JPH0816210A - Load control system utilizing multiplex transmission - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a highly reliable load control system utilizing multiplex transmission and capable of executing a control program in a state matched with a schedule instantaneously after restoration without invalidating control data received from an external terminal equipment or a host computer even when an emergency signal is received from a terminal equipment. CONSTITUTION:A load controlling controller 30 is provided with a data storing memory 32 for storing control data necessary for the execution of a control program and connected to an external setter 31, and at the time of receiving an emergency signal from any one of terminal equipments 50, temporarily stores control data transmitted from the setter 31 in the memory 32. When the emergency signal is released, the controller 30 reads out the stored control data to start the control program.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a load control system utilizing multiplex transmission, which is preferably used for lighting control of buildings and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a host computer is connected to a plurality of load control controllers via multiple transmission lines, and each load control controller is connected to a plurality of load devices and operation devices via another multiple transmission line. A load control system configured by connecting switches and the like as terminals is used for lighting loads and the like.

By the way, in a load controller in such a load control system, when a fire or a power failure occurs and an emergency signal is received from a terminal device, a control program should be executed from an external setting device or a host computer. Even if a command is received and settings for it are made,
Either the setting is ignored, the control program is interrupted, or the processing ends abnormally.

Therefore, even if a fire or a power failure is restored and the terminal is notified of the cancellation of the emergency signal, the settings made before the restoration will be invalid, and the control status can be returned to the state as scheduled by an external device. The control data had to be transmitted by issuing an execution command again from the setter or host computer.

[0005]

Therefore, in such a conventional system, the load controller cannot perform normal data transmission from the external setting device or the host computer after an abnormality occurs on the terminal side. Since it was necessary to perform data transmission from the host computer again after the abnormality on the terminal side was recovered, it took time to bring the control status of the terminal into the scheduled state, and communication at that time There was a possibility of system trouble due to congestion.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances. Even when the load control controller receives an emergency signal from the terminal, the load controller does not invalidate the control data received from the external terminal or the host computer. It is an object of the present invention to provide a highly reliable load control system that can immediately execute a control program in a scheduled state after restoration.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention according to claim 1 proposes to store in a load control controller control data necessary for execution of a control program stored in advance. In addition to having a data storage memory for operating the control program, an external setting device for instructing the execution of this control program and rewriting the control data to the data storage memory is connected, and an emergency signal is sent from one of the terminals. When received, the control data is temporarily stored in the data storage memory, and when the emergency signal is released, the stored control data is read and the control program is activated.

Here, the emergency signal received from the terminal includes
In addition to a signal for receiving an emergency program due to a fire or power failure and for executing an emergency program, a signal for receiving for a purpose of maintenance and executing a test program is also included.
Further, the activation of the control program performed by canceling the emergency signal may be performed by restarting and continuing the interrupted control program, or by executing the scheduled control program before receiving the emergency signal.

According to the present invention as claimed in claim 2, the load control controller is configured so that the load control controller
The load controller is connected to the host computer, commands the execution of the control program, and rewrites the control data to the data storage memory. When an emergency signal is received from any of the terminals connected to the control data, the control data is temporarily stored in the data storage memory, and when the emergency signal is released, the stored control data is read out to execute the control program. It is configured to start.

In such a configuration, the control data of each load control controller can be rewritten from the host computer via the communication control device without using an external setting device connected to each load control controller. It can be done simply by transmitting. According to the present invention as claimed in claim 3, the external setting device or the host computer is provided even while the load control controller polls the terminals connected to the multiplex transmission line to execute a predetermined control program. Therefore, it is configured such that another control program execution command and control data change settings can be set.

[0011]

In the load control system of the present invention as set forth in claim 1, when the load control controller receives the emergency signal from the terminal, the control program being executed is interrupted and the emergency program is executed as necessary. It At this time, the execution command of the control program executed by the external setting device and the control data for rewriting are not invalidated and are stored in the memory. Then, when the emergency signal is released, it is interrupted,
Alternatively, as a schedule control or the like, a control program whose execution schedule has already been set by the external setting device is started.

In the load control system of the present invention as set forth in claim 2, when the load control controller receives the emergency signal from the terminal, the control program being executed is interrupted and the emergency program is executed as necessary. It At this time, the execution command of the control program and the rewriting of the control data performed by the host computer are not invalidated and are stored in the memory. Then, when the emergency signal is released, the control program is interrupted or a control program which is already scheduled to be executed by the host computer is started for schedule control or the like.

According to another aspect of the load control system of the present invention, the load control controller executes the control program for the terminal by the polling method via the multiplex transmission line even during execution of the control program. The control program commanded by the external setting device or the host computer can be preferentially executed.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the system of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of the load control system proposed in claim 1. The load controller 30 derives a multiplex transmission line 41 composed of a pair of wires, and a driving device (relay) for controlling on / off of a load device (not shown) such as a lighting device is provided on the multiplex transmission line 41. Device),
An operation switch for turning on and off the load equipment,
It is connected as a terminal device 50 having an address set for each.

Here, as the operation switches included in the terminal device 50, there are individual switches for turning on / off one load device, and pattern control switches for turning on / off the load devices grouped in advance as pattern control. With the latter pattern control switch, pattern control can be performed by selecting an arbitrary load device connected to the load control controller 30 via the multiplex transmission line 41 and defining the control mode thereof.

An external setting device 31 composed of a personal computer or the like is connected to the load controller 30, and the external setting device 31 is operated to input and set execution instructions and control data of a control program. It is like this. Here, the load controller 30 has a data storage memory 32, which can store the control data necessary for executing the control program, and the external setting device 31 can rewrite the control data in the data storage memory 32. You can do it.

With such a configuration, the load controller 30 receives the control received from the connected external setter 31 to execute the control program even if the control program being executed at that time is interrupted. Data can be stored and held in the data storage memory 32. After that, the terminal device 50
When the release of the emergency signal is received from the terminal device and the terminal device becomes ready for processing, the control program can be continuously executed by reading the stored control data from the data storage memory 32.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of the load control system of the present invention as defined in claim 2. The plurality of load control controllers 30 are connected to the communication control device 20 via the multiplex transmission line 40 configured by a pair line different from the multiplex transmission line 41 to which the terminal device 50 is connected, and the communication control device 20 is connected. Has a configuration in which a host computer 10 is connected.

As in FIG. 1, each of the load control controllers 30 derives a multiplex transmission line 41, and on this multiplex transmission line 41, a load device (not shown) such as a lighting device is on / off controlled. A drive device (relay device) for controlling the load device and an operation switch for controlling ON / OFF of the load device are connected as the terminal device 50 having an address set therein. Further, an external setting device 31 formed of a personal computer or the like is connected to each of the load control controllers 30. Here, the data storage memory 32 of each load control controller 30 is
In addition to the control data transmitted from the external setting device 31,
The control data transmitted by the execution command of the control program from the host computer 10 can be stored.

With such a configuration, each of the load control controllers 30 executes the control program from the host computer 10 via the multiplex transmission line 40 even if the control program being executed at that time is interrupted. The control data received for this purpose can be stored and held in the data storage memory 32. After that, when the release of the emergency signal is received from the terminal device 50 and the terminal device side becomes ready for processing, the control program can be continuously executed by reading the control data from the data storage memory 32.

The load control system configured as described above has a function of rewriting the contents of the data storage memory 32 from the outside. Next, the function will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a control data transmission operation performed in the configuration shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 and an example of a rewriting process of the data storage memory 32 that is performed accompanying it.

Each time the load controller 30 receives control data from the external setting device 31 or the host computer 10, the entire contents of the data storage memory 32 are "not controlled", "ON command" for each control point, "OFF
Rewrite as “command” or “invalid” (see FIG. 4). The load controller 30, when an abnormal situation such as a fire or a power failure occurs from the terminal device 50 or when performing maintenance work,
The emergency signal is received via the multiplex transmission line 41, and the execution of the control program is interrupted. After that, when the cancellation of the emergency signal is received from the terminal device 50 due to the recovery of the fire or the power failure, the content of the data storage memory 32 is read, the interrupted control program is activated, and the terminal device 50 corresponding to the memory content is read. Take control.

Even when the control data is received from the terminal device 50 in the period from the reception of the emergency signal to the reception of the emergency signal cancellation, the data storage memory 32 is rewritten and the content thereof is always the latest control data. You can also do so. Next, FIG. 4 shows an example of the configuration of the data storage memory 32 included in the load controller 30.

Eight bits (1 byte) are set as one terminal device 50.
Memory data for 64 terminals. Since one terminal 50 has four control points, the data for 256 control points can be managed as a whole. In the example, four types of data are stored in the data for one control point represented by these two bits, and the “ON command” is instructed to send to the terminal side the control command of “ON command”, The “OFF command” is stored to instruct the transmission of the control command of the “OFF command”, the “invalid” is stored to disable the control command, and the “non-control target” is stored to not transmit the control command. ing.

The operation switches included in the terminal unit 50 include individual switches and pattern control switches, etc., which can be controlled for each group or for each control point inside the terminal unit, and therefore are shown in FIG. In such a transmission operation, the data storage memory 32 may be set and updated for each control point. Further, upon receiving the control data, it is necessary to set and update the contents of all the control points belonging to the target of the received data.

Although this example deals with one type of control data, the present invention is not limited to the target control data and the storage format of the data storage memory 32, and a plurality of control data are simultaneously written. As a controllable format,
It may be stored. In the load control system proposed in claim 3, in the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the load control controller 30 includes a multiplex transmission line 41.
The schedule control for the terminal device 50 is executed by a polling method via. This allows
Even while the load controller 30 is executing another control program, the control program instructed from the external setting device 31 or the host computer 10 can be preferentially executed.

In the polling method, the load controller 30 specifies the address of the terminal device 50 to constantly inquire about the existence of transmission data, and the terminal device 50, if there is transmission data, responds to the data. Is a method of replying. Also, when it is desired to transmit data such as an emergency signal from the terminal side, it can be dealt with by interrupting. According to this method, since the state of the terminal device can be constantly monitored, more reliable data transmission can be performed.

[0028]

According to the load control system of the present invention described in claims 1 and 2, even when an emergency signal is received, control is performed by setting input of an external setting device and data transmission of a host computer. No data loss. In addition, even if an abnormality occurs in the terminal device, after the recovery, the terminal device can be quickly set to the latest control status without performing extra communication, so troubles due to an increase in communication load can be prevented beforehand. And a highly reliable system can be provided. Further, the work efficiency is improved because it is not necessary to re-control the host computer at the end of construction and maintenance.

According to the load control system of the present invention as set forth in claim 3, since the control program instructed from the external setting device or the host computer can be preferentially executed, the load control controller can promptly operate the terminal device. Various controls can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of a load control system (claim 1) of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of a load control system (claim 2) of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a control data transmission operation and a rewriting process of a data storage memory.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of a data storage memory.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 host computer 20 communication control device 21, 31 external setting device 30 load control controller 32 data storage memory 40, 41 multiplex transmission line 50 terminal device

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location H04Q 9/00 311 Q 9/16 // H05B 37/02

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A load control system using multiplex transmission, which is configured by connecting a plurality of load devices, operation switches and the like as terminal units to the load control controller via a multiplex transmission line, wherein the load control controller comprises: A data storage memory for storing the control data necessary for executing the control program stored in advance is provided, and an external setting for instructing the execution of this control program and rewriting the control data to the data storage memory If you receive an emergency signal from any of the above terminals,
The control data necessary for executing the control program transmitted from the external setting device is temporarily stored in the data storage memory, and stored in the data storage memory when the emergency signal is released. A load control system using multiplex transmission configured to read control data and activate a control program instructed to be executed by the external setting device. 2. A load control system using multiplex transmission, which is configured by connecting a plurality of load devices, operation switches, etc. as terminal units to the load control controller via a multiplex transmission line, wherein the load control controller comprises: It is connected to a host computer via another multiplex transmission line, and is provided with a data storage memory for storing control data necessary for execution of a control program stored in advance, and commands the execution of the control program from the host computer. In addition, it is configured to rewrite the control data to the data storage memory, each of the load control controller, when receiving an emergency signal from any of the terminals connected to the respective multiplex transmission line, Necessary for executing the control program transmitted from the host computer. Control data is temporarily stored in the data storage memory, and when the emergency signal is released, the control data stored in the data storage memory is read out and the control program instructed to be executed by the host computer is executed. Load control system using multiplex transmission configured to start. 3. The load controller polls a terminal connected to a multiplex transmission line to execute a predetermined control program, and the load controller is separated from the external setting device or the host computer. The load control system using multiplex transmission according to claim 1, wherein the load control system according to claim 1 is configured to be able to change an execution command and control data of the control program.