Numerical controller

• US 20040135808A1
• Filed: 12/29/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamada, Hiroshi, Kato, Tomokazu, Sagara, Shouichi
• Application Number:
  US10/745,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20040135808A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/762
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/409 characterised by using manual data input [MDI] or by using control panel, e.g. controlling functions with the panel; characterised by control panel details or by setting parameters G05B19/408, G05B19/4093 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35498 Synoptic display of available, selectable control modules with their functions

Abstract

A numerical controller capable of easily changing a user interface to be customized. User interface elements are stored in user interface element storage means. User interface definition storage means stores definition information on a combination of the user interface elements and properties such as positions and sized of the user interface elements. When a user interface picture is selected through selecting means, the user interface definition information for the selected user interface picture is read and interpreted by interpretation means and the user interface elements are read from the user interface element storage means based on a result of the interpretation. The read user interface elements are displayed on a display screen in accordance with the properties defined for the respective elements. The user interface can be easily changed by editing the use interface definition information stored in the user interface definition storage means.

Claims

1. A numerical controller provided with a user interface, comprising:

user interface element storage means storing a plurality of user interface elements for constituting the user interface;

user interface definition information storage means for storing user interface definition information on a combination of the user interface elements and properties of the user interface elements;

user interface definition information interpreting means for interpreting the user interface definition information;

user interface element selecting means for selecting user interface elements stored in said user interface element storage means in accordance with a result of interpretation of the user interface definition information by said user interface definition information interpreting means; and

user interface element display means for displaying the selected user interface elements in accordance with a result of interpretation of the user interface definition information by said user interface definition interpretation means.

2. A numerical controller according to claim 1, wherein the user interface definition information is stored as a user interface definition file.

3. A numerical controller according to claim 1, wherein said user interface definition information comprises user interface element selecting information including identifiers of the user interface element to be selected, and user interface element property information including information on positions and sizes of the user interface elements to be displayed.

4. A numerical controller according to claim 1, further comprising means for inputting the user interface definition information from an external device to the numerical controller and for outputting the user interface definition information from the numerical controller to the external device.

5. A numerical controller according to claim 1, further comprising editing means for editing the user interface definition information.