JP2000242313A - Method and device for automatic address allocation - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the design efficiency by automatically allocating an input/ output memory for the addresses of variables of a ladder program by retrieving addresses which are not used in a specified work area. SOLUTION: When only the names of variables are inputted without inputting an address to a local or global variable table and when only the names are inputted without inputting an address and a local addition button is pressed at the time of instruction input, the variables of the ladder program are automatically allocated within a specified range of the I/O memory. For example, when the automatic allocation range is set to W50 to W200 CH, 'ABC' as a variable and 'BOOL' as a data type are inputted to a local variable table of a program and when no address is inputted here, a free address, e.g. W50.00 is allocated for the local variable 'ABC'. This automatic allocating function allocates a free area in the input order of variables.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an address allocating method and apparatus, and more particularly, to an address allocating method and apparatus for automatically allocating a variable address of a ladder program to an input / output memory of a programmable controller.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a programmable controller (PLC) for controlling sensors, actuators, and the like includes, as shown in FIG. 7, a CPU unit 50 and an NC unit connected to the CPU unit 50 via a system bus 90. A high-performance I / O unit 60 and a communication unit 70 for transmitting and receiving data to and from other communication units.

The CPU unit 50 controls a high-performance I / O unit 60 and a communication unit 70 provided on a rack.
0, a personal computer 80 for running a tool (application software) for setting data and a tool 2 (application software) for executing monitoring by the high-performance I / O unit 60.

The high-performance I / O unit 60 performs special control, for example, NC control, PID control and the like.

The communication unit 70 is provided with another CPU unit 50 or high-performance I / O unit 60 serving as another node.
And send and receive data.

[0006]

By the way, in the above-mentioned programmable controller system, it is necessary to secure a variable of a ladder program used in the programmable controller on the I / O memory, that is, to allocate an address. Conventionally, the user has manually specified a desired address.

However, the task of manually specifying the address of a variable of a ladder program is very troublesome, and this has been one of the factors that lowers the design efficiency.

In view of the above problems, the present invention has been made to improve the design efficiency by automatically assigning the addresses of the variables of the ladder program to the input / output memory of the programmable controller. It is intended to provide a method and apparatus.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, when only the name of a variable is input without inputting an address to a local or global variable table, or when an instruction is input, an address is input. When a local add button is pressed without inputting a name and a local add button is pressed, addresses are assigned to variables in the I / O memory automatically.

That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, in the address allocation method for automatically allocating the address of the variable of the ladder program to the input / output memory of the programmable controller, the work area to which the address of the input / output memory is allocated is defined. Search for an unused address in the specified work area,
The address of the variable of the ladder program is automatically assigned to the searched unused address.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the address allocating device for allocating the address of the variable of the ladder program to the input / output memory of the programmable controller, a designation for designating a work area to which the address of the input / output memory is to be allocated. Means, an address search means for searching an unused address in the work area designated by the designation means, and automatically assigning the address of a variable of the ladder program to the address searched by the address search means. Automatic allocation means.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A method and an apparatus for automatically allocating addresses according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a programmable logic controller system configured by applying an automatic address allocation method and apparatus according to the present invention.

A programmable logic controller system according to this embodiment (hereinafter referred to as a PLC system)
Is a first programmable controller (hereinafter referred to as a first programmable controller) that controls a device to be controlled such as a sensor or an actuator.
LC), a second programmable controller (hereinafter, referred to as a second PLC) 1a, and a personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a personal computer) 2 that runs a tool described later.

The first PLC 1 includes a CPU unit 11
, A high-performance unit 12 and a communication unit 13, which are connected to a system bus 14 including a data bus, an address bus, and the like.

The CPU unit 11 controls the high-performance I / O unit 12 and the communication unit 13 provided on the rack, and controls the personal computer 2 via the tool cable 3.
And executes a predetermined process of the tool received from the personal computer 2.

The CPU unit 11 is a microcomputer (microcomputer) 1 for controlling the CPU unit itself.
11 and the microcomputer 111 are connected to the system bus 1
A microcomputer bus ASIC 112 for providing an interface for accessing each of the units 12 and 13 through the microcomputer 4;
A memory 113 for storing a plurality of data received from the tool (hereinafter, referred to as a command message) and for storing transmission data (a response message) to be transmitted to the tool, and a communication processing program for storing a communication processing program for performing a communication process The memory 114 is provided.

The high-performance I / O unit 12 is a unit for performing special control, for example, an NC unit. The microcomputer 121 controls the high-performance I / O unit itself, the system bus 14 and A bus ASIC 122 for interfacing the units;
Command and C transmitted from PU unit 11
The configuration includes a memory 123 that stores a response to be transmitted to the PU unit 11.

The communication unit 13 includes a CPU unit 11
Is transmitted to the communication unit of the other connected node, and a response to the command message is received and transmitted to the CPU unit 11. Microcomputer (microcomputer) 131 to control
And a bus ASIC 132 for interfacing the system bus 14 with this unit, and a memory 133 for storing commands and the like transmitted from the CPU unit 11 and response messages to be transmitted to the CPU unit 11. .

The personal computer 2 is capable of displaying a plurality of windows on a display screen. Using the windows, a plurality of tools 21 (application software) (in the drawing, the tools 21 and # 2 of the tools # 1 and # 2) are displayed. A tool 21) is executed.

Now, in the PLC system of this embodiment, when creating a ladder program for driving the first PLC 1 or the second PLC 1a, temporary bits that do not need to be aware of addresses include:
The configuration is such that addresses are automatically allocated to the I / O memory, thereby improving design efficiency.

That is, in the PLC system according to this embodiment, 1) When only the name of a variable is input without inputting an address to a local or global variable table 2) When inputting an instruction, only the name without inputting an address Is input and the local add button is pressed. The variables of the ladder program are automatically assigned to the specified range of the I / O memory. Here, the designated range of the automatic assignment is common to a plurality of programs mounted on one PLC (CPU unit).

The designation of the automatic allocation range is carried out by designating the start address and the range channel. Only one area type is used, and basically an internal auxiliary relay is used.

For example, when the automatic allocation range is set to W50 to W200CH as shown in FIG.
In the local variable table of “ABC”,
If the data type is entered as "BOOL" and no address is entered here, an empty address, for example, W50.00, is assigned to the local variable "ABC".

The automatic allocation function is performed by allocating empty areas in the order of inputting variables. It should be noted that each time the check of the PLC address automatic assignment dialog described later is turned OFF-ON, the automatic assignment is executed each time. Therefore, it is better not to use this automatic assignment when it is necessary to be conscious of the address at all.

The case where the address needs to be considered includes: 1) an operand for exchanging data with another device, for example, PT, etc. 2) an operand (control data, character string data, etc.) for which a continuous CH needs to be specified. ) When specifying by both contact and CH (Address automatically assigned by CH is not automatically assigned as contact. Conversely,
The address automatically assigned at the contact is not automatically assigned as CH. 4) There is a case where the user has some request such as close order, order, etc. regarding the address position.

It is preferable to designate an internal auxiliary relay (WR) in the automatic allocation range. It is preferable that the automatically assigned variables are mainly used for temporary relays used in the program.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the entire operation of the automatic address allocation processing according to the present invention.

In FIG. 3, when the automatic address allocation processing according to the present invention is started, first, the user
Designate a work area to be automatically allocated (step 20)
1).

Then, a ladder program is created by name by adding contacts, coils, and the like (step 202).

Next, it is checked whether an address has been assigned to the added contact or coil (step 203). If an address is assigned to the added contact or coil (Yes in step 203), the contact or coil is displayed as the address (step 204).

In step 203, the added contact
If it is determined that no address is assigned to the coil (No in step 203), an unused address is searched for in the work area designated by the user (step 205). The process of searching for an unused address will be described later in detail with reference to FIG.

When the address search process in step 205 is completed, the contacts and coils are displayed with the searched addresses (step 207).

Next, it is checked whether the contacts and coils to which addresses have been automatically assigned have been deleted (step 20).
7). If the contacts and coils to which addresses have been automatically assigned have not been deleted (N in step 207).
o), nothing is done (step 208), but if it is determined that it has been deleted (Yes in step 207), then it is checked whether the user has requested reassignment (step 209).

If it is determined in step 209 that there is no request for reassignment by the user, nothing is performed (step 210), but if it is determined that there is a request for reassignment (Yes in step 209). , For all contacts and coils whose addresses have been automatically assigned,
The reallocation is performed again from the head of the area designated by the user (step 212), and the contacts and coils are displayed again as the reallocated addresses (step 213).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the details of the processing of step 205 shown in FIG. 3 for searching for an unused address in the work area designated by the user.

In FIG. 4, first, the input ladder circuit is determined (step 221).

Next, it is checked whether the address to be assigned is a bit address (contact, coil) or a channel address (operand) (step 222). Here, when the address to be assigned is a bit address, one bit is used in the work area.

If it is determined in step 222 that the assigned address is a channel address,
6 bits are used (step 224), and it is checked whether the work area is over (step 2).
25). Here, if it is determined that the work area is not over (No in Step 225), the allocation processing is completed (Step 226).

However, if it is determined in step 227 that the work area has been exceeded (N in step 227)
o) Notify that addresses cannot be assigned automatically (step 227).

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a screen display when the above-mentioned automatic address allocation function is used.

In FIG. 5, when the automatic address allocation function is used, first, when inputting a variable table for a local or global variable table, an address is not input but only a variable name is input.

Next, a range of the allocation area is specified in the automatic address allocation dialog.

As a result, addresses are automatically assigned to local or global variables.

According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6, a program can be easily reused by dragging and dropping.

That is, when a program displayed on the screen is to be reused, the program icon can be dragged and dropped into a desired window by simply dragging, dropping, or copying and pasting. Can be used.

When an address is automatically assigned when dragging, dropping, copying, or pasting, the address is automatically assigned, thereby facilitating reuse of a similar circuit.

[0048]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an address allocation method for automatically allocating the address of a variable of a ladder program to an input / output memory of a programmable controller. A work area to be allocated is specified, an unused address is searched in the specified work area, and a variable address of the ladder program is automatically allocated to the searched unused address. Therefore, the time and effort of address allocation can be reduced, and the design efficiency of the ladder program can be improved.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the address allocating device for allocating the address of the variable of the ladder program to the input / output memory of the programmable controller, a designation for designating a work area to which the address of the input / output memory is to be allocated. Means, an address search means for searching an unused address in the work area designated by the designation means, and automatically assigning the address of a variable of the ladder program to the address searched by the address search means. Since the configuration includes the automatic allocation means, it is possible to provide an automatic address allocation apparatus which can reduce the time and effort of address allocation and improve the design efficiency of the ladder program.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of a programmable logic controller system configured by applying an automatic address allocation method and apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view for explaining the basic operation of the automatic address allocation method and apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an entire operation of an automatic address allocation process according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing details of a process of searching for an unused address shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of a screen display when the automatic address allocation function according to the present invention is used.

FIG. 6 is a view for explaining reuse of a program when the automatic address allocation function according to the present invention is used.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional programmable logic controller system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 1a Programmable controller 11 CPU unit 111 Microcomputer 112 Bus ASIC 113 Memory 114 Communication processing program storage memory 12 High function unit 121 Microcomputer 122 Bus ASIC 123 Memory 13 Communication unit 131 Microcomputer 132 Bus ASIC 133 Memory 14 System bus 2 Personal Computer 3 tool cable

Claims (2)

[Claims] In an address assignment method for automatically assigning a variable address of a ladder program to an input / output memory of a programmable controller, a work area to which an address of the input / output memory is to be assigned is specified. A method of automatically allocating the address of a variable of the ladder program to the unused address which has been searched for. 2. An address allocating device for allocating an address of a variable of a ladder program to an input / output memory of a programmable controller, comprising: a designation unit for designating a work area to which an address of the input / output memory is to be assigned; Address search means for searching an unused address in the specified work area; and automatic allocating means for automatically allocating the address of a variable of the ladder program to the address searched by the address search means. An automatic address allocating device, characterized in that: