JPH05143121A - Programming device for programmable controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify operator's key operation by automatically transmitting a step execution instruction from a step execution instruction sending means at a fixed time interval in accordance with specification from a mode specifying means. CONSTITUTION:When an operator depresses a step execution start key on a keyboard 50, a CPU 10 transmits a step execution instruction to a programmable controller through an interface 70 by a previously determined communication format. Then the CPU 10 receives the step number of a step completing execution in a sequence program and displays a program instruction corresponding to the step number by the format of a sequence circuit code. Then an inner timer for counting up time required up to the transmitting timing of the succeeding step execution instruction is set up. The CPU 10 waits the end of counting of the timer. Then the CPU 10 returns procedure to the initial stage in accordance with the counting-up of the timer to transmit the succeeding step execution instruction.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a programmable controller programming device for creating a sequence program executed by a programmable controller and for inputting operation instructions to the programmable controller.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a programming device of this type, there is known a programming device capable of executing information processing called a step execution function.

In this step execution function mode, a step execution command is transmitted from the programming device to the programmable controller according to an instruction from the operator, and the programmable controller receives the step execution command every time it receives the step execution command. Step unit) is sequentially executed. Then, the programmable controller responds to the programming device with the step number of the executed program instruction, and the programming device displays the program instruction corresponding to the step number.

Generally, the sequence program is S3 in FIG.
In many cases, the processing step of the program branches due to the condition determination processing such as the above. Therefore, this step execution function confirms that the processing step executed by the programmable controller branches correctly and also checks the sequence program for abnormalities (called debug). Do.

[0005]

However, in the conventional apparatus of this type, there has been a point to be improved in that the key operation by the operator when using the step execution function is complicated. More specifically, this key operation will be described. The operator performs an input operation of a mode key (or program command) for instructing execution of the step execution function. The first step of the sequence program is executed by the programmable controller, and the executed program command is displayed on the subsequent display screen. The operator looks at this program command and repeatedly presses a specific key.
By this pressing operation, the programming device transmits a step execution command to the programmable controller, and sequentially advances the processing steps executed by the programmable controller.

Therefore, the larger the number of steps in the sequence program, the larger the number of times the operator operates the specific key for instructing the processing step progress.

Therefore, in view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide a programmable controller which simplifies the key operation of the operator by eliminating the operation of the operator's specific key for instructing the progress of the processing steps. To provide a programming device of.

[0008]

In order to achieve such an object, a first invention executes a program instruction on a sequence program in a programmable controller each time a step execution instruction is received from a programming device, Next, in the programming device of the programmable controller having a step execution function of transmitting the step position of the program instruction of the execution to the programming device and causing the programming device to sequentially display the program command corresponding to the step position, A mode instructing means for instructing continuous execution of the execution function; and a step execution instruction transmitting means for automatically transmitting the step execution instruction to the programmable controller at fixed time intervals in accordance with the instruction of the mode instructing means. To And butterflies.

A second aspect of the invention is characterized in that, in addition to the first aspect of the invention, it further comprises time indicating means for instructing the step execution instruction transmitting means of the length of the predetermined time.

A third invention is characterized in that, in addition to the first invention, it further comprises interruption instruction means for instructing the step execution instruction transmission means to interrupt the transmission of the step execution instruction.

[0011]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the step execution command is automatically transmitted from the step execution command transmitting device at a constant time interval in response to the instruction from the mode instructing device. Therefore, in the programming device, the program instructions executed by the programmable controller are sequentially displayed, so that the operator does not need to instruct the movement of the processing step as in the conventional case.

According to the second aspect of the invention, by varying the fixed time of the step execution instruction, the display speed of the program instruction on the display screen is also variable, and the operator can select and set the display speed that is easy to see.

In the third aspect of the present invention, by interrupting the transmission of the step execution command, it is possible to temporarily suspend the processing of the step execution function itself at a desired step position or when necessary.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the basic construction of an embodiment of the present invention.

In the programming device of this embodiment, each time a step execution command is received from the programming device, the programmable controller executes the program command on the sequence program, and then the step position of the execution program command is determined by the programming device. Is a programming device of a programmable controller having a step execution function for sequentially displaying program instructions corresponding to the step position in response to the above-mentioned step.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1000 denotes a mode instructing means for instructing continuous execution of the step executing function.

Reference numeral 1100 denotes a step execution command transmitting means for automatically transmitting the step execution command to the programmable controller at a constant time interval in response to an instruction from the mode instructing means.

Reference numeral 1200 is a time instruction means for instructing the step execution instruction transmission means of the length of the fixed time.

Reference numeral 1300 is interruption instruction means for instructing the step execution instruction transmission means to interrupt the transmission of the step execution instruction.

FIG. 2 shows a connection state between a programming device to which the present invention is applied and a programmable controller.

The operator inputs a sequence program to be created for each program command from the keyboard 50, and creates and edits the sequence program on the display screen of the display device 60. The created sequence program is transmission line 1
It is transmitted to the programmable controller 200 via 50.

Further, the keyboard 50 is provided with a step execution start key and an interruption key according to the present invention,
Use these keys to start execution of the step execution function described later,
Instruct to suspend.

FIG. 3 shows a circuit configuration of the programming device 100 of FIG.

In FIG. 3, the programming device 100
Is a central processing unit (CPU) 10, system program memory 20, system work memory 30, user program memory 40, keyboard (input device) 5.
0, a display device 60, and an interface 70, and these components are connected to a common bus.

The CPU 10 is a system program memory 2
In accordance with various system programs stored in 0, sequence program creation processing and step execution functions related to the present invention are continuously activated.

The system work memory 30 is the CPU 10.
The data used for the information processing executed by is temporarily stored. As the data related to the present invention, the time indicating the transmission interval of the step execution command is stored in a numerical form.

The user program memory 40 stores the created sequence program and the same sequence program as that executed by the programmable controller.

The interface 70 transfers data exchanged between the CPU 10 and the programmable controller 200.

The step execution function executed in such a circuit configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The control procedure shown in FIG. 4 is stored in advance in the system program memory 20 in the form of a program language executable by the CPU 10. Also, the user program memory 40
It is assumed that the same sequence program as the sequence program executed by the programmable controller 200 is stored in.

Before executing the step execution function, the operator sets the transmission interval of the step execution command to the keyboard 50.
Enter the value from. The CPU 10 stores this numerical value in the system work memory 30. The keyboard 50 at this time operates as the time indicating means of the second invention.

Next, the operator presses the step execution start key (mode instructing means of the first invention) of the keyboard 20. When detecting the depression of this key, the CPU 10 executes the control procedure of FIG. 4 (from step S12).

That is, the CPU 10 transmits the step execution command to the programmable controller 200 via the interface 70 in a predetermined communication format (S12 in FIG. 4). Since this communication method can use the same communication method as the conventional one, detailed description thereof will be omitted. The CPU 10 and the interface 70 that perform this transmission process operate as the step execution command transmission means of the present invention.

Next, the CPU 10 receives from the programmable controller 200 the step number of the sequence program in which execution has been completed, and the program command corresponding to this step number is in the form of a sequence circuit symbol as shown in FIG. Similarly, display (step S1 in FIG. 4)
4).

Next, the CPU 10 sets an internal timer (not shown) for measuring the time until the timing of transmitting the next step execution command (step S1 in FIG. 4).
5). More specifically, the CPU 1 uses a numerical value that is stored in advance in the system work memory 30 and indicates the transmission interval time.
When the value is 0, this value is read out and set in the internal timer as the time count.

After this, the CPU 10 waits for the internal timer to finish counting (count up) (loop processing of step S16 in FIG. 4). Depending on the count up of the internal timer, C
PU10 confirms that the interruption key (the interruption instruction means of the third invention) is not pressed, and returns the procedure to step S12,
Send the next step execution command.

When the above-described processing procedure is repeatedly executed thereafter, the program display shown in FIG. 5 is sequentially displayed from the upper part of FIG. If it exceeds the display screen, the entire screen is scrolled upward in the figure, and the program command of the latest step is displayed at the bottom of the figure. The time interval for displaying the program command may be set in advance so that the operator can see the image comfortably, for example, by the transmission interval of the program command so that the operator looks like a slow motion.

When the operator operates the interrupt key, C
In response to the input of the suspend key, the PU 10 stores the fact that the suspend key has been input by flag information or the like. Then, in step S17 of FIG. 4, by referring to the flag information, when the CPU 10 detects the pressing of the interruption key, the control procedure of FIG. 4 ends. Further, when restarting the step execution key, the operator presses the step execution start key.

In addition to this embodiment, the following example can be realized.

1) In this embodiment, the start and interruption of the step execution function is instructed by a dedicated key operation, but the instruction can be made by inputting the command language as a character. In particular, by inputting the information indicating the range of step execution together with the step execution start command at the start of the step execution function, step execution in a desired range can be performed.

2) In the present embodiment, in the step execution function, only the program instruction for which the execution of the programmable controller is finished is displayed, but the step number and the operation result of the program instruction are added in association with the program instruction. Of course, it may be displayed.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the operator can see the step progress status of the sequence program on the display screen only by performing the key operation once, there is no need to perform the key operation for instructing the step progress as in the conventional case. In implementing the present invention, there is also an advantage that a conventional controller can be used on the programmable controller side.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a connection state between a programming device and a programmable controller in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a specific circuit configuration example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure executed by the CPU 10 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a display example of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a conventional sequence program.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 CPU 20 System Program Memory 30 System Work Memory 60 Display Device

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A programmable controller executes a program command on a sequence program every time it receives a step execution command from a programming device, and then transmits a step position of the program command of the execution to the programming device in response, In a programming device of a programmable controller having a step execution function for sequentially displaying program instructions corresponding to the step position in the programming device, a mode instruction means for instructing continuous execution of the step execution function, and a mode instruction means of the mode instruction means. A programming device for a programmable controller, comprising: step execution command transmitting means for automatically transmitting the step execution command to the programmable controller at fixed time intervals according to an instruction. 2. The programming device for a programmable controller according to claim 1, further comprising time instructing means for instructing the step execution instruction transmitting means of the length of the fixed time. 3. The programming device for a programmable controller according to claim 1, further comprising interruption instruction means for instructing the step execution instruction transmission means to interrupt the transmission of the step execution instruction.