JPH03252718A - Method and device for identification of input position and plant monitoring controller using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accurately identify a position in accordance with the intention of an operator by detecting specific positions at plural times, comparing the condition of an indicated position with that of the positions at the plural times set in advance, and identifying the position satisfying the condition as an input position. CONSTITUTION:An operation is performed by touching the screen of a CRT 2 displaying a virtual control panel and operating a touch screen 1 provided at the front of the screen, and the position touched on the touch screen 1 is fetched in a position identification device 5 as coordinates. The position identification device 5 identifies position coordinates on the screen in accordance with the intention of the operator by fetching coordinate data inputted from the touch screen 1 after starting touch sequentially with a constant cycle, storing it, and comparing it with the condition set in advance. Identified position coordinates are inputted to a plant monitoring controller 3, and the control of a plant 4 is performed based on them. Thereby, input in accordance with the intention of the operator can be performed.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a method for identifying a position selected by an operator on one display surface in a display surface instruction input device such as a touch screen provided on the screen. and related to equipment.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, control operations for plants and the like have been performed by an operator selecting and operating push-button switches and the like on an operation panel attached to a control device. This type of control panel has all the push-button switches necessary for operation, so it has the advantage of being able to be operated quickly.However, control systems that are controlled using computers are becoming larger and more complex. The number of push-button switches has also increased accordingly. As a result, operability deteriorates and the burden on the operator increases. Furthermore, the operation panel itself becomes larger due to the increase in the number of push-button switches.

Therefore, in order to eliminate these problems, in recent years CR
Control panels using T-displays and touch screens began to be used. This displays a virtual operation panel on a CRT screen, and allows input operations to be performed by touching a touch screen placed in front of the screen with a finger or the like. Since all operation panels necessary for control can be displayed sequentially as needed, it is possible to avoid increasing the size of the operation panel while maintaining the same functions as conventional operation panels.

One method for realizing this touch screen is a light sensor that uses infrared rays. This system has a configuration in which infrared beams are emitted from LEDs arranged horizontally and vertically in a CRT screen frame, and the infrared beams are received by phototransistors arranged in a frame opposite to the LEDs. While the phototransistor that receives the infrared beam is receiving the infrared beam from the corresponding LED, it is assumed that no operation is being performed. Therefore, no signal is output to a control device or the like. However, if the infrared beam is blocked by an operator's finger or the like, a signal is output to a control device or the like in response. At this time, the location of the touch on the touch screen can be determined by determining which phototransistor's light reception is blocked. That is, it is possible to specify on the screen which switch has been operated, and thereby it is possible to perform the same function as a push button type switch.

In addition, pressure-sensitive touch screens have been proposed in which pressure-sensitive elements are arranged on the screen and the position of a finger touched is detected by the pressure change caused by touching these elements (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-205722 , Japanese Patent Publication No. 6
0-54018).

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a conventional plant control system using a touch screen.

In FIG. 2, when the operator touches the touch screen 1, the position coordinates at the moment of touch are output to the plant monitoring and control device 3. Based on the position coordinates from the touch screen 1, the plant monitoring and control device 3
Performs predetermined operations and controls the plant.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

Conventional touch screens use position detection to detect the moment when the screen is touched with a finger (hereinafter referred to as "finger").
We wanted to determine the position on the screen to be detected based on the position of the finger at the moment the finger is removed from the touch screen (hereinafter referred to as the "untouch time").

For this reason, in a method in which position detection is performed upon touch, the operation position is determined only by the first touch. Therefore, if you first touch an undesired position and then move your finger to change the touch position, a position different from the one intended by the operator will be specified, and the desired control will not be possible. It turns out. The same applies to a method in which position detection is performed only when there is no touch.

Furthermore, although this is particularly noticeable in optical sensor type touch screens, even if the position is the operator's intended position until just before the touch screen is released, the position may change when the operator removes his/her finger from the touch screen. For example, if you pull your finger out at an angle to the screen, you'll block other unintended infrared beams in the process. For this reason, the input is not performed at the position intended by the operator, and as a result, there is a risk that malfunctions may occur in plant control. Alternatively, in order to perform correct plant control, input must be made again, which is a complication. This phenomenon is noticeable when the CRT screen is curved, but even if it is not, generally making the direction in which the finger is pulled out perpendicular to the screen will significantly impede operator operability. Become.

The above-mentioned conventional technology does not take these points into consideration, and there is room for improvement in realizing a touch screen with good operability and less erroneous operation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a touch screen position identification method and a touch screen position identification method that enable easy-to-operate screen instruction input, for example, even if the operator performs somewhat random touch operations, the operator can accurately identify the intended position. The goal is to provide equipment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for identifying a position by inputting instructions on a screen with fewer erroneous input operations.

[Means to solve the problem]

Taking a touch screen as an example of the characteristics of the method of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, positions specified at multiple points on the display screen are detected, and the identified positions and positions at multiple points set in advance are detected. , and a position that satisfies the condition is identified as an input position.

Taking a touch screen device as an example, the features of the device of the present invention are as follows: In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, there is a means for detecting positions specified at multiple points in time on one display surface, and a means for detecting positions specified at multiple points in time on one display screen, The apparatus includes identification means that compares conditions regarding positions at a plurality of points in time and identifies a position that satisfies the conditions as an input position.

Taking a plant control device as an example, in order to achieve the above purpose, for a predetermined location to be specified on the display screen, a plurality of first position coordinates having different input positions are determined in advance. a coordinate determining means for calculating a single second position coordinate from the plurality of first position coordinates based on a standard; The present invention includes plant monitoring and control means for monitoring or controlling the plant.

[Effect]

According to the method and apparatus of the present invention, input from a touch screen is not based on a single point in time when a touch or an untouch is made, but on multiple points in time, such as information on whether or not a touch has been made continuously for a predetermined period of time. Therefore, even if there is a change in the touch position after the first touch on the screen, or if there is an undesired touch due to the direction in which the finger is pulled out when not touching, etc., the input position will not be changed. It becomes possible to make accurate judgments and perform inputs intended by the operator.

Further, according to the plant monitoring/control device using the present invention, a single second position is determined based on a predetermined standard from a plurality of first position coordinates inputted on the display screen. Since the coordinates are determined by calculation and the plant is monitored and controlled for the target specified from the coordinates, monitoring and control as intended by the operator is possible.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram when the present invention is applied to plant control using a touch screen device as an input device.

In FIG. 1, a plant monitoring and control device 3 receives plant status signals from each measuring device installed in a plant 4, stores them, and records the plant status in CR.
In order to display it on the screen of T2, the captured plant status signal is processed and edited and outputted to CRT2 as a screen output signal. The screen that displays the plant status is one that displays, for example, temperature, pressure, flow rate, etc. in the form of a graph. The CRT 2 also displays a virtual operation panel that simulates an operation panel as a display screen for plant control.

FIG. 3 shows an example of these display screens.

In Figure 3, the system diagram showing the configuration of each device is 3A, the graph showing the process state quantities and upper and lower limit values of each device is 3B, and the switches for operating each device are 3C.
is displayed.

The operator determines the target to be controlled and the amount to be controlled from the plant status display screen, and executes appropriate operations.

The operation is performed by touching the screen of the CRT 2 that displays a virtual operation panel, thereby activating the touch screen 1 provided at the front of the screen. The position touched by the touch screen 1 is taken into the position identification device 5 as coordinates.

The position identification device 5 sequentially captures and stores coordinate data input from the touch screen 1 at a constant cycle from the start of a touch. Furthermore, by comparing with preset conditions, the position coordinates on the screen intended by the operator are identified. The identified position coordinates are output to the plant monitoring and control device 3, and the plant 4 is controlled based thereon.

FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the position identification device 5.

The position capture unit 51 captures the operation position on the touch screen 1 while monitoring whether there is a touch or an untouch. When a touch is made, it starts capturing the position as coordinate data on the screen. When an untouch is detected, the capture of one position is finished and position identification is started.

The condition setting unit 52 is a memory that can set and store conditions for specifying the position touched by the operator.

Hereinafter, the function of the position determining section 53 will be explained using FIG. 5. In FIG. 6, signals related to each part shown in FIG. 5 are shown as time chart 1.

When a touch is made on the touch screen, the touch/untouch detection signal in the position capture unit 51 becomes a touch signal. At this point, for example, the position coordinates at time t are outputted to the position determining section 53 as coordinate data Pi■.

The memory 531 holds coordinate data P at time t. For example, if t=2, P t ” P x= (
5,5). The memory 532 holds the coordinate data P t,j that was loaded into the memory 531 last time.

Similarly, Pt, , z=Pt=(5,5).

The coordinate change comparison unit 533 uses the coordinate data P that has been imported this time.
1 and the previously captured coordinate data Ptl.

When the comparison is completed, the coordinate data P held in the memory 531
1 is transferred to memory 532.

The coordinate data P, and P L,j are compared, and if the coordinate data do not differ, it means that the position of the operator's finger on the screen has not changed. Therefore, the coordinate change comparison section 533 outputs the count signal ■ to the counter 534.

Conversely, if the coordinate data is different, this means that the position of the operator's finger on the screen has changed. At this time, the coordinate change comparison section 533 sends the counter reset signal ■ to the counter 5.
Output to 34.

The counter 534 receives the count signal ■ from the coordinate change comparison section 533 and counts the coordinates at that time.

That is, 1 is added to the coordinate count number c (p,). When t=2, C(P2)=2. (pt)
indicates how many pieces of imported coordinate data remain unchanged. If the coordinate data is taken in at a constant cycle, the time during which the coordinate data did not change can be obtained by multiplying the cycle by C(P,).

Conversely, when the counter reset signal is output from the coordinate change comparison section 533, the count number C (Pe3) held up to that point is made zero. For example, in Figure 6, t=
This is the case of 64. And new coordinate data PB4=
Since we count (10, 10), C(Pe4)
becomes 1.

The count determination section 535 compares the count number c(p,)■ counted by the counting section 534 and the set value N set in the condition setting section 52.

Here, the set value N is determined from the relationship between the capture period of the coordinates of the touch position and the set time set based on the condition that the touch position does not change for a certain period of time. For example, if the acquisition cycle is 5Qmsec and the valid coordinates are coordinates where the touch position does not change for more than 3 seconds, the set value N is 60
And it is sufficient.

If the count number c(p,) is equal to or greater than the set value N, the counter output signal ■ is outputted, the coordinate data Pt at that time is stored in the memory buffer 536, and the next coordinate data is taken in. For example, at t=60, C (Pea)=60. Here, since C (CP t) is greater than or equal to the set value N of 60, the counter output signal ■ is output. and,
The coordinate data Peo=(5,5) at this time is held in the storage buffer 536.

Conversely, when the count number C (Pυ is less than the set value N, the counter output signal ■ is not output and the next coordinate data P, +
Take in 1.

Then, when the position capture unit 51 detects an untouch, the position capture ends. At this time, memory buffer 5
The coordinate data P stored in 36 is output to the plant control device 3. In Figure 6, t=1
When the touch/untouch detection signal ■ changes from touch to non-touch at time 30, the count number c (pt) becomes zero. The coordinate data stored in the storage buffer 536 at this time is Pzso = (10, 10).

Based on the untouch signal, the position import unit 51 outputs a plant control signal to the storage buffer 536, and the storage buffer 536 stores the coordinate data P as the plant control data.
zgo, = (10,10) to the plant monitoring control device 3
Output to.

According to this embodiment, the input position by the operator is that the operator's finger is at the same position on the touch screen for a predetermined period of time or more, and the input position on the screen can be the most recent input position. This is based on the condition for determining the position that the touch position has not changed for a certain period of time. To this end, in the above embodiment, the time during which the touch position does not change is measured. Instead, a method may be considered in which the number of times each coordinate point is captured as coordinate data within a predetermined time is counted, and the coordinate with the largest number of counts is identified as the input position.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment in this case.

In this embodiment, a position storage section 54 is provided between the position acquisition section 51 and the position determination section 53 of the embodiment shown in FIG. The position storage unit 54 includes a position capture memory 541 and a position coordinate count table 542.

The position capture memory 541 is a readable and writable memory that sequentially stores the coordinate data captured by the position capture unit 51. When the amount of data exceeds the storage capacity, the initially captured coordinate data is deleted and shifted to update with new data. The position coordinate count table unit 542 is a memory that counts the number of the same coordinate data stored in the position capture memory 541 from the time of touch to the time of untouch, and stores and holds the coordinate data and the count number. . The count is
The process may be performed for the entire period from the time of touch to the time of non-touch, or may be performed for a predetermined time in the past starting from the time of non-touch.

From the results of the position coordinate count table section 542, the position determination section 53 selects the coordinate data with the largest number of counts. For example, the counts C1 and 62 are compared, the larger one is compared with the next 08, and so on until Cn, and the coordinate data that remains at the end becomes the coordinate data that satisfies the conditions. The condition in this case is to select the one with the maximum count for each coordinate captured within a predetermined period.

In this example, the coordinates containing the maximum count number of each coordinate are specified, but in addition to this, deviation values, average values, etc. may be used as conditions for specifying position coordinates. It is possible.

In the above embodiment, the entire position history of the operator's finger from the time the operator's finger touches the touch screen to the time when the finger leaves the touch screen is captured. The capture of coordinate data may be terminated when a certain period of time to has elapsed since the touch.

Here, the fixed time to is determined by a timer or
By taking advantage of the fact that coordinate data is captured at regular intervals, the number of captures can be counted and measured.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the touch position identification target is
Although it was a single coordinate! ! ! It is also possible to consider another target as the area. Here, the area refers to the entire switch, for example, if one switch is displayed with a certain area on a control panel on the screen. In terms of coordinates, it is a set of coordinates included in the switch area 1. Figure 8 (A)
2 shows an embodiment in which the operator's operation target is identified by region. An area setting section 6 is provided between the position capturing section 51 and the position determining section 53 in the embodiment shown in FIG. The position coordinate corresponding area memory 61 stores coordinate ranges corresponding to areas representing switches As, A2, etc. as shown in FIG. 8(B), and identification symbols assigned to each area to identify each area. I remember. The identification symbol is given by a number, for example, as shown in FIG. 8(C). The significant coordinate determining unit 62 determines whether the coordinate data imported from the position importing unit 51 are coordinates included in the position coordinate corresponding area memory 61. If the imported coordinate data is included in the area, as the significant coordinate,
It is output to the area identification symbol converter 63. If it is not included, the next coordinate data is imported. The area identification symbol conversion unit 63 converts the coordinate data, which has become a significant coordinate, into an identification symbol indicating the corresponding area.

By doing so, it is possible to select whether or not the captured coordinate data corresponds to an operation target such as a switch, and to identify the touch position only for the relevant significant coordinates. Therefore, the storage capacity of the memory for storing position data can be small, and the processing speed for position identification can be increased. Further, for the operator, there is an effect that it becomes easier to input instructions on the screen.

In the above explanation, the position on the touch screen where the operator's finger has been touching the same position for a long time is identified.

Next, a method for identifying a position as a valid coordinate when a combination of touch and untouch by the operator occurs a certain number of times at the same position will be described with reference to FIG. This normally identifies the position as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, but if touch/untouch continues a certain number of times in a short period of time, the coordinate data at that time is preferentially output to the plant monitoring and control device 3. It is something to do.

In FIG. 9, the counter 82 is
The number of touches is detected by combining touch and untouch, and this number is counted. Here, touch/untouch refers to a combination of touch/untouch when untouch is detected within a certain period of time set in the post-touch 1 condition setting section 81. In order to identify that there is a touch/untouch within a certain period of time, the condition setting unit 81
This is to set the time from touch to untouch and the number of times touch and untouch are repeated. The count comparison unit 83 compares the touch-untouch count number with a condition setting value to see if it satisfies the condition.

By doing this, when an operator detects a characteristic finger movement that does not meet the set conditions while operating the touch screen, the position at that time can be prioritized as the position where the operator was attempting to input. .

Next, another method of identifying a characteristic touch set in advance during input and specifying a touch position will be described. Since the switches and the like on the operation panel are represented by a fixed area on the screen, in this embodiment, when the operator performs input using his or her fingers, the operator moves his or her finger in a specific shape that includes the area. promise. For example, input to draw a circle or a triangle. This allows the position to be identified only when a specific shape is input. FIG. 10 shows an embodiment in this case.

A touch/untouch of an operator's finger on the touch screen 1 is detected by a position capture unit 51, and coordinate data is captured.

The shape identification method is to import coordinate data from the position import unit 52 and compare it with a preset shape to identify the shape of the trajectory of the operator's finger or the like.

First, the captured coordinate data is stored in the memory 91. The memory 91 has a storage capacity that can store all position coordinates on the touch screen.

It remembers whether there is a finger touch or not. Cutout section 92
extracts from the memory 91 an area including the coordinates where the finger has touched. This area is, for example, the rightmost X coordinate (xb
) or the straight line x=xb and X=Xd parallel to the Y axis passing through the leftmost X coordinate (X d ) and the topmost Y coordinate (Ya)
Or a straight line Y parallel to the Y axis passing through the Y coordinate (Yc) of the lowest end
This is an area surrounded by =:Ya and Y=Yc. The shape condition setting unit 93 is a memory that stores basic shapes for identifying finger trajectories. The basic shape is, for example, a circle or a triangle. The dimension conversion unit 94 enlarges or reduces the basic shape stored in the shape condition setting unit 93 to the size of the area cut out by the cutting unit 92, and stores it. The shape identification section 95 compares the captured shape held in the cutout section 92 and the basic shape held in the dimension conversion section 94, and calculates a correlation rate. The comparison method is to determine whether the coordinate data storing the imported shape and the coordinate data storing the basic shape match or not, and to count the number of matching coordinate data. Then, the total number of coordinate data holding the basic shape is counted. The ratio of the number of matching coordinate data to the total number of coordinate data of the captured shape is calculated as the correlation rate. If this correlation rate is larger than the standard value ST set in advance in the correlation rate setting section 96, it is determined that the touched trajectory is valid. If it is a valid shape, all the coordinate data at that time is output to the region setting section 6 in FIG. 8 and converted into an identification symbol corresponding to the region.

The most common identification symbol among the converted identification symbols is identified as the input position intended by the operator. If it is determined to be invalid, each memory is cleared and the system waits until the next operator's input operation.

According to this embodiment, the finger trajectory is not input unless it is identified as having a specific shape. Therefore, even if the operator touches the screen carelessly, malfunctions in plant control can be prevented.

Further, in this embodiment, position identification is normally performed as shown in FIG. 1, and if the trajectory of the operator's finger takes on a specific shape, the touch position of the finger at that time is preferentially identified as the input position. It is also possible.

Note that although this embodiment shows a touch using a finger, it is also possible to specify the position using something other than a finger.

For example, in the case of a touch screen with a single optical sensor, it is sufficient to use a rod-shaped screen having a diameter and material that can block infrared beams in order to detect one coordinate.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, when inputting instructions on a display screen using a touch screen or the like, information regarding positions specified by an operator's finger or the like at multiple points in time is captured, and information regarding the specified positions and conditions set in advance are input. Since the position that satisfies this condition is identified as the input position, even if the operator performs some random operations from the time of touch to the time of release, the exact position intended by the operator can be identified. Control can be performed reliably.

Further, there is an advantage that the operator can input instructions on the display screen with improved operability.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional example, Fig. 3 is an embodiment of a display screen, Fig. 4 is a block diagram of a position identification device, and Fig. 5 6 is a functional block diagram of the position determining section, FIG. 6 is a time chart for explaining the operation of the position determining section, FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a position identification device according to another embodiment, and FIG. 8 is related to the area setting section. FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention including a touch-untouch identification section, and FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention including a shape discrimination device. 1...Touch screen, 6...Area setting section, 8.
...Touch-untouch identification unit, 9...Shape identification device,
51 Position import unit, 52 Condition setting unit, 53... position coordinate diagram Plant monitoring and control device 3 Figure 8 (A) Touch screen 1 Positioning unit 53 Figure 4 (B) 39 Page effective coordinate area identification symbol 2<X<10.12<Y<20 I

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a position identification method in which position information on a display screen is input by pointing a part of the display screen from the outside, the specified position at multiple points in time is detected. An input position identification method, characterized in that the instructed position is compared with a preset condition regarding the position at a plurality of points in time, and a position according to the instruction that satisfies the condition is identified as the input position. 2. In a position identification method in which a part of the display surface is designated from the outside, the designated position is detected, and the designated position is used as an input signal. An input position identification method characterized by emitting one of the above-mentioned input signals. 3. The input position identification method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of points in time refers to a plurality of consecutive points in time. 4. An input position identification method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of points in time refers to a plurality of discontinuous points in time. 5. The input position identification method according to claim 1, wherein the step of specifying a part of the display surface from the outside is to specify a position on the touch screen using a touch screen. 6. Detect the position where a touch was made on the touch screen and the duration of the touch, compare the information about the touch with a preset time condition, and check if the condition is met. An input position identification method characterized by identifying a touch position as an input position. 7. Detecting the position of touch/untouch and the number of times of touch/untouch on the touch screen;
An input position identification method comprising: comparing the number of touch/untouch operations with a preset condition regarding the number of times, and identifying a touch/untouch position that satisfies the condition as an input position. 8. Detect the touched position and the trajectory of the touch on the touch screen, compare the trajectory of the touched position with a preset trajectory condition, and make sure the condition is met. An input position identification method characterized by identifying a position where a touch is made as an input position. 9. The input position identification method according to claim 5, 6, 7, or 8, characterized in that the position where the touch is performed on the touch screen is taken as the coordinates on the touch screen. 10. The input position identification method according to claim 5, 6, 7, or 8, characterized in that the position where the touch is performed on the touch screen is defined as an area that is a set of a plurality of coordinates on the touch screen. 11. Claims 5 and 6, characterized in that the detection of the position where the touch is performed starts from the time when the touch is started.
8. The input position identification method according to 7 or 8. 12. The input position identification method according to claim 5, 6, 7 or 8, wherein the position where the touch is performed is detected from the time when the touch is started until the time when the touch is finished. 13. The input position identification method according to claim 5, 6, 7 or 8, wherein the position where the touch is performed is detected until a predetermined period of time has elapsed from when the touch was started. 14. The input position identification method according to claim 1, characterized in that the input position is specified based on a predetermined priority order from among the plurality of positions where touches that satisfy the condition have been made. 15. Claim 1, wherein the predetermined priority order identifies the position where the touch is performed first as the input position.
4. The input position identification method described in 4. 16. Claim 1, wherein the predetermined priority order identifies the position where the most recent touch was performed as the input position.
4. The input position identification method described in 4. 17. The input position identification method according to claim 6, characterized in that a position where a touch is performed is detected for a predetermined period of time, and a position where the duration of the touch is a maximum time is identified as the input position. Location identification method. 18. The input position identification method according to claim 6, wherein the condition regarding the preset time is such that the position where the touch is performed remains unchanged for a predetermined period of time. 19. In identifying that the position where the touch was made has not changed for a predetermined period of time, comparing the position where the touch was most recently made and the position where the touch was made immediately before,
7. The input position identification method according to claim 6, further comprising identifying a position that has not changed for a predetermined period of time as an input position. 20. In a position identification device that specifies an input position on a display surface by specifying a part of the display surface from the outside, a means for detecting the specified position at a plurality of points in time; An input position identification device characterized by having means for comparing information about a designated position with conditions regarding positions at a plurality of preset points in time, and identifying a position that satisfies the conditions as an input position. 21. Means for inputting position information on the display screen by specifying a part of the display screen from the outside, and inputting information regarding a preset position from the specified position information at multiple points in time. 1. A plant monitoring and control device comprising: means for specifying based on conditions; and plant monitoring/control means for controlling or monitoring a plant with respect to a target specified based on the specified position information. 22. In order to specify a part of the display surface from the outside on the display surface, it has a means for specifying a single position coordinate based on preset position conditions from the position coordinates specified at a plurality of points in time. and outputs the identified single position coordinates. 23. Input a plurality of first position coordinates at different positions on the display screen for a predetermined location to be designated on the display screen, and calculate the plurality of first position coordinates based on a predetermined standard. a coordinate determining means for calculating a single second position coordinate from the coordinates; and a plant monitoring/control means for taking in the second position coordinate and monitoring or controlling the plant with respect to a target specified from the coordinate. A plant monitoring and control device characterized by having: