JP2015087899A - Device control apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device control apparatus capable of managing a signal transmitted and received between a programmable controller and a controlled device as well as its transmission path, and quickly coping with abnormality when the abnormality occurs in input and output signals of the controller.SOLUTION: A device control apparatus 1 that controls one or more controlled devices by managing input and output signals transmitted and received respectively to/from a programmable controller 50, comprises: a storage unit 11 in which connection path information related to a connection path between input/output terminals of the controller 50 and input/output terminals of the controlled devices is stored; a path specification information input reception unit 20 for receiving an input of path specification information that is information by a user specifying the input/output terminals of the controller 50 and/or the input/output terminals of the controlled devices; and a path information output unit 12 for outputting the connection path information corresponding to the path specification information.

Description

  The present invention relates to a device control apparatus that controls equipment using a programmable controller (hereinafter referred to as “controller”) such as a DCS (distributed control system) or a PLC (programmable logic controller). About.

  In plants such as factories and power generation facilities, controllers are widely used to collectively control a plurality of equipment (pressure gauge, thermometer, flow meter, motor, etc.). In the control by the controller, each input / output end of the equipment and the input / output end of the controller are connected by wiring, and signals are transmitted and received between them. The wiring from the equipment arranged in various places in the plant reaches the input / output end of the controller via various relay devices such as a relay panel, a signal converter, and a noise removal filter. In addition, attributes (pressure signal, temperature signal, etc.) of the input / output signals of the controller are set using an engineering tool embodied on a computer by software provided by the controller manufacturer. Furthermore, a control command is described using an engineering tool and written to the controller. In this way, the state of a signal input from the equipment to the controller is managed, or a signal is output from the controller to the equipment according to a control command.

JP 2006-79501 A

  For example, when an abnormality occurs in the signal input to the controller, the cause is not only the abnormality of the equipment itself, but also the abnormality of the relay equipment existing on the wiring path from the equipment to the controller, or connecting them Possible damage to the wiring. However, in the control using the controller, only the attribute and the state of the signal at the input / output end of the controller are managed, and therefore the path through which the signal is transmitted cannot be specified. Therefore, when trouble occurs, the operator checks the CAD drawing and the development connection diagram, and the wiring from the input / output end of the controller is connected to which relay device located anywhere in the plant, and in which wiring route There is a problem that it takes time because it is necessary to check whether it is connected to the input / output terminal of the device.

  In a large-scale plant, a control method called a distributed control method is often adopted in which the entire plant is divided into a plurality of functional blocks and the equipment in each block is controlled by a controller (Patent Document 1). This control system is configured to operate by transmitting / receiving signals to / from another controller while controlling the equipment connected to each controller.

  When a control system is introduced in a plant, bids are often made in units of blocks in order to reduce costs. As a result, a plurality of blocks constituting one plant are controlled by controllers of different manufacturers. Sometimes. In this case, an engineering tool provided by each controller manufacturer is used. In general, an attribute of a signal corresponding to various equipment can be set in an engineering tool, but a signal attribute corresponding to a controller of another manufacturer cannot be set. In such a situation, if an error occurs in a signal input from a controller of another manufacturer, it is necessary to confirm a route through which a signal for which no attribute is set is transmitted. .

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is that the transmission path can be managed in addition to the signal transmitted and received between the controller and the controlled device, and when an abnormality occurs in the input / output signal of the controller, the problem is promptly dealt with. It is providing the apparatus control apparatus which can do.

The present invention, which has been made to solve the above problems, is a device control apparatus for controlling one or more controlled devices by managing input / output signals respectively transmitted to and received from a programmable controller. ,
a) a storage unit storing connection path information regarding a connection path between an input / output terminal of the programmable controller and an input / output terminal of the controlled device;
b) a path specifying information input receiving unit that receives input of path specifying information that is information specifying the input / output end of the programmable controller or / and the input / output end of the controlled device by the user;
c) a route information output unit that outputs connection route information corresponding to the route specifying information;
It is characterized by providing.

  The above connection path information includes, for example, an input (output) terminal of a programmable controller (controller) terminal, an output (input) terminal of a controlled device, and various relay devices existing on those connection paths. Is the information associated with. When another controller is connected to the controller, the other controller is also handled as one of the controlled devices.

  The device control apparatus according to the present invention can manage not only the input / output signals transmitted and received between the controller and the controlled device but also the path through which the signals are transmitted. In addition, when an abnormality occurs in the input signal from the controlled device to the controller, when the user inputs path specifying information for specifying the output end of the controlled device that outputs the signal, the output end of the device and the controller The connection path information between the input terminals of is output. Therefore, it is possible to specify the wiring route without confirming the developed connection diagram or the CAD drawing, and it is possible to cope with it immediately. Furthermore, even when the controller transmits / receives a signal to / from a controller of another manufacturer, the connection path between the controllers is managed, so that there is no difficulty in dealing with the trouble.

The device control device according to the present invention further includes:
d) a signal monitoring unit for monitoring the state of the input / output signal;
e) An abnormality that, when the state of the input / output signal deviates from a preset condition, detects an abnormality of the input / output signal and causes the route information output unit to output connection route information corresponding to the input / output signal. A detection unit;
It is desirable to provide. As a result, when a trouble occurs in the state of the controlled device or the wiring route, the user can immediately check the connection route information and take immediate action.

In addition, the device control apparatus according to the present invention is
f) an editing instruction receiving unit for receiving an instruction to edit the connection route information by the user;
g) a route information storage unit that stores the connection route information in the storage unit when new connection route information is created by the editing instruction;
It is desirable to provide. Thereby, the change of the connection path | route at the time of replacement | exchange of equipment, repair, etc. can be reflected smoothly. Note that the editing instruction from the user includes importing data from an external device and writing data to the external device in addition to editing a part of the connection path information by the user himself. When the editing instruction is only data writing, new connection route information is not created, so the route information storage unit does not store new route information in the storage unit.

  The device control apparatus according to the present invention can manage not only the input / output signals transmitted and received between the controller and the controlled device but also the path through which the signals are transmitted. Therefore, in addition to the signals transmitted and received between the controller and the controlled device, the transmission path can be managed, and when an abnormality occurs in the input / output signal of the controller, it can be dealt with immediately.

The principal part block diagram of one Example of the apparatus control apparatus which concerns on this invention. The example of the connection path | route information in the apparatus control apparatus of a present Example. The example which shows the input-output signal monitored in the apparatus control apparatus of a present Example by a table format. The example of a display of the connection path | route information in the display part of the apparatus control apparatus of a present Example. An example of a search screen (a) and an example of a refinement screen (b) in the device control apparatus of the present embodiment.

An embodiment of a device control apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
The apparatus control apparatus 1 of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes a first controller 50 that controls a block A among a plurality of blocks that constitute the entire plant, and a relay device (relay panel, signal conversion) connected to the first controller 50. And a device that controls the plurality of controlled devices by managing signals transmitted to and received from the plurality of controlled devices connected via a noise removal filter and the like. In the following description, the controlled devices include the second controller 100 and the third controller 110 that control the blocks B and C other than the block A, respectively.
The first controller 50, the second controller 100, and the third controller 110 in the present embodiment are programmable controllers, and typical examples include DCS and PLC, but are not necessarily limited to these control formats. .

  A controlled device connected to the first controller 50 will be described. A pressure gauge 81 is connected to the input end 52 of the first controller 50 via a signal converter 60, and a thermometer 82 and a flow meter 83 are connected via a signal converter 60 and a relay panel 70, and a relay The output terminal 101 of the second controller 100 and the output terminal 111 of the third controller 110 are connected via the panel 90. Although not shown in detail, the output ends 51 of the first controller 50 are similarly connected to the input ends of a plurality of controlled devices. Note that the configuration shown in FIG. 1 is an example of a part of the entire system, and the types and number of equipment and wiring routes are not limited to these.

  FIG. 1 shows the main configuration of the device control apparatus 1 of the present embodiment. The device control apparatus 1 includes a storage unit 11, and a main body 10 functionally including a path information output unit 12, a signal monitoring unit 13, an abnormality detection unit 14, and a path information storage unit 15, and is connected to the main body 10. The input unit 20 and the display unit 30 are provided. In addition, an external device 40 can be appropriately connected to the main body 10 via an interface (not shown). In addition, although mentioned later for details, in the present Example, the input part 20 functions as a path | route specific information input reception part and an edit instruction | indication reception part.

The storage unit 11 stores connection path information as shown in FIG. The connection route information includes the terminal number of the input (output) slot of the controller, the tag attached to the signal, the name of the signal, the range specified for the signal, the unit of the signal, the number of the terminal block, and the conversion located on the wiring Wiring information such as the type and number of the converter and the relay, the CAD drawing in which the converter and the relay are described, and the drawing number of the developed connection diagram are described in detail.
The storage unit 11 also stores an allowable range (upper limit value and lower limit value) of each signal value transmitted and received by the first controller 50.

Next, the operation of each part of the device control apparatus 1 of this embodiment will be described.
When the operation of the plant is started, the signal monitoring unit 13 reads input / output signals from the first controller 50 and displays those values on the display unit 30 as a monitoring screen. In addition to displaying the input / output signal values in a tabular format as shown in FIG. 3, the monitoring screen overlays the input / output signal values on the schematic diagram showing the connection between each controlled device and the first controller 50. Various formats, such as what to display, can be used.

  The signal monitoring unit 13 displays the monitoring screen on the display unit 30 and monitors whether the input / output signal of the first controller 50 is within the allowable range stored in the storage unit 11. And when the value of the input / output signal falls outside the allowable range, or when the input / output signal value does not change for a certain period of time (that is, when an abnormal stop of input / output of the signal is suspected) The abnormality of the input / output signal is detected. Then, connection path information corresponding to the input / output signal in which the abnormality is detected is read from the storage unit 11 and a path information screen is displayed on the display unit 30. In this route information screen, all the wiring between the route from the input (output) terminal of the first controller 50 to the output (input) terminal of the controlled device and the relay device located on the route is displayed. Indicated. Therefore, the user can confirm the transmission path of the signal only by visually recognizing the wiring information, and can quickly take measures such as separating the wiring from other wirings.

  In addition to the case where an abnormality occurs in the input / output signal, it may be necessary to check the wiring path for the purpose of maintaining the signal transmission path. In such a case, when the user selects the number of the input (output) terminal of the first controller 50 and / or the number of the output (input) terminal of the controlled device displayed on the monitoring screen by a mouse operation or the like. The route information output unit 12 displays a route information screen showing the wiring route from the terminal to either the first controller 50 or any one of the controlled devices and the relay device located therebetween. That is, in this embodiment, the input unit 20 configured with a mouse, a keyboard, and the like corresponds to the route information input receiving unit. In addition, the route information input receiving unit may be a voice input unit or an external device 40 that is operated by a user and connected to the main body 10 via an interface.

  In the present embodiment, the signal monitoring unit 13 and the route information output unit 12 display information on the corresponding wiring route and relay device on the display unit 30, but the information may be printed out.

  In the plant, aging of equipment and deterioration of wiring are discovered by carrying out periodic inspections, and they are replaced or repaired. When a device is replaced or repaired, the type or route of wiring related to the device may be changed. Therefore, in the device control apparatus 1 in the present embodiment, such a change in device or wiring can be reflected in the connection path information.

  When the user instructs reading of connection route information from the storage unit 11 through the input unit 20, a route information screen showing all connection route information is displayed on the display unit 30, as shown in FIG. The connection path information is displayed in a tabular form in the center area 31 of the display unit 30 and the display range can be moved by operating a scroll bar. In addition, command buttons 32 such as “file” and “edit” are displayed in the upper area of the display 30. Below the command button 32, a connection group selection button 34 for narrowing down connection path information to be displayed in the area 31 is displayed. Further, in the lower area of the display unit 30, a “drawing” illustrating a program set in the controller 50 or a “list monitor” screen for confirming input / output signals of the first controller 50 is displayed. A jump button 35 and operation buttons 36 for performing “print”, “save”, and “close” operations are displayed. In addition, by selecting “edit” and “search” (“narrow down”) in order using the command buttons, a search screen as shown in FIG. 5A or a narrow down screen as shown in FIG. Can be displayed.

An example of an operation when browsing and editing connection path information will be described.
When confirming the connection route information, the “view” mode is selected by the mode selection button 33. As a result, the connection route information is locked so as not to be edited, and the user is prevented from accidentally overwriting the connection route information. Subsequently, the connection group selection button 34 is operated to narrow down and display the connection groups to be confirmed. When “print” of the operation button 36 is selected in this state, the connection path information during the narrowed display is printed.

  When the connection route information is updated, the “edit” mode is selected by the mode selection button 33. As a result, the connection path information is unlocked and can be edited. The user updates the connection path information of the corresponding part using a keyboard or the like, and instructs the storage of the updated information by the operation button 36. Then, the route information storage unit 15 stores this in the storage unit 11 as new connection route information.

  In the device control apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, connection path information can be imported / exported with the external device 40 connected via the interface. For example, when the user instructs to import data in a file format such as CSV (Comma Separated Values) format edited by the external device 40, the route information storage unit 15 captures this and stores it in the storage unit 11.

The above-described embodiment is an example, and can be appropriately changed in accordance with the gist of the present invention.
For example, the “edit” mode described above can be selected only when logging in to the device control apparatus with administrator authority, and only the “view” mode can be selected otherwise.
In addition, the device control apparatus according to the present invention may be configured by a main body unit and a server connected to the main body unit via a network, and may be configured to include the storage unit 11 on the server.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Device control apparatus 10 ... Main body 12 ... Path | route information output part 13 ... Signal monitoring part 14 ... Abnormality detection part 15 ... Path | route information storage part 20 ... Input part 30 ... Display part 31 ... Area | region 32 ... Command button 33 ... Mode selection button 34 ... Connection group selection button 35 ... Jump button 36 ... Operation button 40 ... External device 50, 100, 110 ... Controller 51, 101, 111 ... Output end 52, 102, 112 ... Input end 60 ... Signal converter 70 ... Relay panel 81 ... Pressure gauge 82 ... Thermometer 83 ... Flow meter 90 ... Relay panel

Claims (3)

A device control apparatus that controls one or more controlled devices by managing input / output signals respectively transmitted to and received from a programmable controller,
a) a storage unit storing connection path information regarding a connection path between an input / output terminal of the programmable controller and an input / output terminal of the controlled device;
b) a path specifying information input receiving unit that receives input of path specifying information that is information specifying the input / output end of the programmable controller and / or the input / output end of the controlled device by the user;
c) a route information output unit that outputs connection route information corresponding to the route specifying information;
A device control apparatus comprising: d) a signal monitoring unit for monitoring the state of the input / output signal;
e) An abnormality that, when the state of the input / output signal deviates from a preset condition, detects an abnormality of the input / output signal and causes the route information output unit to output connection route information corresponding to the input / output signal. The device control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a detection unit. f) an editing instruction receiving unit for receiving an instruction to edit the connection route information by the user;
g) a route information storage unit that stores the connection route information in the storage unit when new connection route information is created by the editing instruction;
The apparatus control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

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