Ladder Program Debugging with Automated Connection State Highlighting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Debugging and fault investigation in ladder programs are inefficient due to the need for users to visually trace through program elements in a ladder diagram to identify electrical connections and disconnections.
Innovation Solution
A program creation support apparatus that displays a ladder diagram and automatically determines the electrical connection state of each program element, allowing users to select an element and visually highlight causal elements causing electrical connections or disconnections, thereby streamlining the debugging process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If users visually trace through program elements in a ladder diagram to identify electrical connections, then they can debug the program, but the debugging process is inefficient and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual visual tracing method with an automated computer-based system that calculates and determines electrical connection states. The processor automatically traces the ladder program execution and identifies connection states without requiring manual visual inspection by the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary display interface that shows the electrical connection state between program elements. This intermediary visual indicator acts as a mediator between the complex ladder program logic and the user, providing direct information about connection states without requiring the user to manually trace through the program.
2Ease of operation
If users manually trace through each program element to identify causal elements, then they can find the root cause, but the process requires significant user effort and time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual effort of tracing through program elements with an automated computer-based system. The processor automatically executes the ladder program, determines electrical connection states for each program element, and identifies causal elements without requiring manual user effort.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically determining its own electrical connection states and identifying causal elements. The computer-based system independently traces through the ladder program logic and generates the connection state information without requiring external manual intervention.
3Loss of information
If the system displays detailed electrical connection states for all program elements, then debugging information is complete, but the display complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential debugging information - the electrical connection state between program elements - and displays it separately from the full ladder diagram. This extraction approach provides complete debugging information about connection states without overwhelming the user with all possible program details.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing detailed electrical connection state information specifically at relevant program element locations in the ladder diagram. Rather than uniformly displaying all information throughout, the system selectively highlights connection states at specific locations where they are most useful for debugging.
Data Source
AI summary
A controller of a PC displays program elements of a ladder program and an electrical connection state thereof on a display, detects an instruction designating a first program element, determines whether the first program element is in an electrically connected state or an electrically disconnected state, specifies one or more causal elements according to whether the first program element is in an electrically connected state or an electrically disconnected state, and displays the specified one or more causal elements on the display in a state discernible from other program elements.