Help screen creation support device

Abstract

A screen creation assistance device according to the present invention comprises: a help-associated information registration unit that registers, for each screen component laid out on an operation screen of an industrial machine, help-associated information in which a machine state of the industrial machine and help information are associated; a help information switching condition creation unit that creates, for each screen component on the basis of the help-associated information, help information switching condition information, which is information related to an event and an action required for displaying help information; a help screen data creation unit that creates screen data related to a help screen on the basis of the help information switching condition information and layout information regarding the screen components on the operation screen of the industrial machine; and an image data output unit that outputs the screen data related to the help screen created by the help screen data creation unit.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a screen creation support device and a computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded. [Background technology]

[0002] Applications that run on industrial machinery control devices have a variety of screens (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Providing explanations and operation guidance for every operation would result in reduced visibility and operability. For this reason, simple operation guidance is provided to the extent that visibility and operability are not impaired. However, some operations are difficult for novice operators to perform with just the simple operation guidance, and they must refer to manuals or help screens as necessary.

[0003] A help screen is provided for each operation screen and can be called up on the control device screen. A HELP key is provided on the hardware and software keys used to operate the control device. By operating the HELP key, a help screen is displayed for each operation screen. In the control device application, the operations that can be performed change depending on the state of the industrial machinery. Machine builders can customize the screen configuration of the operation screen for each industrial machine using a screen creation support tool. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7053974 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] It is difficult to create a help screen that provides appropriate help information according to the machine status of industrial machinery. Furthermore, when machine manufacturers customize the operation screen of industrial machinery, a discrepancy can arise between the screen components actually displayed on the operation screen and the help information, or the help information displayed when the machine status of industrial machinery changes as a result of some operation. When such problems occur, the time and effort required to modify the help screen is a significant burden for the screen designer. Therefore, there is a need for an environment that allows for easy creation of help screens that correspond to the machine status of industrial machinery. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The screen creation support device disclosed herein solves the above problem by giving the screen creation support tool the ability to change its content according to the machine status and create screen data for help screens that are consistent with customized screen configurations and screen operations.

[0007] One aspect of the present disclosure is a screen creation support device that supports the creation of an operation screen of an industrial machine, and includes: a help linking information registration unit that registers help linking information linking the machine status of the industrial machine with help information for each screen component arranged on the operation screen of the industrial machine; a help information switching condition creation unit that creates help information switching condition information, which is information related to events and actions required to display help information for each screen component, based on the help linking information; a help screen data creation unit that creates screen data related to the help screen based on the help information switching condition information and information on the arrangement of screen components on the operation screen of the industrial machine; and a screen data output unit that outputs the screen data related to the help screen created by the help screen data creation unit.

[0008] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program that causes a computer to operate as a screen creation support device that supports the creation of an operation screen of an industrial machine, the computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program that causes a computer to operate as: a help linking information registration unit that registers help linking information that links the machine status of the industrial machine with help information for each screen component arranged on the operation screen of the industrial machine; a help information switching condition creation unit that creates help information switching condition information, which is information related to events and actions required to display help information for each screen component, based on the help linking information; a help screen data creation unit that creates screen data related to a help screen based on the help information switching condition information and information on the arrangement of screen components on the operation screen of the industrial machine; and a screen data output unit that outputs the screen data related to the help screen created by the help screen data creation unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] One aspect of the present disclosure makes it easy to create a help screen that can display appropriate help according to the machine status, reducing the man-hours required for screen developers to create the help screen. It also makes it easy to create a help screen that is consistent with customized screen configurations and screen operations, reducing the man-hours required for screen customization by machine builders. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of a screen creation support device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram showing functions of a screen creation support device according to an embodiment; [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen creation operation screen. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a help information registration operation screen. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of help linking information. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of help information switching condition information. [Figure 7]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of the operation screen for registering help information. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of help linking information. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of help information switching condition information. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a schematic hardware configuration diagram showing the main parts of a screen creation support device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The screen creation support device 1 of the present invention can be implemented on a computer such as a personal computer attached to a control device that controls industrial machinery, a personal computer connected to the control device via a wired or wireless network, a cell computer, a fog computer 6, or a cloud server 7. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the screen creation support device 1 is implemented on a personal computer connected to a control device that controls industrial machinery via a network.

[0012] The CPU 11 provided in the screen creation support device 1 according to this embodiment is a processor that controls the entire screen creation support device 1. The CPU 11 reads a system program stored in the ROM 12 via the bus 22, and controls the entire screen creation support device 1 in accordance with the system program. The RAM 13 temporarily stores temporary calculation data, display data, and various data input from outside.

[0013] The nonvolatile memory 14 is composed of, for example, a battery-backed memory (not shown) or an SSD (Solid State Drive), and retains its stored state even when the screen creation support device 1 is powered off. The nonvolatile memory 14 stores machine operation command programs and data read from an external device 72 via an interface 15, programs and data input via an input device 71, programs and data acquired from the industrial machine 3, and the like. The data stored in the nonvolatile memory 14 may be expanded into the RAM 13 when executed / used. In addition, various system programs such as known analysis programs are written in the ROM 12 in advance.

[0014] The interface 15 is an interface for connecting the CPU 11 of the screen creation support device 1 to an external device 72 such as a USB device. For example, pre-stored control programs and data related to the operation of each industrial machine 3 can be read from the external device 72. Furthermore, the control programs and setting data edited within the screen creation support device 1 can be stored in external storage means via the external device 72.

[0015] The interface 20 is an interface for connecting the CPU of the screen creation support device 1 to a wired or wireless network 5. The network 5 is connected to industrial machines 3, fog computers 6, cloud servers 7, etc., and exchanges data with the screen creation support device 1.

[0016] The display device 70 displays various data loaded into memory, data obtained as a result of executing programs, etc., output via the interface 17. An input device 71, which is comprised of a keyboard, pointing device, etc., passes commands, data, etc. based on operations by the screen creator to the CPU 11 via the interface 18.

[0017] 2 is a schematic block diagram showing functions of the screen creation support device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Each function of the screen creation support device 1 according to this embodiment is realized by the CPU 11 of the screen creation support device 1 shown in FIG. 1 executing a system program and controlling the operation of each part of the screen creation support device 1.

[0018] The screen creation support device 1 of this embodiment includes a screen creation unit 110, a help linking information registration unit 120, a help information switching condition creation unit 130, a help screen data creation unit 140, and a screen data output unit 150. The RAM 13 to the nonvolatile memory 14 of the screen creation support device 1 are provided with a component information storage unit 210, which is an area that stores in advance information related to the individual components that constitute the operation screen of the control device that controls the industrial machine 3 and the composite components formed by combining the individual components, a screen configuration information storage unit 220, which is an area for storing screen configuration information, a screen component attribute storage unit 230, which is an area for storing information related to the attributes of screen components such as the individual components and composite components, and a help linking information storage unit 240, which is an area for storing help linking information that links together screen components, machine states, and help information.

[0019] The screen creation unit 110 creates an operation screen for industrial machinery using prepared individual components and composite components formed by combining the individual components, based on editing operations by a screen creator. The editing operations by the screen creator may be operations for specifying the layout of individual components and composite components read from the component information storage unit 210 on the screen. The editing operations may also be operations for setting attributes of the individual components and composite components laid out on the screen. FIG. 3 shows an example of a screen creation operation screen displayed on the display device 70 by the screen creation unit 110. The screen creation operation screen 400 illustrated in FIG. 3 includes a screen configuration creation area 410. Four composite components 411 to 414 and multiple individual components such as buttons are arranged in the screen configuration creation area 410 by editing operations by the screen creator. The screen creator can refer to the component information storage unit 210 by performing a predetermined operation and arrange the necessary individual components and composite components in the screen configuration creation area 410. The screen creation operation screen 400 also includes a screen component attribute setting area 420. The screen component attribute setting area 420 displays the screen component attributes of a single component or composite component selected by operating a pointing device or the like in the screen configuration creation area 410. Examples of screen component attributes include a component ID, display / hide, enable / disable, focus, position, size, display color, background color, and title text. The screen creation unit 110 stores information related to the screen configuration of the created operation screen of industrial machinery in the screen configuration information storage unit 220. The screen creation unit 110 also stores information related to the screen component attributes of the screen components that make up the operation screen of industrial machinery in the screen component attribute storage unit 230.

[0020] The help linking information registration unit 120 registers the machine status of the industrial machine and the help linking information linking the machine status for each screen component arranged on the operation screen of the industrial machine based on editing operations by the screen creator. The registered help linking information is stored in the help linking information storage unit 240. FIG. 4 shows an example of a help information registration operation screen displayed by the help linking information registration unit 120 on the display device 70. The help information registration operation screen 430 illustrated in FIG. 4 is for registering help information for each axis information display component A. The help linking information registration unit 120 displays the help information registration operation screen 430, for example, when the screen creator performs a predetermined operation while a target screen component is displayed in the screen configuration creation area 410 displayed by the screen creation unit 110. The help information registration operation screen 430 allows the user to set what kind of help information to display in a predetermined machine status of the industrial machine for at least the screen components constituting the operation screen of the industrial machine created by the screen creation unit 110 that have been specified. For the machine status, a list of machine statuses that the industrial machine can be in is prepared in advance, and the user can select from that list. For help information, a character string (label information) to be displayed as help is set. FIG. 5 shows an example of help linking information stored in the help linking information storage unit 240. In the example of FIG. 5, when displaying help for each axis information display component A arranged on the operation screen of the industrial machine, for example, the help information is linked so that if the machine status of the industrial machine is in MEM mode, help information "coordinate values ​​of each axis and remaining travel amount" is displayed; if it is in JOG mode, help information "coordinate values ​​of each axis" is displayed; and if it is in manual handle interrupt mode, help information "interrupt amount for each axis" is displayed.

[0021] The help information switching condition creation unit 130 creates help information switching condition information, which is information related to events and actions required to display help information for each screen component, based on the help linking information stored in the help linking information storage unit 240. A screen component can set a specific event to be received by that screen component and an action to be taken when the event occurs. The help information switching condition creation unit 130 creates help information switching condition information, based on the help linking information stored in the help linking information storage unit 240, in which a change in the machine status of the industrial machinery is an event and switching to help information linked to the machine status of the industrial machinery for each screen component is an action.

[0022] FIG. 6 shows an example of help information switching condition information created by the help information switching condition creating unit 130. The example shown in FIG. 6 is help information switching condition information for each axis information display component A. The help information switching condition information for each axis information display component A is set to execute an action to switch the help text to "coordinate values ​​of each axis and remaining movement amount" when an event "machine state transitions to MEM mode" occurs. It is also set to execute an action to switch the help text to "coordinate values ​​of each axis" when an event "machine state transitions to JOG mode" occurs. It is also set to execute an action to switch the help text to "interrupt amount for each axis" when an event "machine state transitions to manual handle interrupt mode" occurs. The help information switching condition creating unit 130 sets such help information switching condition information for each screen component based on the help linking information stored in the help linking information storage unit 240.

[0023] The help screen data creation unit 140 creates a help screen based on the help information switching condition information created by the help information switching condition creation unit 130, the screen configuration information storage unit 220, and the screen component attribute storage unit 230. The help screen data creation unit 140 places label components on the operation screen of the industrial machine in the same number as the number of screen components for which help information is registered. The help screen data creation unit 140 sets the positions at which the label components are placed so as not to interfere with the display of the corresponding screen components. In addition, the attribute values ​​of the display / non-display screen component attributes are normally hidden and are displayed when help information is displayed. The help screen data creation unit 140 may set the background color or display color of the label component to a color different from the color of the screen component displayed at the position where the label component is placed. An event and an action created as help information switching condition information are set for each label component. The label components created by the help screen data creation unit 140 display help information corresponding to the machine state of the industrial machine when the machine state of the industrial machine transitions to a predetermined state.

[0024] The screen data output unit 150 outputs screen data relating to a help screen including label parts created by the help screen data creation unit 140, and screen data relating to an operation screen for industrial machinery created by the screen creation unit 110. The screen data output by the screen data output unit 150 may be displayed on the display device 70 so that the screen creator can check it. Alternatively, the screen data may be output so as to be stored in a predetermined area of ​​the RAM 13 or non-volatile memory 14 of the screen creation support device. Furthermore, the screen data may be transmitted and output to the industrial machinery 3, the fog computer 6, or the cloud server 7 via the network 5.

[0025] By using the screen creation support device 1 according to this embodiment, which has the above-described configuration, a screen creator can easily create help information for screen components arranged on an industrial machine's operation screen, corresponding to the machine status of the industrial machine. When creating an industrial machine's operation screen, help information corresponding to the machine status can be set for each screen component, allowing the screen creator to easily create a help screen that provides appropriate help information according to the machine status of the industrial machine. Furthermore, when a machine manufacturer customizes an industrial machine's operation screen, the help information can be set while actually viewing the screen components, taking into account changes in the machine status based on operation. This allows the user to easily understand the correspondence between the screen components actually arranged on the operation screen and the help information, as well as the correspondence between the help information displayed when the machine status of the industrial machine changes due to some operation. This is expected to prevent discrepancies between the screen components arranged on the screen, operations, and the help information. Furthermore, because the display position of the help information is automatically set taking into account the arrangement of the screen components, the screen creator does not need to manually set the display position of the help information one by one. This reduces the effort required for the screen creator to create help information for the industrial machine's operation screen.

[0026] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described examples of the embodiments, and can be embodied in various forms by making appropriate modifications. In the above-described embodiment, help information corresponding to the machine status of the industrial machine can be registered for each screen component arranged on the operation screen of the industrial machine. However, help information corresponding to the selection state of the screen component may also be registered depending on whether the screen component is selected. In this configuration, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 7, for the display text to be switched when the machine status of the industrial machine 2 changes, the display text when unselected and the display text when selected can be registered as screen component attributes. The information registered on this screen is stored in the help linking information storage unit 240 as help linking information that links help information for each machine status and each component selection state, as illustrated in FIG. 8. Then, the help information switching condition creation unit 130 creates help information switching condition information for executing an action to switch help text in response to an event based on the machine status and each component selection state, as illustrated in FIG. 9. Using screen data created based on this information, it is possible to display a help screen corresponding to the machine status and each component selection state. [Explanation of symbols]

[0027] 1 Screen creation support device 3. Industrial machinery 5. Network 6. Fog Computer 7. Cloud Server 11 CPU 12 ROM 13 RAM 14 Non-volatile memory 15,17,18,19,20 Interface 22 Bus 70 Display device 71 Input Device 72 External equipment 110 Screen Creation Department 120 Help link information registration section 130 Help information switching condition creation section 140 Help Screen Data Creation Department 150 Screen data output section 210 Part information storage unit 220 Screen configuration information storage unit 230 Screen Component Attribute Memory 240 Help link information storage unit

Claims

1. A screen creation support device that supports creation of an operation screen for industrial machinery, a help linking information registration unit that registers help linking information linking a machine status of the industrial machine with help information for each screen component arranged on the operation screen of the industrial machine; a help information switching condition creating unit that creates help information switching condition information, which is information related to events and actions required to display help information for each screen component, based on the help linking information; a help screen data creating unit that creates screen data relating to a help screen based on the help information switching condition information and layout information of screen components on the operation screen of the industrial machine; a screen data output unit that outputs screen data related to the help screen created by the help screen data creation unit; A screen creation support device comprising:

2. Furthermore, you can create a help screen that displays help information according to the selected screen component.

2. The screen creation support device according to claim 1.

3. the help screen data creation unit sets a layout or a color of the help information based on a layout or a color of screen components arranged on the operation screen of the industrial machine. The screen creation support device according to claim 1.

4. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for operating a computer as a screen creation support device for supporting the creation of an operation screen for an industrial machine, a help linking information registration unit that registers help linking information linking a machine state of the industrial machine with help information for each screen component arranged on the operation screen of the industrial machine; a help information switching condition creating unit that creates help information switching condition information, which is information related to events and actions required to display help information for each screen component, based on the help linking information; a help screen data creating unit that creates screen data relating to a help screen based on the help information switching condition information and layout information of screen components on the operation screen of the industrial machine; a screen data output unit that outputs screen data related to the help screen created by the help screen data creation unit; A computer-readable recording medium on which a program for operating a computer is recorded.

Images