JP5218382B2 - Programmable display - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a programmable display that displays an operation instruction transmitted from a remote place.

In general, a control system that controls a manufacturing apparatus includes, for example, a personal computer that is a client device, a public computer, a programmable display, and a programmable logic controller (hereinafter abbreviated as “PLC”). Connected to a public computer, the public computer is connected to a programmable display, and the programmable display is connected to a manufacturing apparatus via a PLC. The programmable display is installed in the vicinity of the PLC for monitoring the operation state of the PLC or performing a PLC operation. On the other hand, the personal computer is installed at a remote location different from the location of the manufacturing apparatus, and the instructor operating the personal computer displays the screen of the programmable display on the screen of the personal computer, and the programmable display from the personal computer. Can be operated.

In such a control system, an instructor operating the personal computer can monitor the manufacturing apparatus in real time via a programmable display from a remote location by looking at the display screen of the personal computer, so that a problem occurs in the manufacturing apparatus. In such a case, the instructor who operates the personal computer performs an operation for solving the problem of the manufacturing apparatus from a remote place by using a telephone or the like to the operator of the manufacturing apparatus at the site where the manufacturing apparatus is installed. Can be directed. In addition, the instructor who operates the personal computer directly operates the manufacturing apparatus from a remote location via a programmable display, and solves the problem even if there is no manufacturing apparatus operator at the site where the manufacturing apparatus is installed. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 4034171 (page 20, FIG. 1)

Since the conventional control system is configured as described above, the operation instruction to the operator of the on-site manufacturing apparatus performed remotely by the instructor operating the personal computer may be a voice instruction by telephone or the like. In many cases, if there is a difference in recognition due to misunderstanding or misunderstanding between the instructor who operates the personal computer and the operator of the on-site manufacturing equipment, the on-site manufacturing equipment operator mistakes the operation of the manufacturing equipment. There was a problem that it could not be solved.

In addition, when the instructor operating the personal computer directly solves the problem by directly operating the manufacturing apparatus via a programmable display from a remote location, the instructor operating the personal computer directly accesses the on-site manufacturing apparatus. Since it is operated unilaterally without looking at it, it cannot be directly confirmed whether the manufacturing apparatus has been correctly operated to solve the problem. Therefore, when the same problem occurs again when the manufacturing apparatus is restarted after the operation is completed, the method of directly operating the manufacturing apparatus from a remote location via a programmable display cannot solve the problem, and the instruction person who operates the personal computer Measures taken by the manufacturing equipment are not limited to directing the operator of the manufacturing equipment to the site and instructing the operator of the manufacturing equipment of the site to perform the operation for solving the problem. There was a problem of requiring labor, time and cost.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an operation instruction to an operator of a manufacturing apparatus on site from a remote location by an operator operating a computer system, such as a telephone. The programmable display installed in the vicinity of the manufacturing device is switched to the maintenance display state according to the command from the computer system, not the voice instruction by the computer system, and the programmable display corresponding to the operation target using this maintenance display state screen This is an instruction that visually indicates the display object or specified area on the screen, and obtains a programmable display that accurately transmits the operation instruction for solving the problem to the operator of the on-site manufacturing apparatus without omission. is there.

In the programmable display device according to the present invention, a display means that can be connected to an external computer system, shares screen data held inside with the computer system, controls an external control device, and displays the screen data, and a computer The communication means that receives the display state switching request sent from the system that can change only the display state of the display means, and after receiving the display state switching request, interrupts the control to the external control device and configures the screen data And control means for changing only the display state of the operation target displayed on the display means.

This invention displays the screen of a programmable display on the display part of the computer system connected to the programmable display, and the instructor who operates a computer system can monitor and operate a manufacturing apparatus from a remote place. In the display, an instructor operating the computer system transmits the operation instruction from the computer system to transmit the operation instruction to the operator at the site operating the programmable display from a remote place, and gives the operation instruction to the programmable display. Display. For this reason, when a problem with a manufacturing apparatus that cannot be handled by a local operator alone is to be performed while looking up an instruction from a remote location, an instruction to operate the computer system can display a solution procedure from the remote location. By displaying in a highlighted manner on the screen, it is possible to transmit information efficiently without any recognition error between the instructing side and the receiving side, and it is possible to give an instruction without erroneous operation. In addition, since the operator at the site directly operates the manufacturing apparatus, it is possible to solve the problem safely while confirming the operating state of the manufacturing apparatus, and to minimize the consumption of labor, time and cost.

It is a block diagram of the programmable display which shows Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart of the operation procedure in the programmable display which shows Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is an example of the screen of the programmable display which shows Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is an example of display data of the programmable display which shows Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is an example of a display state of the programmable display which shows Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart of the operation procedure in the programmable display which shows Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is an example of the screen of the programmable display which shows Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a display setting example of the programmable display which shows Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is an example of the screen of the programmable display which shows Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a display setting example of the programmable display which shows Embodiment 3 of this invention.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a programmable display according to Embodiment 1 for carrying out the present invention. In FIG. 1, 10 is a programmable display, 11 is an external control device, for example, a PLC. Reference numeral 12 denotes a controlled device, such as a robot or a sensor. A maintenance device 20 is a personal computer system, for example, and the programmable display 10, the external control device 11, the controlled device 12, and the maintenance device 20 are connected to each other via a communication line. The programmable display 10 and the external control device 11 are installed in the vicinity of the controlled device 12, and the maintenance device 20 is installed in a remote place away from the controlled device 12.

The programmable display 10 includes 101 to 108, 101 is a control unit, 102 is a display unit, 103 is an input unit, and 104 is a storage unit. Reference numeral 105 denotes a screen data holding unit, and 106 denotes a maintenance state holding unit. The screen data holding unit 105 and the maintenance state holding unit 106 are allocated inside the storage unit 104. A communication unit 107 is connected to the maintenance device 20. An external control interface 108 is connected to the external control device 11. On the other hand, the maintenance apparatus 20 includes 201 to 205, 201 is a display unit, 202 is a storage unit, 203 is an operation unit, 204 is a communication unit, and 205 is a control unit.

Next, the operation will be described. The operating state of the controlled device 12 is monitored by the display unit 102 that constitutes the programmable display 10 via the external control device 11, and the screen data that stores the screen data displayed on the display unit 102 is stored. The contents of the unit 105 are transferred from the communication unit 204 constituting the maintenance device 20 to the storage unit 202 via the communication unit 107 constituting the programmable display device 10. As a result, screen data including the same part as the display unit 102 constituting the programmable display 10 is displayed on the display unit 201 constituting the maintenance device 20, so that it can be viewed in real time from a remote place. The operating state of the control device 12 can be monitored. At this time, data information of the external control device 11 is held in the storage unit 202, and device information of the external control device 11 is collated with the screen data displayed on the display unit 201 by the control unit 205 and displayed.

When a problem occurs in the operation state of the controlled device 12, a problem occurrence alarm is displayed on the display unit 102 constituting the programmable display 10 via the external control device 11 and is installed at a remote place. The information is also displayed on the display unit 201 constituting the maintenance device 20 at the same time. The operator of the controlled device 12 at the site where the controlled device 12 is installed solves the problem that occurred in the controlled device 12 by the display information of the display unit 102 constituting the programmable display 10. If only the operator of the controlled device 12 cannot solve the problem, the operator of the controlled device 12 at the site gives an operation instruction for solving the problem to the instructor who operates the maintenance device 20 installed in the remote place. I will ask.

When an instructor operating the maintenance device 20 transmits an operation instruction from the maintenance device 20 installed in a remote place to the programmable display 10 installed in the vicinity of the controlled device 12, as shown in FIG. Work on the problem according to the operating procedure. First, the instructor who operates the maintenance device 20 transmits a maintenance display request to the programmable display 10 via the communication unit 204 of the maintenance device 20.

The control unit 101 of the programmable display 10 that has received the maintenance display request by the communication unit 107 determines whether or not the current operation state of the programmable display 10 is the maintenance display state. If the storage unit 106 is inquired and the storage state of the maintenance state holding unit 106 is in maintenance display, the operation state of the programmable display 10 is already in the maintenance display state, so this maintenance display state is continued (Yes in step S11). To do. On the other hand, if the storage state of the maintenance state holding unit 106 is not in the maintenance display (No in Step S11), the control unit 101 stores the maintenance state in the maintenance state holding unit 106 (Step S12), and the programmable display. The operation state of the container 10 is switched to the maintenance display state.

The instructor who operates the maintenance device 20 that has confirmed that the operation state of the programmable display 10 is the maintenance display state by the response from the programmable display 10 transmits the operation instruction to the programmable display 10. FIG. 3 shows an example of a screen displayed on the display unit 201 of the maintenance device 20 that is used when an operation instruction is transmitted. In FIG. 3, 30 is a screen displayed on the display unit 201 of the maintenance device 20, and this screen has the same portion as the screen displayed on the display unit 102 of the programmable display 10. Reference numerals 301 to 305, 320, 330, and 340 are display objects displayed on the screen 30, for example, 301 to 305 are bit lamps, 320 is a switch, 330 is a graph, 340 is a numerical display, and a programmable display The operation state of the controlled device 12 is monitored by displaying such a display object on the screen 10.

Here, a case where an instructor who operates the maintenance device 20 wants to transmit to the programmable display 10 that there is a problem at the location of the external control device 11 corresponding to the bit lamp 302 as an operation instruction will be described. The bit lamps 301 to 305 displayed on the screen 30 are display objects that convey information of the bit device (1 bit) of the external control device 11, and the control unit 101 is connected to the external control device 11 via the external control interface 108. The state of the bit device is read out, it is determined whether the state of the bit device is 0 (OFF) or 1 (ON), and a bit lamp is displayed on the display unit 102. For example, when the ON state is ON, the bit lamp is displayed (lighted) in a bright color, and when it is OFF, the bit lamp is displayed in a dark color (turned off). The status is monitored.

FIG. 4 is an example of display data used in the bit lamp display, and this display data is stored in the screen data holding unit 105 allocated in the storage unit 104 constituting the programmable display 10. . In FIG. 4, 1 is display data, 2 is the display setting of the bit lamp used when the state of the bit device of the external control device 11 is ON, and 3 is the bit lamp used when the bit device of the external control device 11 is OFF. Display setting 4 is a display setting of the bit lamp used when the operation state of the programmable display 10 is in the maintenance display state. The display settings 2 to 4 are divided into a total of six display states: figure, frame color, lamp color, background color, pattern, and blink. The figure is the shape of the bit lamp, the frame color is the outline color of the bit lamp, and the lamp. The color indicates the color within the frame of the bit lamp, the background color indicates the color outside the frame of the bit lamp, the pattern indicates the background pattern outside the frame of the bit lamp, and the blink indicates the light emission pattern of the bit lamp.

FIG. 5 shows a display state example of the bit lamp 302 shown in FIG. According to FIG. 5, the bit lamp 302 has a round shape, a black frame color, a background color is colorless, and a pattern is filled. When the bit device state of the external control device 11 is ON, the bit lamp 302 lights red. When it is OFF, the display setting is such that the light is turned off, and when the operation state of the programmable display 10 is in the maintenance display state, it blinks quickly in green.

When transmitting the bit lamp 302 which is an operation instruction from the maintenance device 20 to the programmable display device 10, an operation procedure as shown in FIG. 6 is followed. The instructor who operates the maintenance device 20 uses the operation unit 203 of the maintenance device 20 to select the bit lamp 302 displayed on the screen 30 of the display unit 201, and displays it on the screen of the display unit 102 of the programmable display 10. A request for maintenance display of the displayed bit lamp 302 is transmitted to the control unit 101 of the programmable display 10 in the maintenance display state (A in step S21). The control unit 101 received via the communication unit 107 displays the display data 1 stored in the screen data holding unit 105 allocated in the storage unit 104 with the bit lamp 302 displayed on the display unit 102. In accordance with setting 4, the display is changed to maintenance display (step S22). Thereafter, the programmable display 10 responds to the maintenance device 20 that the maintenance display of the bit lamp 302 has been completed.

In FIG. 3, each of the bit lamps 301 and 303 to 305 other than the bit lamp 302 displayed on the screen 30 also owns the display data 1 shown in FIG. It is a display. In this embodiment, the case where only the bit lamp 302 performs the maintenance display has been described. However, the maintenance display can be specified for a plurality of bit lamps. Similarly, the maintenance display can be set for the switch 320, the graph 330, and the numerical value display 340. Furthermore, the display setting 4 can be changed using the maintenance device 20, and as a result, it is possible to display other than the display data 1 stored in the screen data holding unit 105, and display for each instruction from a remote place. The method can be changed, the same bit lamp can be changed to a plurality of different maintenance displays, and the bit lamp to be transmitted can be transmitted without error.

By the operation instruction transmission method shown in the first embodiment as described above, the instructor who operates the maintenance device 20 can change the operation state and the target of the controlled device 12 displayed on the display unit 102 of the programmable display 10. While confirming display objects such as bit lamps, numerical displays, and graphs indicating information of the control device 12, it is possible to transmit the operation instruction of the controlled device 12 from the remote place to the operator of the controlled device 12 in the field without error. This operator can confirm the operation procedure.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
In the first embodiment, an operation instruction is transmitted by providing a maintenance display for each display object such as the bit lamp 302. In the second embodiment, a method of transmitting an operation instruction by designating a maintenance area so as to surround a display object instead of each display object will be described. FIG. 7 shows an example of a screen displayed on the display unit 201 of the maintenance device 20 that is used when an operation instruction is transmitted. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 41 denotes a screen displayed on the display unit 201 of the maintenance device 20, and this screen has the same portion as the screen displayed on the display unit 102 of the programmable display 10. Reference numeral 411 denotes a display object displayed on the screen 41, for example, a bit lamp. Reference numeral 412 denotes a maintenance area designated so as to surround the bit lamp 411 which is a display object.

FIG. 8 is an example of a maintenance area display setting used when a maintenance area is specified. This maintenance area display setting is a screen data holding unit allocated in the storage unit 104 constituting the programmable display 10. 105. In FIG. 8, 40 is a maintenance area display setting used when the operation state of the programmable display 10 is in the maintenance display state, and is divided into a total of four display states of position, width / height, color, and display, The position is the start coordinate that specifies the maintenance area, the width and height are the width and height of the maintenance area from the start coordinate, the color is the color inside the area surrounded by the maintenance area, and the display is whether the maintenance area is displayed in a frame This is the selection of whether to display the area by painting or blinking. For example, when the maintenance area 412 shown in FIG. 7 is designated, the position, width and height are set, the color is set to colorless, and the display is set to frame display.

When transmitting the bit lamp 411 which is an operation instruction from the maintenance apparatus 20 to the programmable display 10, the operation procedure as shown in FIG. 6 is followed. The instructor who operates the maintenance device 20 uses the operation unit 203 of the maintenance device 20 to designate the maintenance area 412 on the screen 41 of the display unit 201 and is displayed on the screen of the display unit 102 of the programmable display 10. A request for maintenance display of the maintenance area 412 is transmitted to the control unit 101 of the programmable display 10 in the maintenance display state (step S21B). The control unit 101 received via the communication unit 107 replaces the maintenance area 412 displayed on the display unit 102 with the maintenance area display setting 40 stored in the screen data holding unit 105 allocated inside the storage unit 104. (Step S23), and the bit lamp 411 is transmitted as an operation instruction. Thereafter, the programmable display 10 responds to the maintenance device 20 that the display of the maintenance area 412 is completed.

By the operation instruction transmission method shown in the second embodiment as described above, the instructor who operates the maintenance device 20 can change the operation state and the target of the controlled device 12 displayed on the display unit 102 of the programmable display 10. While confirming display objects such as bit lamps, numerical displays, and graphs indicating information of the control device 12, it is possible to transmit the operation instruction of the controlled device 12 from the remote place to the operator of the controlled device 12 in the field without error. This operator can confirm the operation procedure. Further, in the setting of the maintenance area display setting 40, the maintenance area 412 can be more effectively transmitted as a point of interest by selecting blinking designation in the display.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
In the third embodiment, maintenance parts such as a mouse cursor and pointing pointing displayed on the display unit 201 of the maintenance device 20 are displayed on the display unit 102 of the programmable display 10 and displayed on the display unit 102 of the programmable display 10. A method for instructing a display object corresponding to the displayed operation instruction using a maintenance component will be described. FIG. 9 shows an example of a screen displayed on the display unit 201 of the maintenance device 20 that is used when an operation instruction is transmitted. In FIG. 9, 51 is a screen displayed on the display unit 201 of the maintenance device 20, and this screen has the same part as the screen displayed on the display unit 102 of the programmable display 10. Reference numeral 511 denotes a display object displayed on the screen 51, for example, a bit lamp. Reference numeral 512 denotes a maintenance part for gazing at the bit lamp 511 as a display object, for example, a mouse cursor.

FIG. 10 shows an example of maintenance part display setting used when displaying a maintenance part. This maintenance part display setting is a screen data holding unit assigned to the inside of the storage unit 104 constituting the programmable display 10. 105. In FIG. 10, 50 is a maintenance part display setting used when the operation state of the programmable display 10 is in the maintenance display state, and is divided into a total of three display states of figure, position and color. The shape and position are coordinates for displaying the maintenance part, and the color is the color of the maintenance part. For example, when the maintenance component 512 shown in FIG. 9 is displayed, the mouse cursor is set for the figure, the position is set, and the color is set to gray.

When transmitting the bit lamp 511 which is an operation instruction from the maintenance apparatus 20 to the programmable display 10, the operation procedure as shown in FIG. 6 is followed. An instructor who operates the maintenance device 20 uses the operation unit 203 of the maintenance device 20 to designate the maintenance component 512 on the screen 51 of the display unit 201 and is displayed on the screen of the display unit 102 of the programmable display 10. A request for maintenance display of the maintenance component 512 is transmitted to the control unit 101 of the programmable display 10 in the maintenance display state (step S21C). The control unit 101 received via the communication unit 107 replaces the maintenance component 512 displayed on the display unit 102 with the maintenance component display setting 50 stored in the screen data holding unit 105 allocated inside the storage unit 104. (Step S24), and the bit lamp 511 is transmitted as an operation instruction. Thereafter, the programmable display 10 responds to the maintenance device 20 that the display of the maintenance component 512 is completed.

By the operation instruction transmission method shown in the third embodiment as described above, the instructor who operates the maintenance device 20 can change the operating state of the controlled device 12 displayed on the display unit 102 of the programmable display 10 and the control target. While confirming display objects such as bit lamps, numerical displays, and graphs indicating information of the control device 12, it is possible to transmit the operation instruction of the controlled device 12 from the remote place to the operator of the controlled device 12 in the field without error. This operator can confirm the operation procedure. In addition, the maintenance component display setting 50 can be updated from the maintenance device 20 at any time, and by gazing at the maintenance component 512, the gazing point can be transmitted more effectively.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Programmable display, 11 External control apparatus, 12 Controlled apparatus, 20 Maintenance apparatus, 101 Control part, 102 Display part, 103 Input part, 104 Storage part, 105 Screen data holding part, 106 Maintenance state holding part, 107 Communication part 108 External control interface 201 Display unit 202 Storage unit 203 Operation unit 204 Communication unit 205 Control unit

Claims (5)

A programmable display that can be connected to an external computer system, shares screen data held inside with the computer system, and controls externally connected devices,
Display means for displaying the screen data;
Communication means for communicating with the computer system;
Receives a display state switching request that allows only the display state of the display unit from the computer system to be changed via the communication unit, interrupts control to the external control device, and is designated by the computer system. Control means for changing the display state displayed on the display means according to the display setting based on the display setting based on the instruction from the computer system;
A programmable display device comprising: In response to a maintenance display request from the computer system, the operation mode of the programmable display is switched to the maintenance mode, and then the operation target is selected based on the display data for changing the display state according to the operation instruction transmitted from the computer system. The programmable display according to claim 1, wherein the programmable display is changed. The control means includes
3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein , based on the display data, the operation target displayed on the display unit is changed to a display state different from that before the display state switching request is received and displayed. Programmable display. The control means includes
The programmable display according to claim 2, wherein a designated area surrounding the operation target displayed on the display means is displayed based on the display data . The control means includes
Based on the display data, the same drawing as the screen displayed on the display unit of the computer system is performed, and the operation target is indicated by drawing of the maintenance part displayed on the computer system display unit. The programmable display device according to claim 2.

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