Definition of safety functionality using state-transition modelling with auto-generation of design documents and application code

Techniques for defining system functional operation by the generation of state-transition models in a graphical environment will be described. This will include emulation of functions to provide iterative requirements definition at a stage which is generally consecutive in the system lifecycle, thereby reducing latent systematic errors. These techniques allow any system to be defined or redefined, with the resultant model translated to IEC-61131-3 function block code. The translation tool can also translate the application directly to a new system platform, reducing months of manual configuration effort to hours of computer effort. The objective of this functional definition tool is to reduce systematic design errors to an absolute minimum in an environment understandable by all responsible parties to the design.