poST: A Process-Oriented Extension of the IEC 61131-3 Structured Text Language

This paper presents the core concepts for the poST language – a process-oriented extension of the IEC 61131-3 Structured Text (ST) language which intends to provide a conceptual consistency of the PLC source code with technological description of the plant operating procedure. The poST can be seamlessly used as a textual programming language for complex PLC software in the context of IEC 61131-3 (
$3^{rd}$
Edition). The language combines the advantages of FSM-based programming with the conventional syntax of the ST language which would facilitate its adoption. The poST language assumes that a poST-program is a set of weakly connected concurrent processes, structurally and functionally corresponding to the technological description of the plant. Each process is specified by a sequential set of states. The states are specified by a set of the ST constructs, extended by TIMEOUT operation, SET STATE operation, and START / STOP / check state operations to communicate with other processes. The paper describes the basic syntax of the poST language, demonstrates the usage of the poST language by developing control software for an elevator, and compares the development in poST with pure Structured Text.