JPH10240308A - Program change device for controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable the reload of bar code read program on the job site by reading a maintenance bar code, for which the change information of program is made into bar code, through a bar code reader. SOLUTION: This device is provided with a bar code reader 11 for reading the ordinary bar code coding product information, a flash memory 16 for storing a bar code decoding program, and a CPU 13 for changing the relevant program in the bar code decoding program stored in the flash memory 16 according to the change information shown by a maintenance code MD by reading maintenance bar codes MH and MD, for which the change information of bar code decoding program is coded, through the bar code reader 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bar code reader comprising a bar code reader for reading a normal bar code on which product information is encoded, and a data table for storing various data associated with numerical codes. The present invention relates to a controller configured to decode a bar code read by a bar code decoding program, and to search a data table based on the decoded code to output data corresponding to the code. The present invention relates to a program changing device for a controller which enables a bar code decoding program to be rewritten by an external input using a bar code.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the field of fusion joints for fusing end portions of pipe members, fusion data (manufacturer name, kind, size,
A label printed by converting a production lot number, a standard resistance value, an energizing time, etc.) into a barcode in advance is attached to the surface of the fusion spliced joint after production and shipped.

At a construction site, a bar code of a label attached to the surface of the fusion joint is read by a bar code reader provided in a controller of the fusion machine, and the read bar code is read by a bar code decoding program. It decodes and displays fusion data searched based on the decoded code on a screen to provide necessary information to field workers.

FIG. 5 shows the specifications of a bar code (hereinafter, referred to as a normal bar code) N containing such fusion data. The normal bar code N is composed of, for example, 32 digits, and the first 19 digits are the manufacturer name (4 digits) and the product type (2 digits).
), Size (three digits),..., Are encoded as numerical codes.

[0005] For example, for the name of the manufacturer, FIG.
And a table shown in FIG. The alphabet code table shown in FIG. 6 is a table in which alphabets “A” to “Z” correspond to two-digit numerical codes from “01” to “26”.
The manufacturer code table shown in FIG.
It is a table in which characters correspond to manufacturer names (character strings).

Therefore, the name of the manufacturer of the barcode N is usually a four-digit number obtained by encoding two letters of the alphabet determined for each manufacturer. For example, when the manufacturer name is “ABC company”, a 4-digit numerical code “0102” is written in the manufacturer name of the normal bar code N.

[0007] For the type, a type code table shown in FIG. 8 is prepared. This type code table indicates the name (character string) of each type of fusion joint such as socket, cheese,..., Cap from “00” to “1”.
It is a table corresponding to two-digit numerical codes up to "0". Therefore, for example, when the type of the fusion joint is cheese, a two-digit numerical code of “01” is written in the type of the normal bar code N.

Similarly, a size code table (not shown) is prepared for the size, and a three-digit numerical code corresponding to the size code table is written in the size of the normal bar code N.

As described above, each data has a table (hereinafter, referred to as a data table) associated with a numerical code assigned to each data.
By decoding the barcode read from the PC with a barcode decoding program, necessary data is searched.

[0010] The bar code decoding program is stored in an internal ROM in a conventional controller, and is stored in a storage medium such as a memory card or a floppy card in a controller having a function such as a memory card or a floppy card. It is remembered.

By the way, when the internal bar code decoding program is changed in accordance with the change of the specification of the bar code, etc.,
The barcode decoding program is in the ROM inside the controller
ROM that stores a barcode decoding program that can decode barcodes with new specifications when stored in
Need to be replaced. Also, when the barcode decoding program is stored in a storage medium such as a memory card or a floppy card, it is necessary to replace the barcode decoding program with a memory card or a floppy card storing a barcode decoding program capable of decoding a barcode of a new specification. is there.

[0012]

However, in order to replace the ROM in the controller, the device must be returned to the maker to replace the ROM, or a technician from the maker or the like goes to the site to replace the ROM. Need to
Every time there is a program change, R
There is a problem that it takes time to replace the OM. If the barcode decoding program is stored on a memory card or floppy card, there is no such problem.However, due to the simplification of the device equipped with the controller, there is no function such as a memory card or a floppy card. At present, when the device appears, the only option is to replace the ROM of the controller as before.

The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to read a maintenance bar code obtained by converting a program change information into a bar code by a bar code reader, so that a bar code can be read at the site. An object of the present invention is to provide a controller program change device that enables a code decoding program to be rewritten.

[0014]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program changing device for a controller, comprising: a bar code reader for reading a normal bar code on which product information is encoded; A data table storing various data associated with the codes, decoding the barcode read by the barcode reader with a barcode decoding program, and searching the data table based on the decoded codes. Thus, in a controller that outputs data corresponding to the code, a rewritable storage unit that stores the barcode decryption program, and a maintenance barcode in which change information of the barcode decryption program is encoded is stored in the barcode reader. By reading in, the storage means A structure in which a change control means for changing in accordance with change information of the corresponding program indicated by the maintenance bar code in the bar code decoding program that is 憶.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program changing device for a controller according to the first aspect, wherein the barcode decoding program is stored as a subroutine for each decoding target table.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the controller program changing apparatus according to the first aspect, the number of digits of the maintenance bar code is made different from the number of digits of the normal bar code. The controller is configured to switch between the normal barcode reading mode and the maintenance barcode change mode depending on the difference in the number of digits of the read barcode.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the controller program changing device according to the first aspect, the maintenance bar code is created in a format different from the normal bar code. It is possible to read the barcode of the format and determine the read format,
The normal barcode reading mode and the maintenance barcode change mode are configured to be switched.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the controller program changing device according to the first aspect, the maintenance bar code includes a header and a data, and the controller includes the header maintenance bar code. Is configured to switch to the change mode by reading.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an electric configuration of a program changing device for a controller according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to a controller of a welding machine is shown.

The controller comprises a bar code reader 1
1 and a fusing power supply 12 for supplying a current to a fusing joint (not shown).
, A ROM 15 and a flash memory 16.

The ROM 15 stores programs other than the bar code decoding program, mainly programs for controlling the controller. In addition, the flash memory 16 stores a barcode decoding program and various tables as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 in respective areas. FIG. 1 shows an example of a barcode decoding program therein.
The barcode decoding program is previously formed into a subroutine for each decoding target table, and is stored in the flash memory 16 together with a number assigned to each subroutine or address data of a storage location.

The bar code reader 11 normally reads a bar code (normal bar code N shown in FIG. 5) of a label attached to the surface of the fusion joint and outputs the same to the CPU 13. The CPU 13 decodes the barcode in accordance with the barcode decoding program stored in the flash memory 16 and refers to each table also stored in the flash memory 16 to display the corresponding fusion data on the display unit 14.
To be displayed.

The CPU 13 is provided with the bar code reader 1.
When the maintenance barcodes MH and MD in which the change information described later is encoded from 1 are read, according to the change information of the maintenance barcodes MH and MD,
Processing for changing a corresponding program among the barcode decoding programs stored in the flash memory 16 is performed. That is, the flash memory 16 corresponds to the rewritable storage unit described in claim 1, and the CPU 13 corresponds to the change control unit described in claim 1.

FIG. 2 shows maintenance bar codes MH and M in which change information of a bar code decoding program is encoded.
D shows the specifications of the maintenance bar code M for the header and the data for the data.
In this example, H and MD are created.

The maintenance bar code MH for the header has a modified version number indicated by a 4-digit numerical code,
The form of the change program represented by a three-digit numerical code (subroutine) contains information on the total number of data portions represented by a four-digit numerical code.

The data maintenance bar code M
In D, an address to be changed, program data, and a check code according to the barcode standard are written. Here, the operation of reading the normal barcode N (reading mode) and the operation of changing the barcode decoding program using the maintenance barcodes MH and MD (change mode).
Is detected based on the difference in the number of digits of the read barcode. For example, the normal bar code N is 32 digits,
The maintenance bar codes MH and MD are 64 digits.

The data maintenance bar code M
In D, in order to avoid skipping the changed program when making changes on a plurality of sheets, management is performed by attaching serial number data according to the order of the barcodes to be read, or by attaching the start address of the written program. Assumed to be performed.

The bar code decoding program is prepared as a subroutine in advance for each decoding target table, and a number is assigned to each subroutine or an address of a storage location is determined. In the case of a partial change, the number or address of the data maintenance bar code MD may be added as the change location information to the beginning of each of the data maintenance bar codes MD, and the program of only the changed portion may be converted into a bar code.

Also, the program to be changed may be compression-encoded before bar-coding, and the compressed program data may be bar-coded. On the controller side, a program for decrypting the program data may be provided in advance, and after the decryption, the program may be changed (rewritten). In this way, by performing the subroutine or the compression encoding, the barcode for the change program (data maintenance barcode MD)
Can be reduced.

In the data maintenance bar code MD shown in FIG. 2, a check code conforming to the bar code standard is added to each of the data maintenance bar codes. You may make it add and convert. Next, a program change processing operation of the controller having the above configuration will be described with reference to flowcharts shown in FIGS.

First, when the header maintenance bar code MH is read from the bar code reader 11 (step S1), the CPU 13 detects that it is a change operation from the number of digits of the read header, and then the header maintenance is performed. The contents of the barcode MH are confirmed. That is, it is checked whether the read changed version number is newer than the current one (step S2). Here, if the changed version number is the same as or older than the current one, a warning or the like is issued.

If the changed version number is newer, the type of the changed program is checked next to determine which rewriting method to use (step S3). In the present embodiment, the form of the change program is a subroutine. Thereafter, the number of data maintenance bar codes MD to be read next is confirmed (step S4). In the present embodiment, the number is 23.

Thereafter, when the data maintenance bar code MD is read from the bar code reader 11 (step S11), the CPU 13 checks the write destination address from the read data (step S12), and then executes the change program. The change is read and the change program is written in the corresponding portion of the flash memory 16 (step S1).
3, S14).

After such processing is repeated for the number of data maintenance barcodes MD (step S
15), writing of the program is confirmed by the checksum for the entire program (step S16). If the writing of the program is not correct, the operation proceeds from step S17 to step S20 to warn that the program has not been correctly written.

If the program has been correctly written, a check barcode (not shown) created according to the new specification is read from the barcode reader 11 and read.
After confirming that the work of changing the barcode decoding program has been performed normally (steps S18 and S19), the program change processing ends.

As a check method using the check bar code, a method of setting the number of programs as information of the check bar code and comparing the number of programs with the number of programs after the change in the controller may be considered. Even without using such a check barcode, it is possible to confirm that all the changes have already been performed by using the maintenance barcodes MH and MD as they are and performing all the changes again. Thus, it can be regarded as a change processing check.

In the above-described embodiment, the controller distinguishes between the normal bar code N reading mode and the maintenance bar code MH, MD bar code decoding program change mode by the difference in the number of digits of the read bar code. However, the data is distinguished from that of the normal bar code N at the beginning of the header maintenance bar code MH, and the mode is changed to the change mode by reading this data. It is possible to configure. Also, the maintenance barcodes MH and MD are created in a format different from the normal barcode N, and the controller enables reading of the barcodes in these formats. When the format of the maintenance barcodes MH and MD is read, the controller switches to the change mode. It is possible to configure so that it can be replaced. Further, the controller may be provided with a changeover switch for switching between a normal barcode N reading mode (fusing mode) and a mode for changing a barcode decoding program using the maintenance barcodes MH and MD. By doing so, there is no need to distinguish between the maintenance barcode and the normal barcode (different numbers of digits and different formats).

In the above-described embodiment, the maintenance bar codes MH and MD are created separately for the header and data. However, the maintenance bar codes MH and MD are created separately for the header and data without being divided. It may be created as code.

In the above embodiment, the flash memory 16 is exemplified as the rewritable storage means. However, a backup RAM or the like can be used.

[0040]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a controller program changing apparatus which stores a bar code reader for reading a normal bar code in which product information is encoded and various data associated with a numerical code. With a data table, a barcode read by a barcode reader is decoded by a barcode decoding program,
By retrieving a data table based on the decoded code, a controller that outputs data corresponding to the code includes a rewritable storage unit that stores a barcode decoding program; And a change control unit for reading the converted maintenance barcode with a barcode reader to change a corresponding program among the barcode decoding programs stored in the storage unit in accordance with the change information indicated by the maintenance barcode. With this configuration, the barcode decoding program can be changed without replacing the ROM of the controller, thereby greatly improving the maintenance work efficiency. Further, even a controller having no function, such as a memory card, a floppy disk, or an optical disk, can change the internal program.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program changing device for a controller according to the first aspect, wherein a bar code decoding program is stored as a subroutine for each decoding target table. The number of maintenance barcodes (the amount of information) can be reduced.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the controller program changing apparatus, the number of digits of the maintenance bar code is made different from the number of digits of the normal bar code. The configuration is such that a normal barcode reading mode and a maintenance barcode change mode are switched depending on the difference. Further, the controller program changing device according to claim 4 of the present invention creates a maintenance barcode in a format different from a normal barcode, and the controller is capable of reading and reading barcodes in these formats. Determine the format,
It is configured to switch between a normal barcode reading mode and a maintenance barcode change mode. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the controller program changing device, wherein the maintenance bar code is configured for header and data, and the controller is configured to switch to the change mode by reading the header maintenance bar code. doing. This makes it possible to reliably distinguish between the normal barcode reading mode and the maintenance barcode change mode,
The change mode can be reliably executed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a controller program changing device of the present invention, showing an example in which the present invention is applied to a controller of a welding machine.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a maintenance bar code for a header and for a data.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining a program change processing operation of a controller.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining a program change processing operation of the controller.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing specifications of a normal barcode.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an alphabet code table.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a manufacturer code table.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a product code table.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Bar Code Reader 13 CPU 14 Display 15 ROM 16 Flash Memory N Normal Bar Code MH Maintenance Bar Code for Header MD Maintenance Bar Code for Data

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A bar code reader which reads a normal bar code in which product information is coded, and a data table which stores various data associated with numerical codes, wherein the bar read by the bar code reader is provided. A controller that decodes a code by a bar code decoding program and searches the data table based on the decoded code to output data corresponding to the code, a rewritable storage that stores the bar code decoding program Means, by reading a maintenance barcode in which the change information of the barcode decoding program is coded by the barcode reader, the corresponding program in the barcode decoding program stored in the storage means is read by the maintenance bar. Indicated by code Program changing device of the controller, characterized in that a change control means for changing in accordance with a further information. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bar code decoding program is stored as a subroutine for each decoding target table. 3. The number of digits of the maintenance bar code and the number of digits of the normal bar code are different from each other, and the controller determines the normal bar code reading mode according to the difference in the number of digits of the read bar code. 2. The controller program changing device according to claim 1, wherein the controller changes the maintenance bar code change mode. 4. The maintenance barcode is created in a format different from the normal barcode, and the controller is capable of reading barcodes in these formats, determines the read format, and determines the read format. 2. The controller program changing device according to claim 1, wherein the mode is switched between a bar code reading mode and a maintenance bar code changing mode. 5. The controller program change according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance bar code is composed of header data and data data, and the controller switches to the change mode by reading the header maintenance bar code. apparatus.