JPH06337712A - Controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily test and adjust a digital control system. CONSTITUTION:A dedicated programmable controller 5 for simulation which simulates equipments to be controlled is connected to a transmission line 6 through a transmission station 10 and data input and output to and from a common memory by the functions of the equipments 3a and 3b to be controlled and transmission stations 12 and 11 to which they are connected are stopped with simulation commands by functions from a human interface device 1; and simulation results by the functions of the programmable controller 5 for simulation are sent to programmable controllers 2a and 2b for control through transmission stations 7, 8, and 10 and the transmission line 6 to perform simulation by the function through the programmable controller 5 for simulation, thereby testing and adjusting the software of a system, function by function, without placing the equipments 3a and 3b to be controlled in operation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a control device for performing digital control.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in the case of testing and adjusting a digital control device using an electronic computer, control operated by a control signal of a programmable controller using plant machine equipment and input / output equipment which are actually controlled on site. The quality of the operation, suitability, performance, etc. are determined by looking at the response of the target.

[0003]

However, in such a conventional control device, even if an attempt is made to perform software testing and adjustment of the control system, it cannot be performed without actually operating the control device. , Software testing, and adjustment took time.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and tests, adjustments, and adjustments of digital control functions have been made.
An object of the present invention is to provide a control device that can be efficiently maintained.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a human interface device, various devices to be controlled, a programmable programmable controller for controlling the various devices, and a transmission line connecting the devices. And a control unit composed of a transmission station having a common memory for each function to be controlled, which connects between the transmission line and each device, and a dedicated programmable simulation program for simulating various devices to be controlled. The controller is connected to the transmission line via the transmission station, and various devices to be controlled and the transmission station to which they are connected are specified to the simulation programmable controller for the simulation command for each function from the human interface device. For each function Input and output of data between the passing memory is stopped, in which the simulation results for each function of the programmable controller for the simulation is provided a transmission station control means for transmitting to the control for a programmable controller through the transmission station and transmission lines.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the control device according to the first aspect, one or a plurality of programmable programmable controllers corresponding to the simultaneous simulation command and the normal operation command for a plurality of functions from the human interface device are applicable. The function is simulated, and at the same time, the control programmable controller normally operates one or more corresponding functions.

[0007]

In the control device of the present invention, a dedicated programmable controller for simulating various devices to be controlled is connected to the transmission line through the transmission station, and the human interface device performs simulation for each function. In response to a command, stop input / output of data between various devices to be controlled and the common memory for each specified function of the transmission station to which they are connected, and The simulation result is transmitted to the programmable controller for control through the transmission station and the transmission line.

In this way, in the simulation mode, the simulation for each function is performed by the programmable controller for simulation, and the result is transmitted to the programmable controller for control.
System software is tested and adjusted for each function without actually operating the various devices to be controlled.

In the control device according to the second aspect of the present invention, if there is a simultaneous simulation command for a plurality of functions and a normal operation command from the human interface device, one or a plurality of functions to which the programmable controller for simulation corresponds in response to the commands. Simultaneously, the control programmable controller normally operates one or more corresponding functions, so that a function to be controlled is normally operated while a required function is simulated to perform a control characteristic test, Make adjustments.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a hardware configuration of an embodiment of the invention of claim 1, and FIG. 2 shows a more detailed hardware configuration. In the control device of this embodiment, an operator inputs necessary information and an operator A human interface device 1 for displaying necessary information on a display, a programmable controller (PLC) 2 for digitally controlling various functions of a controlled object, and a plant 3 to be controlled.
An input / output control device (I / O) 4 for controlling data input / output between the plant 3 and the transmission line, and a simulation programmable controller (SM-PLC) 5 for simulating the control system. It is composed of a transmission line 6 which connects these respective devices and enables data transmission.

As shown in detail in FIG. 2, the control programmable controller 2 has various control functions. One control programmable controller 2a targets the plant 3a and controls the functions A to E performed by the plant 3a. Therefore, each of the control functions A to E is provided with software, and the other control programmable controller 2b controls the plant 3b as a control target, and the functions F to J performed by it
Each of the control functions F to J is equipped with software for controlling the. The simulation programmable controller 5 is equipped with software capable of simulating each of these functions A to J.

Transmission stations 7 to 12 are provided to connect the human interface device 1, the programmable controllers 2a and 2b for control, the plants 4a and 4b to be controlled, and the programmable controller 5 for simulation to the transmission line 6, respectively. It is provided at the connection point. As shown in FIG. 3, these transmission stations 7 to 12 are provided with a memory area 13 common to each function A to J, and any one of the transmission stations to which it is connected from any device. When the data in the memory area of the function is updated, the data in the memory area of the corresponding function of each of the other transmission stations is also updated.

The programmable controller 5 for simulation has a functional configuration as shown in FIG. 4, and has an input / output controller 51 for inputting / outputting data to / from the transmission line 6 via the transmission station 10, and a simulation operation for each function. In order to stop the actual function on the side of the plant 3a or 3b corresponding to the function to be simulated when the plant 3a or 3b is connected to the common memory area of the transmission station 11 or 12 to which the plant 3a or 3b is connected, A transmission station control unit 52 that controls to stop the corresponding input / output control device 4a or 4b so that data is not written,
A simulation execution unit 53 that executes a simulation for each designated function is provided.

Next, the operation of the control device having the above configuration will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the control operation of the simulation programmable controller 5.
When the simulation programmable controller 5 is connected to the control system and some command is input from the human interface device 1, the simulation programmable capacitor 5 determines whether the command is a normal control command or a simulation command,
If it is a normal control command, no simulation operation is performed (steps S1 and S2).

However, if the command from the human interface device 1 is a simulation command, the simulation mode is entered (step S2).

Even in the simulation mode, the control programmable controllers 2a and 2b transmit control signals to the plants 3a and 3b to be controlled through the transmission line 6 in order to execute their own control functions. The simulation programmable controller 5 receives the control signals from the control programmable controllers 2a and 2b, and outputs the control signals to the functions A to J.
It is determined which of these functions is used. Here, for convenience of the following description, it is assumed that the simulation of the function A is designated (steps S2 and S3).

When executing the simulation of the function A, it is necessary to stop the function of the actual machine first, so the programmable controller 5 for simulation corresponds to the transmission station 12 of the plant 3a with the input / output control device 4a. Writing of the function A to the data area is stopped (step S4), and then the simulation of the function A is executed (step S5).

When the simulation of the function A is executed, the simulation result is written in the common memory area corresponding to the function A of the transmission station 10 to which the simulation programmable controller 5 is connected. If the data is written, the data is transmitted between the transmission stations 7 to 12, and the data in the memory area of the corresponding function A of all the transmission stations 7 to 12 is updated. Therefore, the control programmable controller 2a reads the simulation result of the simulation programmable controller 5 from the memory area of the function A of the transmission station 7 to which the own device is connected, thereby evaluating the control characteristic of the function A, and the result Is sent to the human interface device 1 through the transmission line 6 and displayed,
The operator is allowed to confirm the control characteristic for the function (step S6).

In this way, a simulation can be carried out for one function A, and the control characteristics can be tested and adjusted. Subsequently, the human interface device 1
If a simulation command is input for another function from, the simulation can be executed for each function in the same manner, and the control characteristics can be tested and adjusted (step S7).

After the simulation is performed in this way, by inputting a simulation stop command from the human interface device 1, the simulation programmable controller 5 issues the corresponding function of the transmission stations 11 and 12 which previously issued the operation stop command. I / O control devices 4a, 4 for the common memory area
The write-protection command from b is released.

Next, an embodiment of the invention of claim 2 will be described. The control device of the invention of claim 2 also has the system configuration shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. In the case of this embodiment, a command for normal operation or simulation operation is input from the human interface device 1 for each function, and the programmable controllers 2a and 2b for control control the function for which the normal operation command is issued. The normal control operation is performed for the corresponding function of the plants 3a and 3b, and at the same time, the simulation controller 5 performs the simulation operation for the function for which the simulation command is issued.

Therefore, the control apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention can perform the simulation according to the flowchart shown in FIG. That is, when the normal operation mode or the simulation mode is specified for each function from the human interface device 1 and an execution command is given, each of the control programmable controllers 2a and 2b is normally selected from among the functions A to E or the functions F to J that it is responsible for. For the function to which the operation command is given, the normal control operation of the corresponding function of the control target plants 3a and 3b is started.

In parallel with this, the programmable controller 5 for simulation discriminates the function of performing the simulation operation input from the human interface device 1 (steps S11 and S12), and the first function of the simulation command is given. As in the embodiment, writing to the common memory area for each of the corresponding functions A to E; F to J of the connection stations 11 and 12 of the controlled plants 3a and 3b is prohibited (step S1).
3) The simulation of the function is executed, and the simulation result is written in the common memory area of the corresponding function of the transmission station 10 to which the simulation programmable controller 5 is connected (step S15).

After the simulation programmable controller 5 has performed the simulation operation for the designated function in this way, the control programmable controller 2a outputs the simulation result of the simulation programmable controller 5 to the common transmission station 7 to which it is connected. Read out from the memory area, evaluate the control characteristics of the simulated function, send out the result to the human interface device 1 through the transmission line 6 and display it, and the operator can confirm the control characteristics of the system for the corresponding function. To do so.

In this way, the simulation programmable controller 5 performs a simulation for the designated function, and in parallel with this, the control programmable controllers 2a and 2b perform normal operation control for the designated function, thereby testing and adjusting the system. To do.

The invention of claim 2 can also be used during maintenance and inspection. For a certain function, the actual plant is operated, and for a certain function, the control characteristic is inspected by simulating it, or the control characteristic is checked. Confirmation can be performed after adjustment.

In each of the above embodiments, the number of functions is not particularly limited, and the number of control programmable controllers is not particularly limited. Further, although the simulation is performed for each function, a plurality of functions may be designated and the simulation may be performed simultaneously.

[0028]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a dedicated simulation programmable controller for simulating various devices to be controlled is connected to a transmission line via a transmission station, and each function from the human interface device is changed. In response to a simulation command, stop the input / output of data between various devices to be controlled and the common memory for each specified function of the transmission station to which they are connected, and for each function of the simulation programmable controller. Since the simulation result of the above is transmitted to the programmable controller for control through the transmission station and the transmission line, the simulation for each function is performed by the programmable controller for simulation and the simulation is performed. The control characteristics of the programmable controller for control can be evaluated based on the result of the solution, and the software of the system can be tested and adjusted for each function without actually moving various devices to be controlled. Adjustment and maintenance work can be done easily.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, if there is a simultaneous simulation command and a normal operation command for a plurality of functions from the human interface device, one or a plurality of functions to which the programmable controller for simulation corresponds in response to the commands. Since the simulation is performed and the controlling programmable controller normally operates one or more corresponding functions at the same time, some functions to be controlled are normally operated while other required functions are simulated and controlled. Can be tested and adjusted, and the control system can be easily tested, adjusted, and maintained and inspected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an embodiment of the invention of claim 1;

FIG. 2 is a detailed configuration diagram of the system of the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a common memory area of the transmission station in the above embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of a simulation programmable controller in the above embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a simulation operation of the simulation programmable controller of the above embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a simulation operation of a programmable controller for simulation according to an embodiment of the invention of claim 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Human Interface Device 2, 2a, 2b Control Programmable Controller 3, 3a, 3b Plant 4, 4a, 4b I / O Control Device 5 Simulation Programmable Controller 6 Transmission Lines 7-12 Transmission Station 13 Common Memory Area

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A human interface device, various devices to be controlled, a programmable programmable controller for controlling the various devices, a transmission line connecting the devices, a transmission line and the devices. In a control device comprising a transmission station having a common memory for each function to be controlled, which is connected to the control line, a dedicated programmable controller for simulation for simulating various devices to be controlled is provided on the transmission line. Connected via the transmission station, the simulation programmable controller, to the simulation command for each function from the human interface device, the various devices to be controlled and the transmission station to which they are connected is specified. Machine And a transmission station control means for stopping the input / output of data to / from the common memory for each and transmitting the simulation result for each function of the simulation programmable controller to the control programmable controller through the transmission station and the transmission line. Consisting of a control device. 2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the human interface device responds to a simultaneous simulation command for a plurality of functions and a normal operation command,
A control device, wherein the simulation programmable controller simulates one or more corresponding functions, and at the same time, the control programmable controller normally operates one or more corresponding functions.