Data collection device

Abstract

This data collection device acquires a plurality of items of variable data, the values of which are measured or calculated at each sampling period in a control system. The data collection device comprises: a configuration display unit that displays a configuration image representing the configuration of the control system and also indicating each of a plurality of components of the control system in a selectable manner, and receives a user's selection from among the components; and a list display unit that displays a list in which one or more items of variable data that can be obtained for the selected component are arranged in a selectable manner.

Description

Data collection device

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

[0002] In machine tools and 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 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., but it is difficult for the user to remember all the names of the variable data. Also, even if all the names of the variable data are listed, it is not easy for the user to identify the variable data to be checked. For this reason, a technique that allows the user to easily select variable data is desired.

[0005] A data collection device according to one 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 displays a configuration image that represents the configuration of the control system and shows each of a plurality of components of the control system as selectable, and a configuration display unit that accepts selection of the component by the user, and a list display unit that displays a list in which one or more of the variable data that can be acquired for the selected component are arranged so as to be selectable.

[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 showing an example of the display screen of the data collection device in FIG. 1. It is a diagram showing an example different from FIG. 2 of the display screen of the data collection device in 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 configuration display unit 12, and a list 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 include a display device for the configuration display unit 12 and the list display unit 13 to display information, or it may be configured to display information on an external display device. Furthermore, the data acquisition device 1 may be integrated with, for example, a numerical control device, a servo controller, etc. In other words, the data acquisition device 1 may be implemented as a display function of a control device, etc., of a 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 configuration display unit 12 displays a configuration image that shows the configuration of the control system 2 and allows the user to select from multiple components of the control system 2, and accepts the selection of components. The configuration display unit 12 may also be configured to determine the configuration of the control system 2 and display a configuration image corresponding to the configuration of the control system 2. As shown in Figure 2, the configuration image may represent the control configuration of the control system 2 or the physical configuration of the control system 2.

[0011] As a specific example, the configuration image may include a control block diagram, as shown in Figure 2, which has control blocks that perform calculations using variable data, and transmission lines (black arrows in the illustrated example) that indicate the transmission path of variable data between control blocks. In this case, it is preferable that at least one of the control blocks and the labels attached to the control blocks (text etc. attached to the control blocks) and at least one of the transmission lines and the labels attached to the transmission lines (text etc. attached to the transmission lines) can be selected. By displaying the block diagram as the configuration image, it is possible to easily find the variable data that needs to be checked when adjusting control parameters, etc.

[0012] Furthermore, the configuration image may include a schematic mechanical configuration diagram having element images that schematically show the mechanical components of the control system 2, and transmission lines that show the transmission paths of variable data between the mechanical components, as shown in Figure 3. In this case, it is preferable that at least one of the element images and the labels attached to the element images and at least one of the transmission lines and the labels attached to the transmission lines can be selected. By displaying a schematic mechanical configuration diagram as the configuration image, it is possible to easily find variable data that needs to be checked during maintenance of mechanical components, etc.

[0013] The list display unit 13 displays a list showing one or more variable data that can be obtained for the component selected in the configuration display unit 12, arranged in a selectable order. By listing only the variable data related to the selected component in this way, the desired variable data can be identified relatively easily from the names of those variable data. To enable smooth execution from the selection of a component in the configuration display unit 12 to the selection of variable data in the list display unit 13, it is preferable that the list display unit 13 displays the list of variable data near the selected component, that is, overlays the list of variable data on the image displayed by the configuration display unit 12. As a specific example, the list display unit 13 may be configured to display a pull-down list below the label of the selected component when the label of a component in the configuration image displayed by the configuration display unit 12 is selected.

[0014] The list display unit 13 may classify the variable data into multiple types and include a list for selecting the type of variable data and multiple lists for selecting the variable data belonging to each type, thereby providing a hierarchical list display that allows for step-by-step selection of the variable data. As a specific example, as shown in Figure 2, the list display unit 13 may be configured to display a list of types of variable data that can be obtained for the component selected in the configuration display unit 12 ("Position FB"), and when a type of variable data ("POS3DN") is selected in the list of types, to further display a list of selectable coordinate axes for the selected type of variable data.

[0015] As described above, the data acquisition device 1 includes a configuration display unit 12 that allows users to select components on the configuration image of the control system 2, and a list display unit 13 that lists variable data related to the selected components, so that users can easily identify the desired variable data.

[0016] 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 the control system (2), and includes a configuration display unit (12) that displays a configuration image representing the configuration of the control system (2) and showing a plurality of components of the control system (2) in a selectable manner, and accepts selection of components by the user, and a list display unit (13) that displays a list showing one or more variable data that can be acquired for the selected component in a selectable manner.

[0017] (Note 2) In the data acquisition device (1) of Note 1, the configuration image includes a control block diagram having control blocks that perform calculations using variable data and transmission lines that indicate the transmission paths of variable data between control blocks, and at least one of the control blocks and labels attached to the control blocks and at least one of the transmission lines and labels attached to the transmission lines may be selectable.

[0018] (Note 3) In the data acquisition device (1) of Note 1, the configuration image includes a schematic mechanical configuration diagram having element images that schematically show the mechanical components of the control system (2) and transmission lines that show the transmission paths of variable data between the mechanical components, and it is possible to select at least one of the element images and labels attached to the element images, and at least one of the transmission lines and labels attached to the transmission lines.

[0019] (Note 4) In the data acquisition device (1) described in Notes 1 to 3, the list display unit (13) may display a hierarchical list that classifies the variable data into multiple types.

[0020] (Note 5) In the data acquisition device (1) described in Notes 1 to 4, the configuration display unit (12) may determine the configuration of the control system (2) and display a configuration image corresponding to the configuration of the control system (2).

[0021] 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.

[0022] 1. Data acquisition device 11. Data acquisition unit 12. Configuration display unit 13. List display unit 2. Control system

Claims

1. A data acquisition device for acquiring multiple variable data whose values ​​are measured or calculated at each sampling period in a control system, comprising: a configuration display unit that displays a configuration image representing the configuration of the control system and showing multiple components of the control system in a selectable manner, and accepts selection of the components by the user; and a list display unit that displays a list showing one or more of the variable data that can be acquired for the selected components in a selectable manner.

2. The data acquisition device according to claim 1, wherein the configuration image includes a control block diagram having control blocks that perform calculations using the variable data and transmission lines indicating the transmission paths of the variable data between the control blocks, and at least one of the control blocks and labels attached to the control blocks and at least one of the transmission lines and labels attached to the transmission lines are selectable.

3. The data acquisition device according to claim 1, wherein the configuration image includes a schematic mechanical configuration diagram having element images schematically showing the mechanical components of the control system and transmission lines showing the transmission paths of the variable data between the mechanical components, and at least one of the element images and labels attached to the element images and at least one of the transmission lines and labels attached to the transmission lines is selectable.

4. The data collection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the list display unit displays a hierarchical list of the variable data classified into multiple types.

5. The data acquisition device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the configuration display unit determines the configuration of the control system and displays the configuration image corresponding to the configuration of the control system.

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