JPH1031508A - Device and method for debugging - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To arranging contact buttons so that an operation image of an actual machine accompanies them when a sequence program is debugged by simulation. SOLUTION: An image data read part 1 reads in image data. A screen control part 3 controls the whole screen and is equipped with an image display part 31 and a contact button display part 32. Then an image display part 31 is so constituted as to draw the image data, read in by the image read part 1 and stored in an image data storage part 2, on the CRT screen, and the contact button display part 32 is so constituted as to display contact buttons at specific places on an image drawing of a control equipment system displayed on the CRT screen by the image display part 31.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a debugging device and a debugging method for detecting a bug in a sequence program for operating a programmable controller (hereinafter, referred to as a PLC).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A PLC controls a control device in accordance with a sequence program stored in advance based on output information (open or closed) from various sensors for detecting the state of a device to be controlled. .

When a programmer is required, such a sequence program is created by directly coding with reference to a ladder chart as shown in FIG.
Alternatively, the program support device is created directly from the already created ladder chart.

[0004] The sequence program created in this way generally contains a bug, and the use of the sequence program containing the bug for actual control of the control device system is due to malfunction or accident. It is very dangerous not only for defective products but also for safety.

Therefore, it is necessary to simulate whether or not each control device operates normally before installing the created sequence program in an actual control device system, and to verify in advance a bug hidden in the program. .

As a device for verifying a bug in the above-mentioned sequence program, a debug device (debugger) has conventionally been provided. This debug device is connected to a PLC, and a CRT has a structure as shown in FIG. A switch box 10 having a required number of contact buttons 101 for starting (ON / OFF) the input / output contacts of the control device is displayed.

In this debug device, when a desired contact button 101 in the switch box is clicked, for example, with a mouse, the input contact of the PLC is turned on and a simulated input signal is given instead of a sensor or the like. By changing the state of the input contact and changing the state of the output contact according to this to be displayed as ON in the contact button 101, the control device system is operated in a simulated manner, and the fact that the sequence program is hidden is inspected. Has become.

[0008]

However, in such a conventional debugging device, when the corresponding contact button 101 is clicked from the above-mentioned switch box 10 to start the operation, the output state corresponding to the start is switched again. Since it is displayed by the contact button 101 on the box 10, there is no image of the arrangement of the input / output contacts that have been started up in the control device system. Therefore, it is very difficult to grasp the operation status. There was a problem.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a debugging device and a debugging method in which, when a sequence program is simulated and debugged, contact buttons are arranged so as to accompany an actual operation image of a control device system. The purpose is to do.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a debug device for detecting a bug in a sequence program for controlling a control device system, the control device comprising: It is characterized by comprising image diagram display means for displaying an image diagram of the system, and contact button display means for displaying a contact button in the image diagram of the control device system displayed by the image diagram display means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a contact state changing means for changing a state of a contact corresponding to the contact button displayed on the image diagram is provided.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the image of the control device system is a hand-drawn drawing, a photograph, or the like in which the entire control device system or a portion divided as necessary is drawn. It is characterized in that the illustration is read by an image scanner or directly displayed on a screen such as CAD drawing data.

The invention according to claim 4 is the first or second invention.
In the invention described in the above, the contact button display means displays a timing chart display button for displaying a timing chart of contacts for the displayed contact button, together with a list of contact buttons displayed in an image diagram of the control device system. Features.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the first or second aspect.
In the invention described in the above, the contact button display means includes a list of contact buttons displayed on an image diagram of the control device system, a timing chart display button for displaying a timing chart of a contact for the displayed contact button, and each control device. Is characterized by having a class state button for sequentially activating the contact buttons corresponding to.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fifth aspects of the present invention, the contact button has a contact number, a comment, and a contact type.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the sixth aspect, a comment erasing means for erasing a comment in the contact button is provided.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in a debugging method for detecting a bug in a sequence program for controlling a control device system, an image of the control device system is displayed on the image diagram of the control device system, and a contact is made with the displayed image of the control device system. A button is displayed, and the display of the contact button displayed in the image diagram is changed to change a contact state corresponding to the contact button.

According to the present invention, after the image diagram of the control device system is displayed, the contact button is displayed in the displayed image diagram. Is clear.

Further, the state of a desired contact can be changed by changing the display of the contact button displayed on the message diagram of the control device system.

Further, since there is a timing chart display button for displaying a list of the contact buttons displayed on the image diagram of the control device system and a timing chart of the contacts for the displayed contact buttons, debugging is performed with reference to the timing chart. be able to.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of a debugging device and a debugging method according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

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

The debug device of this embodiment includes an image data reading unit 1 for reading image data, an image data storage unit 2 for storing image data, a screen control unit 3, and a contact button operation execution unit 4. It is configured.

The image data reading section 1 reads image data, and includes, for example, a scanner.

Here, as the image data to be drawn on the CRT, hand-drawn drawings, photographs, and illustrations of the entire control device system or the parts divided as necessary are read by an image scanner and stored in an image data storage unit. And those directly displayed on the screen such as CAD drawing data are used.

The screen control section 3 controls the entire screen, which will be described later, and includes an image display section 31 and a contact button display section 32. And the image display unit 3
1 is configured to draw the image data read by the image reading unit 1 and stored in the image data storage unit 2 on the CRT screen. A contact button is configured to be displayed at a predetermined position on the image diagram of the control device system displayed on the screen.

Here, the contact buttons displayed on the screen are:
It reads out and displays contact data including contact numbers, comments, contact types, and contact states extracted in advance from a ladder chart or a program described in mnemonics.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2, it is placed on a belt 45 which is rotated by a motor M1.
As a result, when the work 48 is defective, the contact button 41 is displayed on the sensor 46 on the display screen for the process of removing the work 48 from the belt 45 by the cylinder 49.
a, a contact button 41b is attached to the sensor 47, and contact buttons 41c, 41d, 41e, 41f are attached to the cylinder 49 as windows.

By the way, the contact button 41a of the sensor 46
Is "00005" as the contact number 401a, "Detection 1" as the comment 402a, and "I" as the contact type 403a.

When a predetermined contact button is clicked with a mouse, the contact button operation execution unit 3 turns on the display of the clicked contact button, and replaces the sensor or the like of the control device system corresponding to the contact with the contact button. It is configured to provide a simulated input signal to the PLC.

Here, C of the debugging device of this embodiment is
The screen displayed by the RT will be described.

As shown in FIG. 3, a switch box window 2 is provided on the CRT of the debugging device of this embodiment.
0, a timing chart window 30, an image diagram display window 40, and a class list window 50 are at least displayed.

(1) Regarding the switch box window As shown in FIG. 4A, the switch box window 20 activates the input contacts of the control device, and displays the output contacts of the control device. Button 41 is displayed.

As shown in FIG. 4B, each contact button 41 is formed of a button area 410a on which a contact number and a contact type are displayed, and a comment / comment area 410b indicating the contents of the contact.

The contact can be turned ON / OFF by clicking the button area 41a with a mouse.

Note that this switch box window 2
The number of contact buttons 41 to be displayed can be adjusted by changing the size of 0, and the contact buttons 41 that cannot be displayed can be displayed by scrolling the screen.

As shown in FIG. 5A, by clicking the [Display] menu 11 with the mouse to display the pop-up menu 12, and clicking on the comment display 13 in the menu, the switch box already displayed is displayed. The comment area 41b in the window 41 is deleted.

In this way, when the contact buttons 41 are the button area 41a and the comment area 41b, the comment area 41b can be displayed by deleting the comment area 41b even when the amount of display is large and the display cannot be performed. Becomes possible.

(2) Timing Chart Window As shown in FIG. 6, the timing chart window 30 displays a time chart graph 32 showing a change in the state of a contact corresponding to each contact button 41.

This timing chart window 30
During debugging, changes in the state of the contacts are immediately reflected as a time chart graph, so that the progress of debugging can be easily checked and the execution results of the debugging saved in the log file are displayed in a time chart. Since it can be displayed, it can be easily compared with the past execution results.

By clicking the contact button 41 displayed in this window with a mouse, the contact is directly turned ON / OFF without going through the switch box window 20.
Can be turned off.

The number of the contact buttons 41 to be displayed can be adjusted by changing the size of the window 30, and the contact buttons 41 that cannot be displayed can be scrolled on the screen. Can be displayed.

(3) Image Diagram Display Window As described above, the image diagram display window 40 displays an image diagram drawn by hand-drawn drawings, photographs, illustrations, and the like.
The corresponding contact buttons 41 are freely attached (see FIG. 7).

In the image diagram display window 40, by attaching the corresponding contact buttons on the image diagram of the debugging process, it becomes easier to imagine the actual operation of the control device system. This window 40
Can also be changed in size.

(4) Class List Window As shown in FIG. 8, the class list window 50 is provided with a class status button 51 for displaying the operation status of each control device of the actual system and each control device of the actual system. A contact button 41 corresponding to the contact and a chart display button 52 for displaying the above-described timing chart window 30 of the control device are displayed.

Incidentally, in the case of a cylinder as the control device, the contact buttons 41a, 41b, 41c, 41d, 41
e.

When the chart display button 52 is clicked with the mouse, as shown in FIG. 8B, the timing chart window of the contact button 41 provided on the control device at the position where the chart display button 52 is clicked is displayed. 30 is displayed.

Next, a method of attaching a contact button corresponding to the image diagram displayed on the CRT will be described.

As shown in FIG. 9, the operator displays image data of the control device system stored in the image data storage section 2 on the CRT in advance.

Next, the operator displays a class list window 50 representing the contact button 41 on the CRT on which the image data of the control device system is displayed.

Then, in the displayed class list window, a class status button 51, a contact button 41 of the class status button 51, and a chart display button 52 are displayed.
Is cut and moved to a predetermined location on the screen and pasted as shown in FIGS.

When the class status button 51 and the like are pasted on the screen, the class list window 50 is deleted from the display screen as shown in FIG.

Thereafter, the operator presses the class state button 51
And the chart display button 52 is deleted from the display screen by clicking the mouse, and only the contact button 41 is displayed.
Thereafter, each of the displayed contact buttons 41 is clicked with a mouse, and is pasted on an appropriate portion of a screen displaying image data of the control device system.

Then, as shown in FIG. 13, an image diagram window 40 on which the contact button 41 is pasted is displayed on the CRT for each control device.

As shown in FIG. 12, it is possible to stop displaying the class status button 51, the contact button 41, and the chart designating button 52 related to the control device near the control device displayed on the screen. . In this case, click the class status button 51 with the mouse and turn it on.
Thus, the contact button 41 connected to the class state button 51 is automatically turned on sequentially, and the progress can be grasped by a change in the display state of the contact button 41.

The chart display button 52 is clicked with the mouse to display the time chart window 30, and the corresponding contact button 41 is clicked with the mouse. Can be displayed as a timing chart.

In the debug device of this embodiment, it is possible to visually understand which device / equipment is related to which contact, so that during debugging, the state of this contact is correct. Further, it is easy to determine which of the contacts needs to change the state.

The desired contact state can be changed by changing the display of the contact button displayed on the message diagram of the control device system.

Furthermore, since there is a timing chart display button for displaying a timing chart of the contact points for the displayed contact buttons together with a list of the contact buttons displayed on the image diagram of the control device system, debugging is performed with reference to the timing chart. be able to.

[0060]

As described above, according to the present invention, after the image of the control device system is displayed, the contact buttons are displayed in the displayed image, so that the sequence program is simulated and debugged. In doing so, the location of the input / output contacts that have been activated can be clearly grasped.

Therefore, it is possible to easily perform the debugging while accompanying the image of the actual control device system.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a reference diagram when a contact box is displayed in an image diagram of the control device system.

FIG. 3 is a display screen of a debug device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a display screen of a switch box window displayed on the debug device of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a process when deleting a comment area from a contact button in a switch box window.

FIG. 6 is a display screen of a time chart window displayed on the debug device of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a display screen of an image diagram window displayed on the debug device of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a display screen of a class list window displayed on the debug device of this embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a process of pasting a contact button on an image displayed on a CRT.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a process of pasting a contact button on an image displayed on a CRT.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a process of pasting a contact button on an image displayed on a CRT.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of a process of pasting a contact button on an image diagram displayed on a CRT.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of a process of pasting a contact button on an image displayed on a CRT.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of a ladder chart.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of a switch box displayed on a CRT.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image data reading part 2 Image data storage part 3 Screen control part 4 Contact button operation execution part 20 Switch box window 30 Time chart window 40 Image diagram window 50 Class list window 31 Image display part 32 Contact button display part 41 Class state button 51 52 Chart display button 41a, 41b, 41c, 41d, 41e, 41f Contact button 410a Contact area 410b Comment area

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A debug device for detecting a bug in a sequence program for controlling a control device system, comprising: an image diagram display means for displaying an image diagram of the control device system; and an image diagram of the control device system displayed by the image diagram display means. And a contact button displaying means for displaying a contact button therein. 2. The debugging device according to claim 1, further comprising contact state changing means for changing a state of a contact corresponding to the contact button displayed on the image diagram. 3. An image diagram of the control device system,
A hand-drawn drawing, photograph, or illustration that draws the entire control device system or a part that is divided as necessary is read by an image scanner, or is displayed directly on the screen, such as CAD drawing data. The debugging device according to claim 1, wherein: 4. The contact button display means displays a list of contact buttons displayed on an image diagram of the control device system, and a timing chart display button for displaying a timing chart of contacts for the displayed contact buttons. The debugging device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: 5. The contact button display means includes: a list of contact buttons displayed on an image diagram of the control device system; a timing chart display button for displaying a timing chart of contacts for the displayed contact buttons; and each control device. 3. The debugging device according to claim 1, further comprising: a class state button for sequentially activating the contact buttons corresponding to. 6. The contact button according to claim 1, wherein the contact button has a contact number, a comment, and a contact type.
6. The debugging device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. 7. A comment deleting means for deleting a comment in the contact button.
A debugging device as described. 8. A debugging method for detecting a bug in a sequence program for controlling a control device system, comprising: displaying an image on the control device system; displaying a contact button on the displayed image of the control device system; A debugging method characterized by changing the display of a contact button displayed on an image diagram to change a contact state corresponding to the contact button.