英文原文A study on PLC by means of the direct conversion of the ladder diagram to circuit design language1.PLC overviewProgrammable controller is the first in the late 1960s in the United States, then called Plc programmable logic controller (Programmable Logic Controller) is used to replace relays. For the implementation of the logical judgment, timing, sequence number, and other control functions. The concept is presented Plc General Motors Corporation. Plc and the basic design is the computer functional improvements, flexible, generic and other advantages and relay control system simple and easy to operate, such as the advantages of cheap prices combined controller hardware is standard and overall. According to the practical application of target software in order to control the content of the user procedures memory controller, the controller and connecting the accused convenient target.In the mid-1970s, the Plc has been widely used as a central processing unit microprocessor, import export module and the external circuits are used, large-scale integrated circuits even when the Plc is no longer the only logical (IC) judgment functions also have data processing, PID conditioning and data communications functions. International Electro technical Commission (IEC) standards promulgated programmable controller for programmable controller draft made the following definition : programmable controller is a digital electronic computers operating system, specifically for applications in the industrial design environment. It used programmable memory, used to implement logic in their internal storage operations, sequence control, timing, counting and arithmetic operations, such as operating instructions, and through digital and analog input and output, the control of various types of machinery or production processes. Programmable controller and related peripherals, and industrial control systems easily linked to form a whole, to expand its functional design. Programmable controller for the user, is a non-contact equipment, the procedures can be changed to change production processes. The programmable controller has become a powerful tool for factory automation, widely popular replication. Programmable controller is user-oriented industries dedicated control computer, with many distinctive features.First, high reliability, anti-interference capability;Second，programming visual, simple;Third, adaptability good;Fourth functional improvements, strong functional interface.2.History of PLCProgrammable Logic Controllers (PLC), a computing device invented by Richard E. Morley in 1968, have been widely used in industry including manufacturing systems, transportation systems, chemical process facilities, and many others. At that time, the PLC replaced the hardwired logic with soft-wired logic or so-called relay ladder logic (RLL), a programming language visually resembling the hardwired logic, and reduced thereby the configuration time from 6 months down to 6 days Moody and Morley, 1999.Although PC based control has started to come into place, PLC based control will remain the technique to which the majority of industrial applications will adhere due to its higher performance, lower price, and superior reliability in harsh environments. Moreover, according to a study on the PLC market of Frost and Sullivan 1995, an increase of the annual sales volume to 15 million PLCs per year with the hardware value of more than 8 billion US dollars has been predicted, though the prices of computing hardware is steadily dropping. The inventor of the PLC, Richard E Morley, fairly considers the PLC market as a 5-billion industry at the present time.Though PLCs are widely used in industrial practice, the programming of PLC based control systems is still very much relying on trial-and-error. Alike software engineering, PLC software design is facing the software dilemma or crisis in a similar way. Morley himself emphasized this aspect most forcefully by indicating If houses were built like software projects, a single woodpecker could destroy civilization.”Particularly, practical problems in PLC programming are to eliminate software bugs and to reduce the maintenance costs of old ladder logic programs. Though the hardware costs of PLCs are dropping continuously, reducing the scan time of the ladder logic is still an issue in industry so that low-cost PLCs can be used.In general, the productivity in generating PLC is far behind compared to other domains, for instance, VLSI design, where efficient computer aided design tools are in practice. Existent software engineering methodologies are not necessarily applicable to the PLC based software design because PLC-programming requires a simultaneous consideration of hardware and software. The software design becomes, thereby, more and more the major cost driver. In many industrial design projects, more than of the manpower allocated for the control system design and insta