JP2007004317A - Method for updating main controller - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for updating a main controller for performing the update test of a new main controller in parallel while operating a facility by an existing main control system by connecting a new main controller to an existing main control system without modifying the hardware or software of the existing main control system. <P>SOLUTION: A monitor module 8 directly connected to a communication line 3 between an existing main controller 1 and an input/output device 4 for receiving input/output data 9 while operating the facility is mounted on a new main controller, and updating is performed by using the new main controller equipped with a function for executing only input processing according to module identification information from the monitor module. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for updating a master control device when updating from an existing master control device to a new master control device.

FIG. 3 shows an existing control system configuration. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a master control device, which is a programmable logic controller (also referred to as PLC or sequencer). 1-2 is a communication module, 3 is a communication line, 4 is an input / output device, 5 is an operation panel, 6 is a display device, 10 is a control center, and 11 is mechanical equipment.
The master controller 1 and the input / output device 4 are connected by a communication line 3, and exchange input / output data 9 between the communication modules 1-2 and 2.
The operation / stop input data from the operation panel 5 is taken into the master control device 1 via the input / output device 4 → communication module 2 → communication line 3 → communication module 1-2 and subjected to input / output processing. As a result, the output data is output from the input / output device 4 via the master control device 1 → communication module 1-2 → communication line 3 → communication module 2 and displayed on the display device 6.

  FIG. 4 shows the configuration of a conventional updating method. Since the existing master controller 1 and the input / output device 4 exchange the input / output data 9 by data communication, even if the input / output device 4 can be added, the new master controller 7 is connected via the communication module 7-2. Could not be connected. Therefore, the master controller 1 is disconnected from the communication line 3 and the new master controller 7 is connected to the communication line 3. In this way, when a trial operation is performed with a new master controller, the facility has to be stopped in order to change the connection of the input / output device from the existing master controller to the new master controller. The equipment that operates continuously for 24 hours has a problem that the equipment stop time is not easily obtained and the renewal period becomes long.

One way to improve this is to use an existing master controller, an input / output device, and a new master controller that can be connected to each other via a dedicated update debugging master controller (hereafter referred to as an I / O signal distribution / switching device). The input / output signal distribution / switching device transfers the input signal from the input / output device to the two newly installed and existing master control devices, and the output signal to the input / output device is sent from the existing master control device. There is an update method based on a system configuration such as switching from a newly established master controller and transferring. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
In this method, the master controller dedicated to update debugging is connected to the existing master controller and the existing input / output device via separate communication lines, and the test is performed by distributing and switching the input / output data. It was. For this reason, the existing and new master controllers have created extra man-hours for creating, changing, and verifying test programs that are transferred to other communication lines in order to exchange I / O data with I / O assigned registers. It was. In addition, since the input / output data is transferred between different communication lines, the data update time increases, so that the control of the facility may become unstable. After the debug test is completed, the test program is no longer necessary, so the program change, communication line connection change, and update are disconnected so as not to be deleted or executed. . Eventually, after switching the input / output device to the newly established master controller, it was necessary to re-verify it with a regular connection method and a regular program.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-133783

As described above, in the conventional technology, hardware equipment dedicated to update debugging is required when the scale of the existing control system increases because additional changes and verification tests of the existing master control system hardware and software are required with the equipment stopped. There is a problem that the production of equipment is affected by the increase of the cost and the number of verification test steps. There is also a problem that the data update time increases because of the method of transferring input / output data between different communication lines rather than a regular connection method.
The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and the existing master control device is connected to the existing master control system without modifying the hardware and software of the existing master control system. It is an object of the present invention to provide an update method for a master control device capable of performing an update test on a new master control device in parallel while operating the equipment in the control system.

  In order to solve the above problem, the present invention connects a new master control device equipped with a monitor module capable of receiving input / output data to a communication line between the existing master control device and the input / output device, and In accordance with the module identification information, updating is performed using the newly established master controller having a function of executing only input processing.

  According to the present invention, a new master control device equipped with a monitor module dedicated to reception can be directly connected to a communication line to which an existing master control device and an input / output device are connected. In parallel, an update test is possible using input / output data during the existing operation, and the data update delay is improved. Since the output data can be received directly without changing the regular input / output allocation information for debugging, verification verification with the output processing result becomes possible. In addition, it is not necessary to add and verify the hardware and software of the existing master control system for the update test, and to add and verify the hardware equipment dedicated to update debugging.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. FIG.

  The existing master control device 1 having the existing master control system configuration is updated to a new master control device, and the communication module 2, the communication line 3, the input / output device 4, the operation panel 5, and the display device 6 are continuously used. A method for updating the master control apparatus according to the present invention will be described.

Step 1: Initial state (Fig. 3)
FIG. 3 shows the existing master control system configuration before the update. The machine facility 11 is in operation by the master controller 1.

Step 2: Update debug status (Figure 1)
FIG. 1 shows a master control system configuration at the time of update debugging, to which a new master controller 7 is connected. Unlike the prior art, the new master controller 7 uses a monitor module 8 instead of the communication module 2.
When the new master controller 7 receives the module identification information from the monitor module 8, the new master controller 7 executes an input process at the time of input allocation and reads input data from the monitor module 8, and performs an output process at the time of output allocation. The input process is being executed.

Step 3: Remove the old master controller (not shown)
After the update debugging is completed, the existing master controller 1 is disconnected from the communication line 3 from the master control system configuration.

Step 4: Replace with communication module (Figure 2)
FIG. 2 shows the configuration of a newly established master control system with the monitor module 8 of the new master controller 7 replaced with the communication module 7-2.
Here, when the communication module 7-2 is attached to the new master controller 7, module identification information is received from the communication module 7-2, input processing is executed at the time of input assignment, and normal at the time of output assignment. Execute output processing. Since the new master controller 7 is regular input / output allocation information from the time of update debugging, it is not necessary to change the information, and the operation preparation of the equipment can be completed only by replacing the communication module.

  In this way, the existing master control device 1 can perform an update test on the new master control device in parallel with the operation of the equipment, so input signals such as operation / stop signals and failure signals for field equipment are sent from the input / output device 4. The data can be input to the existing master controller 5 simultaneously with the existing master controller 1 through the communication line 3. In addition, since the output command from the existing master control device 1 is input to the new master control device 7 simultaneously with the input / output device 4 via the communication line 3, verification with the output processing result becomes possible. Unlike the prior art, the above-described updating operation is stopped when the new master controller 7 is connected, when the existing master controller 1 is separated, and the monitor module 8 is replaced with the communication module 2. Since it is sometimes limited, the update time can be greatly shortened.

Master control system configuration diagram at the time of update debugging showing the first embodiment of the present invention New master control system configuration diagram of the present invention Configuration diagram of existing master control system Master control system configuration diagram for conventional update debugging

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Master controller 2, 1-2, 7-2 Communication module 3 Communication line 4 Input / output device 5 Operation panel 6 Display device 7 New master controller 8 Monitor module 9 Input / output data 10 Control center 11 Mechanical equipment 1-1, 7-1 CPU
1-3, 7-3 Power supply

Claims (1)

  The input / output device that supplies operation commands to the plant's mechanical equipment updates the existing master controller connected to the communication module and the communication line that inputs / outputs data sent and received via the communication line to the new master controller. A monitor module capable of receiving the input / output data is mounted on a new master controller, the new master controller is connected to the communication line together with the existing master controller, and the new master controller is connected. A master control device, wherein the control device performs update debugging using a function of executing only input processing in accordance with module identification information from the monitor module, and replaces the monitor module with the communication module after completion of the update debugging. Update method.

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