FB_CMA_DiscreteClassification
Classification of multi-channel data based on configurable threshold values
The function block assigns the individual channels of a multi-channel signal to a fixed number of discrete categories based on configurable threshold values. The number of channels and the number of categories are specified during instantiation. The function block can be configured at runtime by specifying the threshold value for each channel and each threshold value category.
During the operation phase an input vector is adopted for each time step, and the number of applicable category is calculated for each channel. The return value is a one-dimensional array, which for each input channel contains a signed integer value, i.e. the index of the allocated category.
If the input value is less than the threshold value for the first category, the value -1 is returned for this channel. If an input value is greater than or equal the threshold value for a category, the zero-based index for this category is returned. If several threshold values are configured in the same way, the value with the largest index is used.
Configuration
The function block must be configured based on parameters such as the number of classification classes. The classification threshold values for each channel can be assigned individually. These threshold values must be monotonically increasing (but not strictly monotonically). Accordingly, no threshold value must be smaller than the previous value.
Memory properties
The function block only takes into account the values stored during configuration and training. The values transferred during classification have no influence on later calls.
NaN occurrence
If the input value is NaN, the result is -2. No NaN values are expected at the output.
Behavior when processing multi-channel input data
When processing several channels (nChannels > 1
), there is a possibility of each channel having different return values. In this case, return values can be queried separately on the function block. If the results from one or more channels are impermissible, but not all channels, the value on the function block corresponds to eCM_InfRTime_AmbiguousChannelResults
. If the results of all channels are impermissible, then the value on the function block corresponds to eCM_ErrRTime_ErrornousChannelResults
.
A list of return values of all channels can be queried using the method GetChannelErrors()
.
When processing several subchannels (nSubChannels > 0
), particular attention must be paid to the formatting of the input and output data. If the input data consist of a multi-channel result of an upstream function block, the value of nChannels
must be adopted; further configuration takes place in this case via the parameter nSubChannels
.
Sample: In the statistical consideration (e.g. by FB_CMA_Quantiles) of the frequency channels of a multi-channel spectrum (e.g. FB_CMA_MagnitudeSpectrum), the value of nChannels
must be identical to the number of input signals; the number of subchannels nSubChannels
corresponds to the length of the spectrum.
Sample implementation
Two sample implementations are available under the following links: Threshold value consideration for averaged magnitude spectra and Condition Monitoring with frequency analysis.
Inputs and outputs
The input and output buffers correspond to one of the following definitions (input / output shape). The variable parameters are part of the function block input stInitPars
.
Versions | Input buffer (MultiArray input stream) | Output buffer (MultiArray output stream) |
---|---|---|
Standard version |
|
|
Multi-channel version |
|
|
VAR_INPUT
stInitPars : ST_CM_DiscreteClassification_InitPars; // init parameter
nOwnID : UDINT; // ID for this FB instance
aDestIDs : ARRAY[1..cCMA_MaxDest] OF UDINT; // IDs of destinations for output
nResultBuffers : UDINT := 4; // number of MultiArrays which should be initialized for results (0 for no initialization)
tTransferTimeout : LTIME := LTIME#500US; // timeout checking off during access to inter-task FIFOs
END_VAR
Input parameters
The input parameters of this function block represent initialization parameters and must already be assigned in the declaration of the FB instance! (Alternatively: Init() method). They may only be assigned once. A change at runtime is not possible.
stInitPars
: Function-block-specific structure with initialization parameters of the type ST_CM_DiscreteClassification_InitPars. The parameters must correlate to the above definition of the input and output buffers.nOwnID
: Identifies the function block instance with a unique ID. This must always be greater than zero. A proven approach is to define an enumeration for this purpose.aDestIDs
: Defines the destinations to which the results are to be forwarded by specifying the IDs of the destinations. The definition of the output buffer (as described above) must correlate to the definition of the input buffer of each selected destination.nResultBuffers
: The function block initializes a Transfer Tray Stream with the specified number of MultiArray buffers. The default value is four.tTransferTimeout
: Setting of the synchronous timeout for internal MultiArray forwardings. See section Parallel processing.
Output parameters
VAR_OUTPUT
bError : BOOL; // TRUE if an error occurs. Reset by next method call.
hrErrorCode : HRESULT; // '< 0' = error; '> 0' = info; '0' = no error/info
ipErrorMessage : I_TcMessage := fbErrorMessage; // Shows detailed information about occurred errors, warnings and more.
nCntResults : ULINT; // Counts outgoing results (MultiArrays were calculated and sent to transfer tray).
END_VAR
-
bError
: The output isTRUE
if an error occurs. -
hrErrorCode
: If an error occurs, a corresponding error code of the typeHRESULT
is output. Possible values are described in the List of error codes. -
ipErrorMessage
: Contains more detailed information on the current return value. Refer here to the section Error description and information. This special interface pointer is internally secured so that it is always valid/assigned.
Methods
Call():
The method is called each cycle in order to apply the algorithm to the current input data. The function block waits for input data if the method indicates neither new results nor an error. This is a regular behavior in the process of the analysis chain.
- Return value: If an error occurs, a corresponding error code of the type
HRESULT
is output. Possible values are described in the List of error codes.
METHOD Call : HRESULT
VAR_OUTPUT
bNewResult : BOOL; // TRUE every time when outgoing MultiArray was calculated and sent to transfer tray.
bError : BOOL; // TRUE if an error occurs.
hrErrorCode : HRESULT; // '< 0' = error; '> 0' = info; '0' = no error/info
END_VAR
bError
: The output isTRUE
if an error occurs.hrErrorCode
: If an error occurs, a corresponding error code of the typeHRESULT
is output. Possible values are described in the List of error codes. This output is identical to the return value of the method.
If a timeout occurs or no MultiArray buffer is available for the result, then neither the input data nor the result data are lost. They are forwarded on the next call. |
Configure():
The classification arguments must be configured at the beginning with the call of this method. The corresponding PLC array must be defined as follows. The Configure()
method can also be used for a new configuration with a different set of arguments.
- Return value: If an error occurs, a corresponding error code of the type
HRESULT
is output. Possible values are described in the List of error codes.
METHOD Configure : HRESULT
VAR_INPUT
pArg : POINTER TO LREAL; // pointer to array (LREAL) of arguments
nArgSize : UDINT; // size of arguments buffer in bytes
END_VAR
The input buffers correspond to one of the following definitions (input shape). The variable parameters are part of the function block input stInitPars
.
Versions | Input buffer (MultiArray input stream) |
---|---|
Identical configuration of all channels and subchannels |
|
Channel-specific configuration |
|
Subchannel-specific configuration |
|
Channel and subchannel-specific configuration |
|
METHOD Init : HRESULT
VAR_INPUT
stInitPars : ST_CM_DiscreteClassification_InitPars; // init parameter
nOwnID : UDINT; // ID for this FB instance
aDestIDs : ARRAY[1..cCMA_MaxDest] OF UDINT; // IDs of destinations for output
nResultBuffers : UDINT := 4; // number of MultiArrays which should be initialized for results (0 for no initialization)
END_VAR
Init():
This method is not usually necessary in a Condition Monitoring application. It offers an alternative to the function block initialization. The Init()
method may only be called during the initialization phase of the PLC. It cannot be used at runtime. You are referred to the use of an FB_init
method or the attribute 'call_after_init'
(see TwinCAT PLC reference). In addition, this facilitates the function block encapsulation.
The input parameters of the function block instance may not be assigned in the declaration if the initialization is to take place using the Init() method.
- Return value: If an error occurs, a corresponding error code of the type
HRESULT
is output. Possible values are described in the List of error codes.
stInitPars
: Function-block-specific structure with initialization parameters of the type ST_CM_DiscreteClassification_InitPars. The parameters must correlate to the above definition of the input and output buffers.nOwnID
: Identifies the function block instance with a unique ID. This must always be greater than zero. A proven approach is to define an enumeration for this purpose.aDestIDs
: Defines the destinations to which the results are to be forwarded by specifying the IDs of the destinations. The definition of the output buffer (as described above) must correlate to the definition of the input buffer of each selected destination.nResultBuffers
: The function block initializes a Transfer Tray Stream with the specified number of MultiArray buffers. The default value is four.
PassInputs():
As long as an FB_CMA_Source
instance is called and signal data are thus transferred to a target block, all further function blocks of the analysis chain have to be called cyclically as explained in the API PLC Reference.
Sometimes it is useful not to execute an algorithm for a certain time. For example, some algorithms should be executed only after prior training or configuration. The function block must be called cyclically, but it is sufficient for the data arriving at the function block to be forwarded in the communication ring. This is done using the PassInputs()
method in place of the Call()
method. The algorithm itself is not called here, and accordingly no result is calculated and no output buffer generated.
- Return value: If an error occurs, a corresponding error code of the type
HRESULT
is output. Possible values are described in the List of error codes.
METHOD PassInputs : HRESULT
VAR_INPUT
END_VAR
GetChannelErrors():
The method enables the querying of a list of the channel-specific return values when processing several channels (nChannels > 1
). A call is useful in the case that the return value of the function block corresponds to one of the values eCM_InfRTime_AmbiguousChannelResults
or eCM_ErrRTime_ErrornousChannelResults
.
-
Return value: Information on the reading process of the list of error codes. The value is set to
TRUE
if the query was successful, otherwise toFALSE
.
METHOD GetChannelErrors : BOOL
VAR_IN_OUT
aChannelErrors : ARRAY[*] OF HRESULT;
END_VAR
-
aChannelErrors
: Error list of the typeHRESULT
of the lengthnChannels
.
Similar function blocks
The function block FB_CMA_WatchUpperThresholds calculates the highest category of multi-channel input data and returns it together with the number of the associated channel.
Requirements
Development environment | Target platform | PLC libraries to include |
---|---|---|
TwinCAT v3.1.4022.25 | PC or CX (x86, x64) | Tc3_CM, Tc3_CM_Base |
Limited functional scope already available with CM 3.1. See section Compatibility. |