Programmable logic controller programming system
First Claim
1. A method of programming a programmable logic controller, said programmable logic controller including a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs, said programmable logic controller directing a process through output signals at said outputs in response to input signals at said inputs, comprising the steps of:
- displaying to a user on a monitor a graphical data entry user interface for a plurality of sequential steps, said graphical data entry user interface representing respective inputs to be monitored by said programmable logic controller at each of said sequential steps and respective outputs to be initiated by said programmable logic controller at respective ones of said sequential steps;
receiving, via said graphical data entry user interface, an identification of at least one input selected by said user to be monitored for at least one of said sequential steps and an identification of at least one output selected by said user to be initiated for said at least one of said sequential steps;
converting said identification of said at least one input selected by said user into an input control data table, said input control data table including a plurality of input control data elements, each of said input control data elements corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of sequential steps, a respective one of said input control data elements representing said at least one input selected by said user; and
converting said identification of said at least one output selected by said user into an output data table, said output data table including a plurality of output data elements, each of said output data elements corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of sequential steps, a respective one of said output data elements representing said at least one output selected by said user.
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Abstract
A programming system includes a graphical data entry user interface for a plurality of sequential steps displayed to a user on a monitor. The user selects outputs to be activated for each of the sequential steps and any inputs to be monitored or timer to be enabled for the sequential steps. The inputs, outputs, and timer enable commands, and timer values identified by the user are converted into data tables each having a plurality of data elements. Each data element corresponds to one of the sequential steps. A programmable logic controller directs a process by reading the data elements corresponding to a sequential step and, for that sequential step, activating the outputs identified by the output data element, monitoring any inputs identified by the input control data element, and enabling a timer for a selected time period if identified in the input control data element.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A method of programming a programmable logic controller, said programmable logic controller including a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs, said programmable logic controller directing a process through output signals at said outputs in response to input signals at said inputs, comprising the steps of:
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displaying to a user on a monitor a graphical data entry user interface for a plurality of sequential steps, said graphical data entry user interface representing respective inputs to be monitored by said programmable logic controller at each of said sequential steps and respective outputs to be initiated by said programmable logic controller at respective ones of said sequential steps;
receiving, via said graphical data entry user interface, an identification of at least one input selected by said user to be monitored for at least one of said sequential steps and an identification of at least one output selected by said user to be initiated for said at least one of said sequential steps;
converting said identification of said at least one input selected by said user into an input control data table, said input control data table including a plurality of input control data elements, each of said input control data elements corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of sequential steps, a respective one of said input control data elements representing said at least one input selected by said user; and
converting said identification of said at least one output selected by said user into an output data table, said output data table including a plurality of output data elements, each of said output data elements corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of sequential steps, a respective one of said output data elements representing said at least one output selected by said user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for programming a programmable logic controller, said programmable logic controller including a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs, said programmable logic controller directing a process through output signals at said outputs in response to input signals at said inputs, comprising:
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means for displaying to a user on a monitor a graphical data entry user interface for a plurality of sequential steps, said graphical data entry user interface representing respective inputs to be monitored by said programmable logic controller at each of said sequential steps and respective outputs to be initiated by said programmable logic controller at respective ones of said sequential steps;
means for receiving, via said graphical data entry user interface, an identification of at least one input selected by said user to be monitored for at least one of said sequential steps and an identification of at least one output selected by said user to be initiated for said at least one of said sequential steps;
means for converting said identification of said at least one input selected by said user into an input control data table, said input control data table including a plurality of input control data elements, each of said input control data elements corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of sequential steps, a respective one of said input control data elements representing said at least one input selected by said user; and
means for converting said identification of said at least one output selected by said user into an output data table, said output data table including a plurality of output data elements, each of said output data elements corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of sequential steps, a respective one of said output data elements representing said at least one output selected by said user. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19)
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17. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program code for programming a programmable logic controller, said programmable logic controller including a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs, said programmable logic controller directing a process through output signals at said outputs in response to input signals at said inputs, the medium comprising:
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a first code segment for displaying to a user on a monitor a graphical data entry user interface for a plurality of sequential steps, said graphical data entry user interface representing respective inputs to be monitored by said programmable logic controller at each of said sequential steps and respective outputs to be initiated by said programmable logic controller at respective ones of said sequential steps;
a second code segment for receiving, via said graphical data entry user interface, an identification of at least one input selected by said user to be monitored for at least one of said sequential steps and an identification of at least one output selected by said user to be initiated for said at least one of said sequential steps;
a third code segment for converting said identification of said at least one input selected by said user into an input control data table, said input control data table including a plurality of input control data elements, each of said input control data elements corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of sequential steps, a respective one of said input control data elements representing said at least one input selected by said user; and
a fourth code segment for converting said identification of said at least one output selected by said user into an output data table, said output data table including a plurality of output data elements, each of said output data elements corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of sequential steps, a respective one of said output data elements representing said at least one output selected by said user.
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20. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave encoded with computer program code for programming a programmable logic controller, said programmable logic controller including a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs, said programmable logic controller directing a process through output signals at said outputs in response to input signals at said inputs, comprising:
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a first code segment for displaying to a user on a monitor a graphical data entry user interface for a plurality of sequential steps, said graphical data entry user interface representing respective inputs to be monitored by said programmable logic controller at each of said sequential steps and respective outputs to be initiated by said programmable logic controller at respective ones of said sequential steps;
a second code segment for receiving, via said graphical data entry user interface, an identification of at least one input selected by said user to be monitored for at least one of said sequential steps and an identification of at least one output selected by said user to be initiated for said at least one of said sequential steps;
a third code segment for converting said identification of said at least one input selected by said user into an input control data table, said input control data table including a plurality of input control data elements, each of said input control data elements corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of sequential steps, a respective one of said input control data elements representing said at least one input selected by said user; and
a fourth code segment for converting said identification of said at least one output selected by said user into an output data table, said output data table including a plurality of output data elements, each of said output data elements corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of sequential steps, a respective one of said output data elements representing said at least one output selected by said user. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 48)
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23. A method of controlling a process with a programmable logic controller, said programmable logic controller including a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs, said programmable logic controller directing said process through signals at said outputs in response to input signals at said inputs, comprising the steps of:
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accessing with said programmable logic controller an input control data element for a sequential step and an output data element for said sequential step from an input control data table and an output data table, respectively, said input control data table including input control data elements for a plurality of sequential steps that include said sequential step and said output data table including a plurality of output data elements for said plurality of sequential steps;
providing output signals at outputs of said programmable logic controller identified by said output data element to be activated for said sequential step;
monitoring inputs identified by said input control data element to be monitored for said sequential step; and
performing a next one of said plurality of sequential steps if an input signal is detected for at least one of said monitored inputs.
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34. A programmable logic controller for controlling a process, said programmable logic controller comprising:
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a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs, said programmable logic controller directing said process via signals provided at said outputs in response to input signals at said inputs;
means for accessing an input control data element for a sequential step and an output data element for said sequential step from an input control data table and an output data table, respectively, said input control data table including input control data elements for a plurality of sequential steps that include said sequential step and said output data table including a plurality of output data elements for said plurality of sequential steps;
means for providing output signals at outputs of said programmable logic controller identified by said output data element to be activated for said sequential step;
means for monitoring inputs identified by said input control data element to be monitored for said sequential step; and
means for performing a next one of said plurality of sequential steps if an input signal is detected for at least one of said monitored inputs.
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45. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program code for controlling a process with a programmable logic controller, said programmable logic controller including a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs, said programmable logic controller directing said process through signals at said outputs in response to input signals at said inputs, the medium comprising:
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a first code segment that causes said programmable logic controller to access an input control data element for a sequential step and an output data element for said sequential step from an input control data table and an output data table, respectively, said input control data table including input control data elements for a plurality of sequential steps that include said sequential step and said output data table including a plurality of output data elements for said plurality of sequential steps;
a second code segment that causes said programmable logic controller to provide output signals at outputs of said programmable logic controller identified by said output data element to be activated for said sequential step;
a third code segment that causes said programmable logic controller to monitor inputs identified by said input control data element to be monitored for said sequential step; and
a fourth code segment that causes said programmable logic controller to perform a next one of said plurality of sequential steps if an input signal is detected for at least one of said monitored inputs.
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47. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave encoded with computer program code for controlling a process with a programmable logic controller, said programmable logic controller including a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs, said programmable logic controller directing a process through output signals at said outputs in response to input signals at said inputs, said computer data signal comprising:
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a first code segment that causes said programmable logic controller to access an input control data element for a sequential step and an output data element for said sequential step from an input control data table and an output data table, respectively, said input control data table including input control data elements for a plurality of sequential steps that include said sequential step and said output data table including a plurality of output data elements for said plurality of sequential steps;
a second code segment that causes said programmable logic controller to provide output signals at outputs of said programmable logic controller identified by said output data element to be activated for said sequential step;
a third code segment that causes said programmable logic controller to monitor inputs identified by said input control data element to be monitored for said sequential step; and
a fourth code segment that causes said programmable logic controller to perform a next one of said plurality of sequential steps if an input signal is detected for at least one of said monitored inputs.
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Specification