JPS63108407A - Centralized control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To relieve the load of a main controller and to attain the communication with a different kind of controller by enabling communication to be executed by a communication means when a communication request means sends a request signal from a sub controller. CONSTITUTION:A unit controller 31 stores the operating information into a memory for sequencer at the end of job of a machine 21 or at the occurrence of a fault and the sequencer sends an H level request signal Sc to a line controller 1 via a communication request line 51. Thus, the controller 1 reads the operating information in a memory of the sequencer via a serial transfer line 41. Moreover, a unit controller 32 stores the operating information of the similar machine 22 into a memory in a microcomputer, which sends the signal Sc to the controller 1 via a communication request line 52. Then the microcomputer transfers the information signal Sb of the operating information in the memory to the controller 1 via a serial transfer line 42.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Purpose of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention is directed to automatic assembly of many types of parts or products.

Concentration applied to, for example, automated lines that perform processing, etc.■
Regarding the L control system.

(Prior Art) In this) R centralized control system, for example, in an automated line, a line controller is provided as a main controller, and a unit controller is provided as a plurality of machines and a plurality of subcontrollers corresponding to each of these machines, By providing a serial transfer line as a communication means between each of these unit controllers and the line controller, instruction signals or information signals are sent and received between each unit controller and the line controller, and the unit controller responds. There is a device that controls machines and centrally controls a plurality of machines using a line controller. In this case, each unit controller has a built-in sequencer or microcomputer, and is controlled by the sequencer or microcomputer.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) Generally, when a sequencer performs serial communication with a host computer, it does not have a function of transmitting data from itself to the computer.

Therefore, in the above conventional configuration, when the unit controller has a built-in sequencer, when the unit controller side sends information signals such as machine work completion or machine abnormality to the line controller side, the line controller always ( It is necessary to make inquiries to each unit controller (periodically for a short period of time), which has the disadvantage of placing a heavy burden on the line controller.

On the other hand, when a microcomputer performs serial communication with a higher-level computer, it has a function of transmitting information from itself to the computer. Therefore, when the unit controller has a built-in microcomputer, when transmitting information signals from the unit controller to the line controller, the microcomputer sequentially transmits the information signals to the line controller. When an abnormality occurs in the corresponding machine and an abnormality information signal is sent from the unit controller to the line controller,
There are cases where instruction signals are transmitted from the line controller to the unit controller at the same timing, and in this case, there is a risk that the transmissions from both the line controller and the unit controller will collide on the serial transfer line, resulting in a so-called system down.

Moreover, when controlling different types of unit controllers, one with a built-in sequencer and one with a built-in microcomputer, using one line controller,
．． As described above, it is necessary for the line controller to change the communication control method for each unit controller, and it is not possible to increase the number of unit controllers, that is, machines that can be controlled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to reduce the burden on the main controller when transmitting and receiving instructions and information signals between the main controller and the sub-controller, and to
To provide a centralized control system in which there is no risk of system failure, and the number of machines that can be controlled can be increased by using substantially the same communication control method even when the types of sub-controllers are different. .

[Configuration of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The centralized control system of the present invention includes a main controller,
1 (Several machines and a plurality of sub-controllers corresponding to these machines are provided, and instructions and information signals are transmitted and received between these sub-controllers and the main controller, respectively. A communication means for controlling a corresponding machine by a sub-controller is provided, and a communication request means is provided between each of the plurality of sub-controllers and the main controller, and the communication request means receives a request signal from the sub-controller. By transmitting the information to the main controller, the communication means can transmit the information from the sub-controller to the main controller.

(Function) When transmitting and receiving data between a sub-controller and a main controller, only when the communication requesting means transmits a request signal from the sub-controller to the main controller, the communication means from the sub-controller to the main controller. Because it becomes possible to send by
There is no need for the main controller to constantly make inquiries to the sub-controller, the burden on the main controller is reduced accordingly, and there is no possibility of system failure due to simultaneous transmission from the main controller and the partner sub-controller.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example in which the present invention is applied to an automated line will be described with reference to the drawings.

Reference numeral 1 indicates a main controller, for example, a line controller; 21 to 2n indicate a plurality of machines, for example, n machines;
At the same time, information signals sb indicating the operating status of each machine 21 to 2n, such as completion of work or occurrence of an abnormality, are manually input.

Reference numerals 31 to 3n denote m number of sub-controllers, for example, unit controllers provided corresponding to the respective machines 21 to 2n, and each of these has a built-in sequencer or microcomputer (not shown). 41 to 4n are unit controllers 31 to 3n and line controller 1
An instruction signal Sa or information signal sb is transmitted between each of the unit controllers 31 to 3n and the line controller 1 via these serial transfer lines 41 to 4n. is transmitted and received, and the unit controllers 31 to 3
The corresponding machines 21 to 2n are controlled by n. What about 51~5n? A request signal from the unit controllers 31 to 3n is transmitted via communication request lines 51 to 5n, which are communication request means provided between the U number of unit controllers 31 to 3n and the line controller 1, respectively. Sc is transmitted to the line controller 1, thereby enabling transmission from the unit controllers 31 to 3 to the line controller 1 via the serial transfer lines 41 to 4n.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described.

First, the line controller 1 is a predetermined progera.

The work instruction signal Sa is pulse-coded based on the
This is output manually to the unit controllers 31 to 3n via serial transfer lines 41 to 4n. The unit controllers 31 to 3n send an instruction signal Sa for this work.
In response to this, the corresponding machines 21 to 2n are operated. In this state, the unit controllers 31 to 3n control the machine 21.
We are constantly monitoring the operating status of ~2n.

Therefore, the machines 21 to 2n based on the instruction signal Sa described in -
When the work is completed, or when an abnormality occurs in the machines 21 to 2n, it becomes necessary to send data from the unit controllers 31 to 3n to the line controller 1. In the following, this case will be explained using the unit controllers 31+32 as an example. explain. Note that the unit controller 31 has a built-in sequencer, for example, and the unit controller 32
For example, assume that the microcomputer is built in.

In the unit controller 31, the corresponding machine 2
When work 1 is completed or when an abnormality occurs in the machine 21, this is stored in the memory in the sequencer as operation information. Thereafter, the sequencer transmits, for example, a high-level request signal Sc to the line controller 1 via the communication request line 51. Thereby, the line controller 1 reads the operation information stored in the memory in the sequencer of the unit controller 31 via the serial transfer line 41. As a result, the information signal sb of the operation information is transmitted from the unit controller 31 to the line controller 1.

In addition, in the unit controller 32, when the corresponding machine 22 completes work or when an abnormality occurs in the machine 22, this is stored in the memory in the microcomputer as operation information and the transmission rate (FM is performed) .After this,
The microcomputer transmits a high-level request signal Sc to the line controller 1 via the communication request line 51. As a result, the line controller 1 stands by so that it can receive the transmission from the computer of the unit controller 32 via the serial transfer line 42. In this state, the computer computer sends the information signal sb of the operating information in its memory to the line controller 1.
Send to.

According to this embodiment having such a configuration, the following effects can be obtained. That is, communication request lines 51 to 5n are connected to unit controllers 31 to 3n and line controller 1.
When a request signal from the unit controllers 31 to 3n is transmitted to the line controller 1 via the communication request lines 51 to 5n, the request signal can be transmitted from the unit controllers 31 to 3n to the line controller 1. Since I configured it so that the line control
The roller 1 only reads the operating information from the unit controllers 31 to 30 or receives the transmission of operating information from the unit controllers 31 to 3n only when it receives a request signal from the unit controllers 31 to 3n. , the burden on the line controller 1 can be reduced compared to the conventional one.

Therefore, even if the number of machines 2 controlled by the line controller 1 increases, this can be accommodated.

Furthermore, even if the unit controller 32 has a built-in microcomputer, the transmission from the microcomputer from the unit controller 32 to the line controller 1 and the transmission from the line controller 1 to the unit controller 32 will not conflict. Unlike conventional methods, there is no risk of system failure. Furthermore, since the communication request lines 51 to 5n are provided between the unit controllers 31 to 3n and the line controller 1, the type of each unit controller 31 to 3n (i.e., whether it has a built-in sequencer or a microcomputer) ) are different, each unit controller 31
The communication control method between ~3n and the line controller 1 can be substantially the same.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above description, the present invention transmits and receives instructions and information signals between m number of sub-controllers and the main controller, respectively, so that the sub-controllers can control the corresponding machines. In addition to providing communication means for controlling the controller, communication requesting means are provided between the m number of sub-controllers and the main controller, and the communication requesting means transmits a request signal from the sub-controller to the main controller. This configuration enables transmission from the sub-controller to the main controller using the communication means, thereby reducing the burden on the main controller when transmitting and receiving instructions and information signals between the main controller and the sub-controller. In addition, there is no risk of system failure, and even if the types of sub-controllers are different, substantially the same communication control method can be used to increase the number of machines that can be controlled. It has a great effect.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The figure is an overall block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. In the diagram, 1 is the line controller (main controller)
, 21-2n are machines, 31-3n are unit controllers (sub-controllers), 41-4n are serial transfer lines (communication means), and 51-5n are communication request lines (communication request means).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A main controller, a plurality of machines, a plurality of subcontrollers provided corresponding to each of these machines, and instructions and information provided between each of these subcontrollers and the main controller. communication means for transmitting and receiving signals to cause the subcontrollers to control the corresponding machines; and communication means provided between the plurality of subcontrollers and the main controller, and for transmitting request signals from the subcontrollers to the main controller. communication requesting means for enabling transmission by the communication means from the sub-controller to the main controller.