JP2008083767A - Display - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a display capable of easily allocating functions for a plurality of buttons pasted onto a display screen. <P>SOLUTION: This display is provided with physical function keys F1-F5 for allocation the functions for the buttons B1-B5 that is screen objects pasted onto the display screen 6, by a physical operation, and a CPU 9 of a function allocation means for allocating the functions for the buttons B1-B5 in response to the operations of the physical function keys F1-F5, and the function allocation means allocates the function of the physical function key F1 to the plurality of buttons B1-B5, in response to a single operation of the physical function key F1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a display such as a programmable display that displays a state of a controlled object or gives a control instruction to a controlled object.

  In a control system including a programmable logic controller (PLC), a display such as a programmable display, and a personal computer (external PC), the PLC controls the external device to be controlled by the PLC, and the status of the external device is displayed by the display. Can be displayed or an external device can be operated, and the PC can control these PLCs and displays by protocol communication.

  In such a control system, the display unit can be provided with a display function of external devices such as operation panels, switches, and indicator lights in factory facilities, and for management such as operating status of external devices and work instructions. Functions as a terminal for inputting set values for various types of monitors and devices (see Patent Document 1). For this reason, buttons, meters, graphs, etc., which are screen objects, are pasted and displayed as various HMI (Human Machine Interface) display parts on the display screen in order to control and operate external devices. ing.

  Such a display screen uses an external PC as a screen creation device (drawing tool) to display an editing screen on the display unit of the external PC using screen creation software (drawing software) built in it or the installed drawing software. On the editing screen, the user can edit and create it independently.

  When a plurality of buttons given by HMI display components are displayed on such a display, there is no touch panel, and it is not possible to assign functions by directly touching the buttons. Therefore, in this display device, physical function assignment keys are arranged around the display screen, and functions are assigned to the respective buttons through operation of the function assignment keys.

However, such function assignment is extremely troublesome for the user on a display screen having a large number of buttons.
JP 2000-194472 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-85835

  An object of the present invention is to provide a display device capable of easily assigning functions to a plurality of buttons pasted on a display screen.

  The display according to the present invention includes a display screen, a physical function key for physically assigning a function to a button that is a screen object pasted on the display screen, and a physical function key according to the physical operation of the physical function key. Function assigning means capable of assigning functions to the buttons, and the function assigning means assigns the plurality of buttons to the plurality of buttons by a single operation of the physical function key when the plurality of buttons are displayed on the display screen. It is possible to assign functions.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to assign a function to a plurality of buttons only by a single operation of a physical function key, rather than a case where the physical function key is assigned a function by repeating the operation for each of the plurality of buttons. Function assignment for multiple buttons is simplified. In particular, the present invention can be carried out with or without a touch panel on the display screen. However, the present invention is particularly useful in the case of a display screen that is not provided with a touch panel and is invalid even when a button is directly touched. .

  The display device of the present invention can be detachably provided on the bezel as one of its modes. In such a case, it is possible to select the type of display device to be attached to and detached from the same bezel, to assemble the same display device to a different type of bezel, or to change the type of display device and the type of bezel together.

  Further, as one of preferred embodiments, a physical function key can be provided on the bezel. In such a case, the display can be further downsized. In addition, the manufacturing process of the display device can be reduced, and the display device can be manufactured at a lower cost.

  Further, as one of preferred embodiments, the bezel includes a physical selection key for selecting a focus for a plurality of buttons by a physical operation, and a physical confirmation key for confirming the selection by a physical operation. In such a case, when a touch panel is not provided on the display screen, functions can be assigned to a plurality of buttons with physical function keys, and functions can also be assigned to individual buttons.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to easily assign functions to a plurality of buttons.

  Hereinafter, a display according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  Referring to FIG. 1, this figure shows a personal computer (external PC) 1, a display 2, a programmable controller (PLC) 3, and a device 4 for controlling a controlled object and detecting its state. It is shown. Thus, a control system for controlling the plurality of devices 4 installed in the factory is constructed. The external PC 1 includes a CPU, a hard disk drive, an interface unit, and a display unit. In addition to controlling the operation of each part of the external PC 1 according to the program stored in the memory or hard disk drive by the CPU, the CPU also controls the communication with the display 2 and the OS, various drivers, application programs, etc. by the hard disk drive. And the interface unit can communicate with the display 2.

  The display device 2 is a display device such as a programmable display device or a panel computer as an HMI device. This display has an interface with the PLC 3, a program memory for control such as operation input, etc., and can display functions such as an operation panel, a switch, an indicator light, etc. 4 has various functions for management such as operation status and work instructions, and functions as a terminal for inputting set values for the devices. The display device 2 is installed with a program for executing the above functions. This installation can be performed from the external PC 1. The display device 2 performs a display operation according to the program. The display 2 is connected to a PLC 3 that controls the device 4. On the display screen, the display unit 2 displays a part for displaying the operation status of the device 4 as a screen object. Various properties such as various shapes, colors, characters, fonts, and the like are set for these components. These components are components that form an interface between the device 4 and the operator. These parts correspond to the device 4.

  A sequence program is installed in the PLC 3. This sequence program can be installed by the external PC 1. The PLC 3 performs a required control operation on the device 4 according to the sequence program. The device 4 includes sensors, relays, and other devices. Data indicating the status of the device 4 is input from the device 4 to the PLC 3. The PLC 3 can transmit the data to the display device 2 and to the external PC 1 via the display device 2.

  In the above, the external PC 1 can function as a drawing tool for designing the display screen of the display 2 in addition to the function as a host computer in the control system. Note that the drawing tool may be constituted by a separate personal computer instead of the external PC 1, and the screen data drawn by this drawing tool may be transferred to the display 2. Further, the drawing software may be stored in the display device 2 so that the drawing software can be installed in the external PC 1. Screen data created by the external PC 1 is transferred to the display 2.

  The display device 2 stores the screen data in a file format that can be stored in a memory such as a flash memory, and reads it as necessary when displaying the screen. Further, in order to save the screen data as a backup file, the display device 2 can convert the screen data stored in the memory into a backup file format and store it in a recording medium detachable from the display device 2. . As this recording medium, for example, a memory card is suitable. The display device 2 displays each component and graphic on the screen according to the operation state of the device 4 based on data exchanged with the PLC 3 when the PLC 3 is in operation.

  With reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the display device 2 of the embodiment is detachably attached to the bezel 5. The display 2 has a rectangular shape in plan view, and the display screen 6 does not include a touch panel.

  The bezel 5 has an opening 7 in which the indicator 2 can be accommodated, and has a plurality of physical keys on the surface for selection by physical operation. The plurality of physical keys are a plurality of physical selection keys (arrow keys) M1-M4 for selecting the focus on the buttons B1-B6 pasted on the display screen 6 vertically and horizontally on the display screen 6 by physical operation. And a physical confirmation key E1 for confirming this selection by a physical operation, and a plurality of physical function keys F1-F5 for assigning a function to the buttons B1-B6 by a physical operation.

  The selection key M1 selects the button B1-B6 in the left direction, the selection key M2 selects the button B1-B6 in the right direction, the selection key M3 selects the button B1-B6 in the upward direction, and the selection key. M4 selects the focus of the buttons B1-B6 downward and upward. The confirmation key E1 is operated to confirm this focus selection. Physical function keys F1-F5 assign functions to buttons B1-B6.

  Referring to FIG. 4, the display unit includes a memory 8 such as a RAM, a ROM, a flash ROM, and a VRAM, a CPU 9 that is an arithmetic process, a display unit 10 that includes a display screen 6, an input unit 11 that includes the above various physical keys, Interfaces (I / F) 12 and 13 for the external PC 1 and PLC 3 are provided. The display device 2 can display the screen on the screen 6 of the display unit 10 using the memory 8 such as VRAM based on the screen created by the drawing editor of the external PC 1. On the display screen 6, various screen objects are visualized corresponding to the control system.

  The CPU 9 constitutes function assigning means for assigning functions to the buttons B1 to B6 on the display screen 6 in response to operations of physical function keys F1 to F5 included in the input unit 11. This function assigning means is a software program, and the function assignment for the buttons B1-B6 related to the physical function key F1 will be described later.

  The operation of the display device 2 will be described with reference to FIG. On the display screen 6 shown in FIG. 5A, six buttons B1-B6 are pasted and displayed as screen objects.

  These buttons B1-B6 can be assigned one function or a plurality of functions. The buttons B1-B6 can execute a program corresponding to the assigned function when the physical function keys F1-F5 are operated and the functions are assigned.

  In the embodiment, when assigning the function by operating the physical function key F1 to these buttons B1-B6, the buttons B1-B6 are individually selected by operating the selection keys M1-M4, A single operation of the physical function key F1 is not performed by repeating the operation of confirming the selection individually by the confirmation key E1 and then assigning the function by the physical function key F1 to all the buttons B1-B6. Thus, the function can be assigned to the buttons B1-B6.

  In FIG. 5 (b), by simply operating the physical function key F1, functions are assigned to all of the buttons B1-B6, as indicated by a line with an arrow connecting the physical function key F1 and the buttons B1-B6. It shows the state.

  Thereby, in the embodiment, the number of buttons is six, but this becomes a large number of buttons, and each time the screen is switched, when the function is assigned to the large number of buttons for each switching destination screen, the function The labor and time required for the operation for allocation can be greatly reduced.

  Screen editing for assigning functions to the buttons B1-B6 using the physical function keys F1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 shows an editing screen 20 in the external PC 1. A menu bar 21 is displayed at the top of the editing screen 20. A toolbar 22 is displayed below the menu bar 21. The editing screen 20 includes a navigation window 23. On the editing screen 20, a drawing area (fixed window) 24, an object list area 25, a parts list area 26, and an object help area 27 are arranged. In the drawing area 24, buttons B1-B6 selected and pasted from the object list area 25 by drag and drop or the like are displayed.

  FIG. 7 shows a state where the property setting dialog window 30 for the button B1 is called on the editing screen 20. This window 30 is a window for setting button properties. The window 30 includes a push button name “Name”, a simulation “Simulate”, a frame style “Frame Style”, a physical function key assignment “Function Key Assignment”, a description “Description”, a label “Label”, and a position “Position”. ”, Color“ Color ”, alignment“ Align ”, tag name“ Tag Name ”, object style“ Object Style ”, on-text“ ON Text ”, off-text“ OFF Text ”, object type“ Object Type ”, etc. Has been. The on-text “ON Text” and the off-text “OFF Text” include a character property input area for inputting a character (Text) of the character property of this button.

  Here, by inputting “F1” of the physical function key F1 with the physical function key assignment “Function Key Assign” and “OK”, the function assignment of the physical function key F1 is set to the button B1. . Similarly, as shown in FIG. 8, a property setting dialog window is called for each of the buttons B2-B6, and the function assignment of the physical function key F1 is set.

  With the above function assignment setting, the physical function key F1 can be assigned to all of the buttons B1-B6 by operating the physical function key F1 as shown in FIG. 5B.

  In the above description, the same function is assigned to all of the buttons B1 to B6 by a single operation of the physical function key F1, but as shown in FIG. 9A, all of the buttons B1 to B6 are assigned to the physical function key F1. Instead, functions are assigned only to the buttons B1-B3, or, as shown in FIG. 9B, the physical function keys F1 are assigned to the buttons B1-B3, and the physical function keys F2 are assigned to the buttons B4-B6. May be assigned.

  As described above, in the embodiment, the function can be assigned to the plurality of buttons B1-B6 by simply operating the physical function key F1, and the physical function key F1 is assigned to the plurality of buttons B1-B6. On the other hand, it is easier to assign functions to the plurality of buttons B1-B6 than to assign functions by repeating the same operation one by one.

  In the embodiment, since there is no touch panel on the display screen 6, it is invalid to directly touch the plurality of buttons B <b> 1-B <b> 6 pasted on the display screen 6. It is very convenient for function assignment in some cases.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a control system including an external PC, a display, a PLC, and a device. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the display and its bezel. It is a front view of a display. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the main part of the display. FIG. 5A is a front view of a display device that displays buttons on the display screen, and FIG. 5B is a front view showing a state in which buttons are displayed on the display screen and functions are assigned with physical function keys. FIG. 6 shows an editing screen. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state in which a window for setting a button property is displayed on the editing screen. FIG. 8 is a view showing a window of another button property setting dialog. FIG. 9A is a diagram showing another example of function assignment to buttons by physical function keys, and FIG. 9B is a diagram showing still another example.

Explanation of symbols

1 External PC
2 Display 3 PLC
4 Device 5 Bezel 6 Display screen B1-B6 Button (screen object)
F1-F5 physical function keys

Claims (3)

  Assigning functions to buttons according to the physical operations of the display screen, physical function keys that perform physical assignment of functions to buttons that are screen objects pasted on the display screen, and the physical function keys Function assignment means capable of assigning functions to the plurality of buttons by a single operation of a physical function key when the plurality of buttons are displayed on the display screen. An indicator characterized by that.   The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display device is detachably attached to the bezel, and the physical function key is provided on the bezel.   The display according to claim 2, comprising: a physical selection key for selecting a focus for a plurality of buttons by a physical operation on the bezel; and a physical confirmation key for determining a focus for the button by a physical operation.

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