JPH04252303A - Input/output signal code converting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable a worker to attain a connection wiring while handling only a signal name by performing the automatic conversion between the signal name end an address. CONSTITUTION:A signal name setting means 50 secures the correspondence between a signal name and an address, and a signal name/address conversion means 32 performs the mutual conversion between the signal name end the address. In such a constitution, the automatic conversion is carried out between the signal name that can be handled by the worker and the address that can be handled by a controller 12. Thus, the worker is not required perform the conversion between the signal name and the address in regard of the connection wiring secured between the controller 12 and a controlled system equipment 10.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a system for controlling a plurality of controlled devices using a control device such as a programmable controller (PC), and more particularly to an input/output signal code conversion device that facilitates handling by a user. .

0002

[Prior Art] Limit switches (LS), solenoid valves (
SOL) etc. are used. That is, in a processing machine, a predetermined operation is realized by giving commands to LS, SOL, etc., and conversely, the operating state is output to the outside.

[0003] A PC is usually used to control these devices such as LS and SOL. The input card and output card, which are the configuration modules of the PC, are connected to the LS, which is the device to be controlled.
, SOL, etc. That is, the PC takes in state information of a device to be controlled using an input card, and controls the device using an output card according to a predetermined program (sequence diagram) according to this information.

[0004] The input card and output card of the PC and the equipment to be controlled are wired and connected by communication lines. FIG. 9 shows an example of conventional wiring.

[0005] This figure shows control target devices 10 such as LS and SOL, and a PC 12 that controls them. Additionally, a communication line 14 is connected between the device 10 and the PC 12.
, a terminal block 16 and a communication line 18.

[0006] Generally, the device 10 and the PC 12 may be connected only by a communication line without intervening the terminal block 16. As shown in this conventional example, the terminal block 16
The use of LS, SOL, etc. is beneficial in terms of workability when manufacturing and moving equipment (for example, manufacturing equipment in factories, etc.) using LS, SOL, etc. For example, when trying to check whether the manufactured equipment has the wiring according to the specifications or whether the moved equipment has the same wiring as before the move, if there is only a communication line, the connection between the LS, SOL, etc. and the PC12 It is necessary to trace and confirm the communication line. Terminal block 16
The reason for using this is to omit or shorten such work.

[0007] As shown in the figure, an address is displayed on the terminal block 16. This address is information that specifies the device to be controlled (contact point) in the program (sequence diagram) of the PC 12. In the PC 12, the CPU 20
performs a given action. When creating a program, this program is created as a set of symbols called command words and signal names that specify devices to be controlled according to predetermined rules. A peripheral device inputting a program to the PC 12 or the PC 12 executes address assignment according to this program. One address is assigned to each device 10 within the program of the PC 12.

The reason why addresses are displayed on the terminal block 16 is that addresses are handled by the PC 12. In other words, signal names are given so that they can be read by humans, as described below, but the conventional P
In C12, this cannot be handled directly (with the exception of the PC described in Japanese Patent Application No. 2-74521, which will be described later), and addresses are directly handled. Equipment 10 and P
In order to confirm the connection with C12, check whether the device 10 is wired to correspond to the address on the terminal block 1.
You can check based on the display in 6. In addition, equipment 10, P
In order to wire easily and accurately between C12 and the terminal block 16, one or two mark tubes 22 are placed over the communication lines 14 and 18. Generally, an address is written on this mark tube 22 as well. Furthermore, the signal lines 14 and 18 are connected to the terminal block 16 using Y-shaped crimp terminals.

Incidentally, the equipment 10 is often referred to and handled by the above-mentioned signal name by the equipment designer, manufacturer, or user. Signal names are assigned, for example, according to the following rules.

First, if the device 10 is an LS, "LS"
In the case of SOL, the code "SOL" is used. Since there are usually multiple LSs and SOLs, a number is added after "LS" or "SOL" to distinguish them. For example, for the first LS, “LS1”
It is said that The code assigned in this manner is information that identifies the device 10 within the facility and is called a serial number.

[0011] As a rule for assigning signal names, it is conceivable to assign only this serial number, but in addition to this, a device code may also be used. In the explanation of this conventional example, a signal name based on "device code + serial number" will be considered.

The device code is information indicating which device each device 10 relates to. For example, if the corresponding device is a door, "T1", if it is a table, "T2", if it is a unit (in charge of processing, etc.), it is "11", and if it is a jig, it is "F".
1”, the signal name will be “T1LS”.
1” can be read by humans as the first LS of the door.

[0013] Therefore, signal names are more convenient than addresses as information to be handled by humans. Therefore, in addition to the electric circuit diagram shown in FIG. 9, for example, a hydraulic circuit diagram as shown in FIG. 10, a pneumatic circuit diagram as shown in FIG.
In equipment layout diagrams such as those shown in Figure 2, signals are displayed by signal name.

[0014]

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] In this way, in a system in which devices such as LS and SOL are controlled by a control device such as a PC, two types of information are used to identify the device to be controlled: signal name and address. It is used. Among these, although signal names are information that is easy for humans to handle, PCs cannot directly handle signal names using normal methods. As a result, a problem arises in that it is necessary to frequently convert signal names and addresses during work such as wiring and maintenance of equipment.

[0015] For example, in the case of maintenance, when abnormality discovery work is performed on the PC side, the information obtained is information based on addresses. When removing an abnormality, the operator must know which device this address corresponds to. Therefore, it is necessary to convert the address into a signal name that can be read by the operator. Although it is necessary to convert addresses and signal names in this way, this causes errors in error removal and the like, and it takes a long time.

By the way, the applicant of the present application has previously proposed a PC that can directly handle signal names (Japanese Patent Application No.
-74521). This PC has a function to automatically convert signal names into addresses. Therefore, for this PC,
Opportunities for users to handle addresses are reduced.

[0017] The present invention is based on the same idea as the PC related to the earlier application, and is intended to improve the connection between the controlled equipment and the control device. That is, the purpose of the present invention is to
Automatic conversion of signal names and addresses allows workers to perform wiring while handling only signal names.

[0018]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a signal name setting means for associating a signal name with an address, and mutual conversion between a signal name and an address by reference to the signal name setting means. and a signal name/address conversion means for automatically converting a signal name that can be handled by a user and an address that can be handled by a control device.

[0019]

[Operation] In the present invention, a controlled device specified by a signal name is handled by the control device by an address corresponding to the signal name. At this time, the signal name is converted into an address by the signal name/address conversion means by reference to the signal name setting means. Similarly, the reverse transformation is performed. Therefore, in connection wiring between a control device and a device to be controlled, the device of the present invention allows a worker to handle only signal names, eliminating the need to convert signal names and addresses.

[0020]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the same components as those of the conventional example shown in FIGS. 9 to 12 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an input/output signal code conversion device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, an input/output signal code conversion device 26 according to this embodiment is provided between the signal line 14 and the signal cable 24. That is, the device of this embodiment is provided at a position corresponding to the conventional terminal block 16 shown in FIG.

Input/output signal code conversion device 2 of this embodiment
6 is connected to a device 10 to be controlled such as LS or SOL via a signal line 14, and to a communication module (remote I/O) 26 of the PC 12 via a signal cable 24. The signal line 14 is covered with a mark tube 22 as in the conventional example, but in this embodiment, the signal name of the connected device 10 is written instead of the address. The signal cable 24 is the conventional signal line 18.
It corresponds to a bundle of .

In this embodiment, for example, when wiring,
The operator only needs to know the signal name of the device 10 to which wiring is to be connected. That is, the operator must mark the tube 22 on which the signal name of the device 10 is written on the signal line 14.
One end of the signal line 14 is connected to the device 10 corresponding to the signal name, and the other end is connected to the terminal 28 provided on the input/output signal code conversion device 26 by screwing a crimp terminal. The terminal 28 is connected to the input/output signal code conversion device 2.
6, a plurality of terminals 28 are provided, and each terminal 28 is associated with each device 10. The operator can, for example, enter the signal name “
One end of the signal line 14 connected to the device 10 represented by "T1LS1" may be connected to the terminal 28 associated with the signal name "T1LS1". For example, if the signal name "
If “T1LS1” corresponds one-to-one with the address “2000”, the input/output signal code conversion device 26 converts “T1L
The terminal 28 associated with "S1" is connected to the signal line corresponding to the address "2000" among the signal lines constituting the signal cable 24.

Such functions are realized by the signal name setting section 30 and the communication section 32, which are circuits that constitute the input/output signal code conversion device 26.

FIG. 2 shows a signal name setting unit 3 according to this embodiment.
0 configuration is shown.

The signal name setting section 30 shown in this figure includes rotary switches 34 and 36. The rotary switch 34 is a switch for setting equipment information, and the rotary switch 36 is a switch for setting equipment type.

For example, if the rotary switch 34 is set to "T1"
When the rotary switch 36 is set to “LS”, the input/output signal code conversion device 26 is connected to the door (“T”).
1"). At this time, for example, if you assign "1", "2", etc. to the terminals 28 in order from the top in FIG. The terminal 28 at the top is the signal name “T1L”.
The terminal 28 below it is associated with the signal name "T1LS2", and so on, and the signal name and the terminal 28 are associated with each other.

In this case, if each terminal 28 is connected to the constituent signal lines of the signal cable 24 in correspondence with an address, from the operator's perspective, it is the same as if the signal name was associated with an address. , and the address will not appear in the device table. This enables wiring work as described above.

Such an association, that is, an association between the terminal 28 and the address, is executed by the communication section 32. FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the communication section 32 in this embodiment.

The communication section 32 includes a communication control section 38 and a signal name conversion section 40. The communication control unit 38 is connected to the remote I/O 26 via the signal cable 24 and has a function of an interface related to communication. The communication control unit 38 can be configured using a conventionally known method. The signal name conversion unit 40 is a member that converts a signal name and an address.

That is, the signal name converter 40 refers to a signal name/address conversion table stored in its own internal or external memory and mutually converts the signal name and address. As shown in FIG. 4, the signal name address conversion table associates, for example, the signal name "T1LS1" with the address "2000", the signal name "T1LS2" with the address "2001", and so on. It associates signal names and addresses. Therefore, the information exchanged between the terminal 28 and the communication section 32 that are assigned to a predetermined signal name by the operation of the signal name setting section 30 described above is converted to each signal name and address by the signal name conversion section 40. The remote I/O 26 of the PC 12 is connected to the remote I/O 26 of the PC 12 via the signal line associated with the corresponding address among the signal lines of the signal cable 24.
It will be exchanged between.

As described above, in this embodiment, the signal name setting unit 30 assigns the terminal 28 to a signal name, and the signal name conversion unit 40 mutually converts the signal name and address using the signal name address conversion table. ,
It becomes possible to carry out wiring work related to manufacturing, maintenance, etc., without the operator having to handle any addresses or mutually converting addresses and signal names. Therefore,
Shorter working time and more accurate work are achieved.

Furthermore, the apparatus of this embodiment can be realized using simple means. As mentioned earlier, the communication control unit 38
For example, conventionally known techniques can be used, and conventional terminal blocks can be used. Furthermore, the assignment of the address itself is
This can be done on the C12 side. Furthermore, the signal name/address conversion table may be rewritable.

FIG. 5 shows the configuration of an input/output signal code conversion device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, particularly the signal name setting section 30 thereof. The overall configuration of this embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment, except that the signal name setting section 30 includes an external input/output circuit 42 and a name storage section 44 instead of rotary switches 34 and 36. .

That is, in this embodiment, the equipment information and equipment type are sent to the name storage unit 44 via the external input/output circuit 42 from the peripheral device, for example, the setting device 46 that outputs equipment information and equipment type information. is memorized. Even in this case, the terminal 28 can be assigned to a predetermined signal name, and the same operation as in the first embodiment is possible.

In these first and second embodiments, the signal name conversion section 40 is provided inside the communication section 32. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. That is, the signal name conversion section 40 may be provided outside the communication section 32, or may be further provided within the remote I/O 26 of the PC 12. In this case, the PC 12
It assumes a part of the function of the input/output signal code conversion device, and the information transmitted along with the status information of the device 10 through the signal cable 24 is a signal name instead of an address.

FIG. 6 shows the configuration of an input/output signal code conversion device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in this figure, the input/output signal code conversion device according to this embodiment is built into the device 10 to be controlled as a signal name setting section 30 and a communication section 32.

In this embodiment, the signal name setting section 30
has a configuration as shown in FIG. That is, in addition to the configuration shown in FIG. 2, a rotary switch 46 for device number setting is further provided. This is based on the fact that in this embodiment, the device 10 and the input/output signal code conversion device have a one-to-one correspondence. For example, the rotary switches 34, 36 and 46 are set to "T1", respectively.
“LS”, “2” is set, the device 10 is “
It was named ``T1LS2''.

In this embodiment as well, the same effects as in the first embodiment described above can be obtained. In this embodiment, there is no need for a wiring connection corresponding to the terminal 28, which further simplifies the work. In addition, the signal name setting section 3
0 may have the same configuration as the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 shows the configuration of an input/output signal code conversion device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is an embodiment configured integrally with the PC 12. In other words, the patent application No. 2-745 related to the applicant's earlier proposal
This configuration uses a No. 21 PC.

[0041] That is, the PC 12 according to this embodiment:
It includes a control information storage means 48 and a control processing means 50. The control information storage means 48 is a memory that stores programs related to the operation of the PC, and its storage areas include a command word storage section 100, an input/output address storage section 102, and a signal name storage section 104 according to the stored contents. It is divided into The control processing means 50 is a component such as a CPU 20 that is connected to a remote I/O 26 (not shown), and has a built-in signal name information interpretation section 52 that is a feature of the present invention.

The signal name information interpreter 52 is a circuit that interprets information sent and received in the form of signal names to and from the device 10, and converts it into an address. This conversion is performed in the input/output address storage unit 1
02 and the signal name storage unit 104. That is, the contents of the input/output address storage section 102 and the contents of the signal name storage section 104 are correlated with each other in the same manner as the signal name⇔address conversion table shown in FIG. Names and addresses can be converted to and from each other.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, the same effects as those of the previously described embodiments can be obtained. In addition, since only signal names are handled from the device 10 side up to the remote I/O 26 of the PC 12, the effects of easier and more accurate work become more pronounced. Note that conversion between signal names and addresses may be done directly or indirectly. That is, the signal name may be converted into information equivalent to the address itself, although it is not the address itself.

[0044]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention,
Since signal names and addresses are associated and automatically converted, there is no need to convert signal names and addresses.
It becomes possible to perform work such as wiring and maintenance more quickly and accurately.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an input/output signal code conversion device according to first and second embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a signal name setting section in the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of a communication section in first and third embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the contents of a signal name⇔address conversion table.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of a signal name setting section in a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an input/output signal code conversion device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of a signal name setting section in a third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an input/output signal code conversion device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration around a terminal block according to a conventional example.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a hydraulic circuit.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of an air pressure circuit.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of equipment arrangement.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Controlled equipment 12 Programmable controller (PC) 26
Input/output signal code conversion device 30 Communication section 32 Signal name setting section 34, 36, 46 Rotary switch 38 Communication control section 40 Signal name conversion section 42 External input/output circuit 44 Name storage section 48 Control information storage means 50 Information processing means 52 Signal name information interpretation section 102 input/output address storage section 104 signal name storage section

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Signal name setting means for associating a visually identifiable signal name given to each controlled device with an address that is information that specifies the controlled device to be handled and controlled by a control device such as a programmable controller; A signal name/address conversion means for mutually converting a signal name and an address by reference to the signal name setting means, and is capable of automatically converting a signal name that can be handled by a user and an address that can be handled by a control device. Characteristic input/output signal code conversion device.