JPH06334239A - Timing controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To conduct appropriate maintenance quickly by specifying an abnormal object quickly upon occurrence of abnormality in discharge timing. CONSTITUTION:The laser timing controller 10 controls the discharge timing of laser output units 1 arranged in series multistage to amplify the laser light sequentially thus outputting laser light of predetermined level from the final stage laser output unit. The timing controller 10 comprises a first means for measuring the generating time of timing pulse for exciting the laser output unit and deciding abnormality in the timing controller based on the duration of the generating time, and a second means for deciding abnormality in the laser output unit based on the duration of discharge pulse generating time of the laser output unit upon decision of abnormality in the timing controller.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a timing control device used in a high-power laser device or the like in which a plurality of laser output devices are arranged in multiple stages in series and a laser beam of a predetermined level is output from the laser output device in the final stage. In particular, the present invention relates to a timing control device provided with a technique for rapidly determining an abnormal target when the discharge timing of a laser output device is deviated.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a plurality of laser output devices are arranged in multiple stages in series, and a laser beam from a preceding laser output device is provided to each laser output device while sequentially providing a timing pulse for excitation at a required time interval. A timing control device as shown in FIG. 5 is provided for amplifying and outputting.

This timing control device is a discharge pulse (laser light) output from each laser output device 1 ,.
Of the electric discharge generation timing of, and converts it into a numerical value (measurement amount) proportional to the measured time, the time measuring circuit 2 having channels corresponding to the number of laser output devices, and the measured value from this time measuring circuit 2. Each laser output device 1, considering the performance of the laser output device and past experience in advance.
.. and a target value determined for each of them, and outputs an operation set value such that the deviation for each channel becomes zero, and an excitation timing according to the operation set value from the control circuit 3. And a delay pulse generating circuit 4 for outputting a pumping timing pulse (manipulation amount) while shifting the laser pulse. The laser output device 1 is sequentially pumped using the pumping timing pulse of the delay pulse generating circuit 4. .

Therefore, in the timing control device having the above-mentioned structure, the time measuring circuit 2 clocks the time based on the start command from the control circuit 3, whereby the discharge pulse from each laser output device 1 ,. Is measured, converted to a measured value as a numerical value proportional to the measured time, and output.

Here, the control circuit 3 calculates the difference between the measured value of the time measuring circuit 2 and the target value as shown in FIG. 6 (ST1), and then determines whether or not the difference exceeds a predetermined allowable value. It is judged (ST2), and if the difference exceeds the allowable value, an alarm is output to notify the control abnormality (ST.
3). On the other hand, when the difference does not exceed the allowable value, or after the control abnormality is notified in ST3, the operation set value is corrected to make the difference zero, and the operation amount is changed while shifting the timing according to the operation set value. It outputs a certain excitation timing pulse to excite the corresponding laser output device 1.

[0006]

However, in the above timing control device, when the deviation between the measured amount and the target value exceeds the allowable value, a control abnormality is notified by an alarm. It is not possible to properly identify whether it is a control device or a laser output device,
There is also a problem in terms of maintenance.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and when an abnormality occurs in the discharge timing, it is appropriately estimated whether the abnormality target is the timing control device or the laser output device, and it is prompt. It is an object of the present invention to provide a timing control device capable of taking necessary measures.

[0008]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention corresponding to claim 1 has a structure in which laser output devices are arranged in multiple stages in series, and the discharge timing of these laser output devices is fixedly controlled to sequentially output laser light. In a timing control device for amplifying and outputting, and outputting a laser beam of a predetermined level from the laser output device at the final stage, the generation time of the excitation timing pulse to the laser output device is measured, and from the length of this generation time, First abnormality determining means for determining whether or not there is an abnormality in the timing control device, and from the length of the generation time of the discharge pulse of the laser output device when the first abnormality determination means determines that the timing control device is not abnormal It is a timing control device provided with a second abnormality determination means for determining whether or not there is an abnormality in the laser output device.

[0009]

Therefore, according to the invention corresponding to claim 1, by taking the above-mentioned means, the generation time of the timing pulse for exciting the laser output device is monitored, and the measured value and the set value which become the generation time. If the difference exceeds a predetermined allowable value, it is determined that the timing control device itself is abnormal and an abnormal alarm is output.If the difference does not exceed the allowable value, the measured value for discharge pulse and the standard value If the difference exceeds a predetermined allowable value, it is determined that the laser output device is abnormal and an abnormality alarm is output. Therefore, the abnormality target can be easily specified and appropriate maintenance can be performed.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. In the figure, the same parts as those in FIG. 4 are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. Further, the device of the present invention sequentially excites laser output devices arranged in multiple stages in series with a predetermined time delay, but here, for convenience of explanation, one laser output device will be described.

In the figure, reference numeral 10 is a timing controller, which, for example, excites each laser output device 1, ... At desired timing to amplify and output the laser light sent from the preceding laser output device, It has a function of outputting a laser beam of a predetermined level from a final stage laser output device (not shown).

The timing control device 10 specifically measures the generation timing time of a discharge pulse output from the laser output device 1 and a numerical value proportional to the measurement time (hereinafter referred to as a discharge pulse measurement value). Discharge pulse time measurement circuit 11 for converting into a pulse pulse, and monitor pulse time measurement for monitoring the generation timing time of the excitation timing pulse and converting into a value proportional to the monitor time (hereinafter referred to as monitor pulse measurement value) A circuit 12 is further provided, and a control circuit 13 that receives the measured values of the both-time measuring circuits 11 and 12 and executes a predetermined process based on predetermined program data is provided. The time measuring circuit 11,
12 has channels corresponding to the number of laser output devices 1.

The control circuit 13 compares the measured values for the discharge pulse and the measured values for the monitor pulse with different predetermined values, and determines whether the timing control device 10 is abnormal according to the magnitude of the deviation. Alternatively, it is determined whether or not the laser output device 1 is in an abnormal state, and an alarm or a signal indicating that the abnormal target is identified is notified.

Reference numeral 14 is a delay pulse generating circuit, which shifts the discharge timing based on the operation set value when it receives an operation set value from the control circuit 13 that makes the deviation between the measured value and the target value zero. Meanwhile, an excitation timing pulse for exciting the laser output device 1 is generated.

Next, the operation of the above timing control device will be described with reference to FIG. Discharge pulse time measuring circuit 11 in the timing control device 10
Measures the generation timing time of the discharge pulse generated from the laser output device 1 by counting the built-in clock based on the instruction from the control circuit 13, and discharge pulse having a numerical value proportional to the generation timing time. The measured value is converted into a measured value and sent to the subsequent control circuit 13. On the other hand, the monitor pulse time measurement circuit 13 similarly counts the built-in clock based on the instruction from the control circuit 13 to determine the generation timing time of the excitation timing pulse, which is the operation amount from the delay pulse generation circuit 14. The measurement is performed, the value is converted into a monitor pulse measurement value having a numerical value proportional to the generation timing time, and the same is sent to the control circuit 13.

Here, in the control circuit 13, as shown in FIG. 2, the monitor pulse measurement value is fetched from the monitor time measurement circuit 12, and the monitor pulse measurement value and the set value which is set in advance as the excitation timing are set. After calculating the difference (S
T11), it is determined whether or not this difference exceeds a predetermined monitor pulse allowable value (ST12), and when it is determined that the difference exceeds the monitor pulse allowable value, the timing control device 10 is abnormal. An alarm to that effect is output (ST13).

On the other hand, when the difference does not exceed the monitor pulse allowable value in step ST12, the process proceeds to step ST14, the discharge pulse measurement value is fetched from the discharge pulse time measuring circuit 11, and the discharge pulse measurement value is obtained. A difference from a predetermined target value is calculated, and it is determined whether this difference exceeds a predetermined discharge pulse allowable value (ST15). If it is determined that the difference exceeds the discharge pulse allowable value, an alarm indicating that the laser output device 1 is abnormal is output (ST16).

In step ST15, when the difference between the discharge pulse measured value and the predetermined target value does not exceed the discharge pulse allowable value, or the timing controller 1
After outputting 0 or an alarm due to an abnormality of the laser output device 1, the operation set value is corrected according to the difference between the discharge pulse measured value and the target value obtained in step ST14 (ST17), and the subsequent It is sent to the delay pulse generation circuit 14.

The delay pulse generating circuit 14 sends an excitation timing pulse to the laser output device 1 while shifting the timing based on the operation set value of the control circuit 13.

Therefore, according to the configuration of the above embodiment, by providing the monitor pulse time measuring circuit 12, the excitation timing pulse applied to the laser output device 1 can be directly monitored, and When an abnormality occurs in the discharge timing, the magnitude of the deviation between the monitor pulse measured value and the set value obtained from the measurement time of the excitation timing pulse, and the magnitude of the deviation between the discharge pulse measured value and the target value Since the cause of the abnormality is investigated from the above, it is possible to easily estimate whether the timing control device 10 is abnormal or the laser output device 1 is abnormal. Can be implemented.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the device of the present invention. Normally, multi-channel time measurement circuit 1
Since 1 has an empty input terminal, the monitor pulse time measurement circuit 1 can be used while effectively utilizing the empty input terminal.
2 is to be deleted. Specifically, a delay circuit 21 such as a delay line is provided between the delay pulse generating circuit 14 and an empty input terminal of the time measuring circuit 11, and the monitor pulse is delayed by the delay circuit 21 for a predetermined time to measure the time measuring circuit 11. It is configured to input to.

The reason for providing the delay circuit 21 in this way is as follows.
If the monitor pulse is directly input to the time measurement circuit 11, the measurement range will not match as shown in FIG. 4, so the delay circuit 21 is used to delay the pulse so that it falls within the measurement range. Is to measure the occurrence timing time of.

Therefore, according to the structure of such a device, the monitor pulse time measuring circuit 12 is not required, which contributes to simplification of the device. The present invention can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, when an abnormality occurs in the discharge timing, the cause can be immediately estimated to estimate whether the timing control device is abnormal or the laser output device is abnormal. As a result, it is possible to provide a timing control device that can quickly take necessary measures.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a timing control device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the timing control device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing another embodiment of the timing control device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a timing chart explaining the reason why the generation time of the discharge pulse and the monitor pulse can be measured using one time measuring circuit as shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional timing control device.

6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the timing control device shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Laser output device, 10 ... Timing control device, 1
1 ... Discharge pulse time measuring circuit, 12 ... Monitor pulse time measuring circuit, 13 ... Control circuit, 14 ... Delay pulse generating circuit, 21 ... Delay circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Laser output devices are arranged in multiple stages in series,
In a timing control device that controls the discharge timing of these laser output devices in a stationary manner to sequentially amplify and output laser light, and output a laser beam of a predetermined level from the laser output device at the final stage, a timing pulse for excitation to the laser output device. The first abnormality determining means for determining the presence or absence of abnormality of the timing control device based on the length of the generation time, and the first abnormality determining means determined that the timing control device is not abnormal. A timing control device comprising: a second abnormality determining means for determining whether or not there is an abnormality in the laser output device based on the length of time that the discharge pulse of the laser output device is generated.