JP3470940B2 - How to display the data processing screen - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of changing a display of a data processing screen while selecting necessary processing, and in particular, to a display screen of a display. A general-purpose computer or programmable
PLC operation for displaying and drawing screens composed of figures, graphs, numbers, characters, etc. based on data passed to and from various external devices such as a logic controller (hereinafter referred to as “PLC”) The present invention relates to a display method suitable for application to the programmable display device. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a display device of this type, after a main menu is displayed when the device is started up, a process requested by the device is performed while sequentially selecting processing contents displayed on the main menu. In general, the screen is designed in advance so that all data processing operations required by the operator are completed. Further, on each processing screen, a switch for returning to the previous screen and a switch for proceeding to the next screen are provided so that the screen can be moved forward and backward one by one around the currently open screen. Often. Also, a switch may be provided to return directly to the main menu. [0004] However, in recent years, the screen configuration has become complicated, and it is necessary to go through a number of data processing screens until all necessary data processing is completed. In this case, the current positional relationship in the entire processing screen cannot be known, and it is difficult to move to a necessary screen. Especially in this type of programmable display device,
It is generally used at work sites such as factories,
In many cases, it is required to shift to an urgently required processing screen. [0005] In response to such a request, it is possible to comprehend the overall relationship by constructing a pull-down format or a tab format menu. However, such a menu format is required when data processing is performed in parallel. Even if it is valid, if you try to apply it to a menu configuration in which different processing screens are selected in series according to the selected contents, on the contrary, the screen itself and the configuration of the program will be complicated, and disadvantages will occur. Still many. [0006] As a result of considering the above problem by the present inventor, the data processing screens used in this type of display device are as follows. The above problems can be solved at once by making it possible to group each layer according to the contents to be processed, and to enable movement between layers in addition to or instead of normal screen movement. Was found. The present invention has been made on the basis of the above-described knowledge, and divides a data processing screen, which is displayed in a series with branching, into groups according to a preset standard to form a hierarchy. By moving between layers at the time of moving, the screen position currently being processed in a series of data processing screen groups can be easily grasped,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for displaying a data processing screen on which necessary data processing can be performed quickly and accurately. As shown in FIG. 1, a data processing screen 52 for embodying the present invention has a first processing screen 52a which is branched by an operator's selection from a first processing screen 52a. This is a type in which the processing screen is changed in a series while accompanying. According to the present invention, a series of processing screens that are sequentially displayed as described above are further referred to as a first processing screen 52.
a is set as a first layer, and a plurality of levels are formed into a plurality of levels.
2b, the screen can be moved by a single selection operation in units of layers around the layer to which the processing screen currently belongs. The above-mentioned series of processing screen groups includes a plurality of sets while using some of the processing screens in common. The grouping of each processing screen group is commonly used by the plurality of processing screen groups. One or a plurality of processing screens can be classified into the same hierarchy. In addition, the above-described grouping sets the hierarchy one step deeper each time a processing screen with at least one branch is passed, and returns control to the last processing screen in the corresponding hierarchy when the processing screen returns. You can also. As described above, according to the present invention, the data processing screens 52, which are displayed in series with branching, are grouped and hierarchized, and when the processing screens are shifted, it is possible to move between the hierarchies. , The data processing screen 5
2, the screen position currently being processed can be easily grasped,
Necessary data processing can be performed quickly and accurately. A method of displaying a menu screen according to the present invention is described below by connecting a PLC specially designed for sequence control of a target system and displaying the data corresponding to status data handled there. An example in which the present invention is applied to a programmable display device capable of controlling operations and creating a program therefor is shown, but is not limited to this. Various devices such as a general-purpose personal computer device having a display screen selection function irrespective of general purpose or special purpose It is needless to say that this can be carried out in substantially the same manner. [0013] Program-type display device 1 embodying the present invention
2 is integrated into the console of the target system together with the PLC 42, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, or is independently deployed, and is used for creating, operating and displaying various data for the target system. Is what is done. Here, the storage location of status data that is directly input / output to / from the target system in advance or used for control thereof is a passive component such as a level gauge or a limit switch provided on the target system to be controlled or displayed. Active devices such as relays and motors, or data setting components such as counters and printers are secured in the PLC 42, and the word device is turned on / off for word data whose input / output is a numerical value. For bit data such as information, a bit device is set so that a storage location can be specified by designating a predetermined device name. Accordingly, by simply specifying and accessing an arbitrary word device or bit device from inside or outside the PLC 42, the corresponding position of the target system can be controlled or information on the operation state can be individually extracted. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, the programmable display device 10 arranges a display 14 so as to close an opening provided at a central position on the front of the main body case 12, and a keyboard 16 is provided below the display 14. A socket 20 for detachably attaching the plug 18 is provided. The display control circuit 22 shown in FIG.
4, the front surface of the display screen is covered in close contact with a transparent touch panel 24. The instruction by pressing the touch panel 24 is transmitted to the touch panel controller 26.
The input position is fetched and analyzed via the PC, and data input by manual operation during operation of the entire system is enabled. The basic configuration of the display control circuit 22 is substantially the same as that of a general personal computer, and a CPU 30, a ROM 32, a RAM 34 and other memories, or a graphic controller 36 are connected via a bus line 28. The CPU 30 performs a predetermined arithmetic operation in accordance with the system program stored in the ROM 32, and the keyboard 1 via the I / O controller 38.
6 enables a character string to be input, and various operation results appropriately stored in a work memory set in a RAM 34 are converted into a graphic controller 36 by using image data stored in advance in a graphic memory. Is expanded on the video RAM 40 by the
A display corresponding to the contents written into M40 is performed on the display screen of the display 14. Further, data can be exchanged between the PLC 42 and the PLC 42 through a parallel or serial communication path 46 via a communication controller 44 operated by an algorithm specialized for the circuit configuration of the PLC 42 or a general-purpose communication program. And When the program type display device 10 is started, first, the main menu 52a shown in FIG.
Is displayed so that the operator can select a processable content such as drawing, initial setting, or operation as a display device. [0021] Programmatic display device 1 embodying the present invention
0, when drawing is selected on the main menu 52a, a base screen 50 consisting of only an image such as a nameplate illustrated in FIG. A drawing function that enables creation of image data such as graphics that blink or change color or shape is activated. After drawing is completed, one file number is specified for each required display unit and the Stored in memory. Further, of the state data indicated by the bit device corresponding to the ON / OFF state of the relay set on the PLC 42 side or the word device corresponding to the change state of temperature, etc., necessary data is provided at appropriate times to the programmable display device. The state data is read in association with each other on a state data memory set on the RAM 34 of FIG. Therefore, at the time of the above-mentioned drawing, the system requests that the following processing instruction words be set on the base screen 50, and the memory for event data corresponds to the number of events to be executed on each base screen 50. The processing instruction words of the specified number are stored. That is, as shown in FIG. 5B, the processing instruction word includes a file number F of a base screen on which a display control operation is to be executed, and an event name N for specifying the operation content to be executed on the base screen 50. And one set of reference information r consisting of one or a plurality of data referred to for each execution event. The reference information r includes an address of data to be referred to or a display screen on the display 14. It is configured such that necessary information such as the display coordinates in can be set in advance. Therefore, when the operation is selected in the main menu 52a, the above-mentioned processing instruction words W are read out intermittently every minute time, and the operation specified by the event name of each processing instruction word W is performed from the PLC 42 side. The PLC 42 executes by referring to the state data fetched in the state data memory and the reference information r in the processing instruction word W.
Display data that changes in response to a change in the content of the bit device or word device on the
Is performed on the designated base screen 50. According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the data processing screen 52, which is selected and displayed in a tree shape, starting from the main menu 52a as shown in FIG.
Are grouped according to a predetermined standard and hierarchized,
It is characterized in that the processing screen can be moved in units of the hierarchy. That is, each data processing screen 52 includes a screen for selectively selecting one processing content from a plurality of options, such as a main menu 52a, and a data setting screen, such as an operation screen creation screen or an initial setting screen. They are classified into those for performing processing and those for exclusively displaying data in a preset format such as a display screen during operation.
Further, some of the data processing screens 52 are designed on the assumption that they are commonly used in different data processing flows. Therefore, while the main menu 52a is set to the first hierarchy, the hierarchy is increased by one each time a processing screen with a branch is passed. Furthermore, processing screen groups that may be used in common are classified into the same hierarchy in principle, so that even when the same processing screen is reached via different routes, the same hierarchy can be used. It is set so that the transition between the processing screens is performed while increasing the number of layers.
In addition, a plurality of processing screens that need to perform data processing at one time also constitute one hierarchy in principle. In this way, all the data processing screens 52
, A unique hierarchical number is set, and stored as a table in which the file names of the processing screens correspond to the hierarchical numbers. Further, the data processing screen 52 actually selected from the main menu 52a additionally stores the file name of the processing screen every time the screen is advanced by one. On the other hand, on each data processing screen 52, FIG.
As shown in (b), in addition to the conventional switches 54a and 54b for displaying the next screen and the previous screen, switches 56a and 56b for selecting "return" and "forward" are provided. Therefore, the operation switch 54 of the next screen or the previous screen is used.
By pressing, the screen is shifted one by one to the previous and subsequent screens set in advance as before. However, the "return" switch 56a
When the is pressed, the screen returns to the processing screen belonging to the layer immediately before the layer to which the currently displayed data processing screen 52 belongs, instead of returning to the immediately preceding processing screen. For example, when the user moves from the fifth processing screen shown in FIG. 1 to the sixth processing screen 52b and selects "return" at that stage, the user returns to the fifth processing screen and does not return to the fifth processing screen, As shown by, the process returns to the second processing screen belonging to the second layer corresponding to the layer immediately below the third layer to which the processing screen 52b belongs. However, if "return" is selected when the user moves to the sixth processing screen 52b by selecting from the third processing screen, as indicated by the two-dot chain line, the user selects the second processing screen 52b in the processing screen group to which he belongs and the second processing screen 52b. The process returns to the third processing screen, which is a hierarchical processing screen. On the contrary, when the "forward" switch 56b is pressed,
If a plurality of processing screens belong to the hierarchy, the screen shifts to the last processing screen. If only one processing screen is classified, the next screen is displayed and the screen is classified into the same hierarchy. The contents to be processed as one set are omitted, and the process proceeds to the next processing operation. The processing screen to be returned can be configured to return to a previously set arbitrary processing screen when there are a plurality of processing screens belonging to the corresponding hierarchy. However, if the setting is made so as to return to the last processing screen in each layer, the layer to which the screen currently being processed belongs can be processed from the beginning.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of hierarchical processing screens. FIG. 2 is a partially broken perspective view showing an example in which the present invention is applied to a programmable display device. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an electric circuit showing an example in which the present invention is used for controlling and displaying a PLC. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a screen configuration in a processing screen, wherein (a) shows a processing screen belonging to a first hierarchy;
(B) shows the configuration of each of the other processing screens. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of drawing data,
(A) shows graphic data, and (b) shows a processing instruction word. [Description of Signs] 10 Program display device 14 Display 22 Display control circuit 24 Touch panel 44 Communication controller 46 Communication path 50 Base screen 52 Data processing screen 54 Screen change switch 56 Layer change switch

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A first processing imagesurfaceFrom the operator's choiceR
Processing imagesurfaceToSequentiallyThe display method to change, The above is displayed in ordergoProcessing screen group,SaidFirst
Processing image ofsurfaceInto the first hierarchy
Tiering into stagesWith If there are multiple processing screens belonging to the hierarchy Display each processing screen one by one according to the preset order
Proceed or the last one in the preset order
Select whether to advance the display on the management screen on the other hand,Display each processing screen one by one according to the preset order
Returns or returns to the previous
It is possible to select whether to return the display to the processing screen belonging to the hierarchy,
Further When returning the processing screen in units of that hierarchy,
Returns control to the last display screen in the hierarchy
You A method for displaying a data processing screen, characterized in that: