JPH09204374A - Data display system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce application program development and maintenance loads, to reduce the data transfer loads of a computer and to improve the data display performance of a system in the combinational system of a data gathering computer and a display device. SOLUTION: This system is provided with a host computer 10 provided with an application means 11 and a file access means 12 for updating the data of a data storage file 13 and transfer means 14-16 and 21 for transferring updating data to the display device 30 and the display device 30 provided with display data updating means 35-37 and 41 for writing the updating data transmitted by the host computer 10 in a display data file 34 and a display application means 31 for displaying the data of the display data file 34 at a display 32.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to information transfer and display, and collects various in-plant status data and operation status data by a computer for monitoring and operating the status of the plant, for example, in plant operation. Data for remote status recognition or monitoring, such as displaying on a display.
Data display system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a plant that operates automatically, a physical quantity parameter (for example, temperature, pressure, etc.) that is usually handled by a host computer and represents the internal state of the plant.
Flow rate, amount of components, etc.), target value, operating parameters (eg valve open / close, motor drive / stop, input power, controller output, controller command, alarm) indicating plant operation status. And guidance for the operator is displayed on the data display device. The operator displays the display data.
Monitor the operator and operate the operator control panel if necessary,
Provide manual intervention for automatic plant operation. Regarding the data display of the plant used in this way, two methods have been conventionally used.

The (1) is called an "intelligent CRT system", and in this case, an identification number is assigned to each display data to be displayed on the data display device in advance. Is defined. Also, the host computer has the data necessary for display.
An application program for collecting and editing data is created in advance for each screen, and similarly, an application for collecting and displaying the data necessary for display on the data display device.・ Prepare a program for each screen in advance. When a change occurs in the plant data, the application program of the host computer collects and edits the data required for display, and edits the edited data as the corresponding identification number. And is transmitted to the data display device. The data display device identifies the transmitted data N
o. The relevant data is displayed by the application program for collecting and displaying in accordance with.

The method (2) is called a "file sharing system". In this case, a file server is installed so that the host computer and the data display device share files. In this method, the application program for displaying data may be produced only for the data display device. However, if the host computer and the file server are connected by a network,
Since it takes time to access the file, the processing performance of the general application software of the host computer is greatly deteriorated. In addition, when the file server function is built in the host computer, a plurality of data display devices access the file, so that the host computer can access the file.
File input / output processing concentrates on the computer, and there is a problem that the processing performance of the system deteriorates.

Therefore, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 3-184091 proposes a "scan transmission system". FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the configuration of the proposal. According to this, when a specific bit of the storage data (scan memory) of the host computer changes due to the rewriting of the data, the storage data is changed by one word unit (for example, 3).
By sending to other networks in units of 2 bits,
The load on the host computer and the network is reduced, and efficient data transfer is performed.

That is, from the LAN station 51 including a CPU 55, a scan memory 56 for storing data, and a LAN I / F (interface) 57 for controlling communication with the network 52, This is a scan transmission method in which data is periodically transmitted to another LAN station via the network 52 by the token passing method.

A data change bit is added to each block of data in the scan memory 56, and the data is sent to the network 52 based on the change of this bit. When there is no change in the bit. No data is sent to the network 52, but the LAN station 51 and the network 52
The load on is reduced.

[0008]

In the "intelligent CRT system" described in (1) above, it is necessary to produce an application program in both the data display device and the host computer, and the production / maintenance is required. It took time and effort, and the test was difficult.

In the "file sharing method" of (2) above,
The drawback of the above (1) can be overcome, and further, Japanese Patent Application No. 3-1840.
In the "scan transmission method" in Japanese Patent Publication No. 91,
The load on the host computer and the file server is reduced. However, in this proposal, a change is detected in bit units of data and the data is sent to other networks in word units for each bit change, that is, handled as an instantaneous value. Therefore, it affects the processing performance of the general application software of the host computer. That is, since the file access of the application software requires time along with the data transmission, its processing performance deteriorates. Further, since the file server function is built in the host computer, a plurality of LAN stations (data display devices) access the file, so that the host computer can perform file input / output processing. However, the problem that the processing performance of the system deteriorates still remains.

A first object of the present invention is to reduce the data transmission load of the host computer and improve the data processing performance of the host computer.
The second purpose is to reduce the load related to the development and maintenance of application programs for computers.

[0011]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

(1) The data display system of the present invention is an application means (1) for updating the data of the data storage file (13).
1) and file access means (12), and transfer means (14 to 16, 21) for transferring the update data to the display device (30),
Host computer (10) including; and update data sent by the host computer (10). Display data file
The display data updating means (35 to 37, 41) to be written in (34) and the data of the display data file (34) are displayed (3
The display device (30) includes the display application means (31) for displaying in (2). In addition, in order to facilitate understanding, the reference numerals of the corresponding elements in the embodiments shown in the drawings and described later are added for reference in parentheses.

According to this, the data display system has the file (34) in the data display device (30), and copies the data of the host computer (10) into a file. The data display application program (31) directly reads the data from this file and displays it. Since the host computer (10) sends only the update data to the display device when the data of the data storage file (13) is changed, the host computer (10) sends the data. The load is reduced, and the application processing for updating the data of the data storage file (13) can be concentrated accordingly, and the data processing performance is improved.

Since the transfer of the update data is performed separately from the application processing, the load on the development and maintenance of the application program of the host computer is reduced.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(2) The transfer means (14 to 16, 21) measures the elapsed time from the previous transfer, suspends the transfer of update data while the elapsed time is less than the set time Tw, and when it is Tw or more. Transfer the latest update data. This reduces the data transfer load on the host computer.

(3) The transfer means (14-16, 21) has an update data buffer (15) and update data in the buffer (15).
It includes update data editing means (14) for writing data for each record and transferring the data of the buffer to initialize the buffer when the write amount of the buffer is equal to or more than a set value. This reduces the data transfer load on the host computer.

(4) The transfer means (14-16, 21) has an update data buffer (15) and update data in the buffer (15).
Data is written for each record, and when the write amount of the buffer is equal to or larger than the set value, the data of the buffer is transferred to initialize the buffer, and the update data exists in the buffer but is less than the set value When, the elapsed time from the previous transfer is the set time Tw
An update data editing means (14) for transferring the data of the buffer and initializing the buffer at the above time is included. This reduces the data transfer load on the host computer.

(5) The display device (30) is a file access means (3) for detecting a shortage record of the display data file.
3), and means (38, 39) for requesting the host computer (10) to transfer the data of the insufficient record; the host computer (10) responds to this request. And means (14, 16-18) for transferring the requested record data. When the display device (30) is started up, all the records to be displayed can be obtained and displayed by the display device (30) regardless of the update.

(6) The host computer (10) has management information (20) indicating whether or not transfer of a plurality of types of files to each of a plurality of display devices is required, and transfer means (14 to 16, twenty one)
Refers to the management information and transfers the update data to the display device requiring transfer. According to this, in the data display system in which each of the plurality of display devices (30) individually obtains and displays each required data from the host computer (10),
The data transferred by the host computer (10) to each display device (30) is not wasted, and the data transfer load is reduced.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the drawings.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the function of each means of the host computer 10 will be described.

1. File access means 12 The general application program 11 reads the plant data and writes the data to the file 13 via the file access means 12 (write). When writing data, general application program 11
Specifies the file name, record (record No.), data to be written, and its size (number of bytes). For example, a file ("abc") according to a subroutine such as call fwrite ("abc", 1, data, ds, sts)
Write the data ("data") to. Here, "abc" is the file name, 1 is the record number. , Data is the data to write
, Ds is its size, and sts is information about the result. The file access means 12 uses the file 13
Of the specified record No. of the specified file. Write the data specified in. After the data writing is completed normally, the written file name, record No. And de
The data is notified to the update data editing means 14.

2. Update data editing means 14 The update data editing means 14 is the file access means 12
Alternatively, from the request data editing means 18 (described later), the file name, record No. And the notification of the data, the file name, record No. And the data are accumulated in the update data buffer 15, and when the buffer 15 is full, the data is transmitted to the data display device 30 through the update data transmitting means 16. The same data may be updated a plurality of times within a short time, but in such a case, it is not preferable to send the data for each update because the transmission load and the CPU load increase.
Further, if it takes a relatively long time to fill the update data buffer 15, the transmission of the update data to the display device may be too late.

In order to avoid these, an update data buffer 15 is provided for each file to store the update data,
When the buffer 15 is full, or when the waiting time Tw (for example, 2 to 3 seconds) designated from the previous transmission time has elapsed, the data of the buffer 15 is transmitted to the display device 30. There is. The waiting time Tw is set for each file.

When the update data is notified, the record No. stored in the corresponding buffer is stored. The same record No. If exists, it overwrites the accumulated data. The same record No. If it does not exist, new data is added to the buffer 15. The data accumulated in the buffer is the record number. , The content (data) and size of the update data. The elapsed time from the previous transmission time is monitored at a constant cycle Tc, and when the specified waiting time Tw elapses, the data in the buffer is transmitted to the display device 30 via the update data transmission means 16. After transmission, the buffer 15 is cleared and the present transmission time is written. Predetermined waiting time Tw
When the buffer is full by the time of, all the data stored in the buffer is transmitted.

All files in the update data buffer 15 have the following data for each file.

[0026]

[Table 1]

FIG. 3 shows a processing flow of the update data editing means 14. Next, referring to FIG. 3, the update data editing means 1
The processing of No. 4 will be described. The update data editing means 14 performs the following processing when the data update is notified from the file access means 12 or the request data editing means 18 at a constant cycle. .

1) Input the current time into a buffer (a region of the memory) for calculating the elapsed time (step 14)
b). Hereinafter, in parentheses, the word "step" is omitted, and the step number. Only symbols are shown.

2) When notified from the file access means 12 or the request data editing means 18, the following processing is executed.

2-1) It is checked whether or not the same record exists in the buffer of the relevant file of the update data file 15 (14c, 14d). If there is, the buffer is overwritten with new data (14f). If not, add new data and increment the write pointer by 1 (14e); 2-2) If the file with the buffer 15 is full,
The transmission of the data of the file is instructed to the update data transmitting means 16, and when the transmission is completed, the file is cleared, the write pointer is initialized to 1, and the transmission time is set to the current time (14
b) is written (14g to 14k); 3) In the case of a constant period, the following process is executed for all files in the update data buffer 15.

3-1) Elapsed time = current time-previous transmission time is calculated (14m); 3-2) It is checked whether the elapsed time is less than or equal to the set time Tw (14n); When the elapsed time ≧ Tw, if there is data in the file, the update data transmitting means 16 is instructed to transmit the data, and after transmitting all the data of the file, the file is cleared and the write pointer = 1. And Rewrite the transmission time to the current time (1
4h-14k); B. If the elapsed time <Tw, there is no processing.

The update data transmitting means 16 transmits the data of the transmission file in the update data buffer 15 from the oldest to the newest. If is continuous, it is combined and sent to improve the transmission efficiency. That is, the data is transferred in the following format.

[0033]

[Table 2]

Record No. 1 is the start record N.
o. , Record No. 2 is the end record number. And Tota
l Data Size is the size of all data from File Name to the last Data.

3. Update data sending means 16 Update data editing means 1 in the update data buffer 15
4 transmits the data of the file instructed to be transmitted to the data display device 30 designated by the management file table 20.
The data is transmitted via the data transmitter 21. The data display device of the transmission destination is determined by the management table shown below. The following table shows four types of files A, B, C and D.
This is an example of the case where there are two display devices.

[0036]

[Table 3]

In the above, when the file A is designated for transmission, the data is transmitted to the data display devices 1 and 2. When the file B is designated, the data is transmitted to the data display device 2.

4. File Management Table Input Means 19 As shown in Table 3, the file management table 20 is an input means for inputting data defining the display device of the destination of the file, and the data display device. Input "1" necessary and "0" unnecessary for each file update. For example, in the above-mentioned file management table 20, if a certain data display device needs the data of the file A and the file C and the data of the file B is unnecessary, the file A
The file C column is set to 1, and the file B column is set to 0.

5. Data transmitting device 21 A data transmitting device utilizing a known TCP / IP protocol or the like. The data of the designated file is transmitted to the data display device 30 designated by the update data transmitting means 16.

6. Data receiving device 17 This is a data receiving device using a known TCP / IP protocol or the like. The data display means 30 receives the transmitted data, and the request data editing means 18 is notified of the received data.

7. Request data editing means 18 Receives a data request notification from the data display means 30 via the data receiving device 17. The present means 18 uses the file name and the record number. Is received from the data receiving device 17, and the following processing is performed.

A. Read the data of the specified record in the specified file in the file 13; B. The read data is given to the update data editing means 14. The mode of giving is the same as that from the file access means 12. That is, file name, record N
o. And data to the update data editing means 14;
Next, each means of the data display device 30 will be described.
Please refer to the block diagram shown in FIG. 1 and the flowchart shown in FIG.

(1) Data Receiving Device 41 This is a data receiving device utilizing a known TCP / IP protocol or the like. The data transmitted by the host computer 10 is received, and the update data receiving means 37 is notified.

(2) Update data receiving means 37 The following format data is received from the data receiving device 41.
After receiving the data and editing it, the file updating means 35 is notified. When the byte order differs between the host computer 10 and the data display device 30, the byte conversion is performed here. A reception data buffer 36 is provided in case the file updating means 35 is already updating the file and cannot process a new request.

[0045]

[Table 4]

(3) File updating means 35 From the data receiving means 37, the file name, record No. And the data of the designated record in the designated file in the file 34 is updated. A write completion flag is set in the corresponding record of the table of the write management file 40 provided for each file. The file access means 33 checks this written flag. An example of the components of the management table 40 is as follows. When there are a plurality of host computers, the host computer No. which the original file exists in. Also manage.

[0047]

[Table 5]

(4) File access means 33 The data display application program 31 reads the data from the file 34 via this means. This means 33 is a data display application program 31.
File name, record number. Is designated and the corresponding data is returned to the application 31. For example, the general application is call fread ("abc", 5, data, d
Substrate such as s, sts) reads data from file ("abc"). At this time, the present means 33 checks the write flag of the corresponding record of the corresponding file. If the flag is set, the corresponding data is taken out and the data is passed to the application program 31. At this time, for example, sts = 0 in the above subroutine. If the flag is not set, the host computer in which the corresponding file exists is requested for the data of the corresponding record of the corresponding file. That is, data transmission is requested in the following format.

[0049]

[Table 6]

It responds to the application program 31 that the requested data does not exist. At this time, for example, sts = 1 in the above subroutine. In such a case, the application program 31 waits for a predetermined time,
Request the data again.

(5) Display data request transmission means 39 The data designated by the file access means 33 is transmitted to the host computer 10 via the data transmission device 38, and the relevant data is transmitted. Request transmission of data.

(6) Data transmitting device 38 This is a data transmitting device utilizing a known TCP / IP protocol or the like. The data transmitted from the display data request transmitting device 39 is transmitted to the host computer 10.

Note that the file names (Fi
file name. (File No.) is also acceptable. In addition, the record No. The specified start position and end position may be a method of specifying the start position and the number of records.

Next, the data request from the data display device 30 to the host computer 10 will be explained: (1) The part related to the initial display is the write management file 40 in the data display device 30, File access means 3
3, a display data request transmitting means 39 and a data transmitting device 38, and a data receiving device 17 and a request data editing means 18 in the host computer 10.

(2) For example, when the data display device 30 is initialized, the data to be displayed in the file 34 may not exist. As a countermeasure against such a situation, whether or not each file and record has been written is managed by a flag. General application program for displaying data 3
1 accesses the data file 34 via the file access means 33, the file access means 33 checks the flag of the write management file 40.

If the write flag is set, the file access means 33 reads the data from the file 34, and the general application program 31 reads the data.
Data, but if the write flag is not set,
No data is returned to the general application program 31, and at the same time the host computer 10 is requested for the corresponding data. The application program 31 determines how to process the data display device 30 when there is no data.
However, it is generally displayed again after a predetermined time. In the host computer 10, the request data editing means 18 reads the requested data from the file 13, notifies the update data editing means 14 of the requested data, and the update data transmitting means 1
It is sent to the data display device 30 via 6.

As described above, the host computer 1
Copy the data file 13 of 0 to the data display device 30.
At this time, since only the changed data file is transmitted only to the display device 30 which requires it, the data is changed.
The efficiency of data transmission is extremely high, and the processing performance of the entire system due to data file transfer does not deteriorate.

Furthermore, since the data display application program 31 exists only in the data display device 30,
The host computer 10 is an application for displaying data.
There is no need to create an application program, which improves productivity in program development and also improves maintainability of the program.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a flowchart format showing the functional configuration shown in FIG. 1 in accordance with the flow of data.

3 is a flowchart showing a processing function of an update data editing means 14 of the host computer 10 shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a data transmission system (scan transmission system) used in a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

10: Host computer 11: General application program 12: File access means 13: Data file 14: Update data editing means 15: Update data buffer 16: Update data sending means 17: Data Reception device 18: Request data editing means 19: Management data input means 20: Management file 21: Data transmission device 30: Data display device 31: Data display application program 32: CRT display 33: file access means 34: data file 35: file update means 36: reception data buffer 37: update data reception means 38: data transmission device 39: display data request transmission means 40: write management file 41: data receiving device 51: LAN station 52: network
KU 53: System bus 54, 55: CP
U 56: Scan memory 57: LAN I
/ FTc: Elapsed time monitoring cycle Tw: Set time

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A host computer including an application means and a file access means for updating the data of a data storage file, and a transfer means for transferring the updated data to a display device; and A display including a display data updating means for writing the update data transmitted by the host computer to a display data file and a display application means for displaying the data of the display data file on the display. A device for displaying data. 2. The transfer means measures an elapsed time from a previous transfer, suspends transfer of update data while the elapsed time is less than a set time Tw, and when Tw or more, updates the latest update data. −
The data display system of claim 1, including means for transferring data. 3. The transfer means includes an update data buffer, and the update data is written into the buffer for each record.
2. The data display system according to claim 1, further comprising update data editing means for transferring the data of the buffer and initializing the buffer when the write amount of the buffer is equal to or more than a set value. 4. The transfer means includes an update data buffer, and the update data is written into the buffer for each record.
When the write amount of the buffer is equal to or larger than the set value, the data of the buffer is transferred to initialize the buffer, and the buffer has update data. 2. The data display system according to claim 1, further comprising update data editing means for transferring the data of the buffer and initializing the buffer when the elapsed time is equal to or longer than the set time Tw. 5. The display device includes a file access means for detecting a lack record of a display data file, and a means for requesting the host computer to transfer the lack record data; a host. The computer includes means for transferring the data of the requested record in response to the request; the data display according to claim 1, claim 2, claim 3 or claim 4. system. 6. The host computer has management information indicating whether or not transfer of a plurality of types of files to each of a plurality of display devices is necessary, and the transfer means refers to the management information to update data. Data is transferred to a display device requiring transfer, and the data display system according to claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 4, or claim 5.