JP2014049047A - Monitoring system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To understand a control state more easily in controlling machinery with the use of control data indicating a control content of the machinery.SOLUTION: The monitoring system includes a target CPU board for controlling machinery and a host computer 10. The host computer 10 includes: a display control part 42 for having a display present control data indicating a control content on the target CPU board, with the use of a graphic element corresponding to a processing unit constituting the control content; and a comparison result reception part 52 which, if the control content includes processing for calculating another internal variable on the basis of two internal variables, acquires a magnitude relation of the two internal variables during a period when the target CPU board controls the machinery. The display control part 42 changes a display mode of the graphic element corresponding to the two internal variables on the basis of the magnitude relation when the target CPU board controls the machinery.

Description

  The present invention relates to a monitoring system for a mechanical device.

  In the development of programs for controlling machine devices such as industrial equipment, languages that can graphically represent control content such as block diagrams, ladder languages, and sequential function charts are often used. Furthermore, the present applicant has proposed an editing technique using a graphical programming language in Patent Document 1 with the aim of improving program development efficiency.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for graphically evaluating a relationship between various variables using a neural network in a large-scale plant such as thermal power and nuclear power. The technique described in Patent Document 2 has a means for graphically evaluating changes in link weight coefficient values in a neural network by link thickness, color, line type, etc., and displaying changes in the state of the plant.

JP 2009-271768 A JP 07-84633 A

  In the process of developing a control program, the value of an internal variable may show an abnormal value due to a control failure or the like as a result of a test using an actual machine. Also, unexpected behavior may occur due to bugs inside or outside the program. In these cases, it is generally necessary to register the internal variables of the program one by one and follow the change in value by displaying a graph on the time axis. Therefore, it takes time to identify the phenomenon.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 2, information is extracted from plant operation history data, and state changes are graphically displayed based on the extracted information. When trying to analyze the operating state of a plant using this technique, it is necessary to first operate the plant for a relatively long period of time and accumulate history data. Therefore, the technique described in Patent Document 2 does not contribute to the solution of the above problem.

  The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and its purpose is to provide a technique that can more easily grasp the control state when controlling the mechanical device using control data representing the control content of the mechanical device. is there.

  One embodiment of the present invention relates to a monitoring system. This monitoring system includes a device control unit that controls a mechanical device, and a display control unit that displays control data representing control content in the device control unit on a display using graphic elements corresponding to processing units constituting the control content. When the control content includes a process of calculating another internal variable based on at least two internal variables, each of the at least two internal variables when the device control unit controls the mechanical device is different. A comparison result acquisition unit that acquires a comparison result of the degree of contribution to the internal variable. The display control unit changes the display mode of the graphic elements corresponding to at least two internal variables based on the comparison result when the device control unit is controlling the mechanical device.

  According to this aspect, when the device control unit controls the mechanical device, display of the graphic element based on the comparison result regarding the internal variable is realized.

  Another aspect of the present invention is a monitoring system. This monitoring system includes a device control unit that controls a mechanical device, and a display control unit that displays control data representing control content in the device control unit on a display using graphic elements corresponding to processing units constituting the control content. And comprising. When the internal control included in the control content when the device control unit is controlling the mechanical device is out of the preset range, the display control unit is controlled when the device control unit is controlling the mechanical device. The graphic element corresponding to the variable is highlighted and displayed on the display.

  It should be noted that any combination of the above-described constituent elements, or those obtained by replacing the constituent elements and expressions of the present invention with each other between apparatuses, methods, systems, computer programs, recording media storing computer programs, and the like are also included in the present invention. It is effective as an embodiment of

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the control state when controlling a mechanical apparatus using the control data showing the control content of a mechanical apparatus can be grasped | ascertained more easily.

It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the monitoring system which concerns on embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the function and structure of the host computer of FIG. FIG. 3 is a representative screen diagram illustrating an exemplary block diagram displayed on the display by the display control unit of FIG. 2. FIGS. 4A to 4C are schematic diagrams showing a highlighted display mode by comparison between internal variables at a merging point of two inputs and one output. It is a typical screen figure showing a block diagram in case the 1st confluence, the 2nd confluence, and the 3rd confluence are specified as a comparison object confluence. It is a typical screen figure which shows a block diagram when the 8th arc is designated as a comparison object arc. It is a block diagram which shows the function and structure of the target CPU board of FIG.

  Hereinafter, the same or equivalent components, members, and processes shown in the drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated description is appropriately omitted.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining a monitoring system 2 according to an embodiment. The monitoring system 2 includes a host computer 10 and a target CPU board 100.
The host computer 10 is a PC (Personal Computer) for confirming data sent from the target CPU board 100, and is connected to the target CPU board 100 via a communication cable 4 such as an Ethernet (registered trademark) cable or an RS232 cable. Connected.

  A target CPU (central processing unit) board 100 holds a control source program, and controls a mechanical device 102 such as an industrial device by executing control contents represented by the source program. The target CPU board 100 is, for example, a microcomputer board. For example, the target CPU board 100 calculates an operation amount of the mechanical device 102 and transmits the operation amount to the mechanical device 102, and receives a response from the mechanical device 102. Further, the target CPU board 100 executes the comparison operation for the internal variables included in the source program when controlling the mechanical device 102, that is, in real time. The target CPU board 100 transmits the result of the comparison operation to the host computer 10 via the communication cable 4.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the monitoring system 2 includes the host computer 10 and the target CPU board 100 and does not include the mechanical device 102 will be described. In other embodiments, the monitoring system 2 includes the host computer and the target CPU board. And a mechanical device. In this case, the target CPU board may be a part of the machine device, and may constitute an embedded system for industrial equipment, for example.

  The user may use the host computer 10 to generate control data representing the desired control content, and cause the host computer 10 to hold the generated control data. When editing the control data, the host computer 10 displays the control data on the display using graphic elements corresponding to the processing unit. The host computer 10 converts or compiles the control data into a source program described in a text-based programming language such as C language.

  The source program generated by the host computer 10 is directly or after being further translated into machine language, and is then mounted on the target CPU board 100 and used for controlling various industrial equipment.

  The control data may have a format suitable for display using graphics on the display. For example, the control data may be data corresponding to a block diagram that can suitably represent control including loops such as servo control and feedback control. Alternatively, the control data may be data corresponding to a ladder diagram, a sequential function chart, or an expression described in Patent Document 1 suitable for describing sequence control of an embedded system.

The processing unit may be a unit of processing constituting the control content, and may be a single processing or a group of processing in the processing flow. For example, the processing unit may be a condition or a response in the processing flow of a condition and a response to the condition. For example, the processing unit may be input or output in the processing flow of input and output for the input. For example, the processing unit may be a sequence step in the case of sequence control, or may be a process corresponding to a block in the case of a block diagram.
Alternatively, the processing unit may be an internal variable of control data, or may be an addition process or a subtraction process between internal variables.
Hereinafter, a case where the control data is data corresponding to the block diagram will be described.

The monitoring system 2 according to the embodiment displays the rough state of the internal variables on the display of the host computer 10 in real time during the control of the mechanical device 102 by the target CPU board 100. In particular, the monitoring system 2 according to the embodiment performs the following two types of display in real time so that the characteristics of the control data and the problem location can be visually determined.
(1) Emphasize the relationship between dominant input and output at the junction. Since the sum or difference of at least two input values or intermediate values becomes one output value or intermediate value at the arc confluence in the block diagram, the magnitude of the value is evaluated around this confluence and the result is illustrated. To do.
(2) Emphasize arcs that exceed a preset threshold. Prior to operating the mechanical device 102, the host computer 10 is used to set upper and lower thresholds for each arc. If the internal variable corresponding to any arc exceeds or falls below a set threshold during operation of the mechanical device 102, it is emphasized by changing the arc color, arc thickness or arc line type .

  Thereby, the user can monitor the rough control state of the mechanical device 102 in real time. The user can appropriately deal with unexpected behavior in the mechanical device 102 before it becomes relatively large.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing functions and configuration of the host computer 10 of FIG. Each block shown here can be realized by hardware and other elements such as a computer CPU and a mechanical device, and software can be realized by a computer program or the like. Draw functional blocks. Therefore, it is understood by those skilled in the art who have touched this specification that these functional blocks can be realized in various forms by a combination of hardware and software.

The host computer 10 is connected to an input device 12 such as a mouse and a keyboard and a display 14. The host computer 10 may be connected to a network such as the Internet (not shown).
The host computer 10 includes a control data editing unit 40, a compiling unit 44, a display control unit 42, a comparison condition setting unit 50, a comparison result receiving unit 52, and a control data holding unit 16.

The control data editing unit 40 enables interactive control data editing in cooperation with the input device 12 and the display control unit 42. The control data editing unit 40 edits the control data based on input information input from the user via the input device 12, and registers the edited control data in the control data holding unit 16. The editing of the control data includes generating new control data and calling and changing the existing control data from the control data holding unit 16, for example. In the control data editing section 40, for example, a block diagram editing technique similar to the block diagram editing technique used for MATLAB / Simulink provided by MathWorks may be used.
Alternatively, the control data editing unit 40 may acquire control data from an external storage device, a network (both not shown), or the like.

  The compiling unit 44 converts the control data held by the control data holding unit 16 into a source program based on a request from the user. The source program may have a format that can be executed by the target CPU board 100. A technique for converting control data corresponding to a block diagram into a source program is known.

  The display control unit 42 causes the display 14 to display the control data held by the control data holding unit 16 using a graphic element such as a block or an arc based on a request from the user.

  FIG. 3 is a representative screen diagram illustrating an exemplary block diagram 130 that the display control unit 42 displays on the display 14. The block diagram 130 shown in FIG. 3 assumes that the servo motor is controlled by PD (Proportional Differential) control using a position command (first arc 132) and speed command (second arc 134). Therefore, the internal variables of the control data corresponding to the block diagram 130 include the position command, the speed command, and the servo motor position response (third arc 136) as inputs, and the command value (fourth arc) to the servo motor as output. 138).

  The block diagram 130 shows a differential action block 152, a position proportional action block 154, a speed proportional action block 156, a first arc 132 corresponding to the position command value and entering the first junction 158, and a speed command value. The second arc 134 entering the second junction 160, the third arc 136 entering the differential operation block 152 corresponding to the position response value, and the third junction 162 corresponding to the command value to the servo motor as the starting point. A fourth arc 138, a fifth arc 140 that splits from the third arc 136 at a branch point 164 and enters the first junction 158, and a sixth arc 142 that enters the third junction 162 starting from the position proportional operation block 154 The seventh arc 144 entering the second junction 160 starting from the differential operation block 152 and the third junction 162 starting from the velocity proportional operation block 156. Having eight arcs 146, a ninth arc 148 to enter the second merging point 160 to a speed proportional operation block 156 a starting point, the first 10 arc 150 that enters the first merging point 158 to the position proportional operation block 154 a start point, a.

  The fifth arc 140, the sixth arc 142, the seventh arc 144, the eighth arc 146, the ninth arc 148, and the tenth arc 150 are the fifth internal variable, sixth internal variable, seventh internal variable, It corresponds to 8 internal variables, 9th internal variable, and 10th internal variable. The fifth internal variable has the same value as the position response value.

  The first junction point 158 corresponds to a subtraction process for subtracting the fifth internal variable corresponding to the fifth arc 140 from the position command value corresponding to the first arc 132 to obtain the tenth internal variable corresponding to the tenth arc 150. To do. The second junction 160 corresponds to a subtraction process in which the ninth internal variable corresponding to the ninth arc 148 is obtained by subtracting the seventh internal variable corresponding to the seventh arc 144 from the speed command value corresponding to the second arc 134. To do. The third junction 162 corresponds to an addition process for adding a sixth internal variable corresponding to the sixth arc 142 and an eighth internal variable corresponding to the eighth arc 146 to obtain a command value corresponding to the fourth arc 138. To do.

  Returning to FIG. 2, the comparison condition setting unit 50 sets a comparison condition regarding comparison of internal variables of the control data. The comparison condition setting unit 50 displays a screen for receiving an input of the comparison condition on the display 14 and acquires the comparison condition input by the user via the input device 12 corresponding to the screen. The comparison conditions are: a comparison target merge point ID that identifies a comparison target merge point that is a merge point that performs comparison of internal variables; and a comparison target arc ID that identifies a comparison target arc that is an arc that performs comparison of internal variables. , And an upper limit value and a lower limit value related to the comparison target arc ID. The comparison condition setting unit 50 transmits the acquired comparison condition to the target CPU board 100 via the communication cable 4.

  The comparison result receiving unit 52 selects the internal variable corresponding to the arc serving as the output from the merge point between the two internal variables corresponding to the two arcs serving as the input to the comparison target merge point. The first comparison result of the degree of contribution is received from the target CPU board 100 via the communication cable 4. The first comparison result is calculated in real time by the target CPU board 100 when the target CPU board 100 is controlling the mechanical device 102.

  The first comparison result may be a magnitude relationship between absolute values or intermediate values of two internal variables corresponding to two arcs that are input to the comparison target merge point. In this case, the greater the absolute value of the input internal variable, the greater the degree to which the input internal variable contributes to the output internal variable, and vice versa.

  For example, when the third junction 162 is specified by the comparison target junction ID, the first comparison result is a magnitude relationship between the sixth internal variable corresponding to the sixth arc 142 and the eighth internal variable corresponding to the eighth arc 146. including. This magnitude relationship is 1 when the 6th internal variable is much larger than the 8th internal variable, 1 when it is 0, and 8th internal variable is much larger than the 6th internal variable. May be represented by 2 bits consisting of a second bit that is 1 and 0 otherwise.

  The comparison result receiving unit 52 receives the second comparison result between the internal variable corresponding to the comparison target arc and the upper limit value or the lower limit value related to the comparison target arc from the target CPU board 100 via the communication cable 4. The second comparison result is calculated in real time by the target CPU board 100 when the target CPU board 100 is controlling the mechanical device 102.

  The second comparison result may be a magnitude relationship between the internal variable and the upper limit value or the lower limit value. For example, when the eighth arc 146 is specified by the comparison target arc ID, the second comparison result includes a magnitude relationship between the eighth internal variable and the upper limit value or the lower limit value. This magnitude relationship may be represented by 1 bit which is 0 when the eighth internal variable is within the range from the lower limit value to the upper limit value, and 1 otherwise. Alternatively, the magnitude relationship is as follows: 1 if the 8th internal variable is below the lower limit, 1 if it is not 0, and 1 if the 8th internal variable is above the upper limit, 0 otherwise. And the second bit may be represented by two bits.

  Based on the first comparison result received by the comparison result receiving unit 52, the display control unit 42 changes the display mode of the two arcs that are input to the comparison target merge point in real time. When the target CPU board 100 is controlling the mechanical device 102, the display control unit 42 has the absolute value or intermediate value of the corresponding internal variable among the two arcs that are input to the comparison target merge point. The larger arc is highlighted and displayed on the display 14. For example, the display control unit 42 emphasizes by changing the color of the larger arc, the thickness of the arc, and the line type of the arc.

  FIGS. 4A to 4C are schematic diagrams showing highlighting modes by comparison between internal variables for a merging point 180 having two inputs and one output. 4A shows a display around the junction 180 when the internal variable X1 corresponding to one input arc 182 is much larger than the internal variable X2 corresponding to the other input arc 186. FIG. One input arc 182 is represented by a thicker arrow than the other input arc 186, and the output arc 190 is represented by an arrow equivalent to one input arc 182.

  FIG. 4B shows a display around the junction 180 when the internal variable X2 corresponding to the other input arc 188 is much larger than the internal variable X1 corresponding to the one input arc 184. The other input arc 188 is represented by a thicker arrow than one input arc 184, and the output arc 190 is represented by an arrow equivalent to the other input arc 188.

  FIG. 4C shows a case where the magnitude relationship between the internal variable X1 and the internal variable X2 is neither X1 >> X2 nor X1 << X2, for example, around the junction 180 when the internal variable X1 and the internal variable X2 antagonize. Show the display. In this case, in order to show that no dominant input / output relationship is found for the junction 180, one input arc 184 corresponding to the internal variable X1, the other input arc 186 corresponding to the internal variable X2, and the internal variable Y The output arcs 192 corresponding to are all represented by equivalent arrows. That is, highlighting is not performed. One input arc 184 corresponding to the internal variable X1 is the same as that at X1 << X2 (FIG. 4B), and the other input arc 186 corresponding to the internal variable X2 is X1 >> X2 (FIG. It is the same as that of (a)).

  A situation in which the emphasized state and the state that is not so frequently are easily switched because the dominant input / output is constantly switched or the like is easily assumed. To cope with this, for example, when the state of FIG. 4A and the state of FIG. 4C are switched at a frequency higher than a predetermined upper limit frequency, the display control unit 42, the arc to be emphasized, that is, the internal variable X1. And the arc corresponding to the internal variable Y are always highlighted (ie without interruption) while such switching continues. The same applies when the state of FIG. 4B and the state of FIG. 4C are switched at a frequency higher than the upper limit frequency. When the state shown in FIG. 4A and the state shown in FIG. 4B are frequently switched, the arc that is always highlighted by a statistical method may be selected.

FIG. 5 is a representative screen diagram showing a block diagram 131 when the first joining point 158, the second joining point 160, and the third joining point 162 are designated as the comparison target joining points. The block diagram 131 shown in FIG. 5 corresponds to the block diagram 130 shown in FIG. Looking at the block diagram 131 shown in FIG. 5, since the position command value is more dominant than the fifth internal variable at the first confluence 158, the first arc 166 corresponding to the position command value and The tenth arc 168 corresponding to the tenth internal variable is indicated by a thick arrow. As for the second junction 160, the seventh internal variable is more dominant than the speed command value, so the seventh arc 170 corresponding to the seventh internal variable and the ninth arc 172 corresponding to the ninth internal variable are Indicated by a thick arrow. For the third confluence 162, the eighth internal variable is more dominant than the sixth internal variable, so the fourth arc 174 corresponding to the eighth internal variable and the fourth corresponding to the command value to the servo motor. Arc 176 is indicated by a thick arrow.
Thus, according to the present embodiment, the relationship between dominant input and output at a certain point in time is visually expressed.

The display control unit 42 changes the display mode of the comparison target arc in real time based on the second comparison result received by the comparison result receiving unit 52. When the internal variable corresponding to the comparison target arc is out of the range set by the upper limit value and the lower limit value related to the comparison target arc, the display control unit 42 highlights the arc and causes the display 14 to display it. The case where the internal variable falls outside the range set by the upper limit value and the lower limit value is, for example, a case where the internal variable exceeds the upper limit value or a case where the internal variable falls below the lower limit value.
Note that the display control unit 42 may divide the highlighting method depending on whether the internal variable exceeds the upper limit value or the internal variable falls below the lower limit value.

  A situation in which the emphasized state and the state that is not so frequently are easily switched due to, for example, the value of the internal variable increasing or decreasing near the upper limit value or the lower limit value is easily assumed. To cope with this, for example, when the magnitude relationship between the internal variable and the upper limit value is switched at a frequency higher than the upper limit frequency, if the internal variable exceeds the upper limit value once, the display control unit 42 will later select the arc to be emphasized. It is always highlighted (ie without interruption) while such switching continues. The same applies when the magnitude relationship between the internal variable and the lower limit value is switched at a frequency higher than the upper limit frequency.

FIG. 6 is a representative screen diagram showing a block diagram 133 when the eighth arc 178 is designated as the comparison target arc. The block diagram 133 shown in FIG. 6 corresponds to the block diagram 130 shown in FIG. Looking at the block diagram 133 shown in FIG. 6, since the eighth internal variable is outside the range set for the eighth internal variable, the eighth arc 178 corresponding to the eighth internal variable is indicated by a thick arrow. Indicated. As a result, the user can confirm in real time that an abnormality appears in the output of the speed proportional operation block 156.
As described above, in the present embodiment, a portion showing an abnormal value at a certain time point is visually expressed.

  FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the function and configuration of the target CPU board 100 of FIG. Each block shown here can be realized by hardware and other elements such as a computer CPU and a mechanical device, and software can be realized by a computer program or the like. Draw functional blocks. Therefore, it is understood by those skilled in the art who have touched this specification that these functional blocks can be realized in various forms by a combination of hardware and software.

  The target CPU board 100 not only executes the source program for control of the mechanical device 102 but also the magnitudes of the absolute values or intermediate values of two internal variables corresponding to the two arcs that are input to the comparison junction. Threshold evaluation of internal variables corresponding to the evaluation and comparison target arcs is also performed. In this case, the first comparison result and the second comparison result transmitted from the target CPU board 100 to the host computer 10 need only be a value defining a point to be emphasized, that is, a bit.

The target CPU board 100 includes an operation amount calculation unit 110, a response acquisition unit 112, a comparison processing unit 114, and a comparison result transmission unit 116.
The operation amount calculation unit 110 calculates the operation amount of the mechanical device 102 and transmits it to the mechanical device 102. For example, the operation amount calculation unit 110 calculates the command value to the servo motor by executing the control contents represented by the block diagram 130 shown in FIG. 3, and transmits the command value to the servo motor.

  The response acquisition unit 112 receives a response from the mechanical device 102. For example, the response acquisition unit 112 receives a position response value from the servo motor with respect to the block diagram 130 shown in FIG.

  When the target CPU board 100 is controlling the mechanical device 102, the comparison processing unit 114 compares two internal variables corresponding to the two arcs that are input to the comparison target merge point. In the comparison processing unit 114, the magnitude relationship between the two internal variables is any one of the three: one internal variable is much larger than the other internal variable, and vice versa. A first comparison result indicating that is generated.

  When the target CPU board 100 is controlling the mechanical device 102, the comparison processing unit 114 compares the internal variable corresponding to the comparison target arc with the range set in relation to the comparison target arc. The comparison processing unit 114 indicates that the relationship between the internal variable and the range is that the internal variable is below the lower limit value of the range, the internal variable is above the upper limit value of the range, and the internal variable is within the range. A second comparison result indicating which of the two is generated is generated.

  The comparison result transmission unit 116 transmits the first comparison result and the second comparison result generated by the comparison processing unit 114 to the host computer 10 via the communication cable 4.

  In the embodiment described above, examples of the holding unit are a hard disk and a semiconductor memory. Further, based on the description of the present specification, each unit is configured by a CPU (not shown), a module of an installed application program, a module of a system program, a semiconductor memory that temporarily stores the content of data read from the hard disk, or the like. It will be understood by those skilled in the art who have touched this specification that it can be realized.

  The operation of the monitoring system 2 configured as above will be described. Here, a situation is assumed in which the monitoring system 2 is used for debugging work on a real machine of a newly generated control source program. The user connects the host computer 10 and the target CPU board 100 via the communication cable 4 and downloads the generated source program to the target CPU board 100. The user sets desired comparison conditions using the host computer 10. The target CPU board 100 starts control of the mechanical device 102 according to a user instruction. While the mechanical device 102 is being controlled, the target CPU board 100 performs a comparison process on the internal variables of the control data and transmits the comparison result to the host computer 10 via the communication cable 4 in real time. Based on the received comparison result, the host computer 10 highlights, in real time, arcs corresponding to the dominant input / output relationship around the junction and internal variables that deviate from the set range in the block diagram. The user confirms whether the mechanical device 102 is operating as desired by looking at the display content.

  According to the monitoring system 2 according to the present embodiment, the user can easily confirm in real time an arc corresponding to an internal variable that deviates from a dominant input / output relationship or setting range around the junction. Therefore, it is possible to determine in real time whether there is no problem in the operation of the source program or the input from the outside of the source program from the difference between the user's assumption and the display result on the display 14.

  In addition, for example, when an unexpected situation is likely to occur in the mechanical device 102, the user can perform appropriate processing such as temporary suspension of control before such a situation occurs. As a result, such a situation can be prevented from occurring.

  In particular, in the case of analyzing the log of the operation state after operating the mechanical device 102 for a while, the cause is searched after an unexpected situation has actually occurred. On the other hand, the monitoring system 2 according to the present embodiment is superior to the case of log analysis in that such an unexpected situation can be prevented in advance.

  Further, in the monitoring system 2 according to the present embodiment, the operation of the source program can be visually grasped without registering each internal variable in the source program in a tool for acquiring data. Therefore, it is possible to provide the monitoring system 2 that can be suitably applied in situations where real-time performance is required, such as debugging of the source program in the actual machine, operation monitoring of the machine device 102, and maintenance of the machine device 102.

  In the field of development of a program for controlling the machine device 102, the machine device 102 is replaced with a virtual machine and the operation is performed as planned in the simulation stage where the operation is confirmed. When the machine apparatus 102 is controlled after being installed in 100, a situation in which it does not operate as scheduled occurs relatively frequently. Therefore, the monitoring system 2 according to the present embodiment executes comparison processing related to the internal variable and executes highlighting based on the comparison result when the target CPU board 100 controls the mechanical device 102. To do. Therefore, the user can quickly find problems that did not appear in the simulation stage.

  When real-time display of the control state is performed, the speed of communication via the communication cable often becomes a bottleneck. Therefore, in the monitoring system 2 according to the present embodiment, the host computer 10 realizes highlighting by receiving the comparison result instead of directly capturing the raw data of each internal variable. Therefore, since the amount of data communication via the communication cable 4 can be reduced, the monitoring system 2 more suitable for real-time display of the control state can be provided.

  If the host computer 10 analyzes the raw data of each internal variable, the accuracy of the analysis, that is, the amount of information that can be provided to the user is larger. However, the present inventor does not need so much accuracy of analysis when looking roughly at the behavior of the source program when it is operated on a real machine, for example, qualitatively, but rather it is beneficial to increase the real-time property. I found my own. Therefore, in the monitoring system 2 according to the present embodiment, the accuracy of analysis is sacrificed to some extent, and the real-time property is improved accordingly. Thereby, as a whole, the monitoring system 2 that is optimal or close to optimal for the purpose of roughly viewing the behavior of the source program is provided.

  The configuration and operation of the monitoring system 2 according to the embodiment has been described above. This embodiment is an exemplification, and it is understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to each component and combination of processes, and such modifications are within the scope of the present invention.

  In the embodiment, the highlighting related to the merge point of two inputs and one output has been mainly described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the technical idea of the present embodiment is applied to a merge point having three or more inputs. Also good.

  In the embodiment, the host computer 10 may have a function of saving the display result of the display 14 in a file and confirming it later.

  In the embodiment, the case where the host computer 10 receives the first comparison result and the second comparison result from the target CPU board 100 via the communication cable 4 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The internal computer may receive the value of each internal variable, and the host computer 10 may perform comparison processing.

  In the embodiment, the case where the host computer 10 realizes the control data editing function and the control state real-time display function has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the respective functions are realized by separate computers. Also good.

  2 monitoring system, 4 communication cable, 10 host computer, 100 target CPU board, 102 mechanical device.

Claims (7)

A device control unit for controlling the mechanical device;
A display control unit for displaying control data representing control content in the device control unit on a display using a graphic element corresponding to a processing unit constituting the control content;
When the control content includes processing for calculating another internal variable based on at least two internal variables, each of the at least two internal variables when the device control unit is controlling the mechanical device, A comparison result acquisition unit that acquires a comparison result of the degree of contribution to the other internal variable,
The display control unit changes a display mode of graphic elements corresponding to the at least two internal variables based on a comparison result when the device control unit is controlling the mechanical device. system.   The display control unit emphasizes a graphic element corresponding to an internal variable having a larger degree of contribution to the other internal variable out of the at least two internal variables, and displays the emphasized graphic element on the display. The monitoring system described in.   The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the comparison result acquisition unit acquires a comparison result from the device control unit when the device control unit is controlling the mechanical device. A function for displaying control data representing control contents in a control device for controlling a mechanical device on a display using a graphic element corresponding to a processing unit constituting the control contents;
When the control content includes a process of calculating another internal variable based on at least two internal variables, each of the at least two internal variables when the control device is controlling the mechanical device is the A function to obtain a comparison result of the degree of contribution to another internal variable;
When the control device is controlling the mechanical device, the computer realizes a function of changing a display mode of a graphic element corresponding to the at least two internal variables based on a comparison result. Computer program. A device control unit for controlling the mechanical device;
A display control unit that displays control data representing the control content in the device control unit on a display using a graphic element corresponding to a processing unit constituting the control content;
The display control unit controls the mechanical device when the internal variable included in the control content when the device control unit is controlling the mechanical device is out of a preset range. And a graphic element corresponding to the internal variable is highlighted and displayed on the display.   The said display control part acquires the comparison result of the said internal variable and the said threshold value from the said apparatus control part, when the said apparatus control part is controlling the said mechanical apparatus. The monitoring system described in. A function for displaying control data representing control contents in a control device for controlling a mechanical device on a display using a graphic element corresponding to a processing unit constituting the control contents;
When an internal variable included in the control content when the control device is controlling the mechanical device is out of a preset range, the internal variable is controlled when the control device is controlling the mechanical device. A computer program for causing a computer to realize a function of emphasizing a graphic element corresponding to an item and displaying the same on the display.

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