GB2126385A - Data storage - Google Patents

Abstract

A work data processing device which assures efficient use of a buffer memory is disclosed. In the work data processing device, when a desired measuring process is to be executed (1,9), areas of memory (4) for storing data from steps in such a process are reserved in accordance with a predetermined format by use of flag writing and detecting means (3,7) so that data produced from steps selected in random order may be written into the memory in overlaid relationship. Thus, final process data are all stored in the predetermined format, thereby allowing centralized management of data. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Work data processing device Background of the invention This invention relates to a work data processing device, and more particularly to a device which assures an efficient use of a memory by providing flexibility to a data buffering method.

In apparatus of a type which operate in accordance with work instructions of an operator, a process of a step or steps preceding to or after a present process is frequently executed repetitively depending upon such working instructions. Process data produced at random in such a process are normally stored in buffers each time they are produced. Such buffering, however, gives rise to various defects or disadvantages: for example, (1) in case data produced at random are stored in buffers each time they are produced, a memory device which as a finite or limited capacity may not entirely accept such data which may be produced infinitely, and thus data may overflow the memory device sooner or later; and (2) same data may be stored in several memory locations so that it may take a considerable time to search desired data in order to couple them to an output device.

Summary of the invention The present invention has been thus made in view of such various defects of conventional work data processing devices as described above and it is an object of the invention to provide a work data processing device which assures an efficient use of a memory device.

The invention provides a work data processing device, comprising: a work instructing means for instruction working processes and for receiving data from a member to be measured; an addresscontroll- ing means operable in response to a signal from said work instructing means for producing a data writing address table; a data storage means for storing data in accordance with data writing address information from said address controlling means; a pass flag writing means in response to a signal from said address controlling means for writing a pass flag into said data storage means; and a pass flag detecting means operable in response to a signal from said work instructing means for detecting data containing a pass flag therein.Thus, according to the present invention, address blocks are produced for randomly produced process data and such addresses are shifted in response to work instructions from an operator so as to allow an overlay of process data in a memory device.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following more detailed description of a work data processing device made with reference to illustrations in the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings Figure I is a flow chart illustrating a conventional common process of operations for measuring a vehicle; Figure 2 is a similar flow chart but illustrating an embodiment of a process of operations for measuring a vehicle according to the present invention; Figure 3 is a block diagram of a work data processing device according to the invention; and Figure 4 is a diagrammatic representation showing a data communicating means constructed in accordance with operations shown in Figure 3.

Detailed description of the invention Reference is first had to Figure 1 which is a flow chart illustrating a conventional common process of operations for measuring a vehicle. First, a power switch is turned on and the system thereupon operates to load a system program from a floppy disk drive to a memory, thereby preparing for processing of works in accordance with the system program. Then, in response to a work instruction, data for measurement of an object vehicle are loaded to the memory from the floppy disk drive to proceed processing. Each time a work proceeds, the operator determines which one of processings including a present processing (entry), a preceding step (back) and a following next step (pass) is to be executed. As a result, process data are sequentially written into the memory in accordance with the order of works to be executed.

Reference is now had to Figure 2 which is a flow chart showing an embodiment of a measuring operation for a vehicle to which the present invention is applied. According to the embodiment, in response to a work instruction from an operator, an address block is produced which is representative of addresses of locations of a memory storage into which process data are to be written. Thus, an area of the memory storage into which process data at a present position are to be stored when a process which is to be executed later in a predetermined normal sequence is executed precedingly (i.e., the process executed in response to a pass key in Figure 2) is reserved in response to a pass flag.The term "address block" here means a location of a memory storage in which an address or addresses are stored which specify a location or locations of the memory storage into which data are to be stored at an instant when a operator performs some operation, and that this is an address table which is updated and produced in response to an operation by an operator.

Further, the "pass flag" is a special code which represents that an area of a memory storage for storing process data therein is reserved. When a present process is not executed to pass to a later process, a number of pass flags which corresponds to the number of processes thus skipped are stored in the memory storage. The pass flag is utilized upon output of data to determine that there is no data to be output.

In the followings, operations when various data are stored into a memory storage will be described in detail with reference to Figures 3 and 4.

Figure 3 shows a block diagram of a work data processing device according to the present invention. The work data processing device includes a work instructing means 1 which determines a work inputted by an operator, an address controlling means 2 which decides, in response to a signal from the work instructing means 1, addresses of locations into which process data are to be stored and produces an address block (address table) for such addresses, a data storage means 4 in which data representative of results of measurements performed are stored into storage locations thereof specified by signals from the address controlling means 2, a pass flag writing means 3 for writing a pass flag into the data storage means 4 depending upon a work procedure, a processing means 5 designed to perform a predetermined operation, a display 6 for indicating data processed by the processing means 5, a pass flag detecting means 7 for removing data containing a pass flag theren, a data output device 8 for outputting data stored or written in the data storage means 4, and a member 9 to be measured.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic representation showing data communicating means operable in accordance with the operations described with reference to Figure 3. In Figure 4, reference numerals 10,11,12, 13 and 14 designate each a step of operation at the work instructing means 1 of Figure 3, reference numerals 15, 16 and 17 designate each an address block in the address controlling means 2 of Figure 3, and reference numerals 18, 19 and 20 designate each a adata block in the data storage means of Figure 3.

In operation, a mode of measurement is first instructed from the work instructing means 1 to the member 9 to be measured so that corresponding measured data are inputted from the member 9 to be measured to the work instructing means 1. In response to the measured data inputted to the work instructing means 1, the address controlling means 2 produces address information representative of addresses of locations of the data storage means 4 into which data are to be stored, such as, for example, address blocks 15 to 17 when the steps of operation 10 to 14 of Figure 4 are performed. In particular, if, at the step of operation 10, a work instruction of a measurement A is entered by way of an entry key, measured data obtained from the member 9 to be measured will cause the writing address block 15 to be produced for the contents of the measurement A at the address controlling means 2.The address block 15 thus produced and corresponding measured data 18 are written into the data storage means 4. Then, if a measurement C is to be subsequently performed in association with the measurement A preceding to a measurement B, a pass key is first operated at the step of operation 11 to produce the address block 16, which is written into the data storage means 4 while a pass flag is written into the data storage means 4 as a data block 19 from the pass flag writing means 3. Then, in response to an instruction of the measurement C subsequently inputted by means of the entry key at the step 12, the address block 17 and corresponding measured data 20 are outputted from the address controlling means 2 and thus written into the data storage means 4.Then, when a back key is operated at the step 13 in order to perform the formerly skipped measurement B, the processing means 5 operates in response to a signal from the address controlling means 2 to detect the pass flag written in the data storage means 4 and at the same time, the corresponding writing address block 16 is instructed to the address controlling means 2. Then, when the measurement B is inputted by way of the entry key at the step 14, the address block 16 and corresponding measured data are written into the data block 19 by the address controlling means 2.

The data processed in such a manner as described above will be indicated on the display 6 in accordance with advancements of measuring operations.

Further, if the measured data are to be ouputted to a printer or the like, the measured data in accordance with advancements of measuring operations are transferred, in response to a control signal from the processing means 5, to the data output device 8 and are ouputted therefrom. Also, if measured data are to be outputted in a lump to a printer or the like after predetermined measuring operations have been performed, the measured data stored in the data storage means 4 are inputted via the processing means 5 to the pass flag detecting means 7 in response to a control signal from the processing means 5 so that the data block containing a pass flag therein will be removed to allow only desired measured data to be ouputted to the data output device 8.

As apparent from the foregoing description, in a work data processing device according to the present invention, when a desired measuring process is to be executed, areas for process data for such a process are reserved in accordance with a predetermined format so that data produced at random may be written into a memory storage in overlaid relationship. Thus, final process data are all in the predetermined format, thereby allowing centralized management of data.

Claims (5)

1. A work data processing device, comprising: a work instructing means for instructing working processes and for receiving data from a member to be measured; an address controlling means operable in response to a signal from said work instructing means for producing a data writing address table; a data storage means for storing data in accordance with data writing address information from said address controlling means; a pass flag writing means in response to a signal from said address controlling means for writing a pass flag into said data storage means; and a pass flag detecting means operable in response to a signal from said work instructing means for detecting data containing a pass flag therein.

2. A work data processing device according to claim 1,furthercomprising a processing means operable in response to an address signal from said address controlling means for reading the data written in said data storage means and for outputting them to said pass flag detecting means.

3. A work data processing device according to claim 1, wherein said pass flag detecting means detects data containing a pass flag therein in order to allow data containing no pass flag to be outputted therefrom.

4. A work data processing device according to claim 1, wherein it is applied to a measuring operation for a vehicle.

5. A work data processing device according to claim 2, further comprising a display for indicating contents of said processing means.