controller to the actuators, said programmable logic controller controlling the operation of the actuators, so as to provide virtual coupling between sensors and actuators in the virtual world domain of the system and the real world domain of the system for both a real and a virtual part.