JP3585158B2 - Operation screen creation method for programmable display device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method of creating an operation screen used for operation or display in various types of program-type display devices for industrial use or home use.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For the purpose of creating this kind of operation screen, the present applicant makes use of previously registered part figure data and selects and arranges part figures on a display, thereby easily creating a necessary operation screen. There has been proposed an operation screen creation device that can perform the operation (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-225789).
[0003]
Furthermore, while creating a basic operation screen using the above-described operation screen creation apparatus, the created screen is copied on a display, and setting items such as a designated address and a display color for each part figure are manually set. A method of creating a new operation screen by making individual changes is also conceivable.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-described method of creating an operation screen by using component graphic data, it is necessary to individually design a screen for each required screen, so that much time is still required to create an operation screen. .
[0005]
On the other hand, in the method using the operation screen created in advance, the time required to create the operation screen is shortened, but the change part necessary for the screen operation such as the address setting part is understood in advance. Therefore, when using an operation screen created by a third party, it is time-consuming to judge a portion that needs to be changed, and it is not easy to use, for example, a setting change may be omitted.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of such inconvenience, and a general-purpose screen in which a necessary change portion is replaced with a predetermined value or a variable is created in advance, and the changed portion is displayed in a tabular format in which the changed portions can be listed. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method in which a setting item requiring change can be easily determined and an operation screen can be easily created.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
As shown in FIG. 1B, a programmable display device 10 embodying the present invention is connected to a predetermined external device 11 via a communication path 12 and exchanges data with the external apparatus 11 via the communication path 12. A data communication unit 13 that enables the storage of a plurality of processing instruction words including reference information that specifies the content of the unit operation to be processed, and an event data storage unit 14 that is provided in the event data storage unit 14. A display control unit for decoding a processing instruction word and displaying on the display 15 a display corresponding to information referred to by each processing instruction word;
[0008]
Further, a step of creating a basic screen 17 as illustrated in FIG. 7B in which the reference information is undecided or a predetermined value, a step of selecting a basic screen 17 to be used from the created basic screen group, Setting the reference information of the selected basic screen 17. In the setting step of the reference information, each of the items that need to be set in the reference information includes a predetermined item as illustrated in FIG. 8. It is characterized by being displayed in the form of a list using character strings.
[0009]
The above-described basic screen 17 is composed of a combination of one or more functional components 19 arranged on the base screen 18 and one or more processing directives for specifying the operation content of each functional component 19. Each setting item in the processing instruction word can be configured to be displayed in a list format divided for each functional component 19.
[0010]
The setting items in the above-described list format can be copied or deleted in units of one functional component 19, and corresponding to the changes in the functional component 19, the corresponding functional components 19 on the base screen 18 are changed. May be added or deleted.
[0011]
Further, as shown in FIG. 1A, a plurality of processing instruction words including reference information for specifying the content of the unit operation to be processed are arranged on a base screen using, for example, the basic screen creation means 21. And a second data group 22 used in place of or in addition to preset reference information for each processing instruction word provided in the basic screen 17. Are used as input data of the basic screen correction means 24. Here, corresponding data in the first data group 22 is automatically subjected to data processing based on the second data group 23.
[0012]
In the basic screen 17 described above, the maximum number of processing instruction words that may be used are arranged in advance, and in addition to the first and second data groups 22 and 23, the basic screen 17 A third data group 26 defining a procedure for converting the 17 into an operation screen 25 to be actually used can be further provided as input data.
[0013]
In this case, referring to the second data group 23 and the third data group 26, unnecessary processing instruction words are deleted from the basic screen 17, and the reference information in the processing instruction words is changed to the second data group. By using the setting 23, necessary operation screen data 27 is created.
[0014]
The above-mentioned reference information is displayed in a tabular form in which input items of the second data group 23 enabling data setting can be entered using a processing instruction word as a minimum unit. It is preferable to refer to the data contents in the third data group 26 and perform a corresponding data processing operation. In addition, a plurality of the processing instruction words described above are integrated into one functional component 19, and the above-described data processing can be performed for each functional component 19 as a unit.
[0015]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, in the present invention, a general-purpose basic screen in which reference information is undecided or a predetermined value is created in advance, and in the edit screen of the basic screen, data items that need to be set in the reference information are listed in a list format. By displaying the data, the data items that need to be changed or set can be easily determined, and the operation screen can be easily created without requiring special knowledge for creating the operation screen.
[0016]
Further, the conversion from the basic screen 17 to the operation screen 25 is performed with reference to the second data group 23 for setting reference information using the third data group 26 describing the execution procedure of the conversion. A simple operation screen can be created easily and accurately.
[0017]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described based on the configuration of the operation screen creating device 28 and the configuration of the programmable display device 10 using the operation screen created there. A specific description will be given based on an example in which an industrial programmable controller (hereinafter abbreviated as “PLC”) is used as the external device 11 connected to the programmable display device 10 as shown in FIG. Of course, the present invention can be carried out in substantially the same manner in a device using a general-purpose or dedicated computer or other control device as an external device, or in a device for controlling the operation of various electric appliances in a home. Further, the configuration of the programmable display device 10 using the created operation screen is also an example, and the configuration is not limited.
[0018]
The programmable display device 10 is integrally incorporated into a console or the like of the target system 30 together with the PLC 29, or is independently provided and used as an operation and display panel for the target system 30, which will be described later. Various setting or control operations are performed using the processing instruction word.
[0019]
The PLC 29 that controls the target system 30 has a circuit as a unit for each required function such as a CPU unit and a memory unit, and the units in the PLC 29 are connected in parallel so that they can be increased or decreased as needed. It has a configuration substantially the same as that of the related art that enables the function achieved as described above to be changed.
[0020]
The storage location of various information input / output to / from the target system 30 is controlled by passive components such as level meters and limit switches provided on the target system 30 or active components such as relays and motors. A word device is specified for the word data whose input / output data is a numerical value, and a bit device is specified for the bit data such as on / off information. For example, by presetting a device name unique to the model such as “D100”, data necessary for specifying the storage location by designating the device name is stored in the memory unit.
[0021]
Therefore, by simply specifying a device name and accessing an arbitrary word device or bit device in the memory unit from inside or outside the PLC 29, the corresponding position of the target system 30 can be determined without knowing the actual address in the PLC 29. The data concerning the control or the operation state can be taken out individually.
[0022]
The programmable display device 10 has a configuration substantially the same as that of the personal computer device, and includes the display control circuit 31 shown in FIG. The instruction by the operation is taken in through the touch panel controller 33 and the coordinates are analyzed, thereby enabling various manual operations by a fingertip at the time of a test, at the time of initial setting before the start of operation of the entire system, or during the operation.
[0023]
Here, in the programmable display device 10, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a base screen 18 on which graphics and characters whose display contents do not need to be changed are described, and a lamp that changes shape, blinks, or changes color on the base screen 18 Various functional components 19 such as switches and switches are designated and stored for each required display unit.
[0024]
On the other hand, the processing instruction word W illustrated in FIG. 4 previously stored in the event data memory 34 as shown in FIG. 5 is read out intermittently every minute time and specified by the event name N of each processing instruction word W. By sequentially executing the operations of the contents to be performed while referring to the data taken out from the PLC 29, a display operation in which the display graphic changes in response to the change in the contents of the bit device or the word device of the PLC 29 is performed.
[0025]
That is, the basic structure of the processing instruction word W is as follows: the file number F of the base screen 18 on which the display control operation is to be executed, the event name N for specifying the operation content to be executed on the base screen 18, and each execution event Reference information r including one or a plurality of data referred to each time is provided as one set.
[0026]
For example, the processing instruction word WT shown in FIG. 4B makes it possible to invert data at a predetermined bit position in the state data memory 35 in conjunction with a pressing operation on the touch panel 32. That is, the file number F1 of the base screen 18, the event name N1 starting with, for example, "T" for specifying the operation of the touch panel 32, the input coordinate range XY for validating the input operation from the touch panel 32, the pressing operation of the touch panel 32, and the like. It is composed of a bit position A in which data is to be rewritten in conjunction.
[0027]
Further, the processing instruction word WL shown in FIG. 4C enables a predetermined figure to be displayed at a corresponding position in conjunction with the operation of the touch panel 32 described above. That is, a predetermined functional part graphic 37 can be displayed at a predetermined position on the base screen 18 in accordance with a change in a predetermined bit position in the state data memory 35 developed on the RAM 53. 18, a file name F2 for specifying the part graphic 37 to be called, an event name N2 starting with, for example, "L" for specifying the display of the functional part graphic 37, a display coordinate range XY of the functional part graphic 37, and a part graphic And a bit position A in the state data memory 35 which is referred to at the time of display.
[0028]
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5A, two processing instruction words WL1 and WT1 in which the coordinate range X and Y and the reference bit position A1 are matched are set in the event data memory 34. When the data at the bit position A1 of the state data memory 35 is “0”, the PLC 29 performs the OFF operation of the switch contact if the data is previously associated with the OFF state of the switch. At the same time, the data FL1 of the component graphic 37 corresponding to the OFF state of the switch is read from the graphic memory 36, and is developed and displayed in the coordinate range XY on the base screen 18.
[0029]
Here, when the display location of the switch-shaped functional component graphic 37 on the touch panel 32 is pressed, the processing instruction word WT for the touch panel is searched, and a range including the corresponding coordinates is designated from the designated coordinates made via the touch panel 32 as reference information r. It is determined whether or not there is a processing instruction word WT having as.
[0030]
For example, when one point in the coordinate range X / Y is pressed, it corresponds to the processing instruction word WT1 configured as described above, and as shown in FIG. The value is inverted from “0” to “1”, and the corresponding switch contact is turned on by the PLC 29. At the same time, the processing instruction word WL1 determines that the reference bit has changed to "1", reads out the data FL2 of the functional component graphic 37 corresponding to the ON state of the switch from the graphic memory 36, and reads the corresponding coordinate range X. By displaying on Y, the switch-shaped functional component graphic 37 displayed on the display 15 is also changed from the off state to the on state.
[0031]
The operation screen creation device 28 embodying the present invention has a function configured by software on a general-purpose personal computer device or the above-mentioned programmable display device 10, and its configuration is schematically shown in FIG. As described above, the control unit 38 includes a control unit 38 for performing necessary processing operations, a display unit 39 for displaying a processing state of the control unit 38, and a storage unit 40 for storing data processed by the control unit 38.
[0032]
The control unit 38 includes an operation screen creation unit 41 that can create an arbitrary operation screen 25 and a basic screen that can save the created operation screen 25 as the basic screen 17 as shown in FIG. FIG. 7 illustrates an example in which the storage unit 42 and the basic screen correction unit 43 that uses the stored basic screen 17 to correct it and create the operation screen 25 as shown in FIG. However, it is not necessary to provide the whole as an integrated or linked function, and it is possible to operate the components of each unit independently of each other.
[0033]
In addition, functions necessary for creating various operation screens 25, such as a function of debugging the created operation screen 25 or the basic screen 17 or a function of transferring the operation screen 25 to the programmable display device 10, may be appropriately increased or decreased. .
[0034]
The operation screen creation unit 41, as illustrated in FIG. 3, may include one or a plurality of processing instruction words W and graphic components 46 called from them, and may include functional components 19 such as switches and lamps, or other functional components 19. The configuration is substantially the same as that of the related art, which basically has various functions for enabling creation of an arbitrary operation screen 25 by setting and arranging the processing instruction word W and various figures on the base screen 18.
[0035]
The operation screen 25 created by the operation screen creation unit 41 as described above is usually stored in the storage unit 40 by specifying a file name as it is. However, if it is desired to save the operation screen 25 as the basic screen 17 that is repeatedly used in the same format, the operation of saving the screen as the basic screen 17 is performed using the basic screen storage unit 42.
[0036]
Then, the processing instruction word group set in the basic screen 17 and the graphic data 46 referred to from each processing instruction word are specified and saved with the same or mutually associated file names.
[0037]
At this time, the reference information r in the processing instruction word group includes the fixed data 44 that does not require or should be changed by the person who wants to create the operation screen 25 using the basic screen 17 and the PLC 29 that should change the display. And variable data 45 to be changed for each actual use scene, such as the address of the address and a fixed display character string on the display 15.
[0038]
Furthermore, if the variable data 45 has already been set, it is set to a predetermined value such as the initial setting state, or replaced by variable characters to make the state undefined, so that the contents for the basic screen that do not depend on the situation to be used or the device are used. Is created, and each data item replaced with a variable is divided into functional units 19 or processing instruction words arranged on the base screen 18 as one unit, and is simultaneously saved as a setting item data group. Is done.
[0039]
As described above, the operation screen 25 created for a specific purpose can be saved as the general-purpose basic screen 17 or can be input without performing the above-described special data processing on the variable data 45. The operation screen in which the set values are maintained as they are can be used as the basic screen 17 as it is. However, in the embodiment described below, an example is shown in which the basic screen 17 is specially created and the necessary operation screen 25 is created using the basic screen 17.
[0040]
As illustrated in FIG. 7A, the basic screen 17 is created by using the maximum number of functional components 19 or processing instruction words that will be required in the future as an operation screen to be actually used. In this example, 20 lamps and 5 switches are provided using the entire surface of the base screen 18.
[0041]
On the other hand, the file name of the screen is directly specified from the plurality of basic screens 17 created as described above, or the actual screen arrangement is confirmed on the preview screen 47 as shown in FIG. When the basic screen 17 to be used is selected by clicking or the like, an editing screen 49 having a list 48 is opened on the display unit 39.
[0042]
The list 48 is displayed in a table format in which the setting item data group in the variable data 45 selected at the time of saving the basic screen 17 can be listed. That is, in addition to a symbol such as “SW1” for specifying each functional component 19, a designation item requiring individual setting for each operation screen such as a device name referred to by each functional component 19, and a lamp A selection item that can be changed like a designated color when it changes, but a default value can be used, is distinguished from each other by the functional component 19 or by a processing instruction word as necessary. Are displayed while being provided.
[0043]
Therefore, in one list 48, a group of setting items is arranged in a row direction for each functional component 19 set in one basic screen 17, one row at a time, and all the setting items are displayed in a listable state. You. Therefore, for the designated item, the necessary data is directly designated, and for the selected item, for example, data is simply selected and designated as needed from a data group displayed in a list format. The data designation operation ends for each required item.
[0044]
By the way, when it is desired to create the operation screen 25 shown in FIG. 7B from the basic screen 17 shown in FIG. An unnecessary functional component 19 indicated by a broken line in FIG.
[0045]
Therefore, in the present invention, the conversion procedure data 50 is created by using the conversion procedure creation means 52 such as an editor at an appropriate time such as when the basic screen 17 is created or when the basic screen 17 is modified. It is stored in the storage unit 40. The conversion procedure data 50 is for performing the following data processing operation in a programming language defined by a predetermined syntax, for example.
[0046]
The conversion procedure includes an operation of replacing the data input in the above-mentioned list 48 with data already stored in the basic screen 17 or newly setting, and an unnecessary functional component 19 or a processing instruction word from the base screen 18. An operation of deleting, an operation of replacing a functional component 19 or a processing instruction word displayed on the base screen 18 with another, an operation of searching for and replacing a specific character string from display data on the screen, or an operation of the screen Various commands are provided for performing operations required to modify the basic screen 17 and create the operation screen 25, such as an operation of changing a screen number to be referred to from the inside.
[0047]
Further, the conversion procedure data 50 includes a control statement that enables the data content written in a specific item in the list 48 to be determined and a data processing operation corresponding to the determined content to be performed. For example, if the data of a specific item is empty or the content of an instruction such as deletion is specifically checked, the functional component 19 corresponding to the data, or another functional component 19 previously associated with the data. A predetermined data processing operation such as deleting the functional component 19 from the base screen 18 or replacing the functional component 19 with another functional component 19 is performed.
[0048]
Therefore, after the necessary data is input using the list 48 as described above, the program or the execution procedure described as the conversion procedure data 50 is executed, whereby the basic procedure illustrated in FIG. The screen 17 is automatically corrected to the operation screen 25 shown in FIG.
[0049]
Note that, instead of configuring the setting data creation means 51 for the basic screen 17 with a dedicated program as shown in FIG. 8, a list for predetermined input items is created using general-purpose spreadsheet software. It is also possible to prepare and read the data in the list in a general-purpose data format such as a CSV format and use it.
[0050]
In this case, the data in the PLC sequence diagram created by using CAD is read out in the CSV format and the data is directly used, or once read out in the above-mentioned list 48, the PLC address such as the device address is read out. Various data related to the setting can be automatically entered and corrected.
[0051]
Further, the data 50 describing the conversion procedure of the basic screen 17 is a data that can accurately express the conversion procedure of the basic screen 17 such as a specification conforming to a prescribed program format such as C or BASIC or an original specification. It can be set arbitrarily.
[0052]
Further, the display unit in the list 48 to which data is to be corrected and the contents of each setting item can be appropriately changed when the basic screen 17 is created or saved. In addition, it goes without saying that the types of items displayed in the list 48 and the display order thereof can be arbitrarily changed.
[0053]
The functional components 19 described above include, in addition to general electrical components such as switches and lamps, all components that can be used for designing the operation screen 25 in the programmable display device 10, such as components dedicated to data display such as graphs and tables. Functional component 19 is included.
[0054]
Further, when the functional components are copied on the list, the processing instruction words having the same contents can be copied. In this case, the display position of the component graphic displayed on the base screen is changed to a preset position coordinate such as a horizontal margin, and is displayed as changeable data on a list. Further, the display state of the basic screen whose setting has been changed may be configured to be actually confirmed by opening the preview screen.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram exemplifying a schematic configuration of a program type display device and an operation screen creation device embodying the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a programmable display device.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of an operation screen.
4A and 4B are explanatory diagrams showing a configuration of a processing instruction word, where FIG. 4A is a basic configuration of a processing instruction word, FIG. 4B is a configuration of a processing instruction word for data input using a touch panel, and FIG. ) Show the configuration of a processing instruction word for graphic display.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation procedure of the programmable display device.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of an operation screen creation device.
7A and 7B are explanatory diagrams showing a procedure for correcting a basic screen, wherein FIG. 7A shows an example of a basic screen, and FIG. 7B shows an example of an operation screen created by correcting the basic screen.
FIG. 8 is a front view showing an example of a screen for correction of a basic screen.
[Explanation of symbols]
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Program display device 11 External device 12 Communication path 13 Data communication means 14 Event data storage means 15 Display 16 Display control means 17 Basic screen 18 Base screen 19 Functional component 21 Basic screen creation means 22 First data group 23 Second Data group 24 Basic screen correction means 25 Operation screen 26 Third data group 27 Operation screen data 28 Creation device 29 PLC
30 Target System 31 Display Control Circuit 32 Touch Panel 33 Touch Panel Controller 34 Event Data Memory 35 State Data Memory 36 Graphic Memory 37 Functional Component Graphic 38 Control Unit 39 Display Unit 40 Storage Unit 41 Operation Screen Creation Unit 42 Basic Screen Storage Unit 43 Basic screen correction unit 44 Fixed data 45 Variable data 46 Graphic data 47 Preview screen 48 List 49 Editing screen 50 Conversion procedure data 51 Changed data creation means 52 Conversion procedure creation means

Claims (2)

A data communication unit connected to a predetermined external device and capable of transferring data to and from the external device, and an event enabling storage of a plurality of processing instruction words including reference information for specifying the content of a unit operation to be processed A program display device comprising: a data storage unit; and a control unit that decodes a processing instruction word provided in the event data storage unit and performs display on a display corresponding to information referred to by each processing instruction word. A method of creating an operation screen of
Inputting a first data group defining a basic screen configured by arranging a plurality of the processing instruction words on a base screen;
Inputting a second data group to be used in place of the reference information data group included in each processing instruction word in the first data group;
A step of converting the basic screen into an operation screen to be actually used, using a predetermined program language, and inputting a third data group individually defined for each operation screen;
Automatically processing corresponding data in the first data group based on the third data group and the second data group,
Each processing instruction word in the first data group includes fixed data and variable data as reference information, and sets the variable data in the first data group to an undetermined value or a predetermined value in advance.
The second data group is set in correspondence with the variable data in the first data group,
Setting reference information in a processing instruction word in the first data group to a value corresponding to the second data group while referring to the third data group ;
In the inputting step of the second data group, the input items of the variable data in the first data group are displayed in a format in which the input items can be listed, so that data can be input.
The conversion procedure defined by the third data group includes:
Control data corresponding to the program language, which determines data content entered in a specific item among the input items in the listable format and performs a data processing operation corresponding to the determined content, is included. For creating an operation screen for a programmable display device. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control data is a control statement .

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