JP2653409B2 - Programmable controller program development equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a program development device for a programmable controller, and more particularly to a program development device for a programmable controller that executes a user program in a sequential function chart (SFC) language.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a programming language for a user program in a programmable controller, a sequential ladder language description format can be used to express a process step by step, and a sequential function chart (FIG. 1) that can be used to illustrate and program the process flow. (SFC) language has been proposed.

[0003] Programming of a user program in the sequential function chart language is performed by C
Steps as program elements by plane display devices such as RT and LCD, actions associated with the steps,
The process flow can be illustrated in a graphical environment with excellent visibility by using a transition or the like, and excellent operability is exhibited, especially in programming of a large user program.

[0004]

However, the programming of the user program in the sequential function chart language cannot be performed only in the ladder language, and in this programming, the user who performs the programming uses the sequential function chart language separately from the ladder language. The function chart language must be understood, and the user needs to learn the sequential function chart language.

As described above, there is a tendency that programming of a user program in the sequential function chart language is avoided by a user who has already learned how to program a user program in the ladder language. This hinders the programming of programmable function controllers with sequential function chart languages, and manufacturers have been using advanced programmable controllers with sequential function chart languages and programmable ladder languages only for users with traditional ladder languages. It becomes necessary to produce a controller.

It is conceivable to convert a user program in a ladder language into a user program in a sequential function chart language by software processing for a user in a ladder language. However, in this case, software development of a converter is required. The present invention, which is necessary and increases the development capacity of software, has been made by paying attention to the above-mentioned problems in the programming of the user program of the conventional programmable controller, and only the ladder language can be understood. It is an object of the present invention to provide a program development device for a user that can perform programming of a user program in a sequential function chart language using only a ladder language.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided, according to the present invention, a program element having a step, an action associated with the step, and a transition, and the step is evaluated by evaluating a transition provided between the steps. In a program development device for a programmable controller that executes a user program in a sequential function chart language that controls the progress of a program, a program development environment is created in which steps, actions, and transitions are input in accordance with the rules of the sequential function chart language In addition to the normal chart type program mode, there is a ladder type program mode. In the ladder type program mode, one step and one accompanying action are automatically created and one action It is accomplished by a programmable controller program development apparatus according to claim that is configured to produce a program development environment according to ladder language Te.

[0008]

According to the above configuration, when the ladder program mode is selected, one step and one action associated therewith are automatically created, and one automatically created action is stored in a programming space in a ladder language. Will be given to the user.

[0009]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a program development device for a programmable controller according to the present invention.
The program development apparatus 1 includes a microprocessor 2, a system program memory 3 storing a system program for programming a user program, a data memory 4 storing a programmed user program and the like in a readable and writable manner, a keyboard interface 5, It has a keyboard 6, a display interface 7, a CRT 8, an FDD interface 10, a floppy disk driver 11, an HDD interface 12, a hard disk unit 13, and a PC (programmable controller) interface 14. 15 and connected to PC
The user program is transferred to and from the main body 15.

[0011] The PC main body 15 has, as program elements,
It is configured as a programmable controller that has a step, an action associated with the step, and a transition, and executes a user program in a sequential function chart language that controls the progress of the step by evaluating the transition provided between the steps. .

A user program programming system program stored in the system program 3 by the program development apparatus 1 has a chart-type program mode and a ladder-type program mode. Creates a program development environment that inputs actions, transitions according to the rules of the sequential function chart language. In the ladder program mode, one step and one accompanying action are automatically created, and one action Has created a program development environment in ladder language.

The chart-type program mode and the ladder-type program mode are selected and set by a key-in of the keyboard 6 by the user.

FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of a programming mode in the program development device according to the present invention. In the programming mode in the program development device according to the present invention, it is first determined whether or not a ladder-only mode, that is, a ladder-type program mode, by a key-in by the user on the keyboard 6 (step 10). .

When the mode is not the ladder only mode, that is, when the mode is the chart type program mode, an SFC programming screen display process is performed, and an SFC programming screen is displayed on the CRT 8.
Provides the user with a program development environment in which program elements such as steps, actions, and transitions can be freely input from the keyboard 6 in accordance with the rules of the sequential function chart language (step 20). This allows the user to input program elements such as steps, actions, and transitions from the keyboard 6, and the user creates an SFC program as shown in FIG. 3 (step 3).
0), and necessary actions are generated by the user according to each step (step 40).

Next, when an instruction to shift to the ladder program development environment is issued for each action by a key operation by the user (step 50), a ladder programming screen display process is performed and a ladder programming screen is displayed on the CRT 8. Is performed and the program development device 1
Provides the user with a program development environment in which a ladder relay circuit can be freely input from the keyboard 6 in accordance with the rules of the ladder language for each action (step 60). This allows the user to freely input a relay circuit using a ladder from the keyboard 6 in accordance with the rules of the ladder language, and the user creates a ladder program as shown in FIG. 5 for each action (step 70). . The completed program is transferred to the PC body 15 (step 80).

When the ladder-only mode, that is, the ladder program mode, is selected, the program development apparatus 1 automatically creates one program step in the sequential function chart language as shown in FIG. (Step 90) Then, one action associated with this one step is automatically generated, and a ladder program development environment is automatically prepared (Step 100). As a result, a ladder programming screen display process is performed, and a ladder programming screen is displayed on the CRT 8, and the program development device 1 selects the ladder-type program mode, and does not require another key operation. 6 provides the user with a program development environment in which a ladder relay circuit can be freely input in accordance with the rules of the ladder language (step 6).
0).

Thus, the user recognizes the ladder programming area in one action as a program space in the ladder language, and the entire program is created here only in the ladder language. -Get done without needing knowledge of the program in chart language. In this case, assuming that the PC body is an SFC program having only one action, the PC program executes this user program without changing any processing sequence, similarly to the execution of other general SFC programs.

[0019]

As will be understood from the above description, according to the programmable controller program developing apparatus of the present invention, if the chart type program mode is selected, the program elements such as steps, actions, transitions, etc., are sequentially functioned. Provide the user with an SFC program development environment that can be freely entered in accordance with the rules of the chart language. If the ladder program mode is selected, one step and one accompanying action are automatically created, and One created action is given to the user as a programming space in a ladder language, and the entire program can be created here only by the ladder language. Thus, even if the user can only understand the ladder language, the user program in the sequential function chart language is programmed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a program development device for a programmable controller according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a programming mode of a program development device for a programmable controller according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an SFC program.

FIG. 4 Automatically created SFC in ladder program mode
Explanatory drawing showing an example of a program.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a relay circuit of a ladder-type program.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Program development apparatus 2 Microprocessor 3 System program memory 4 Data memory 5 Keyboard interface 6 Keyboard 7 Display interface 8 CRT 10 FDD interface 11 Floppy disk driver 12 HDD interface 13 Hard disk unit 14 PC interface 15 PC body

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A user program in a sequential function chart language which has, as program elements, a step, an action associated with the step, and a transition, and controls the progress of the step by evaluating a transition provided between the steps. The program development device of the programmable controller to be executed has a ladder-type program mode in addition to a normal chart-type program mode that creates a program development environment in which steps, actions, and transitions are entered according to the rules of the sequential function chart language. In the ladder program mode, one step and one accompanying action are automatically created, and one action creates a program development environment in ladder language. A program development device for a programmable controller, comprising: