JPH0311476B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to a display control method for an electronic display device, and in particular, to a method for easily inputting and outputting a group of display data without being aware of distributed physical display ranges. The present invention relates to a display control method suitable for use.

[Background of the invention]

This type of display control method controls writing display data from an external device such as a computer into a refresh memory, and also controls reading display data stored in the refresh memory and sending it to the external device. , and displays characters, figures, etc. on the viewer according to the display data stored in the refresh memory.

Electronic display devices to which such display control methods are applied have been used in various fields, and in particular, have recently been effectively used for plant monitoring and the like.

By the way, in the plant monitoring screen of the display device, as shown in FIG.
The device status, such as normality or abnormality, of each of the devices 91 to 94 distributed in the device 0 (which may be considered as a refresh memory) is often expressed by device symbols and display colors on the screen 90. In addition, since the display of each device status is performed for each unit that captures device status data for each model or system, the symbols for devices 91 to 94 distributed on the screen 90 will be displayed at the timing of update display. They are divided into groups as shown in Figures 9a and b. Here, a and b in the figure show the contents of instructions on the side of an external device such as a computer, c in the figure shows the screen 90 displayed on the viewer, and H _t and V _t are the symbols 91 ~94 upper left coordinates,
H _l and V _l are the lower right coordinates of symbols 91-94. In order to perform these complex screen displays, in the case of conventional display control methods of display devices,
As shown in FIG. 9, each time an updated display is performed, the physical display coordinates 95 to 98 of the corresponding device symbol among the distributed device symbols are displayed.
It was necessary to specify the display data 99a and 99b to transfer the display data 99a and 99b.

Therefore, when transferring display data for displaying equipment symbols, it is necessary to be aware of the physical display coordinates each time, which is troublesome and causes problems such as an increase in the amount of display data. Ta. Especially regarding the increase in the amount of displayed data,
This not only leads to an increase in the responsiveness of the display device and the load on the host computer, but also increases the possibility of erroneous coordinate specification. In particular, if you make a mistake in specifying the coordinates, this will immediately result in the destruction of other displayed figures. Needless to say, such a situation has a large negative impact on software production efficiency and quality performance.

In order to solve these problems, we developed the man-machine data management system “MDMS” (Man-machine data management system).
Standard software called Data Management System has been developed and provided. In MDMS, each partial display update area on the screen is called a screen unit (hereinafter simply referred to as SU).
Then, these SUs are divided into groups at the display update timing, and data such as the display coordinate position of each SU, display format within that SU, and multiple figures to be displayed are created in advance for each group division unit. Then, when actually displaying, MDMS is made to specify the grouping number and the information to be displayed.

Regarding this technology, see “Man-Machine Data Generation and Maintenance Support System “MDMS””: Hitachi Hyoron.
Vol. 62, No. 12, pages 899 to 902. In addition, a technique similar to the above-mentioned technology is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 53
-Described in Publication No. 136436.

By the way, inside the MDMS mentioned above, display data is transferred by specifying the physical display coordinates of each display device, but when creating software, the production efficiency and quality are certainly Improved. However, even with such MDMS, there are problems in that the software performance and system performance, such as the responsiveness of the display device and the increased load on the host computer, have not been improved. Also, MDMS and
In the interface between individual programs that provide display information to MDMS, grouping of display updates created in advance, coordinate position and display order of each SU, display format of each SU, multiple figures to be displayed, etc. Since this data is stored all at once, there is an inconvenience that if any part of this data is changed, it must be re-created. In addition, the display information given to the MDMS needs to be prepared in accordance with the data specifications and data order of the MDMS, and there is a problem that no fundamental improvements have been made in terms of the man-hours required for testing and changing the specifications. It was hot.

〔Effect of the invention〕

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a display control method that allows easy input and output of display data groups without being aware of distributed physical display coordinate ranges. Our goal is to provide the following.

[Summary of the Invention] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention writes display data from an external device to a refresh memory, reads display data in the refresh memory and sends it to the external device, and writes display data from an external device to a refresh memory. In a display control method for displaying a screen of characters, figures, etc. on a viewer according to display data stored in the viewer, there is provided an area table in which area data specifying a display area corresponding to the viewer's screen is stored in association with an area number. , an area management memory that stores area management data including an action table that stores a plurality of area numbers in association with action numbers is arranged in a circuit connecting the refresh memory and an external device, and is used to read and display display data. Executes writing according to the action number specification, extracts multiple area numbers specified by the action number from the area management memory, extracts area data belonging to each extracted area number from the area management memory, and executes each extracted area number. This method is characterized in that an area of the refresh memory corresponding to the area data is designated as a read/write area for display data.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a display device that implements the display control method that is the basis of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an input/output control circuit, and the input/output control circuit 1 writes display data from an external device such as a computer to a refresh memory 2 via a buffer 3, and also stores it in the refresh memory 2. The circuit is configured so that the displayed display data can be read out via the buffer 3 and sent to an external device. Reference numeral 4 denotes a display control circuit, and the display control circuit 4 takes in the display data stored in the refresh memory 2 via the buffer 3, and displays characters, figures, etc. on the viewer 5 according to the read display data. I'm starting to let them do it.

More specifically, the input/output control circuit 1 includes an interface circuit 11 for matching with external devices.
and an address bus to the interface circuit 11.
It includes a microcomputer 12 connected to the address bus AB and data bus DB, and a microprogram memory 13 connected to the address bus AB and data bus DB and storing a control plug 131 and a refresh memory input/output program 132. It consists of

The address bus AB of the input/output control circuit 1 is connected to the refresh memory 2, and is also connected to the data bus
DB is connected to buffer 3.

The display control circuit 4 includes a timing control circuit 4
1 and a video signal forming circuit 42. The address bus AB of the display control circuit 4 is connected to the refresh memory 2, and the data bus DB is connected to the buffer 3.

The operation of the display device configured as described above will be explained.

The area data and display data transferred from an external device such as a computer are sent to the input/output control circuit 1, which is composed of an interface circuit 11, a microcomputer 12, and a microprogram memory 13.
As a result, area data is transferred from the address bus AB and display data from the data bus DB to the refresh memory 2 via the buffer 3. The display data transferred to the refresh memory 2 is converted into a video signal by the display control circuit 4, which includes a timing control circuit 91 and a video signal formation circuit 42.
The results are displayed on a screen with characters, figures, etc. by the viewer 5.

On the other hand, in order to input display data to an external device such as a computer, when the area data and the number of input data words are transferred from the external device, the input/output control circuit 1 transfers the area data to the address bus AB.
When sent to refresh memory 2 via
Refresh memory 2 corresponding to the beginning of the relevant area
The display data stored in the display data is sequentially read out and transferred to an external device via the buffer 3 and the data bus DB.

In this way, each time the display device
This means that the area data must be transferred from an external device such as a computer.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a display device for realizing an embodiment of the display control method according to the present invention.

In FIG. 2, the same components as those of the display device shown in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals, and their explanations will be omitted.

The display device shown in FIG. 2 is different from the one shown in FIG. It is stored in the program memory 13 and writes area management data to the area management memory 14.
According to the storage contents of the area management memory input/output program 133 and the area management memory 14 for reading area management data in the refresh memory 2.
The configuration includes an area management program 134 for managing data transmission between the system and external devices, and other components remain unchanged.

First, let's talk about the area management data in Figure 3A.
This will be explained with reference to and B.

The area management memory 14 stores area management data. This area management data divides the area of the refresh memory 2 into rectangles, and calculates the coordinates of the upper left corner of the rectangle (horizontal address H _t , vertical address V _t ) and the coordinates of the lower right corner of the rectangle (horizontal address H _l , vertical address It consists of an area table that stores a plurality of area data designated by a direction address (V _l ), and an action table that stores the order of area numbers to be referenced for each screen input/output operation. These two tables are divided by area number and action number.

Next, the above programs 133 and 134 will be explained.

The area management memory input/output program 133 and the area management program 134 according to this embodiment are controlled by the control program 131 in the microprogram memory 13 to output area management data from the computer side, and to display area management functions. It is activated when data is output. Both started programs input and output area data to and from the area management memory 14.

Based on the above premise, we will first explain (i) a method for presetting area management data in the area management memory 14, and then (ii) a method for inputting and outputting display data.

(i) Regarding presetting area management data, see Part 2.
This will be explained with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

First, from the computer side, the input/output control circuit 1 is activated by specifying the leading area number that indicates where in the area table to write the area data group and the number of words of the area data, according to the procedure shown in FIG. 4. (Steps S400-S401). After that, the action data group is sent to the input/output control circuit 1 by specifying the action number and the number of action data words in the same way as the area data.
(steps S402 to S403).

In the activated input/output control circuit 1, the interface circuit 11 that communicates with the computer operates, and the microcomputer 12 executes the control program 131 in the microprogram memory 13.
Start. The control program 13 starts the area management memory input/output program 133.

When the area management memory input/output program 133 is activated, it operates in the order shown in FIG.

First, the area data sent from the computer side is
The data is transferred to the area management memory 14 via the input/output control circuit 1 and data bus DB. The area management memory input/output program 133 inputs a control command indicating area data and an area number via the address bus AB in the same way as the area data, and sequentially writes area data from the area table corresponding to the area number ( Steps S500, S501, S502 and
S504).

Next, the action data is also written to the action table of the area management memory 14 in the same way as the area data (steps S500, S501, S503 and
S504).

The area management data is preset as described above.

(ii) Explain input/output of display data.

First, the operation on the computer side regarding input/output will be explained using FIG. 6, and then the operation of the area management program will be explained using FIG. 7.

In FIG. 6, starting at step S600,
On the external device side, such as a computer, when it is determined in step S601 that it is a case of screen output, it instructs the action number, display data group, and number of display data words in step S602, starts the input/output control circuit 1, and proceeds to step S604. Move. Also step S604
If it is determined that it is a screen input, the action number and the number of input data words are specified, the input/output control circuit 1 is activated, and the process moves to step S604. In this way, the external device operates.

Next, in the activated input/output control circuit 1, the area management program 134 is activated in the same way as the area management memory input/output program 133 is activated.

The activated area management program 134 is the seventh
Perform the actions shown in the diagram.

First, when activated in step S700, the action table pointer (j) is initialized to "1" in step S701, and the action table pointer (j) corresponding to the action number (i) specified by the computer is initialized in step S702. 3) pointer (j)
The content specified by , that is, the area number to refer to.
Take out (k).

Next, in step S703, area data (upper left corner coordinates H _t , V _t and lower right corner coordinates H _l , _Vl ), the address range of the refresh memory can be determined.

Furthermore, in step S704, the processing type is determined,
If it is an output, the process moves to step S705. step
In S705, display data is sequentially written from the upper left corner coordinates to the lower right corner coordinates of the area data to the refresh memory 2 via the data bus DB and the buffer 3, as described in FIG. Next, in step S706, the pointer (j) of the action table is updated to "1", and if the number of display words of the display data does not end in this area (step
S707), the process returns to step S702 again, the reference area number (k) corresponding to the pointer (j) of the action table number (i) is retrieved, and the same operation as described above is performed. By repeating this operation sequentially until the number of display data words becomes "0", it can be seen that screen output can be performed without specifying area data.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S704 that input is to be made on the screen, the process moves to step S709. In step S702, the contents of the refresh memory 2 are sent to an external device such as a computer via the buffer 3, data bus DB, and interface control circuit 11. Therefore, step S709 above
Other than that, screen output processing (steps S700 to S708)
Since this is similar to the above, it can be understood that screen input can also be performed without specifying area data.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a screen display when the screen is output from an external device to a display device.

At a certain display timing, an external device such as a computer specifies only action number 1 and display data and activates the input/output control circuit 1 of the display device, as shown in FIG. 8a. The input/output control circuit 1 retrieves the corresponding area data and from the action table 140 of the area management memory 14 based on the action number 1, and writes the display data specified by the data and the data as shown in d of the same figure. .

Similarly, at the next display timing, the external device displays action number 2 as shown in FIG. 8b.
and display data, and starts the input/output control circuit 1 of the display device. Then, as described above, area management memory 1 is created based on action number 2.
The corresponding area data and are taken out from the action table 142 of No. 4 and written into the area of the refresh memory 2 specified by the area data and as shown in FIG. 8d.

The display data written in the refresh memory 2 as shown in FIG. 8d may be considered to be the same as the screen displayed on the viewer 5.

According to the display control method described above, it is only necessary to specify the action number and display data from the external device, and as in the conventional display control method shown in FIG. Since there is no need to think about it each time, there is no need to consider the physical display coordinate range for the input and output of the display data group.
It has the advantage of reducing man-hours when creating software.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and the following modifications can also be considered.

(a) There is no action table in the area management memory 14, and the area data table has data indicating the end of area data and means for determining the end of the data. Thereby, the capacity of the area management memory can be reduced.

(b) Area management program 134 of the above-mentioned embodiment
By adding means for copying and moving by specifying the transfer destination and transfer source area data, the copying and moving function can be realized logically without specifying the area data.

(c) A keyboard control circuit is connected to the configuration of the above embodiment, and by adding an operator cursor control means that utilizes an area management memory to this keyboard control circuit, the operator cursor can be freely operated. Easy to control.

(D) The display control circuit 4 of the embodiment described above is provided with means for preventing the viewer 5 from displaying areas other than the area data in the area management memory 14, and thereby the refresh memory 2 in the areas that are not to be displayed is transferred to other areas. To be able to use it effectively for its purpose.

(e) In the area data portion of the area management memory 14 of the above-mentioned embodiment, the display data of the refresh memory 2 corresponding to the area is not changed, and the area on the viewer 5 is changed in color and erased at a certain point. A refresh memory 2 is added to the display control circuit 4.
To add a means to perform an operation corresponding to the operation data on the viewer 5 at a certain point without changing the operation data.

Modifications such as those described above can be considered.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, it is possible to easily input and output a group of display data according to the specification of an action number without being aware of the distributed physical display coordinate range, so that the display contents on the screen can be easily changed. This makes it possible to contribute to improving the operability associated with changing the screen.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a display device that is the basis of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a display device to which the display control method according to the present invention is applied, and FIG. FIGS. 4 and 5, which are block diagrams showing an example of the structure of an area management memory, show processing by an external device such as a computer and processing by an area management memory input/output program in order to write area data into the area management memory. Flowcharts shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, respectively, are flowcharts showing processing on an external device such as a computer and an area management program to explain screen input/output operations according to the present invention, and FIG. 8, respectively. 9 is an explanatory diagram shown to explain the screen display procedure according to the present invention, and FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram shown to explain the screen display procedure according to the prior art. 1... Input/output control circuit, 2... Refresh memory, 3... Buffer, 4... Display control circuit, 5
... View, AB ... Address bus, DB ... Data bus, 11 ... Interface circuit, 12
...Microcomputer, 13...Micro program memory, 14...Area management memory, 41
...Timing control circuit, 42...Video signal forming circuit, 131...Control program, 13
2... Refresh memory input/output program, 1
33...Area management memory input/output program, 13
4...Area management program.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Writing display data from an external device into a refresh memory, reading display data in the refresh memory and sending it to the external device, and according to the display data stored in the refresh memory. In a display control method for displaying a screen of characters, figures, etc. on a viewer, there is an area table in which area data specifying a display area corresponding to the viewer's screen is stored in association with an area number, and a plurality of area numbers are stored in an action number. An area management memory that stores area management data including an action table that is stored in association with an action table is placed in a circuit that connects the refresh memory and an external device, and reading and writing of display data is performed according to the specification of an action number. and run it,
Extract multiple area numbers specified by action numbers from the area management memory, extract area data belonging to each extracted area number from the area management memory,
A display control method characterized by specifying an area of a refresh memory corresponding to each extracted area data as a read/write area for display data. 2. A display control method according to claim 1, characterized in that area management data is written in an area management memory in advance.