JP6017294B2 - Programming method and apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a programming technique, and more particularly to a programming technique for creating a program with a function block diagram (FBD).

  When equipment equipment provided in a facility is automatically controlled, a programmable logic controller (PLC) that outputs a control output parameter by performing a numerical operation or a logical operation based on an input parameter is used. This PLC executes a program that symbolizes such arithmetic processing, and automatically controls the equipment based on the obtained output parameters. By arbitrarily programming this program, the equipment A desired operation can be performed.

  One of the graphical programming languages used in such a PLC is a function block diagram (FBD) defined in the IEC 61131-3 standard of the International Organization for Standardization (IEC). This FBD has various components such as function blocks composed of functions corresponding to various arithmetic processes, connectors for exchanging input / output parameters with external devices, and connection lines for connecting these function blocks and connectors. And is programmed graphically.

In a programming device for programming the FBD, an editing operation is performed in which symbols indicating such components are arranged as objects on an editing screen, and ports provided in these objects are connected by connection lines.
FIG. 9 is an example of a programming screen in a conventional programming device. In this example, the programming screen, is composed of an editing screen for actual editing operation, and a prepared stencil screen symbols representing various components Ru is located.

  In the editing operation, first, a pointing device such as a mouse or a touch panel is operated, a symbol of a desired component is selected from the stencil screen, and then dragged and dropped onto the editing screen to be arranged as an object of the component. Thereafter, an output port and an input port provided in these objects are selected and connected by connection lines. When correcting the connection error, the connection line is selected and deleted, and the new ports are reconnected with the connection line.

Further, in the editing work, for the connector, it is necessary to link the equipment provided in the facility with the connector.
Conventionally, in such a programming device, when a connector object is arranged on the editing screen as a work for defining such a connector, the definition screen of the connector is displayed in a pop-up, and the user operates the definition screen. By doing so, what defines the point preset with respect to each installation apparatus is proposed (for example, refer patent document 1 etc.).

  FIG. 10 is an example of a definition screen in a conventional programming device. Here, there are provided a point designation column for designating a point to be linked with the arranged connector object, and a property designation column for selecting a desired property from the properties indicating a plurality of variables provided at the point.

JP 2008-204237 A

  However, in such a conventional technique, it is necessary to set an attribute value such as a management point corresponding to the connector by using a definition screen for each connector, which has a problem that a large operation burden is imposed. .

  For example, when programming an FBD for automatic control, a relatively large number of connectors are used. For this reason, when creating such an FBD, an operation is performed to place each connector one by one on the edit screen, and the attribute value is operated by operating the definition screen that pops up each time these connectors are placed. It is necessary to perform an operation to close the definition screen at the end of the definition. Therefore, since many operations are required to define a connector used in FBD, a large operation burden is imposed.

  The present invention is intended to solve such a problem, and an object thereof is to provide a programming technique that can greatly reduce the operation burden required to define a connector.

  In order to achieve such an object, the programming method according to the present invention arranges various objects such as function blocks, connectors, and connection lines on the editing screen in accordance with a user operation, and connects these objects. A programming method used in a programming device that edits a function block diagram for automatically controlling equipment installed in a facility, wherein a storage unit is an attribute relating to each point assigned to the equipment. A storage step for storing point information in which values are registered, and a batch definition screen display unit, when a connector object for batch definition is arranged on the editing screen by a user operation, the point information is referred to Select one or more of each point as a definition target A batch definition screen display step for displaying a batch definition screen for generating the batch definition screen, and a batch definition setting unit that generates a connector object for each definition target selected on the batch definition screen and places it on the edit screen. And a definition setting step.

  In one configuration example of the programming method according to the present invention, the collective definition screen display step is configured to display a property indicating a variable assigned to the point in response to a property selection operation for an arbitrary point on the collective definition screen. A property selection screen for selecting at least one of them as a definition target is displayed, and the batch definition setting step displays the connector object for each property of the point selected on the property selection screen. It is generated and arranged on the editing screen.

  The programming device according to the present invention is provided in a facility by arranging various objects such as function blocks, connectors, and connection lines on an editing screen and connecting these objects in accordance with a user operation. A programming device that edits a function block diagram for automatically controlling installed equipment, a storage unit that stores point information in which attribute values related to each point assigned to the equipment are registered, and a user operation When a connector object for batch definition is arranged on the edit screen, a batch definition screen for selecting one or more of the points as a definition target with reference to the point information is displayed. The batch definition screen display area to be selected and the definition target selected on the batch definition screen , And a target definition setting unit be placed in the editing screen to generate a connector object.

  Also, in one configuration example of the programming device according to the present invention, the collective definition screen display unit indicates a variable assigned to the point in accordance with a property selection operation for an arbitrary point on the collective definition screen. A property selection screen for selecting at least one of the properties as a definition target is displayed, and the batch definition setting unit displays the connector for each property of the point selected on the property selection screen. An object is generated and arranged on the editing screen.

  According to the present invention, when defining a connector, a connector object linked with these points is automatically generated by an extremely simple operation of selecting a point to be defined on the collective definition screen, and the editing screen is displayed. Placed on top. Therefore, it is possible to greatly reduce the operation burden required for the definition of the connector. In particular, a relatively large number of connectors can be added as in programming an FBD for automatically controlling the equipment provided in the facility. When used, the operation burden can be greatly reduced.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a programming apparatus. It is a structural example of object information. It is a structural example of connection information. It is a structural example of point information. It is a flowchart which shows the batch definition process of a programming device. It is an example of an edit screen at the time of temporary arrangement | positioning of a connector object. It is an example of a collective definition screen. It is an example of an edit screen at the time of connector object rearrangement. It is an example of a programming screen in the conventional programming device. It is an example of a definition screen in the conventional programming device.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[Configuration of the embodiment]
First, a programming device 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the programming device.

  The programming device 10 is composed of an information processing device such as a server device, a personal computer, or a portable information terminal as a whole. In response to a user operation, various objects are arranged on an editing screen, and these objects are connected with connection lines. By connecting, it has a function of programming a function block diagram (FBD) for automatically controlling equipment provided in the facility.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the programming device 10 includes a communication I / F unit 11, an operation input unit 12, a screen display unit 13, a storage unit 14, and an arithmetic processing unit 15 as main functional units. .

The communication I / F unit 11 includes a communication interface circuit, and has a function of exchanging various data by performing data communication with an external device (not shown) via a communication line.
The operation input unit 12 includes an operation input device such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch panel, and has a function of detecting an operation indicating a user operation and outputting the operation to the arithmetic processing unit 15.
The screen display unit 13 includes a screen display device such as an LCD, and has a function of displaying various data such as an edit screen output from the arithmetic processing unit 15 on the screen.

The storage unit 14 includes a storage device such as a hard disk or a semiconductor memory, and has a function of storing various processing information and programs 14P used for processing in the arithmetic processing unit 15.
The program 14P is a program that realizes various processing units by being executed by the CPU of the arithmetic processing unit 15, and is read from an external device or a recording medium (both not shown) and stored in the storage unit 14 in advance. Is done.

Main processing information stored in the storage unit 14 includes object information 14A, connection information 14B, and point information 14C.
The object information 14A is information indicating various attribute values related to an object indicating a component such as a function block and a connector constituting the FBD.
FIG. 2 is a configuration example of object information. Here, for each ID for identifying an object, attribute values related to the object such as a name, an object type, a point type, and a property are registered.

  Among these, the point type is information indicating a classification related to the point on the equipment side linked with the connector, and the property is information indicating a variable assigned to the point. In particular, depending on the point, in addition to the current value obtained by measurement with the equipment, a plurality of variables such as the operating state of the equipment may be assigned. With this property, it is possible to set which variable of the point is associated with the connector. For example, “P3.PV” and “P3.SF” are both connectors that cooperate with the same point “indoor humidity”, and among these points, “P3.PV” is called “Present_Value” (current value). In cooperation with the variable, “P3.SF” is linked with a variable of “Status_Flags” (device state).

The connection information 14B is information related to a connection line that connects objects.
FIG. 3 is a configuration example of connection information. Here, for each ID for identifying a connection line, an attribute value related to the connection line such as a port ID is registered.
Among these, the port ID is information for specifying the port of the object connected by the connection line, and two port IDs corresponding to the start point and the end point are registered.

The point information 14 </ b> C is information regarding points assigned to each facility device.
FIG. 4 is a configuration example of point information. Here, for each ID for identifying a point, an attribute value related to the point, such as a name, a point type, and a property, is registered.

The arithmetic processing unit 15 includes a CPU and its peripheral circuits, and has a function of realizing various processing units that perform FBD programming by reading and executing the program 14P of the storage unit 14.
As main processing units realized by the arithmetic processing unit 15, there are an editing processing unit 15A, a collective definition screen display unit 15B, and a collective definition setting unit 15C.

  The editing processing unit 15A has a function of arranging various objects on the editing screen in response to a user operation, and a function of connecting these objects with connection lines in accordance with a user operation.

  In the collective definition screen display unit 15B, the collective definition connector symbol arranged on the stencil screen is dragged and dropped on the edit screen by the user operation, and the collective definition connector object is arranged on the edit screen. The point information 14C with reference to the point information 14C, a function for popping up a batch definition screen for selecting a plurality of points as a definition target, and a property selection operation for an arbitrary point on the batch definition screen And a function for displaying a property selection screen for collectively selecting any one of the properties indicating the variables assigned to the point as a definition target.

  The collective definition setting unit 15C generates a connective object for each definition target selected on the collective definition screen, registers it in the object information 14A in the storage unit 14, and arranges these connective objects on the edit screen. And a function for generating a connector object and placing it on the editing screen for each property of the point selected on the property selection screen.

[Operation of this embodiment]
Next, the operation of the programming device 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing batch definition processing of the programming device.
The arithmetic processing unit 15 of the programming device 10 executes the collective definition process of FIG. 5 when the collective definition connector symbol selected from the stencil screen is dragged and dropped onto the edit screen by a user operation.

First, the editing processing unit 15A provisionally arranges a predetermined number of connector objects corresponding to the connector symbol for batch definition selected from the stencil screen at the drop position (step 100).
FIG. 6 shows an example of an edit screen when a connector object is temporarily arranged. Here, connector symbols for single definition and batch definition are arranged on the stencil screen, and three connector objects as a prescribed number are provisionally arranged on the edit screen on the edit screen.

  Next, the collective definition screen display unit 15B reads the point information 14C in the storage unit 14, selects points that can be defined in the connector, and displays a list of attribute values such as the names, point types, and properties of these points. A batch definition screen including the pop-up is displayed (step 101). Whether or not a point can be defined for a connector may be determined, for example, by comparing an attribute value related to the input / output direction of a signal between the connector and each point.

  FIG. 7 is an example of a collective definition screen. Here, for each point, a name, a point type, and a property are displayed in a list, and a check box for selecting the point as a definition target is arranged. On this collective definition screen, the user sets the selected state by operating the check box is selected as the definition target.

In addition, as described above, there are points to which multiple variables are assigned. In this case, which variable's connector is defined by selecting and operating the property field in the batch definition screen. You can choose.
In FIG. 7, a property selection screen including a list of properties indicating variables assigned to the point is popped up in accordance with the selection operation in the property column. In these properties, check boxes for selecting the property as a definition target are arranged. In this property selection screen, the one that the user has set to the selected state by operating the check box is selected as the definition target.

  Therefore, in the example of FIG. 7, the points “air conditioner start / stop”, “room temperature setting”, “room humidity”, “room humidity setting”, and “cold water valve” are selected as the definition targets, and in particular, “ As for “indoor humidity”, “Present_Value” (current value) and “Status_Flags” (device state) are separately selected as definition targets.

  Thereafter, the collective definition setting unit 15C generates a connector object for each definition target selected on the collective definition screen in response to the definition end operation on the collective definition screen (step 102: YES). Then, it is registered in the object information 14A of the storage unit 14 (step 104), these connector objects are rearranged at the drop position where the connector symbol for batch definition is dropped (step 105), and a series of batch definition processing is performed. Exit.

  FIG. 8 shows an example of an editing screen when a connector object is rearranged. Here, “air conditioner start / stop”, “room temperature setting”, “room humidity / Present_Value”, “room humidity / Status_Flags”, “room humidity setting”, “cold water valve” selected as definition targets in FIG. The connector that links with the point and variable is rearranged on the edit screen.

[Effects of the present embodiment]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the batch definition screen display unit 15B arranges a batch definition connector object on the editing screen by a user operation, the point information 14C is referred to and the point information 14C is selected. A batch definition screen for selecting one or more as a definition target is displayed, and the batch definition setting unit 15C generates a connector object for each definition target selected on the batch definition screen and displays it on the edit screen. It is intended to be placed in.

As a result, when defining a connector, a connector object linked to these points is automatically generated and placed on the edit screen with an extremely simple operation of selecting the points to be defined on the batch definition screen. Is done.
Therefore, it is possible to greatly reduce the operation burden required for the definition of the connector. In particular, a relatively large number of connectors can be added as in programming an FBD for automatically controlling the equipment provided in the facility. When used, the operation burden can be greatly reduced.

In the present embodiment, the collective definition screen display unit 15B displays any one or more of the properties indicating the variables assigned to the point in response to a property selection operation for an arbitrary point on the collective definition screen. A property selection screen for selecting as a definition target at once is displayed, and the collective definition setting unit 15C generates a connector object for each property of the point selected on the property selection screen and arranges it on the edit screen. You may do it.
As a result, among the points assigned to the equipment, it is possible to easily define, with a very simple operation, which of the variables assigned to the variables is to be generated for the points to which a plurality of variables are assigned. it can.

  The use of the property selection screen shown in FIG. 7 is not limited to the case where a plurality of points to be defined are defined on the collective definition screen, but the property is selected when the property is specified on the individual definition screen shown in FIG. A selection screen may be used. As a result, even when defining a connector related to one point, it is easy to define which of the variables assigned to the point to generate a connector that works with that variable with a very simple operation. can do.

[Extended embodiment]
The present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Various changes that can be understood by those skilled in the art can be made to the configuration and details of the present invention within the scope of the present invention.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Programming apparatus, 11 ... Communication I / F part, 12 ... Operation input part, 13 ... Screen display part, 14 ... Memory | storage part, 14A ... Object information, 14B ... Connection information, 14C ... Point information, 14P ... Program, 15 ... arithmetic processing unit, 15A ... editing processing unit, 15B ... collective definition screen display unit, 15C ... collective definition setting unit.

Claims (4)

Functions for automatically controlling the equipment provided in the facility by arranging various objects such as function blocks, connectors, and connection lines on the edit screen and connecting these objects according to user operations A programming method used in a programming device for editing a block diagram,
A storage step for storing point information in which attribute values regarding each point assigned to the equipment are registered;
When the batch definition screen display unit arranges a connector object for batch definition on the editing screen by a user operation, the batch definition screen display unit refers to the point information and batches any one of the points as a definition target. Collective definition screen display step for displaying the collective definition screen for selecting
A programming method, comprising: a batch definition setting unit that generates a connector object for each definition target selected on the batch definition screen and places the connector object on the edit screen. The programming method according to claim 1,
In the batch definition screen display step, according to a property selection operation for an arbitrary point on the batch definition screen, any one or more of the properties indicating variables assigned to the point are selected as a definition target. Display the property selection screen to
The programming method characterized in that the batch definition setting step generates the connector object for each property of the point selected on the property selection screen and arranges it on the editing screen. Functions for automatically controlling the equipment provided in the facility by arranging various objects such as function blocks, connectors, and connection lines on the edit screen and connecting these objects according to user operations A programming device for editing a block diagram,
A storage unit for storing point information in which attribute values related to each point assigned to the equipment are registered;
Batch definition for collectively selecting any one of the points as a definition target with reference to the point information when a connector object for batch definition is arranged on the editing screen by a user operation A batch definition screen display for displaying the screen;
A programming device, comprising: a batch definition setting unit that generates a connector object and places it on the editing screen for each definition target selected on the batch definition screen. The programming device according to claim 3, wherein
The batch definition screen display unit selects a plurality of properties indicating a variable assigned to the point as a definition target in response to a property selection operation for an arbitrary point on the batch definition screen. Display the property selection screen to
The programming device, wherein the collective definition setting unit generates the connector object for each property of the point selected on the property selection screen and places the connector object on the editing screen.

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