JP2012113406A - Programmable controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify wiring between I/O units and an external appliance, and facilitate the management of control by a programmable controller.SOLUTION: A wireless unit 5 is provided between a CPU unit 3 and I/O units 7a-7e. Wireless communication with the CPU unit 3 is performed through the wireless unit 5, so that the I/O units 7a-7e can be placed separately from the CPU unit 3. This can simplify the wiring. Moreover, a liquid crystal display screen 15 is provided for the wireless unit 5. By displaying a control status on the liquid crystal display screen 15, the control and management can be facilitated.

Description

  The present invention relates to a programmable controller, and more particularly to a building block type programmable controller including a CPU unit and a plurality of I / O units.

  A programmable controller is used as a control device for factory automation (FA) installed in a production factory or the like. This programmable controller has a building block type in which the function of this controller is divided into a plurality of units for each function in the execution of the ladder program. Functional units in such a building block type programmable controller include a CPU unit, an I / O unit, and the like.

  The CPU unit includes a CPU, an input / output memory, a program memory, and the like. The CPU performs an IN refresh process for fetching a signal input from the I / O unit into the input / output memory, and stores the sequence program in the program memory. Performs an operation based on the result, writes the result of the operation to the input / output memory and sends it to the I / O unit, and then performs an OUT refresh process, and then transmits / receives data to / from another PLC on the communication network via the communication unit. A series of processing for performing peripheral processing such as data transmission / reception with an external PC via a communication port provided in the unit is cyclically repeated.

  The I / O unit has one or both of a function of inputting a signal from an external device such as a sensor in the user system to the CPU unit and a function of outputting a control command from the CPU unit to an external device such as a motor. Have. Such an external device is connected to the I / O unit. The external device senses the state of the controlled object such as mechanical equipment, inputs the information to the I / O unit, and drives the controlled object in response to the output from the I / O unit.

  In the above programmable controller, the I / O unit is integrated with the CPU unit on the base board, is located away from the external device, and is difficult to wire depending on the position of the external device such as a sensor or actuator. Wiring may not be possible.

  In addition, the wiring becomes longer and the number of wirings increases. As the number of external devices connected to the wiring increases, there is a problem that these wired wirings inevitably become complicated and lengthy, and detour wiring is necessary.

  In the above case, it is conceivable that the CPU unit and the I / O unit can communicate with each other wirelessly to eliminate the wiring and solve the above problem. On the other hand, when these units are wirelessly connected, it is preferable that an increase in cost in such a control system can be suppressed as much as possible, such that an existing I / O unit can be used as an I / O unit.

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-259079

  The present invention enables wireless communication between the CPU unit and the I / O unit, eliminates the need for connection wiring between the units, and allows the use of the existing I / O unit to suppress an increase in cost in the control system. It is an issue to be solved.

  The programmable controller according to the present invention is a programmable controller comprising a CPU unit and a plurality of I / O units for inputting / outputting signals to / from the CPU unit. This I / O unit is characterized in that a wireless unit that is wired is provided, and a display screen that displays a communication or control state is provided on the wireless unit.

  The control state includes any state of a CPU unit, an I / O unit, an external device, and a control target.

  In the present invention, since the I / O unit can be physically separated from the CPU unit to perform signal input / output, the I / O unit can be disposed close to the external device side, As a result, the wiring between the I / O unit and the external device is not lengthened, and the wiring is facilitated. In the present invention, a display screen for displaying the communication or control status is provided on the wireless unit. For example, the status between the CPU unit, the I / O unit, and the external device is displayed on the display screen. You will be able to manage your system.

  Preferably, the display screen of the wireless unit is a display screen with a touch panel function.

  Preferably, the CPU unit is provided with a display screen with a touch panel function, and communication contents can be displayed on the display screens of the CPU unit and the wireless unit.

  In the present invention, since the I / O unit can be separated from the CPU unit, wiring to the external device can be simplified by arranging the I / O unit and the external device close to each other.

  In the present invention, a display screen is arranged on the wireless unit, and the communication or control state is displayed on the display screen. Therefore, the user on the external device side can use the programmable controller from the display content of the display screen of the wireless unit. It becomes possible to easily manage the state of the controlled object and others.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a programmable controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an internal block configuration of the CPU unit of FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display screen of the CPU unit shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an internal block configuration of the wireless unit of FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a normal communication state on the display screen of the wireless unit in FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a communication error state on the display screen of the wireless unit in FIG.

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

  The schematic configuration of the programmable controller of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a programmable controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. First, referring to FIG. 1, a programmable controller 1 according to an embodiment includes a CPU unit 3, a wireless unit 5, and a plurality of I / O units 7 a-7 e.

  The CPU unit 3 includes a wireless antenna 9 and a liquid crystal display screen 11 with a touch panel function used for creating a ladder program.

  The wireless unit 5 includes a wireless antenna 13 that can wirelessly communicate with the wireless antenna 9 of the CPU unit 3 and a liquid crystal display screen 15 that can display a communication state and a control state.

  Each of the I / O units 7a-7e is connected to the slot of the wireless unit 5, and inputs / outputs signals to / from the wireless unit 5, and the signal input / output to / from the CPU unit 3 is wireless. It can be performed wirelessly through the unit 5.

  The user system 17 includes an external device that inputs / outputs a signal and a control target such as a machine, and inputs a signal indicating the status of the control target from the external device to the I / O units 7a-7e. The control command from the I / O units 7a-7e can be output to an external device to control the controlled object.

  The internal configuration of the CPU unit 3 will be described with reference to FIG. The CPU unit 3 communicates with a CPU 3a that controls and controls the entire programmable controller 1, a program ROM that stores a ladder program that is a user program, a memory 3b such as a work RAM that the CPU uses for work, and a wireless unit 5. A wireless communication unit 3c, a display interface 3d for the display screen 11, an interface 3e for the touch panel 3f, a liquid crystal display screen 11, and a touch panel 3f on the liquid crystal display screen 11 are provided.

  The CPU 3 a can display an image on the liquid crystal display screen 11. The display interface 3d can control display of an image on the liquid crystal display screen 11 in response to a display control signal from the CPU 3a. The CPU 3a inputs a signal related to a touch operation on the touch panel 3f from the touch panel interface 3e. The touch panel interface 3e can input a signal corresponding to the touch operation on the touch panel 3f to the CPU 3a.

  Referring to FIG. 3, the liquid crystal display screen 11 of the CPU unit 3 is shown. A touch panel 3f is disposed on the liquid crystal display screen 11. When a ladder program is created on the liquid crystal display screen 11, a ladder program creation button 11a that makes the liquid crystal display screen 11 a dedicated screen for creating a ladder program when the signal input / output with the I / O unit side is transmitted and received wirelessly. A transmission / reception confirmation button 11b that is touch-operated when confirmation is performed is displayed. When a touch operation is performed on the touch panel 3f corresponding to these ladder program creation buttons 11a, a ladder program can be created on the liquid crystal display screen 11. For example, if a ladder program creation button 11a is touch-operated, various screens (not shown) for creating a ladder program are displayed on the liquid crystal display screen 11, and the user creates a ladder program by touching these various screens. can do. Description of the software for creating these ladder programs is omitted. The transmission / reception confirmation button 11b can confirm whether or not communication with the wireless unit 5 has been established by a touch operation. The confirmation state can be displayed on the liquid crystal display screen 11 as an image, text, or the like.

  When receiving a signal corresponding to the touch operation of the transmission / reception confirmation button 11b from the touch panel 3f via the touch panel interface 3e, the CPU 3a transmits a transmission / reception confirmation signal from the wireless communication unit 3c to the wireless unit 5 via the wireless antenna 9.

  When the CPU 3a receives a transmission / reception confirmation signal from the wireless unit 5 via the wireless antenna 9, the CPU 3a displays the reception result on the liquid crystal display screen 11.

  The user establishes communication between the CPU unit 3 and the wireless unit 5 even if the I / O units 7a-7e are separated from the CPU unit 3 from the display on the liquid crystal display screen 11 and are arranged in the vicinity of the user system 17 side. Thus, it can be confirmed that the user system 17 can be controlled.

  The internal configuration of the wireless unit 5 will be described with reference to FIG. The wireless unit 5 includes a CPU 5a that controls the wireless unit 5, a program ROM that stores a control program for the wireless unit 5, a memory 5b such as a work RAM used for the work of the CPU 5a, and communication with the CPU unit 3 via the wireless antenna 13. Wireless communication unit 5c, a display interface 5d for interfacing with the liquid crystal display screen 15, a touch panel interface 5e, a touch panel 5f, and an I / O unit 5g connected to the I / O units 7a-7e via the PLC bus 6.

  The CPU 5 a can display an image on the liquid crystal display screen 15. The display interface 5d can control display of an image on the liquid crystal display screen 15 in response to a display control signal from the CPU 5a. The CPU 3a inputs a signal related to a touch operation on the touch panel 5f from the touch panel interface 5e. The touch panel interface 5e can input a signal corresponding to the touch operation on the touch panel 5f to the CPU 5a.

  Signals from the I / O units 7a-7e are input from the PLC bus 6 to the I / O unit 5g of the wireless unit 5. A signal input to the I / O unit 5g of the wireless unit 5 is processed by the CPU 5a and transmitted from the wireless communication unit 5c to the CPU unit 3 through the wireless antenna 13. A signal transmitted from the wireless antenna 9 of the CPU unit 3 is received by the wireless antenna 13, processed by the wireless communication unit 5c, and input to the CPU 5a. The CPU 5a processes the signal transmitted from the CPU unit 3 and outputs it as a control command from the I / O unit 5g to the I / O units 7a-7e via the PLC bus 6. In this case, various images regarding the state of control are displayed on the liquid crystal display screen 15 of the wireless unit 5.

  With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, a transmission / reception confirmation button 15 a is displayed on the liquid crystal display screen 15 of the wireless unit 5. The transmission / reception confirmation button 15a can be touched to confirm whether communication between the CPU unit 3 and the I / O units 7a-7e is established. This confirmation can be displayed on the liquid crystal display screen 15. In FIG. 5, it is displayed that the communication is “normally” established, and in FIG. 6, the communication is “error”. Among the I / O units 7a-7e, the I / O unit 1 and the I / O unit 3 Is showing an error. This I / O unit number is arbitrary. Of course, the liquid crystal display screen 15 can display not only the communication establishment state but also various other images.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the wireless unit 5 is provided between the CPU unit 3 and the I / O units 7a-7e, and communication with the CPU unit 3 is performed by wireless communication with the wireless unit 5, thereby Since the O unit 7a-7e can be separated from the CPU unit 3, the CPU unit 3 and the I / O unit 7a-7e are separated from each other, and the I / O unit 7a-7e is external to the user system 17. The conventional wired wiring when the wiring length between the I / O units 7a-7e and the external device can be shortened as a result of being able to be arranged close to the device, resulting in an increase in the number of wires connected to the external device. Can be avoided.

  In this embodiment, the wireless unit 5 is provided with a liquid crystal display screen 15, and the control status of the CPU unit 3, I / O units 7 a-7 e, user system 17, etc. is displayed on the liquid crystal display screen 15. Therefore, the user can manage the control of the control target more easily.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Programmable controller 3 CPU unit 5 Wireless unit 7a-7e I / O unit 9 Wireless antenna 11 Liquid crystal display screen 13 Wireless antenna 15 Liquid crystal display screen 17 User system

Claims (3)

  In a programmable controller having a CPU unit and a plurality of I / O units for inputting / outputting signals to / from the CPU unit, the CPU unit wirelessly performs the input / output of signals while the plurality of I / O units are A programmable controller comprising a wired wireless unit and a display screen for displaying a communication or control state on the wireless unit.   The programmable controller according to claim 1, wherein the display screen is a display screen with a touch panel function.   The programmable controller according to claim 2, wherein a display screen with a touch panel function is provided on the CPU unit, and communication contents can be displayed on the display screens of the CPU unit and the wireless unit.

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