"An Expert Program Generator Approach to Tailoring Standard Networking Products"
C.M. Witkowski and P.J. Cornwell
in: Bernold, T. (Ed.), "Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing", Proc. Technology Assessment and Management Conf., Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute, Rüschlikon, Zürich, Switzerland, 1987, pp. 243-248
ABSTRACT
This paper describes TISPEC, a rule-based consulting system that assists with programming tailorable communications adapters between an Industrial Local Area Network (ILAN) and a wide variety of intelligent manufacturing equipment. A single hardware unit provides network connection to a class of equipment employing RS232, RS422 and RS423 serial interfaces. Several ILAN standards will eventually be addressed. These adapters perform all protocol conversion required between vendor-specific machine communication and a highly uniform set of network transactions. Each adapter is tailored to the requirements of a specific machine interface with a firmware module derived by TISPEC from a skeletal protocol model using the operator's response. TISPEC is embued with generalised knowledge relating to the types of machines for which adapters are prepared, and highly specific and specialised knowledge of the design of the adapter and the network. The latter is well partitioned, however, so that TISPEC may address other network standards. With this knowledge, TISPEC may pose questions of the user relating to the machine's operation, and the requirements of its communications interface. The result of a TISPEC session is a "configuration file" defining the customisation required for a new interface in a form suitable for direct installation into the network adapter. TISPEC is developed from our experiences in developing such configuration files manually. The primary value of this approach is in reducing the lead time of adapter production, although automated assistance in managing the potential of a large family of network adapters is important in supporting documentation and quality assurance.