Data collection device

Abstract

This data collection device acquires a plurality of pieces of variable data each of which is measured or calculated for each sampling period in a control system. The data collection device comprises: a user input unit that allows a user to select any of the plurality of pieces of variable data; and an explanatory image display unit that displays an explanatory image indicating the corresponding position, in the control system, of the piece of variable data selected by the user via the user input unit.

Description

Data collection device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a data collection device.

[0002] In a machine tool or the like including a control system such as a servo system, various data measured or calculated at each sampling period are used for control. It has also been proposed to monitor these data to detect abnormalities in the device and to display the content and location of the detected abnormalities (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-295915

[0004] In adjusting a control system or the like, variable data in the control system may be checked as a basis for judgment to optimize various settings. In this case, unlike the detection of abnormalities, the device cannot automatically identify the variable data to be checked, and it may be necessary for the user to specify the variable data to be checked. Generally, each variable data is given a simple name consisting of, for example, an initial letter, a number, etc. However, when the number of variable data increases, it is not easy for the user to accurately grasp what kind of data the variable data is from its name. For this reason, a technique that can easily present to the user what kind of data the variable data is when the user selects the variable data is desired.

[0005] A data collection device according to an aspect of the present disclosure is a data collection device that acquires a plurality of variable data whose values are measured or calculated at each sampling period in a control system, and includes a user input unit that allows a user to select any one of the plurality of variable data, and an explanatory image display unit that displays an explanatory image indicating a corresponding position of the variable data selected by the user in the control system in the user input unit.

[0006] It is a block diagram showing the configuration of the data collection device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. It is a diagram illustrating a setting screen by the data collection device of FIG. 1. It is a diagram illustrating the display of an explanatory image by the data collection device of FIG. 1. It is a diagram illustrating the display of an explanatory image different from that of FIG. 3 by the data collection device of FIG. 1. It is a diagram illustrating the display of an explanatory image different from those of FIGS. 3 and 4 by the data collection device of FIG. 1.

[0007] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a data acquisition device 1 according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. The data acquisition device 1 acquires a plurality of variable data whose values ​​are measured or calculated at each sampling period in the control system 2. The control system 2 may include a plurality of control systems.

[0008] The data acquisition device 1 comprises a data acquisition unit 11, a user input unit 12, and an explanatory image display unit 13. The data acquisition device 1 can be implemented by a computer device having, for example, memory, a processor, an input / output interface, etc., and executing an appropriate control program. The data acquisition device 1 may also be configured integrally with, for example, a numerical control device, a servo controller, etc. In other words, the data acquisition device 1 may be implemented as an additional function of a control device, etc., of the control system 2. Note that the above-described components of the data acquisition device 1 are classifications of the functions of the data acquisition device 1 and do not necessarily have to be clearly distinguishable in terms of physical configuration and program configuration.

[0009] The data acquisition unit 11 acquires multiple variable data from the control system 2. If the data acquisition device 1 is integrated with the control device of the control system 2, the data acquisition unit 11 can share functions with the control device of the control system 2.

[0010] The user input unit 12 is configured to provide a user interface that allows the user to select one of a plurality of variable data. The user input unit 12 may be integrated with a component that provides setting means for setting parameters of the control system 2. In other words, the user input unit 12 may be used by the user to select variable data for setting the control system 2.

[0011] The user input unit 12 may display a list of variable data in advance, or it may display selectable variable data in response to user operations such as pull-down menus. The user input unit 12 may also have a hierarchical structure that groups the variable data, allowing the user to select variable data belonging to a group by selecting that group.

[0012] Figure 2 illustrates a display screen (settings screen) provided by a user input unit 12, which is integrated with the configuration for setting up the control system 2. In the illustrated example, first, the type and number of the control system, such as servo, spindle, CNC, or PMC, are specified in "Measurement Target," and then variable data within the specified system is selected in "Type." Then, by setting the "Unit" to be displayed for the selected variable data, the "Conversion Factor" which defines the relationship between the physical quantity detected by the measuring instrument and the variable data, the "Conversion Base" which defines the correspondence between the variable data and the data inside the data acquisition device 1, and the "Origin Value" which defines the initial value of the variable data, the variable data becomes available for use in the control system 2 and can be converted into a numerical value that is easy for the user to understand.

[0013] The explanatory image display unit 13 displays an explanatory image showing the corresponding location in the control system 2 for the variable data selected by the user in the user input unit 12. The "corresponding location" refers to a location where the variable data can be measured or calculated, including not only the location of an actual component but also the location where the variable data exists in the control concept. For example, the explanatory image display unit 13 may be configured to display an explanatory image as a pop-up for the variable data selected by the pointing device from among multiple variable data displayed by a pull-down menu on the setting screen in Figure 2, as shown in Figure 3. Alternatively, the explanatory image may be displayed in a space pre-provided on the screen where the user selects the variable data. Note that "selection" here is not limited to confirmation by a confirmation operation such as a button click, but may also refer to a provisional selection by pointer movement before the confirmation operation.

[0014] The explanatory image displayed by the explanatory image display unit 13 preferably includes a control block diagram of the control system 2, as shown in Figure 3, and indicates the position of the variable data selected by the user in the user input unit 12 within the control block diagram. The position of the variable data can be indicated, for example, by highlighting text indicating the variable data, highlighting lines indicating the flow of control blocks or data, or adding markers. In Figure 3, when the selected variable data is motor position feedback, the position feedback is highlighted to clearly show the user that the variable data is a value calculated from velocity feedback, and the arrows indicating the flow of the variable data are also highlighted. This allows the user to intuitively understand what the selected variable data means in the control system 2, making it relatively easy to optimize the control parameters of the control system 2.

[0015] The explanatory images displayed by the explanatory image display unit 13 may include a mechanical configuration diagram of the control system, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, and may also show the displacement of a component corresponding to the variable data selected by the user. Figure 4 is an example where the selected variable data is the feed position of the table, and in addition to a mechanical configuration diagram of the table feed mechanism, it shows the displacement of the table moving in the direction of the dimension line by dimension lines indicating the amount of table feed. The explanatory image in Figure 4 may also be a video of the table moving. Figure 5 is an example where the selected variable data is the rotation speed of the motor, and it illustrates the motor housing and output shaft, and shows the displacement by an arrow indicating the rotation direction of the output shaft. The explanatory image in Figure 5 may also be a video of the output shaft rotating. By displaying such explanatory images in a pop-up window on the explanatory image display unit 13, the user can intuitively grasp the meaning of the selected variable data, making it relatively easy to optimize the control parameters of the control system 2. The explanatory images displayed by the explanatory image display unit 13 may include both a diagram showing a conceptual configuration, as shown in Figure 3, and a diagram showing a mechanical configuration, as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

[0016] The explanatory image display unit 13 may be configured to determine the configuration of the control system and display an explanatory image corresponding to the configuration of the control system. For example, the explanatory image display unit 13 may be configured to display an image showing the machine configuration of a machining center if the control system 2 is a machining center, and to display an image showing the machine configuration of a lathe if the control system 2 is an NC lathe.

[0017] The explanatory image display unit 13 may be configured to store multiple image components in advance and combine multiple image components to generate at least a part of an explanatory image such as a control block diagram or a machine configuration diagram. For example, when generating a control block diagram, the explanatory image display unit 13 can generate a control block diagram by storing the arrangement relationship between the control block, which will be an image component, and the signal (variable data) as an equation (for example, "(torque command) = (speed controller) (speed command - speed FB)"). The explanatory image display unit 13 may also acquire element images that constitute a part of the explanatory image from an external source. For example, the explanatory image display unit may acquire element images from an external database, or it may have an external generation AI (interactive response device) generate the element images. Specifically, the explanatory image display unit 13 may be configured to create a command such as "Please generate the following image: An illustration of a single motor used in a machine tool, without text" in order to have the generation AI generate element images. The explanatory image display unit 13 may store the entire text of such commands in advance. For example, it may store a template with an uncertain part such as "[Type of machine tool]", such as "Generate the following image: An illustration showing the movement of the feed axis of a [Type of machine tool] with arrows", and be configured to create a command such as "Generate the following image: An illustration showing the movement of the feed axis of a machining center with arrows" by substituting, for example, a machining center or lathe for (Type of machine tool) in the uncertain part.

[0018] As described above, the data acquisition device 1 is equipped with an explanatory image display unit 13 that displays an explanatory image indicating the corresponding position of the variable data selected by the user in the control system 2 when the user selects variable data, so that the user can easily understand what kind of data the selected variable data is.

[0019] The following additional information is disclosed regarding the above embodiments and modifications. (Addendum 1) The data acquisition device (1) is a data acquisition device (1) that acquires a plurality of variable data whose values ​​are measured or calculated at each sampling period in a control system, and comprises a user input unit (12) in which the user can select any of the plurality of variable data, and an explanatory image display unit (13) that displays an explanatory image showing the corresponding position in the control system for the variable data selected by the user in the user input unit (12).

[0020] (Note 2) In the data acquisition device (1) of Note 1, the explanatory image may include a control block diagram of the control system and indicate the position of the variable data selected by the user in the control block diagram.

[0021] (Note 3) In the data acquisition device (1) described in Notes 1 to 2, the explanatory image may include a mechanical configuration diagram of the control system and show the displacement patterns of the components corresponding to the variable data selected by the user.

[0022] (Note 4) In the data acquisition device (1) described in Notes 1 to 3, the explanatory image display unit (13) may store multiple image components in advance and generate at least a part of the explanatory image by combining multiple image components.

[0023] (Note 5) In the data acquisition device (1) described in Notes 1 to 4, the explanatory image display unit (13) may acquire elemental images that constitute a part of the explanatory image from an external source.

[0024] (Note 6) In the data acquisition device (1) of Note 5, the explanatory image display unit (13) may have an external generation AI generate the element images.

[0025] (Note 7) In the data acquisition device (1) described in Notes 1 to 6, the explanatory image display unit (13) may determine the configuration of the control system and display an explanatory image corresponding to the configuration of the control system.

[0026] Although the present disclosure has been described in detail above, it is not limited to the individual embodiments described above. These embodiments can be added, replaced, modified, partially deleted, etc., in any way that does not depart from the gist of the present disclosure or from the spirit of the present disclosure derived from the claims and their equivalents. Furthermore, these embodiments can be implemented in combination. For example, the order of operations and processes in the embodiments described above are shown as examples only and are not limited thereto. The same applies when numerical values ​​or mathematical formulas are used in the description of the embodiments described above.

[0027] 1. Data acquisition device 11. Data acquisition unit 12. User input unit 13. Explanatory image display unit 2. Control system

Claims

1. A data acquisition device that acquires a plurality of variable data, each of which is measured or calculated at each sampling period in a control system, comprising: a user input unit that allows the user to select any of the plurality of variable data; and an explanatory image display unit that displays an explanatory image indicating the corresponding position in the control system for the variable data selected by the user in the user input unit.

2. The data acquisition device according to claim 1, wherein the explanatory image includes a control block diagram of the control system and indicates the position of the variable data selected by the user in the control block diagram.

3. The data acquisition device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the explanatory image includes a mechanical configuration diagram of the control system and shows the displacement of a member corresponding to the variable data selected by the user.

4. The data acquisition device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the explanatory image display unit stores a plurality of image components in advance and generates at least a portion of the explanatory image by combining the plurality of image components.

5. The data acquisition device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the explanatory image display unit acquires element images constituting a part of the explanatory image from an external source.

6. The data acquisition device according to claim 5, wherein the explanatory image display unit causes an external generation AI to generate the element images.

7. The data acquisition device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the explanatory image display unit determines the configuration of the control system and displays the explanatory image corresponding to the configuration of the control system.

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