JP2000137508A - Controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce labor for the preparation of a program for network management with respect to a controller provided with plural programmable logic controllers(PLCs) to be connected to devices such as equipment to be controlled and sensors, plural display devices corresponding to respective PLCs and a host computer for controlling these devices. SOLUTION: Different from a conventional method, not PLCs A1 to C1 having relatively low arithmetic processing capacity but display devices A2 to C2 having comparatively high arithmetic processing capacity are connected to a host computer 11 and these PLCs A1 to C1 are controlled by the host computer 11 through the display devices A2 to C2 to execute operation. Consequently the host computer 11 can use a common program for the device setting of respective PLCs Al to C1 and the setting of respective display devices A2 to C2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention
A control means such as a logic controller (hereinafter abbreviated as PLC) and a display means for displaying a control state of the control means are constituted as a set of control devices, and the control devices are connected to one or a plurality of hosts. The present invention relates to a control device controlled by a host device such as a computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a typical prior art control device. As described above, a plurality (three in the example of FIG. 6) of PLCa1, b1, c1
Have dedicated display devices a2, b2 and c2, respectively, and are connected to a host computer 2 via a network line 1. PLCa1, b1, c1
Responds to the control output from the host computer 2
It controls one or a plurality of control target devices (not shown), receives the state of the control target devices from a sensor (not shown), and displays them on the display devices a2, b2, and c2.

The PLCa1, b1, and c1 are used for communication as shown by reference numerals a, b, and c in FIG. 6 for each manufacturer and, in some cases, even for the same manufacturer, for each product. Protocols may be different from each other. For this reason, the host computer 2 communicates with each PLCa1, b1, c1 via the network line 1 according to each protocol a, b, c.

[0004] Each of the display devices a2, b2 and c2 is connected to a corresponding PL by connection cables a3, b3 and c3.
Ca1, b1 and c1 are connected to each other, and the data representing the control state transmitted by the individual protocols a, b and c are combined with pre-installed character and image data to create a display screen, Display. That is, for example, variable data such as data indicating the control state is synthesized and displayed on a fixed screen in which the device name of the control target device is added to a background screen imitating a production line.

[0005]

In the control device configured as described above, when controlling each of the PLCa1, b1, and c1, the host computer 2 takes in data representing the control state, and outputs a control output. A program for derivation of the protocol must be provided for each of the protocols a, b, and c.
If the LC is to participate in the network, there is a problem that not only the man-hour for creating the program for the control is increased but also the burden of creating the program for the network management is increased.

An object of the present invention is to provide a control device capable of reducing the burden of creating a program for network management in networking.

[0007]

According to a control device of the present invention, a plurality of control means respectively control a control target in response to a control output transmitted from a host device, and correspond to information relating to the control. In the control device to be displayed on the display means, the display means is interposed between the host device and the control means, the display means, communicates with the corresponding control means by any protocol, In a network line passing between the display unit and the higher-level device, protocol conversion is performed so that communication is performed using a common protocol, and setting relating to at least one of the display unit and the control unit is performed from the higher-level device. Features.

[0010] According to the above arrangement, the display means for handling relatively large-capacity image data has higher suitability for data communication than the control means for handling relatively small-capacity data such as ON / OFF data. Focusing on this point, this display means can be connected to a host
It is interposed between control means such as a logic controller, and the display means converts the control output from the host device and the control state data from the control means to the control means and the host computer, respectively, and relays them.

The display means for displaying images has been developed as an application device of a personal computer, and can easily communicate with a general-purpose personal computer using a general-purpose protocol. Also, dedicated protocols have been developed for the corresponding control means that must be connected.

[0010] Therefore, only by providing each display means with a table and a function for protocol conversion, the host device can use a common protocol and therefore a common program for each control means. The common program can make settings relating to at least one of the display means and the control means, for example, assigning names and addresses and designating a data format.

Therefore, the network becomes large-scale,
Even if various display means and control means of different manufacturers and models are included in the network, a common program can be used for those setting programs, reducing the burden of creating a network management program. be able to.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described.
This will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. PLCA1, B
Reference numerals 1 and 1 control a device to be controlled 12 such as a motor or a solenoid valve in response to a control output from a host computer 11. PLCA1, B1 and C1 are sensors 13
For example, the control state of the control target device 12 is detected, and the detection result is transmitted to the host computer 11 to be used for display, calculation of the control output, and analysis, and the corresponding display devices A2, B2, C2 To display the image. In this way, the control device controls a machine tool, a production line, and the like.

Note that in the example of FIG.
1, B1, C1 are provided, but one,
Needless to say, two or four or more host computers 11 may be provided. In the example of FIG. 1, the control target device 12 and the sensor 13 are PLCB1 and C
1 is omitted.

The PLCAs 1, B1, and C1 and the corresponding display devices A2, B2, and C2 are connected by connection cables A3, B3, and C3, respectively. , A dedicated protocol A determined in advance by a version, etc.
Data communication is performed by B and C, respectively.

It should be noted that in the present invention, the display device A
2, B2 and C2 are interposed between the PLCA1, B1 and C1 and the host computer 11. These display devices A2, B2, and C2 have been developed as application devices of personal computers, and can easily communicate with a general-purpose personal computer using a general-purpose protocol D and can be connected thereto. For the corresponding PLCAs 1, B1, and C1 for which is required, dedicated protocols A, B, and C have been developed, respectively.

Therefore, in the present invention, the display devices A2 and B
2 and C2 are connected to the host computer 11 via a network line 14 such as Ethernet (registered trademark).
Using a common protocol, for example, a protocol on TCP / IP, the display devices A2, B2, and C2 perform protocol conversion between the protocol D and the protocols A, B, and C, respectively.

An external host 15 installed at a remote location such as a manufacturer of the display devices A2, B2 and C2 can be connected to the network line 14 via a router and a public telephone line for maintenance. It has become.

The host computer 11 uses input means 20 such as a keyboard as described below,
Node information indicating which type of display device is connected to which node, and PLCA1, B
A network file 22 including the names of the control target devices and sensors connected to C1 and C1 is created in advance. Referring to the network file 22, the application unit 23 sends the interface circuit 2
4, control outputs to the PLCAs 1, B1, and C1 are distributed, control in response to the control outputs is performed on the control target device 12, and data indicating a control state such as a detection result of the sensor 13 The interface circuit 24
Is returned to the application unit 23 via the PC and is used for the display, calculation and analysis of the control output, and the like.

In the host computer 11, conversion data between the protocols A, B, and C and the protocol D are registered in a data file 25 in advance, and the conversion data is connected to the network line 14. PL
At the time of maintenance such as a change of C, the information is distributed to a required display device via the interface circuit 24.

Correspondingly, each of the display devices A2, B2,
C2 is an interface circuit 26 and an image memory 27
, A protocol conversion circuit 28, a display panel 29, input means 30, and a memory 31.
The interface circuit 26, together with the protocol conversion circuit 28, converts the control output from the host computer 11 into a protocol and outputs the control output to the corresponding PLC.
Data indicating the control state from the PLC, such as the detection result of No. 3, is converted into a protocol and output to the host computer 11.

The image memory 27 stores invariant characters and image data including the names and units of the respective control target devices on a background screen imitating a production line, for example.
The variable data representing the control state input from the protocol conversion circuit 28 is synthesized and displayed on the display panel 29 as an image.

The display devices A2, B2, and C2 display the corresponding P
Together with the LCAs 1, B1, and C1, they are integrated into an operation console or the like of a production line or are independently disposed, and are used as a control panel or the like. On the front side of the display panel 29,
An input means 30 such as a touch panel is provided, and in response to the input result, data input or the control target device 1 is performed.
Two indirect controls can be performed. Display device A2
B2 and C2 are configured almost in the same way as a general-purpose personal computer, and include a central processing unit, a memory such as a ROM or a RAM, an external storage device such as a hard disk device, a graphic controller and a communication device via an internal bus line. Controllers and the like are connected to each other.

The interface circuit 26 and the protocol conversion circuit 28 perform two-way communication with the host computer 11 and with the PLCAs 1, B1, and C1.
Configuring a driver and using protocol conversion data given from the data file 25 in real time,
Performs protocol conversion of input / output data.

Such protocol conversion is performed by using the protocol D common on the network line 14 and each PLCA.
, B1, and C1 can be performed using a conversion table between protocols A, B, and C that are unique to each other, a conversion function, and the like.
5, and is selected when creating a network file 22 in which model settings of the display devices A2, B2, and C2 connected to each node as described above are performed.
It is set in the protocol conversion circuit 28.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are diagrams for explaining the procedure for creating the network file 22. FIG. When the node search operation is instructed from the input means 20 of the host computer 11 when the connection of the display devices A2, B2, and C2 is completed, the application unit 23 of the host computer 11 sends the common protocol D Thereby, the node search signals are distributed to the display devices A2, B2, and C2 all at once. In response, each display device A
2, B2, and C2, an IP address for each of the display devices A2, B2, and C2 stored in the memory 31 in advance,
Status information indicating the manufacturer, format, and version of the connected PLC is sequentially returned to the host computer 11.

In the host computer 11, a network list indicated by reference numeral 41 in FIG. 2 is automatically set by the returned data.
Subsequently, in the host computer 11, the input means 2
0, each display device A2, B2, C2 and the corresponding P
Settings for LCA1, B1, and C1 are enabled.

More specifically, for example, assignment of names and addresses and designation of a data format, the input means 20 is connected to the corresponding PLCAs 1, B1, and C1 for each of the display devices A2, B2, and C2. Data regarding devices such as the control target device 12 and the sensor 13 are set. In the list of network participation stations in FIG. 2, the list of symbol names and device names of the devices arbitrarily set by the user for the display device A2 marked with * in the list indicated by the reference numeral 41 is indicated by the reference numeral 42. Are displayed together as shown by. When the * mark is moved in relation to the display device B2 or C2 by the cursor operation, the contents of the list indicated by the reference numeral 42 are also changed correspondingly.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a device content setting screen. First, an arbitrarily configurable symbol name can be input, and a device to be set can be input. The example in FIG. 3 indicates that the content of a device in which data is stored at address 100 of the input / output memory called DM of PLCA1 can be set. A symbol “VALV1” is given to a device in which data is to be stored at address 100 of the input / output memory DM.

In the example of FIG. 3, the data stored at the address 100 of the input / output memory DM is data with a decimal code represented by 16 bits, and is updated every second. ing. When the above-described settings are completed by the common setting program for each of the display devices A2, B2, and C2 and for each device, when the creation of the network file 22 is completed, the host computer 11
Converts the protocol in each of the display devices A2, B2, and C2, and transfers the setting data to each of the PLCAs 1, B1, and C1.
Device settings for each PLCA1, B1, and C1 are performed. When the device setting is performed in this way, each PLCA1, B1,
C1 is capable of recognizing device data, for example, can control the control target device 12 in response to control data from the host computer 11, and transmits detection data of the sensor 13 to the host computer 11 or another display device. It becomes possible to output.

The above-mentioned setting contents are displayed on each of the display devices A2, B2,
It is also stored in the memory 31 in C2. Each display device A
2, B2, and C2 correspond to the corresponding PLC at a predetermined timing in accordance with the device contents set as described above.
The device data is collected from the input / output memories of A1, B1, and C1.

When the device setting is completed, the host computer 11 can take in the device data from each of the display devices A2, B2, and C2. Can be used for the management of networks and PLCs as shown in FIG.

That is, on the host computer 11 side,
When a symbol name of a desired PLC device is input, as shown in FIG. 4, the data and data format of the device having the symbol name and the data of other devices near the device are also confirmed. Can be.

In the example of FIG. 4, the data format from the device having the symbol name VALV1 connected to the PLCA1 is, as indicated by the reference numeral 43, a data with a decimal sign represented by 16 bits. , 44, the symbol name is VALV1.
(Eg, voltage, valve opening, etc.) of the device DM100 is +125, and thereafter, data up to the device of DM117 is displayed in a list with the device name as an address. Thus,
By displaying the data of the devices close to the target device together, for example, in the example of FIG.
While all the data up to M111 are positive values, DM1
07 shows a large negative value, which makes it possible to infer that an abnormality has occurred in the device.

The host computer 11 can display a list of the states of the display devices A2, B2 and C2 connected to the network line 14, as shown in FIG. According to such a list of networks, even if an abnormality has occurred in a certain display device or PLC due to, for example, an error code in the status information, the abnormality is caused by itself or from another display device or the host computer 11. It is possible to identify whether it is due to the influence of other equipment that does not have the necessary data input, and it was not known until now that it had to actually go to the manufacturing site,
It is possible to relatively easily find the device in which the abnormality has occurred and the cause of the abnormality, thereby improving the convenience of the maintenance work.

As described above, in the control device according to the present invention,
The display devices A2, B2, and C2 having high arithmetic processing capabilities and high suitability for data communication are represented by PLCA1, B1, and C1.
And the control output from the host computer 11 and the control status data from the PLCAs 1, B1, and C1 to the PLCAs 1, B1, and C1, and the host computer 11, respectively. The protocol can be converted and relayed without any trouble.

Further, by the protocol conversion by the display devices A2, B2, and C2, the host computer 11 can reciprocate PLCAs 1, B 2 of different manufacturers and models.
1, C1 and the display devices A2, B2, C2, a common protocol, and thus a common program, can be used. The display device A2, B2, C2 as shown in FIG. 3 and the device settings of each PLCA1, B1, C1 as shown in FIG. 3, and each PLCA1, B1, C1 as shown in FIG.
It is possible to collect the control information of C1, collect the information of each of the display devices A2, B2, and C2 as shown in FIG. 5, and display a list of the set or collected data.

Therefore, the burden of creating a program for network management can be reduced.

[0039]

As described above, in the control device according to the present invention, the plurality of control means respectively control the control objects in response to the control output transmitted from the higher-level device, and correspond to the information on the control. In a control device configured to display data on a display means, a display means for handling a relatively large amount of image data is more suitable for data communication than a control means for handling a relatively small amount of data. The display means is interposed between the host device and the control means,
Utilizing the protocol conversion function of the display unit, the setting relating to at least one of the display unit and the control unit is performed from the higher-level device.

Therefore, even if the network becomes large-scale and various display means and control means of different manufacturers and models are included in the network, a common program can be used for those setting programs. The burden of creating a program for management can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a setting state of a network station in the control device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a PLC device setting screen in the control device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display example of device data of a PLC in the control device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display example of data of each network station of the control device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a typical prior art control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Host computer (host device) 12 Control target apparatus (control target) 13 Sensor 14 Network line 15 External host (host device) 20, 30 Input means 22 Network file 23 Application part 24, 26 Interface circuit 25 Data file 27 Image memory 28 Protocol conversion circuit 29 Display panel 31 Memory A, B, C, D Protocol A1, B1, C1 PLC (control means) A2, B2, C2 Display device (display means) A3, B3, C3 Connection cable

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yuichi Morigaki 8-2-52 Nanko-Higashi, Suminoe-ku, Osaka, Osaka F-term (reference) 5B045 AA03 BB42 5H220 AA05 BB12 BB17 CC09 CX06 CX08 CX09 HH01 HH04 JJ12 JJ53 KK01 KK04

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A control device, wherein a plurality of control means respectively control a control target in response to a control output transmitted from a higher-level device, and display information on the control on a corresponding display means. The display means is interposed between the higher-level device and the control means, the display means communicates with the corresponding control means by an arbitrary protocol, and a network is provided between the display means and the higher-level device. A control device, wherein protocol conversion is performed so that communication is performed using a common protocol on a line, and setting relating to at least one of the display unit and the control unit is performed from the higher-level device.