JPH05241631A - Numerical controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To exchange massive data between an NC unit and a personal computer by exchanging data between the NC unit and the personal computer while using shared memory connectable to the personal computer. CONSTITUTION:A CPU 5 of a personal computer 2 can read/write data by accessing an address corresponding to a shared memory (multicoupled memory) 8 connectable to this personal computer 2. Communication timing for exchanging data between an NC unit 1 provided with a display device 3 and the CPU 5 in the personal computer 2 is decided by a read/write complete signal (a). After the CPU 5 in the NC unit 1 writes data in the shared memory 8, for example, a write signal is transmitted to the CPU 5 in the personal computer 2. The CPU 5 in the personal computer 2 reads data in the shared memory 8 and transmits the read complete signal to the CPU in the NC unit 1. By repeating this processing, massive data can be exchanged between the NC unit 1 and the personal computer 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a computer-controlled numerical control device (hereinafter referred to as NC device), and more particularly to a numerical control device capable of performing numerical control by an external personal computer (hereinafter referred to as personal computer). It is a thing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional computer link between an NC device and a personal computer is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
There is an NC device disclosed in JP-A-2-55707. As shown in FIG. 18, this NC device is a computer-linked NC device in which the RS-2
Normally, the computer link is formed by connecting a personal computer through a 32-C interface, and the contents of key operations in the NC device are transmitted from the personal computer as a key code. The above operation can be performed by a command from the personal computer.

Further, as a data transmission method in a simple NC device using a personal computer, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 64-5731 is known.
There is an NC device disclosed in Japanese Patent No. As shown in FIG. 19, this NC device connects a personal computer through an I / O port to an NC device that controls the machine side by means of a tape data transmission means, and the tape data transmission means causes an NC connection to the personal computer side. One line of the data program used in the program file is called, the sequence number in the corresponding program is displayed on the display device attached to the personal computer, one character is read by the NC program of the one line, and this is converted into an EIA code. And I
This is output to the / O port side and the one-character signal is transferred to the N
This is to be transmitted to the C device.

[0004]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention
In the C device, the data transfer between the NC device and the personal computer is performed via the RS-232-C interface and the I / O port, so the data transfer speed is slow and the data that changes from time to time such as screen display data. When handing over, there was a problem that the screen update speed slowed down. Further, there is a problem that it takes time to transfer a large amount of data such as a machining program between the NC device and the personal computer.

Further, the current NC device has an automatic programming function unique to a machine maker, a setup explanation function by a screen display, and a machine maintenance support function.
However, if the above-mentioned function is simply added to the NC device, there will be a problem in terms of processing speed and memory capacity.
It was necessary to add another processor to the NC device or add a memory, and the architecture itself had to be newly designed. Further, each machine maker or every time a special function is required, it is necessary to design a device in which the above function is disabled, which makes designing and maintenance difficult.

Therefore, it has been considered that the function unique to the machine maker is executed by the personal computer. For machine builders,
Software development to be executed on a personal computer is easy, and maintenance is also easy for the NC device maker because the functions unique to the machine maker are independent of the NC device in both software and hardware.

However, if the NC device and the personal computer are built in the housing, two keyboards and two display devices are required respectively, which is not a cost effective measure and the housing becomes large. ..

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to obtain an NC device capable of transferring a large amount of data in a short time between the NC device and a personal computer.

Further, the present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and it is possible to obtain an NC device which can reduce the cost, does not increase the size of the housing, and has a high system efficiency. With the goal.

[0010]

The NC device according to the present invention has a shared memory connectable to a personal computer. In addition, a switching means is provided so that the NC device and the personal computer share input / output devices such as a display device and a keyboard. Further, a key code passing means for inputting the key code from the keyboard to the CPU of the personal computer by transferring the key code to the shared memory is provided. Further, the personal computer is provided with display means for displaying the display data on the display device in the numerical control device by transferring the display data to the shared memory. Further, the shared memory is provided with a file interface means so that the storage device of the personal computer can be used as a storage area of the numerical control device. Further, the shared memory is provided with process interface means so that the CPU of the personal computer can be used as an external processor of the numerical controller.

[0011]

[Function] NC with shared memory connectable to PC
A large amount of data can be transferred between the device and PC in a short time. Further, by the switching means for sharing the input / output devices such as the display device and the keyboard between the NC device and the personal computer, it is sufficient to provide only one common display device or keyboard for the NC device and the personal computer. Further, by providing the key code passing means, the keyboard in the NC device can be used by the personal computer. Further, the display device in the NC device can be used by the personal computer by the display means for displaying the display data of the personal computer on the display device in the numerical control device. Also, the file interface means enables the storage device of the personal computer to be used as the storage area of the numerical control device.
Further, the process interface means enables the CPU of the personal computer to be used as an external processor of the NC device.

[0012]

1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an NC device, 2 is a personal computer, 3 is a display device such as a CRT, 4 is a keyboard, 5 is a CPU, 6 is a display control device, and 7 is a program and data for controlling the NC device and the personal computer. Storage device, 8 is N
A shared memory for transferring a large amount of data in a short time between the C device and the personal computer, and 9 selects whether to display the information from the NC device or the personal computer, and to input from the keyboard 4. Switch for selecting whether to transfer the data to the NC device or to the personal computer, 10 is a display device selector for inputting information from the device selected by the selector switch to the display device 3, and 11 is a device selected by the selector switch. This is a keyboard switching device that passes information of the keyboard 4 to the keyboard.

Next, the shared memory 8 for exchanging data between the NC device 1 and the personal computer 2 is used to operate the NC device 1.
The operation of the embodiment for transferring a large amount of data between the computer and the personal computer 2 in a short time will be described with reference to FIG. The shared memory 8 in the NC device 1 is connected to the bus of the CPU 5 in the NC device 1 and the bus of the CPU 5 in the personal computer 2. As shown in FIG. 20, the personal computer has an expansion slot. A card for connecting to the shared memory 8 in the NC device 1 is mounted therein. The expansion slot has a slot bus as shown in FIG. 21, and the shared memory connection card is N
A signal line necessary for connecting to the shared memory 8 in the C device 1 is pulled out. For example, the address bus is pulled out from the free address of the personal computer 2. The CP of PC 2
U5 can read and write data by accessing the address corresponding to the shared memory. In the shared memory, as shown in FIG. 2, the two ports have independent address inputs,
It has data input / output and control input / output terminals, and can read and write independently and asynchronously from any port to any memory address.

Communication timing for data transfer between the CPU 5 in the NC device 1 and the CPU 5 in the personal computer 2 is performed by a read / write completion signal. For example, NC device 1
After the internal CPU 5 writes data to the shared memory 8, a write completion signal is transmitted to the CPU 5 in the personal computer 2, whereby the CPU 5 in the personal computer 2 reads the data in the shared memory 8, and then the CPU 5 in the personal computer 2
Sends a read completion signal to the CPU 5 in the NC device 1. By repeating this, a large amount of data can be transferred between the NC device 1 and the personal computer 2 in a short time.

Next, a second embodiment will be described. The operation of the embodiment for sharing the display device 3 between the NC device 1 and the personal computer 2 will be described with reference to FIG. The display control device 6 in the NC device 1 outputs the video signal VDn. The display control device 6 in the personal computer 2 uses the video signal VDp
Is to be output. The display switching device 10 is
If the NC device 1 is selected by the changeover switch 9,
The video signal VDn output from the display control device 6 in the NC device 1 is input to the display device 3, and the display device 3 displays the image from the NC device 1 using the input video signal. On the other hand, if the personal computer 2 is selected by the changeover switch 9, the display device selector 6 inputs the video signal VDp output from the display control device 6 in the personal computer 2 to the display device 3, and the display device 3 is input. The image from the personal computer 2 is displayed using the video signal.

Next, the operation of the embodiment in which the NC device 1 and the personal computer 2 share the keyboard 4 will be described with reference to FIG. The keyboard switch 10 includes a changeover switch 9
If the NC device 1 is selected by, the signal output from the keyboard is input to the CPU 5 of the NC device 1. On the other hand, if the personal computer 2 is selected by the change-over switch 9, the signal output from the keyboard is sent to the CP of the personal computer 2.
Enter in U5.

Next, a third embodiment will be described. First, the code passing means will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 3 and the data flow shown in FIG. When there is a key input, the CPU 5 of the NC device 1 inputs a key code from the keyboard 4 (step 301). For example, if the "4" key of the keyboard 4 is manually pressed, "34H".
The CPU 5 of the NC device 1 inputs the key code.
When the key code reading completion flag is ON, the CPU 5 of the NC device 1 writes the key code in the shared memory 8 (step 302). For example, the CPU 5 of the NC device 1 stores the key code "34H" received from the keyboard 4 in the shared memory 8
Write in. The CPU 5 of the NC device 1 turns on the key code writing completion flag in the shared memory 8 (step 3
03). When the key code writing completion flag in the shared memory 8 is ON, the CPU 5 of the personal computer 2 reads the key code from the shared memory 5 (step 304). For example, the CPU 5 of the personal computer 2 has the key code "34" in the shared memory 5.
"H" is read. CPU 5 of PC 2 has shared memory 8
The key code read completion flag therein is turned on (step 305). Above, step 301 to step 305
By repeating the above operation, the key code of the keyboard 4 of the NC device 1 can be delivered to the personal computer 2.

Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. First, the flow chart shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 for the display means for displaying the display data of the personal computer on the display device in the NC device.
This will be explained with reference to the data flow shown in. In order to display the display data on the display device 3 in the NC device 1, the CPU 5 in the NC device 1 uses the VRAM 14 (video RA) in the NC device 1.
The character code of the display data is written in M), and the display control device 6 displays the contents of the VRAM 14. Therefore, if the display data of the personal computer 2 is transferred to the VRAM 14 in the NC device 1, it can be displayed on the display device 3 in the NC device 1. The display means will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

When the display data read completion flag in the shared memory 8 is ON, the CPU 5 of the personal computer 2 causes the shared memory 8
The display data is written in (step 501). The CPU 5 of the personal computer 2 turns on the display data write completion flag in the shared memory 8 (step 502). Shared memory 8
When the display data write completion flag in the inside is ON, the CPU 5 in the NC device 1 sets the display data in the shared memory 8 to VR.
The data is transferred to the AM 14 (step 503). The CPU 5 of the NC device 1 turns on the display data read completion flag in the shared memory 8 (step 504). Above, Step 5
By repeating the operation from 01 to step 504,
The display data of the personal computer 2 can be displayed on the display device 3 in the NC device 1.

As shown in FIG. 7, the CPU of the personal computer 2
5, a method for writing the display data of the VRAM image in the shared memory 8, and the CPU 5 of the personal computer 2 as shown in FIG.
There is a method of writing the display data of the window image in the shared memory 8. Further, the display data of the window image is converted into the display data of the VRAM image by the CPU 5 of the NC device 1 and then written in the VRAM 14.

Next, a fifth embodiment will be described. First, the file interface means will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 and the data flow shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 11, the storage device 7 of the personal computer 2
Are managed by block numbers so that the CPU 5 of the NC device 1 can use them. Data reading from the storage device 7 of the personal computer 2 will be described with reference to FIG. C in NC device 1
The PU 5 sets the read block number in the shared memory 8 (step 901). The CPU 5 in the personal computer 2 writes the storage data of the read block number of the storage device 7 in the personal computer 2 into the shared memory 8 (step 902).
The CPU 5 of the NC device 1 reads the stored data in the shared memory 8 (step 903).

Data writing to the storage device 7 of the personal computer 2 will be described with reference to FIG. CP of NC device 1
U5 sets the write block number in the shared memory 8 (step 1001). The CPU 5 of the NC device 1 writes the stored data in the shared memory 8 (step 100
2). The CPU 5 of the personal computer 2 writes the storage data in the shared memory 8 in the storage area of the block number to be written (step 1003). As described above, by repeating the operations of Steps 901 to 903 and 1001 to 1003, N
The CPU 5 in the C device 1 can use the storage device 7 in the personal computer 2.

Next, a sixth embodiment will be described. First, the process interface means will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 12 and the data flow shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 12, a program executed by the CPU 5 of the personal computer 2 is stored in the storage device 7 of the personal computer.

The operation of the process interface means is shown in FIG.
Described in. The CPU 5 of the NC device 1 sets the input data in the shared memory 8 (step 1201). The CPU 5 of the NC device 1 sets the program number to be executed by the CPU 5 of the personal computer 2 in the shared memory 8 (step 12).
02). The CPU 5 of the personal computer 2 reads the input data in the shared memory 8 (step 1203). The CPU 5 of the personal computer 2 executes the program of the program number instructed to the CPU 5 of the NC device (step 1204). The CPU 5 of the personal computer 2 writes the output data of the execution result of the program in the shared memory 8 (step 1205). N
The CPU 5 of the C device 1 reads the input data in the shared memory 8 (step 1206). By repeating the operations from step 1201 to step 1206, the NC
The CPU 5 in the device 1 can use the CPU 5 in the personal computer 2 as an external processor.

As a sixth embodiment, an example will be described in which the processing of the automatic programming function of the NC device is taken over by a personal computer. First, an example of processing of the automatic program function by the NC device will be described with reference to FIG. An automatic programming pocket screen as shown in FIG. 16 is displayed on the display device 3 of the NC device 1, and the operator inputs the machining shape / machining pattern data using the keyboard 4 according to the displayed contents (step 1401). By the pocket processing of the CPU 5 of the NC device 1, an NC program as shown in FIG. 17 is generated from the machining shape / machining pattern data and registered in the storage device 7 of the NC device 1 (step 1
402).

However, the pocket processing of the automatic programming for generating the NC program, etc. is different from the machine control processing which is the original processing of the NC apparatus, in the CP of the NC apparatus.
Since the priority of processing by U is low, there is a problem that it takes time for the automatic programming pocket processing and the like to generate the NC program.

Therefore, an example in which the processing of the automatic programming function of the NC device is replaced by a personal computer will be described with reference to FIG. A pocket screen for automatic programming as shown in FIG. 16 is displayed on the display device 3 of the NC device 1, and the operator inputs machining shape / machining pattern data using the keyboard 4 according to the displayed contents (step 1501). The CPU 5 of the NC device 1 uses the shared memory 8
The machining shape / machining pattern data is set to (step 1502). The CPU 5 of the NC device 1 is the C of the personal computer 2.
The PU 5 is instructed to perform pocket processing (step 1503). By the pocket processing of the CPU 5 of the personal computer 2, an NC program as shown in FIG. 17 is generated from the machining shape / machining pattern data (step 1504).
The NC program generated by the CPU 5 of the personal computer 2 is written in the shared memory 8 (step 1505). NC device 1
CPU 5 reads the NC program in the shared memory 8 and registers it in the storage device 7 of the NC device 1 (step 15).
06). As described above, the processing of steps 1501 to 1506 is performed by the CPU 5 of the personal computer 2 such as pocket processing for automatic programming. Therefore, there is an effect that the NC program can be obtained regardless of the processing load situation of the CPU 5 of the NC device 1.

[0028]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it is sufficient to provide only one display device and keyboard in common for the NC device and the personal computer, and the cost can be reduced and the system can be downsized. Further, since it is only necessary to provide one display device and one keyboard, it is possible to construct a system that can be operated at one location and has good operability.

Further, since the storage device of the personal computer can be used as the storage area of the NC device, the shortage of the storage capacity of the NC device can be supplemented by the storage device of the personal computer, and the CPU of the personal computer can be used as an external processor of the NC device. Therefore, the CPU processing capacity of the NC device can be compensated by the CPU of the personal computer.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of an NC device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a shared memory used in the NC device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of a key code passing means.

FIG. 4 is a data flow showing an operation of a key code passing means.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation of a display unit for displaying display data of a personal computer on a display device in the NC device.

FIG. 6 is a data flow showing the operation of the display means for displaying the display data of the personal computer on the display device in the NC device.

FIG. 7 is a data flow showing a method of displaying display data of a VRAM image in a shared memory by a CPU of a personal computer, which is display means for displaying display data of a personal computer on a display device in an NC device.

FIG. 8 is a data flow showing a method of writing display data of a window image in a shared memory by a CPU of a personal computer, which is display means for displaying display data of a personal computer on a display device in an NC device.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an operation of reading data from the storage device of the personal computer of the file interface means.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an operation of writing data from the storage device of the personal computer of the file interface means.

FIG. 11 is a data flow showing the operation of the file interface means.

FIG. 12 is a data flow showing the operation of process interface means.

FIG. 13 is a data flow showing the operation of process interface means.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of an automatic program function by the NC device.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing an operation when the automatic programming function of the NC device is processed by a personal computer.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a display screen (pocket screen) for automatic programming.

FIG. 17 is an N generated by the processing of the automatic programming function.
It is explanatory drawing which shows C program.

FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a conventional NC device.

FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a conventional NC device.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing an expansion slot of a general personal computer.

FIG. 21 is a chart showing slot bus signals.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 NC device 2 PC 3 display device 4 keyboard 5 CPU 6 display control device 7 storage device 8 shared memory 9 changeover switch 10 display device changer 11 keyboard changer 12 RS-232-C interface 13 I / O port 14 VRAM 15 NC program

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A numerical controller having a display means, wherein a shared memory connectable to a personal computer is added. 2. A numerical control device comprising switching means so that a numerical control device and a personal computer share input / output devices such as a display device and a keyboard. 3. The key code from the keyboard according to claim 1.
And a key code passing means for inputting to the CPU of the personal computer by transferring to the shared memory of the numerical control device. 4. A numerical control device comprising: a display means for displaying the display data on the display device in the numerical control device by transferring the display data to the shared memory according to claim 1 by the personal computer. .. 5. The numerical controller according to claim 1, wherein the shared memory is provided with a file interface so that the memory of the personal computer can be used as a memory area of the numerical controller. 6. The numerical controller according to claim 1, wherein the shared memory is provided with process interface means so that the CPU of the personal computer can be used as an external processor of the numerical controller.