JP2001056704A - Program expression display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily read/write a lot of kinds of data groups in spite of the capacity limit of a memory provided inside a device and to easily prepare filing data in a program expression display device capable of displaying corresponding to the control state of an external device. SOLUTION: A data block storage area 16 provided with plural data blocks capable of storing an aggregate 14 of data is set on a memory 15, the aggregate 14 of data read out of the side of an external device 10 corresponding to preset conditions is successively written into empty blocks inside the data block storage area 16 on the side of a display device 13 so as to be preserved and data are exchanged between the data block storage area 16 and an external recording medium 17.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a program-type display which is connected to an external device such as a programmable controller (hereinafter abbreviated as "PLC") and displays an image corresponding to a control state of the external device. The present invention relates to a device, particularly to a device capable of reading and writing a data block composed of a plurality of data with an external device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a display device of this kind has been used to communicate with an external device by, for example, writing fixed data set in advance to an external device or reading and storing a data group of the external device under a predetermined trigger condition. Data groups are often read and written. Further, a nonvolatile memory such as an SRAM backed up by a battery is used for storing data so that a data group to be read / written is maintained even when the apparatus is abnormally stopped.

[0003]

However, since the memory subjected to the non-volatile processing is expensive, the memory capacity in the display device is kept to a necessary minimum and the number of data groups transferred to and from the external device is reduced. Was inconvenient, such as being restricted.

The present invention has been made in view of such inconvenience, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a program type display device capable of easily reading and writing a large variety of data groups regardless of the capacity limitation of an internal memory. .

[0005]

As shown schematically in FIG. 1 (a), a program type display device 13 according to the present invention has an external device 1 which performs a predetermined control operation.
0, and reads / writes state data MD on the memory 11 of the external device 10 corresponding to the current control state, and enables a display operation corresponding to the read state data md on the display screen 12. And

Further, from among all the state data MD in the external device 10 described above, a data aggregate 14 is set in advance as a set of a plurality of data as shown in FIG. Memory 15 configured in state
A data block storage area 16 including a plurality of data blocks capable of storing the data aggregate 14 is set on the top, and the data aggregate 14 read from the external device 10 in accordance with a preset condition is displayed. It is characterized in that data can be sequentially written and stored in empty blocks in the data block storage area 16 of the device 13 and data can be transferred between the data block storage area 16 and the external recording medium 17. I do.

[0007] When the data aggregate 14 described above is time-varying data that changes with the passage of time, and the data aggregate 14 exceeding the number of blocks set in the data block storage area 16 is read from the external device 10, Display device 1
The data can be automatically written to an external recording medium 17 which can be inserted into and removed from the external recording medium 3.

The above-described data aggregate 14 is transferred to the external device 1
The data block storage area 16 includes a block group storing one or more types of fixed data and an empty block group not storing data in advance as fixed data for setting a control state of 0. While the state data on the external device 10 side can be updated with the selected fixed data, the data aggregate 14 is additionally stored in the empty block group in the data block storage area 16 on the display device 13 side from the external device 10 side. Alternatively, the number of types of fixed data that can be selected can be increased.

[0009]

According to the configuration described above, data can be read and written in a state in which the limitation with the external device 10 is suppressed as much as possible while the memory capacity provided inside the display device 13 is kept to a necessary minimum. . Furthermore, by making it possible to additionally read the state data MD during the operation of the external device 10 as filing data, filing data can be easily created.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. 2, a target system 1 such as a belt conveyor type automatic assembling machine using a PLC 18 provided as an external device will be described below.
9 is sequence-controllable and is described based on an example implemented on a programmable display device 13 used as a control panel for the PLC. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can be carried out in substantially the same manner when a general-purpose personal computer having various programs and various personal computer application devices are used.

[0011]

[Construction of PLC] The PLC 18 is composed of a unit for each required function such as the CPU unit 20 and the memory unit 21. By adding each unit as necessary via a bus line, the PLC 18 can be used. It has a configuration substantially the same as that of the related art, in which functions achieved as a whole can be increased or decreased.

In this embodiment, a CPU unit 20 for controlling the entire PLC 18, an input unit 22 for enabling direct capture of a detection signal sent from a target system 19, and a target system 19. An output unit 2 that can output a predetermined control signal
3, a memory unit 21 for storing various data, and a computer link unit 24 for enabling predetermined data communication with the programmable display device 13 as basic units. The change state is monitored, and when a data change such as a new data input is recognized, necessary arithmetic processing is performed, and then the corresponding address on the memory unit 21 is accessed to rewrite the contents or to the output unit 23. To send data.

The storage location of status data which is directly input / output to / from the target system 19 or used for control thereof is controlled by a passive level such as a level gauge or limit switch provided on the target system 19 to be controlled or displayed. Parts, active parts such as relays and motors, or data setting parts such as counters and printers are secured in the memory unit 21. Input / output data is a word device for word data such as numerical values. However, for bit data such as on / off information, a bit device
For example, "X0000" specified in advance by each PLC manufacturer
The storage location is specified in the memory unit 21 by specifying a device name or an address as described above.

Therefore, by simply specifying and accessing an arbitrary device name in the memory unit 21 from inside or outside the PLC 18, the corresponding position of the target system 19 can be controlled or status information relating to the operation state can be individually extracted.

[0015]

[Configuration of Program Display Unit] The program display unit 13 is integrated into the console of the target system 19 together with the PLC 18, or is independently arranged and used as a control panel for the target system 19. A predetermined display device such as a liquid crystal display panel is arranged as a display 25 on the front side of the main body case formed in a substantially rectangular shape, and the touch panel 2 is brought into close contact with the display 25.
6 while the display control circuit 2 is installed inside the main body case.
7 are stored.

The basic configuration of the display control circuit 27 is substantially the same as that of a general-purpose personal computer device.
An IC card 3 to which various memories including a PU 28, a ROM 29, and a RAM 30, or a graphic controller 31 are connected and a recording medium can be replaced via a reader / writer socket (not shown).
2 can be attached.

Here, on the ROM 29, data such as a system program which is not required to be changed or prohibited from being changed by the user is stored in advance, and regardless of whether the power to the display device 13 is turned on or off, Basic data for operating the display device 13 is permanently stored.

On the other hand, the RAM 30 enables reading and writing of data at a high speed, and stores the stored data even after the power of the display device 13 is turned off by backing up with a battery, and only when the display device 13 is operating. And a DRAM 34 that can temporarily store the data.

The contents of the SRAM 33 may change, such as application software relating to screen display described later or status data MD on the PLC 18 side, but the contents are retained even after the power of the display device 13 is turned off. The data that needs to be stored. Conversely, data such as intermediate operation data of the application, which is required to be held during the ON period of the display device 13 but is preferably erased simultaneously with the OFF state, is appropriately stored in the DRAM 34.

The IC card 32 has a flash EE
As PROM, a storage means is used which is difficult to read / write at high speed but enables data to be rewritten a plurality of times, and which can save the data for a long time without requiring backup of a battery. Such an IC card 32
Can be replaced and used at appropriate times,
A necessary part of the data on the memory 33 is stored as backup data, and when data exceeding the storage capacity of the SRAM 33 is taken in, it is used as an external recording medium for storing overflowing data.

The various operation results appropriately stored in the DRAM 34 described above are converted into the graphic controller 31 using various display data stored in the SRAM 33 in advance.
Thus, a bit image is developed on the video RAM 35, and a display corresponding to the content is performed on the display 25.

Further, a dedicated communication line 37 in a serial or parallel state is connected to the computer link unit 24 or other data communication means on the PLC 18 side via a communication controller 36 operated by a dedicated protocol specialized for the PLC 18 to be connected. And enables automatic transfer of necessary state data md between the SRAM 33 on the display device 13 side and the memory unit 21 on the PLC 18 side.

[0023]

[Data Access Means and Area] The present embodiment relates to the display device 13 having the above-described basic configuration.
The three operators are classified into four levels, and the data access area and the access means are different for each operator, so that the operators of each level can easily access necessary data. In order to prevent incorrect data change as much as possible.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3, a storage area M1 for screen setting data for storing screen data to be described later and information processing data for reading various data and storing necessary data are stored in the SRAM 33. Storage area M2, and a storage area M3 for screen operation data for permitting direct access to the third level operator.

Here, the first-level operator is, for example, a field worker in a factory or the like, and is only allowed to use the application created by the second to fourth-level operators. You can only judge the contents by looking at the data.

On the contrary, the fourth-level operator is a system design engineer on the provider side of the display device 13, for example, using a general-purpose software creation language such as C language. All software, including programs, or development languages or software specific to the display device 13 for use by second and third level operators to create application programs, and all memory areas Is accessible.

Next, the operator at the second level receives the fourth
Using a screen data creation device 43 provided by a level operator, it is possible to design a screen for PLC operation,
PLC 18 that can be referred to in the screen data creation device 43
Data access is limited to the state data MD on the side.

Further, from among all the status data MD held by the PLC 18, status data md to be referred to on the programmable display device 13 side is extracted through the created screen data, and the extracted status data md is used as information. It can be stored in the processing data storage area M2. And P
By automatically transferring necessary data between the LC 18 and the programmable display device 13, the PL
The C18 and the programmable display device 13 hold state data MD and md having substantially the same contents with a minimum time delay.

[0029]

[Construction of Operation Screen Display Means] In the programmable display device 13, as shown in FIG. 4, a static figure 38 such as a nameplate which does not require a change in display content, or a switch for changing the shape, blinking or changing the color. A display screen configured by providing one or a plurality of component figures 39 such as shapes on a base screen 40 is defined as a unit screen. Further, a display screen group including a plurality of unit screens is provided as one project in one programmable display device 13, and the unit screens are switched by designating a different file number F for each unit screen. A display screen that displays the necessary operation contents can be obtained only by the user.

When one unit screen is selected, the processing instruction word W related to the selected unit screen is stored in the event data area 4 in the information processing data storage area M2.
1, the processing instruction word W is read out intermittently every minute time, and the operation of the content specified by the event name N of each processing instruction word W is extracted from the PLC 18 side to the display device 13 state data md. , The display operation in which the component graphic 39 and the display data change in response to the change in the content of the bit device or the word device on the PLC 18 side is performed on the base screen 40.

That is, the basic configuration of the processing instruction word W is substantially the same, and the file number F of the base screen 40 on which the display control operation is to be executed as shown in FIG. An event name N for specifying an operation to be executed;
Reference information r including one or a plurality of data referred to for each execution event is provided as one set.

For example, the processing instruction word WT shown in FIG.
Is to enable the bit device set at a predetermined address position in the state data memory to be inverted in conjunction with a pressing instruction operation on the touch panel 26. That is, the file number F1 of the unit screen, the event name N1 starting with, for example, “T” for specifying the operation of the touch panel 26, the input coordinate range XY for validating the input operation from the touch panel 26, and the interlocking with the pressing operation of the touch panel 26 And an address A unique to each PLC 18 whose data is to be rewritten.

Further, the processing instruction word WL shown in FIG.
In conjunction with the operation of the touch panel 26, a predetermined figure can be displayed at a corresponding position on the base screen 40. That is, the file number F1 of the base screen 40, the event name N2 starting with, for example, “L” for specifying the display of the component graphic 39, the display coordinate range X ·
Y, file number F2 specifying the part graphic 39 to be called
And an address A unique to the PLC 18 to be referred to when displaying the part graphic 39.

Therefore, as shown in FIG.
The two processing instruction words WL1 and WT1 having the same address and the reference address A are set in the event data storage area 41. When the bit device at the address A of the state data md is “0”, if the bit device is made to correspond to the OFF state of the switch in advance, the PLC 18 performs the OFF operation on the actual switch contact to be controlled. At the same time, the data FL1 of the component graphic 39 corresponding to the switch OFF state is read from the graphic data storage area 42, and the designated coordinate range XY on the corresponding base screen 40 is read.
Expand and display.

Here, when the display location of the component figure 39 having the switch shape on the touch panel 26 is pressed, the processing instruction word WT for the touch panel is searched, and the touch panel 26 is searched.
The presence / absence of the processing instruction word WT having the range including the corresponding coordinates as the coordinate information is determined from the instruction coordinates made via.

For example, when one point in the coordinate range XY is pressed, the processing instruction word WT1 constructed as described above is pressed.
4B, the data value at the corresponding address A is inverted from “0” to “1” as shown in FIG.
The corresponding switch contact is turned on through the LC 18. At the same time, the processing instruction word WL1 determines that the reference address A has changed to “1”, reads the graphic data FL2 corresponding to the switch ON state from the graphic data storage area 42, and reads the corresponding coordinate range X · Y
By displaying on the upper side, the switch-shaped component graphic 39 displayed on the base screen 40 is also changed from the off state to the on state.

Therefore, the second-level operator uses the screen data creation device 43 to display the processing instruction word W or the functional component 39 composed of a plurality of processing instruction words on the base screen 40. By arranging and setting the reference information r for each processing instruction word W, the PLC
The screen setting data necessary for the operation 18 is created.

At this time, the address that can be specified by each processing instruction word W is limited to the state data MD on the PLC 18 side, and only the minimum data necessary for screen operation is to be operated.

Next, the operator at the third level operates the IC card 3
In addition to the transfer of data to the PLC 18 and the memory inside the display device 13, in addition to the entire state data MD on the PLC side, only the storage area M3 of the screen operation data set in advance in the SRAM 33 is stored. Accessible. Further, as application development languages, a plurality of data storage areas M1 to M3 on the SRAM 33 as shown in FIG.
A script language dedicated to a display device, which is specialized for transferring data between the cards 32, is provided.

[0040]

[Structure of script language] As shown in FIG. 6 (c), the script language employs a basic grammatical structure similar to that of the C language. By providing an instruction that can be changed dynamically, the display screen setting data created by the second-level operator can be more finely controlled.

Further, the address range that can be specified in the data transfer command is limited to the range accessible by the third-level operator, and the device name can be directly specified in the command.

Here, FIG. 6A shows a tool box, in which commands or description expressions defined in the script language are automatically displayed on the display screen 12 as shown in FIG. It can be described in.

In the case of a command or a descriptive expression that requires address specification, a dialog box as shown in FIG. 6B is opened and the address specification is required. At this time, the address range that can be specified for each instruction is limited, thereby preventing an address specification error.

[0044]

[Continuous Data Transfer Procedure] In this embodiment, the display device 13 is connected to the PLC by using the above-described script language.
In order to continuously transfer data groups to and from
There are three types of data operation modes: a filing mode, a sampling mode, and a logging mode. Therefore, an outline of a procedure for transferring data between the memory areas will be described below with reference to FIG.

Prior to using the programmable display device 13, a necessary display screen group is created using the screen data creation device 43, and then the SRAM 3 in the display device 13 is created.
3 to the screen setting data storage area M1.

In the screen setting data, the P
In addition to the screen data for the LC operation, it includes fixed data for setting the PLC 18 to a predetermined state. If the target system 19 is, for example, in a production plant, the PLC 18 may control the PLC 18 prior to the start of the target system 19 to be controlled, such as the initial setting of each control device in accordance with the production target of the day. Is a set 14 of state data set in advance, and includes a plurality of types of fixed data groups in advance.

When the filing mode is selected,
Since a dialog box opens as shown in FIG. 7A, necessary data is read into the SRAM 33 under the conditions set in the transfer preparation items. Then, from the fixed data group displayed in a list format or a tree format as shown in FIG. 7B, if necessary fixed data is specified corresponding to the production target or the like of the day, the condition is set under the conditions set in the transfer setting items. The specified fixed data is automatically sent to the PLC 18 side. In addition,
The control word address stores control data necessary for data transfer. Further, the write completion address is set in advance so that predetermined data is set at the same time as the completion of the write, and the data change is performed based on the data change.

When the sampling mode is further selected, the target system 19 is started via the PLC 18 after the above-mentioned initial setting, and a set of data after fine adjustment of the system is used as an adjustment value in an empty data block. To be used in the filing mode as a new fixed data aggregate 14a.

On the other hand, when the target system 19 is operating, each value in the state data MD on the PLC 18 side changes as the control progresses. Then, when the logging mode is selected on the display device 13 side, the state data in the state data is displayed at predetermined time intervals such as every one hour, or each time a trigger condition such that a preset device value reaches a set value is satisfied. The aggregate 14b of variable data is
By taking in the information processing data storage area M2 on the AM 33 as logging information, the control change state can be determined as an aggregate of continuous variation data.

The data set 14 as described above is
In this embodiment, since the data is transferred between the display device 18 and the display device 13, as shown in FIG.
As one data block, and a storage area for block data composed of j data blocks is set in the storage area M2 for information processing data as shown in FIG.
Further, j data blocks are made into one file, and IC
The following description is based on an example in which i files can be stored on the card 32.
Needless to say, the above-mentioned number can be changed as appropriate in accordance with the capacity of the memory area that can be secured above 2.

Here, the fixed data set 14a
In this method, one or a small number of related fixed data groups are set in the data block storage area 16, while the remaining data blocks are set to one file while keeping the data empty, and the IC card 32, a plurality of files are stored.

Then, one file is selected from a plurality of files on the IC card 32 and read into the storage area 16 of the data block. After that, one fixed data is further selected and the data of the data directed to the PLC 18 side is selected. By instructing the continuous transfer, the initialization of the PLC by the fixed data is completed.

Further, if it is determined during the operation or adjustment operation of the PLC 18 that the data aggregate 14 usable as filing fixed data has been created, the operation mode is switched to the sampling mode and , To give an instruction to capture the data group.
Then, the data aggregate 14 at the time of the instruction is PL
Data block storage area 1 of display device 13 from C18 side
6 are sequentially read into the empty blocks.

After being read into the data block storage area 16, the data becomes one of the fixed data selectable on the menu screen in the filing mode.
The data in the IC card 32 is overwritten by the data in the SRAM 33, updated, and stored.

Next, when the logging mode of the state data MD is selected, a set 1 of variable data set in advance is set.
4b, each time a predetermined trigger condition is satisfied, PL
The data is read from the C18 side into the data blocks in the data block storage area 16 in the order from the oldest.

Here, since the number of blocks that can be read into the storage area of the data block is j and is finite as shown in FIG. 8A, j data of a preset number of sets as shown in FIG. When all the empty data blocks are filled with the group, the j data blocks in the data block storage area 16 are automatically read as one file to the IC card 32.

Further, when data of a set number exceeding the number of blocks is read, as shown in FIG. 8C, the read data is overwritten and updated in order from the oldest data, and j data blocks are stored. Every time it is overwritten and updated,
By automatically and additionally transferring the data group to the above-described IC card 32, continuous data recording can be performed regardless of the capacity limitation of the SRAM 33.

The data block storage area 1 described above
If the sampling of data is completed before the entire block 6 is updated, only the data group at the block position that has not been saved is written to the IC card 32. Also, without waiting for data to be written to all the blocks in the data block storage area 16, every time a set of variable data 14b is written to one data block, data is written out to the IC card 32. You can also.

The data read to the IC card 32 may be in the same format as that in the SRAM 33, and the format is not limited, such as a predetermined text format such as CSV format. In the case of the CSV format, the data can be processed by spreadsheet software.

Further, it is preferable that the logging data be displayed on the display 25 in real time. In this case, only the data stored in the SRAM 33 may be displayed, or the data already read in the IC card 32 may be read and displayed in accordance with the scroll operation. it can.

When the data in the data block storage area 16 is read more than j times, the data in FIG.
As shown in (c), the new data is located at an address before the older data, but it is preferable that the data is sorted and displayed so that the oldest data is located at the top at the time of display.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a basic configuration of the present invention,
(A) shows the relationship between the external device and the display device, and (b) shows the file structure.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a specific configuration of an external device and a display device.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a data storage area on an SRAM of the display device.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a screen display using a processing instruction word.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a configuration of a processing instruction word.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a script language.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a process of filing fixed data for a PLC.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a data logging process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 external device 11 external device side memory 12 display screen 13 display device 14 data aggregate 15 display device side memory 16 data block storage area 17 external recording medium 18 PLC 19 target system 20 CPU unit 21 memory unit 22 input unit 23 Output unit 24 Computer link unit 25 Display 26 Touch panel 27 Display control circuit 28 CPU 29 ROM 30 RAM 31 Graphic controller 32 IC card 33 SRAM 34 DRAM 35 Video RAM 36 Communication controller 37 Communication line 38 Still graphic 39 Part graphic 40 Base screen 41 Event Data area 42 Storage area for graphic data 43 Screen data creation device 44 Button

Claims (3)

[Claims] An external device for performing a predetermined control operation;
State data MD on the memory (11) of the external device (10) and corresponding to the current control state.
And a display operation corresponding to the read state data md on the display screen (12), wherein all the state data MD in the external device (10) is read out.
From among them, a data aggregate (14) is set in advance as a set of a plurality of data, and the data aggregate (14) is stored in a non-volatile memory (15) in the display device (13). A data block storage area (16) provided with a plurality of data blocks capable of storing data is set, and a set (14) of data read from the external device (10) in accordance with preset conditions is displayed on the display device (13). )
The data blocks can be sequentially written to and saved in the empty blocks in the data block storage area (16) on the side, and data can be transferred between the data block storage area (16) and the external recording medium (17). A programmable display device characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. The data aggregate (14) is temporal data that changes with time, and is a data aggregate (14) that exceeds the number of blocks set in the data block storage area (16). 2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein when the data is read from the external device, the data is automatically written to an external recording medium detachably provided to the display device. 3. The data aggregate (14) is fixed data for setting a control state of an external device (10). The data block storage area (16) stores one data in advance.
Or, a block group storing a plurality of types of fixed data,
And a free block group that does not store data. The state data MD of the external device (10) can be updated with the selected fixed data, while the state of the display device (13) is changed from the external device (10) to the display device (13). 2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein an aggregate of data (14) is additionally stored in an empty block group in the data block storage area (16) so that the types of fixed data that can be selected can be increased.