JPH11122250A - Communication control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily set and confirm a parameter without visiting an FA site. SOLUTION: A communication unit 20-0 and a slave 20 are connected by a sub network 21, the communication unit 20-0 , a host communication master 10 and a configurator 12 are connected by a host FA network 11, the communication unit 20-0 has a protocol to read parameters of slave sets 20-1 ,..., 20-4 and a protocol to write parameters to the slave sets 20-1 ..., 20-4 and by a command from the configurator 12, the communication unit 20-1 reads parameters of the slave sets 20-1 ,..., 20-4 or writes them via the sub network 21.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a communication control system such as an FA network system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 1, a generally known FA network system includes an upper communication master station 1 and
A plurality of slave stations 3 _-1 , 3 _-2 ,..., 3 _-n are connected by the upper FA network 2, and each slave station 3 _-1 , 3 _-2 ,. , 3- _n control the controlled objects to be I / O connected to each other. In this type of FA network system, the slave station has, for each slave, storage means for storing operation parameters corresponding to its own controlled object, setting means for setting operation parameters, and confirmation means for confirming the set values. And set and check parameters individually. In the FA network system, the upper communication master station and each slave station are installed at considerably distant positions.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned conventional network system, the operation parameters are set for each slave station, so that the location of the upper master and the location of the slave station are very far apart. When the user wants to see the settings of the slave station, such as when starting up at an FA site, he must go to the installation location of the slave station. At the time of maintenance exchange of the slave station, it must be reset to the unit, and the trouble of restarting becomes complicated. Since these must be set individually, it takes a lot of time to mass-produce the same system. And so on.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide a communication control system in which parameter setting and confirmation can be easily performed without going to the FA site.

[0005]

A communication control system according to claim 1 of the specification of the present application connects an upper communication master station and a plurality of slave stations with an upper communication network, and each slave station uses the same. In a system for controlling a controlled object, the slave station is configured by connecting a communication unit for processing a higher-layer communication protocol and a slave station for actually performing I / O connection to a controlled system via a sub-network, The unit has a protocol for reading parameters for slave stations of the sub-network and a protocol for writing parameters to slave stations of the sub-network.

In this communication control system, the parameters of the corresponding slave of the sub-network are read and confirmed from the upper communication network via each communication unit, or the parameters are set via the communication unit and the sub-network. Can be changed. Claim 2
The communication control system according to the communication control system in which a higher communication master station and a plurality of slave stations are connected by a higher communication network, and each slave station controls a controlled object.
Each slave station includes parameter storage means for storing parameters, and communication means for exchanging data with other slave stations, so that parameters can be copied between slave stations of the same type. .

In this communication control system, a slave station of which operation parameters have already been set and stored is used as a copy source between slave stations of the same type, and the other unset slave stations (copy destinations) are operated by communication means. By transferring the parameters, the other slave stations of the same type can set the operation parameters without performing complicated operations on the own station.

A communication control system according to a third aspect of the present invention is a system in which an upper communication master station and a plurality of slave stations are connected by an upper communication network, and each slave station controls a controlled object. The communication unit that processes the communication protocol and the I / O
A communication unit configured to connect and configure the slave stations to be connected to each other by a subnetwork, and the communication unit stores a parameter of the slave station of the subnetwork; Means for sometimes writing parameters.

In this communication control system, every time the power is turned on, the communication unit writes and sets parameters in the slave.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to embodiments. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the FA network system according to one embodiment of the present invention. 2, the slave 20 slave 20 _-1 as a plurality of functional portions, ..., has a 20 _-4, these slaves 20 _-1, ..., 20 _-4 and communication unit 20 _-0
Are connected by a sub-network 21. Host master 10, configurator 12, communication unit 20
_-0 is connected by the upper FA network 11.

[0011] Communication unit 20 _-0 operates as a slave station on the upper FA network 11, when viewed from the upper communication master 10, the slave 20 _-1, ..., looks 20 _-4 coalesced slave. Also, the communication unit _20-0
The slaves 20 _-1 ,..., 20 _{-4 of the} subnetwork 21
The communication unit _20-0 supports a communication circuit _22-0 , an MPU _23-0 , and a slave 2 for communicating with the host.
A communication circuit _{24-0 for} communicating with 0 _-1 ,..., 20 _-4 and a memory _25-0 are provided. The configurator 12 is a personal computer, which is generally used when connecting a plurality of masters on a network. Here, the configurator 12 supports a protocol for reading / writing operation parameters of a slave station on the upper network 11. . Each slave 2
0 _-1, ..., 20 _-4 to control the controlled object through the I / O. Although not shown in FIG. 2, as the FA network system, several other slaves are connected to the upper FA network 11 (see FIG. 3).

As shown in FIG. 3, the operation parameters are set by the configurator 12 via the higher-level FA network 11 as one slave communication unit 2.
0 _-0 to the request is issued. This request is sent to the communication unit 20
Via the sub-network 21 from _-0 sent to the slave 20, further response through sub-network 21 from the slave 20 is sent to the communication unit 20 _-0, through the upper FA network 11 from the communication unit 20 _-0 ,
A response is returned to the configurator 12.

The processing operation of the communication unit _20-0 and the slave 20- _i when setting the operation parameters will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. Communication unit 20 _-0
When a parameter read / write command is received from the configurator 12 (step ST1), a parameter read / write command is transmitted to the slave 20 via the sub-network 21 (step ST2). On this occasion,
FIG. 5 shows an example of a request frame from the upper FA network (configurator) in the case of reading parameters, and FIG. 5 shows an example of a request frame from the communication unit _20-0 to the sub-network 21. FIG. 6 shows an example of a request frame from the upper FA network in the case of parameter writing, and FIG. 6 shows an example of a request claim from the communication unit _20-0 to the sub-network 21.

In the slave 20, the sub-network 21
When a parameter read / write command is received (step ST11), a parameter read / write process is executed (step ST12), and a response is transmitted to the communication unit via the sub-network 21 (step ST13). After transmitting the parameter read / write command in step ST2, the communication unit _20-0 checks whether a response has been received via the sub-network 21 (step ST3).
If no response is received, it is determined whether or not the response waiting time has timed out (step ST4).
If not, the process returns to step ST3 and waits for a response. If a timeout has occurred in step ST4, the process returns to step ST2,
Transmit the parameter read / write command again. When the response is received in step ST3, the response is transmitted to the configurator 12 via the upper FA network 11 (step ST5).

Regarding the above response, parameter reading
In this case, from the slave 20 via the sub-network 21
FIG. 5 shows an example of a response frame of
20 _-0Response via the upper FA network 11
An example of a frame is shown in FIG. Also, write parameters
From the slave 20 via the sub-network 21
An example of all response frames is shown in FIG.
0_-0Response through the upper FA network 11
FIG. 6 shows an example of the algorithm.

In the system of this embodiment, commands for reading and writing parameters are issued from the configurator. However, it is of course possible to issue commands from the host master 10. FIG. 7 is a block diagram for explaining an FA network system according to another embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is characterized in that each slave is provided with a parameter copy function in the FA network system. The slave _30-1 includes a nonvolatile memory (EEPROM) 31 for storing parameters, a communication circuit 32 for serially transmitting and receiving data to and from other slaves,
Control MPU 33 and transmission switch 3 for starting transmission
4 and a reception switch 35 for activating reception standby. The other slaves 30 _-2 ,... Have the same configuration. Each of the slaves 30 _-1 , 30 _-2 ,... Is not shown, but is connected to an upper communication master via an upper FA network as in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a frame structure of data transfer. STX is a header, ETX is a footer, B
CC is a frame check code, and data is operation parameter data. In this embodiment FA network system, it transmits the operating parameters are stored in one of the slave 30 _-1 to the other slave 30 _-2 can perform copying of the operating parameters.

Next, the operation parameter copy processing will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, the receiving switch 3 is operated on the slave on the copy receiving side (copy destination).
5 is turned ON (step ST21), and waits for reception (step ST2). On the other hand, the side transmitting the copy parameters (the copy source) turns on the transmission switch 34 (step 41) and transmits the operation parameters stored in the nonvolatile memory 31 via the communication circuit 32 (step ST42). ).

The transmitted operation parameters are copied.
The receiver receives the message and stores it in its own non-volatile memory 31.
(Step ST33), the copy operation is completed.
(Step ST43). FIG. 10 shows still another embodiment of the present invention.
Showing the configuration of the FA network system
FIG. The configuration is almost the same as the system shown in FIG.
is there. In this embodiment, the FA network system
Unit 20_-0In a non-volatile memory, that is, EEPROM
26_-0And the EEPROM 26_-0Each thread
Bove 20 _-1, ......, 20_-FourMemorize the operating parameters of
Communication unit 20 when the power is turned on._-0Then EEP
ROM26_-0Read the operation parameters stored in
And each slave 20 via the sub-network 21_-1,
............ 20_-FourAnd write the operating parameters.
U. The frame at the time of writing is shown in FIG.
Is the same as Parameter can be transferred by communication unit.
It is not necessary to set each time on the slave.
No.

[0020]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a slave station is connected by a sub-network to a communication unit that processes an upper-layer communication protocol and a slave station that is actually I / O-connected to a controlled system. The communication unit has a protocol for reading parameters for the slave station of the sub-network and a protocol for writing parameters for the slave station of the sub-network. Since it is possible to read or write the parameters of the slaves on the network, it is not necessary to go to the slaves when you want to see the settings of the slaves, such as when adjusting the startup at the FA site.

The operation of resetting the unit during maintenance replacement of the slave can be simplified. When mass-producing the same system, each setting operation can be simplified. According to the second aspect of the present invention, each slave station has:
Parameter storage means for storing parameters, and communication means for exchanging data with other slave stations,
Since the parameters can be copied between slave stations of the same type, the parameters can be copied by transfer between slave stations of the same type, and the same effect as that according to claim 1 can be obtained. it can.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the communication unit stores the parameter of the slave of the sub-network, and writes the parameter to the slave station of the sub-network when the power is turned on. Therefore, when the power is turned on, parameters can be written from the communication unit to the slave station of the sub-network, and the same effect as the above-described claim 1 can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional general FA network system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an FA network system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a transmission order of the FA network system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a communication unit and a slave in the FA network system of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of each transmission frame at the time of reading parameters of the FA network system of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of each transmission frame when writing parameters in the FA network system of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of each slave in an FA network system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a data format of transmission between slaves in the FA network system of the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure between slaves in the FA network system of the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an FA network system according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 10 upper communication master 11 upper FA network 12 configurator _20-0 communication unit _20-1 , ..., _20-4 slave 21 subnetwork

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A communication control system for connecting an upper communication master station and a plurality of slave stations via an upper communication network and controlling a controlled object at each slave station, comprising: a communication unit for processing an upper communication protocol; A slave station actually connected to the controlled system via an I / O connection is connected and configured by a sub-network. The communication unit has a protocol for reading parameters to the slave station of the sub-network, and A communication control system having a protocol for writing parameters to slave stations of a sub-network. 2. A communication control system for linking an upper communication master station and a plurality of slave stations by an upper communication network and controlling a controlled object at each slave station, wherein each slave station stores parameter. A communication control system comprising communication means for exchanging data with another slave station, wherein parameters can be copied between slave stations of the same type. 3. A communication control system in which an upper communication master station and a plurality of slave stations are connected by an upper communication network, and each slave station controls an object to be controlled, wherein the slave station comprises a communication unit for processing an upper communication protocol. A slave unit that is actually connected to the controlled system via an I / O connection by a sub-network, and the communication unit is configured to store a parameter of the slave station of the sub-network; Means for writing a parameter to the slave station when power is turned on.