JPH01108602A - Sequence controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily and accurately perform the control of a complicated automatic machine by constituting a device in such a way that an equipment operation specification input means and an equipment application specification input means by which a control designer can designate the specification of an equipment of controlled system easily are provided and a control logic can be generated automatically from an inputted specification and knowledge stored in a control knowledge storing means. CONSTITUTION:The equipment operation specification input means 1 by which the designer can describe the motion of a controlled system easily, and the equipment application specification input means 2 by which the designer can regulate the applicable method of the controlled system only by answering to an inquiry issued based on the knowledge stored in the control knowledge storing means 4 by the designer are used. And a control logic decision means 3 selects the optimum control method out of the ones stored in the control knowledge storing means 4 based on information inputted by the designer, and the control logic converted to a form corresponding to the controlled system is generated, and a sequence control means 5 performs the control of the controlled system. In such a way, it is possible to perform the control of an automatic equipment by simple input.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to a sequence control device for automated equipment.
The present invention relates to a sequence control device that is particularly suitable for controlling equipment that performs complex operations because it includes means for automatically generating control logic.

2. Description of the Related Art A programmable controller (hereinafter abbreviated as PC) has been used as this type of control device. PC
So, when the user programs the control logic,
Coding is done based on a chart called a ladder diagram. However, in recent years, various programming methods have been proposed in response to the low productivity, poor readability, and low maintainability of programming using ladder diagrams. (For example, Magazine Automation Vol. 29 No. 5) Among them, a system based on the basic concept of Petri net has also been proposed.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in order to apply it to actual large-scale and complex equipment, there are many issues that need to be solved, such as the memory capacity of the PC, the method of describing the process, and maintainability at the control site. Many issues remain.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a sequence control device that allows easy programming of control logic for large-scale and complicated automatic equipment, and also has excellent program maintainability.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the sequence control device of the present invention includes an equipment operation specification input means for inputting the operation specifications of the equipment to be controlled, and a device for starting, stopping, etc. of the equipment to be controlled. equipment operation specification input means for inputting operation specifications; control logic determination means for generating mq control logic from the specifications input from these input means; control knowledge storage means for storing information necessary when the input means prompts input; and I11 according to the control logic generated by the determination means.
This configuration includes a sequence control means for controlling the mrI of the target.

Operation The present invention has the above-described configuration, and includes a device operation specification input means that allows a designer to easily describe the movement of a controlled object, and a device that allows a designer to answer questions posed based on the knowledge stored in the control knowledge storage means. Based on the information inputted by the designer using the equipment operation specification input means, which can define the operation method of the controlled object by just The control logic is selected and converted into a form suitable for the object to be controlled, and the sequence control means controls the object to be controlled according to the content, making it possible to control automatic equipment with simple inputs.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 indicates equipment operation specification input means for allowing a control designer to easily input the movement of a controlled object, and 2 indicates storage in control knowledge storage means 4. This is an equipment operation specification input means for a control designer to interactively define the operation method of a controlled object using the information provided in a question-and-answer format. Reference numeral 3 denotes a control logic determining means, which stores the information inputted using the input means 1.2 and the control knowledge storage means 4.
After collating the information stored in the sequence control means 5 and generating control logic according to the controlled object,
Communicate the contents to. The sequence control means 5 controls the device 6 to be controlled according to the control logic described above.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of hardware that realizes the present invention, in which the functions of means 1 to 4 shown in FIG. 1 are performed by a microcomputer 7, and the functions of the sequence control means 5 shown in FIG. It has been realized. In this figure, data is transmitted between the microcomputer 7 and the programmable controller 8 using R8232C, but the functions of the microcomputer 7 can be made into a microchip and built into the programmable controller 8, or data can be transmitted by converting it into a ROM. It is also possible to do so. Reference numeral 9 denotes a controlled object, which exchanges signals between the programmable controller 8 and sensors and actuators (exercise equipment) via signal lines.

Next, referring to FIG. 3, a method for defining the movement of a controlled object using the device operation specification input means 1 will be explained. The control designer inputs the I10 element of the controlled object into the device name registration list 10, and For things, we also define the attributes of that element. The attribute represents the type of the I10 element, and depending on its value, it is determined whether the element is a sensor or a cylinder valve. Then, record the on/off timing for each I10 element in sequence registration list 1.
Enter 1. This function is realized using a graphic function on the screen of the microcomputer 7, allowing easy input. As data within the computer, device names, their attributes, and their chronological on/off values are stored for each code.

FIG. 4 shows the operation of the equipment operation specification input section 2. The equipment operation specification input means 2 searches the knowledge stored in the control knowledge storage means 4 for knowledge relating to the operation of automatic equipment, and in step 12 first allows the control designer to set interlock conditions for each actuator. Next, in step 13, the control designer asks whether or not to provide a steady stop mode for the controlled object, and if the steady stop mode is set, the control designer determines the fixed position in step 14, and in step 15 determines the restart method after an emergency stop. Select from the home position or from the stopped position. If the steady stop mode is not set, the restart method after an emergency stop is automatically set to start from the stop position.

Thereafter, in step 16, the control designer selects from among the power source candidates stored in the control knowledge storage means 4 a power source that needs to stop the controlled object when the power source goes down. Finally, in step 17, the control designer selects a method suitable for the device 6 to be controlled from among the error detection methods stored in the control knowledge storage means 2.

The process by which the control logic determining means 3 generates the control logic based on the specifications given by the master designer as described above will be explained with reference to FIG. When all the specifications are given, first in step 18, all the given specifications are stored in a working memory in the computer, a storage area where intermediate results of logic generation and the like are saved. Next, the control knowledge storage means 4
In step 19, it is determined whether or not there is knowledge that can be applied to the contents of the current working memory among the knowledge stored in the memory.
Judge by. If there is a plurality of applicable knowledge, in step 20 the priority among the applicable knowledge is checked and the one with the highest priority is selected, and in step 21 the selected knowledge is applied to the contents of the working memory, The contents of the working memory are updated and the process returns to step 19.

If multiple pieces of applicable knowledge do not exist, it is determined in step 22 whether there is no applicable knowledge at all, and if only one piece of knowledge exists, the process moves to step 21; .

FIG. 6 shows the format of the knowledge stored in the control knowledge storage means 4. Attribute 2 indicates the category to which the knowledge is applied.
3. Priority order for selecting one when there is multiple applicable knowledge 24. Matching conditions for determining whether knowledge is applicable 25. 7. For the working memory when knowledge is applied It consists of processing contents 26 that describe the actions to be performed. The attributes 23 have a hierarchical structure, and for example, in the case of knowledge regarding operations, it is possible to detail the knowledge step by step, such as operations - abnormal processing - malfunction - time over. If the priority order 24 is not particularly defined, a higher value is set as a default setting as the matching condition 25 is more complicated. The matching condition 25 describes what state the working memory must be in in order for knowledge to be applied, and each condition can be made complex using AND, OR, negation, etc. The processing content 26 describes how to update the contents of the working memory when the knowledge is applied, and allows adding, deleting, and changing the contents of working memory elements.

According to the configuration of the above embodiment, the control designer simply inputs the control specifications of the controlled device 6 using the device operation specification input means 1 and the device operation specification input means 2, and the control logic determination means 3 acquires control knowledge. Control logic is generated by automatically applying the knowledge stored in the storage means 4 to the given specifications, and the generated logic is transmitted to the sequence control means 5 to control the sequence according to its contents. 5 controls the device to be controlled 6, control design can be easily performed and design errors can be reduced. Furthermore, since the generated logic is standardized and does not depend much on the personal skill of the control designer, maintenance of the control program is easy.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention includes an equipment operation specification input means and an equipment operation specification input means that allow a control designer to easily specify the specifications of the equipment to be controlled, and further includes an equipment operation specification input means that allows a control designer to easily specify the specifications of the equipment to be controlled. Since it is configured to automatically generate control logic from the knowledge stored in the control knowledge storage means, control designers need to consider the control logic down to the minute details even when controlling complex automatic machines. It can be done easily and without error.

In addition, since the generated logic is standardized and does not depend much on the personal skill of the control designer, maintenance of the control program after leaving the control designer's hands is easier than with conventional equipment. It can be carried out.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the hardware of the embodiment, Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a method for inputting equipment operation specifications, and Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the equipment operation specifications. FIG. 5 is a flowchart for inputting, FIG. 5 is a flowchart for determining control logic, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the structure of control knowledge. 1... Device operation specification input means, 2...
Equipment operation specification input means, 3... Control logic determining means, 4... Control knowledge storage means, 5...
Sequence control means, 6... Equipment to be controlled. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakatashi and one other person Figure 1 Figure 5 Figure 6

Claims (1)

[Claims] an equipment operation specification input means for inputting the operation specifications of the controlled equipment; an equipment operation specification input means for interactively inputting the operation specifications of the controlled equipment with a control designer; and the equipment operation specification input means. control logic determining means for automatically generating control logic from specifications input by the equipment operation specification input means; and a sequence control means for controlling the controlled equipment with the control logic determined by the control logic determining means. Characteristic sequence control device.