Visual programming method and its system

• US 6,366,300 B1
• Filed: 10/27/1998
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohara, Eiji, Kondo, Shozo, Suetsugu, Nobuhiro, Suzuki, Midori, Hagino, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAUTISTA, XIOMARA L
• Application Number:
  US09/171,818
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 345/339, 345/347, 345/348-349, 345/356, 345/967, 345/975, 345/764, 345/808, 345/835, 345/839, 345/853, 345/867, 345/970, 345/771, 345/773, 706/46, 706/47, 706/55, 706/59, 706/60, 706/919, 706/922, 717/1, 717/4, 717/10, 700/83
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/056 Programming the PLC
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13144 GUI graphical user interface, icon, function bloc editor, OI operator interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/967 Visual or iconic programming

Abstract

The user is allowed to automatically generate a program by using a visual programming method and a system adopting the method for automatically generating a program wherein an object selection means 8 is used for selecting a behavioral graphical object defining the behavior of a load connected thereto, a behavior selection means 9 is used for selecting the type of the behavior of the behavioral graphical object, a relevant object selection means 10 is used for selecting relevant graphical objects related to the behavior of the behavioral graphical object and a behavioral rule setting means 11 is used for setting behavioral rules of the behavioral graphical object whereas a behavioral characteristic selection unit 3509 is used for selecting a behavior of a behavioral graphical object selected by using a behavioral object selection unit 3508, behavioral condition setting unit 3510 is used for setting conditions for the behavior of the behavioral graphical object and a relevant object selection unit 3511 is used for defining a relation.

Claims

1. A visual programming method comprising:

a first step of displaying graphical objects representing a plurality of members connected to output terminals of a programmable logic controller;

a second step of displaying graphical objects representing the output terminals of the programmable logic controller;

a third step of connecting a first graphical object selected by a user from the graphical objects representing the plurality of members displayed in the first step, to a second graphical object selected by the user from the graphical objects representing the output terminals and displayed in the second step;

a fourth step of allowing a user to select a graphical object or a plurality of graphical objects from said graphical objects each used for defining a function and displayed at said first step and transferring the same plurality of selected graphical objects to said layout diagram;

a sixth step of creating a layout diagram showing a layout of the graphical objects representing the plurality of members and displaying said layout diagram on a screen;

a seventh step of allowing the user to select one of said graphical objects each used for defining a function and transferring said selected graphical object to said layout diagram created and displayed at said sixth step;

an eighth step of allowing a user to select a plurality of graphical objects from said graphical objects each used for defining a function and displayed at said first step and transferring the same plurality of selected graphical objects to said layout diagram created at said sixth step;

a ninth step of allowing a user to select a graphical object or a plurality of graphical objects from said graphical objects each used for defining a function and displayed at said first step and transferring the same plurality of selected graphical objects to said layout diagram created at said sixth step as well as displaying the same plurality of selected graphical objects on said layout diagram;

a tenth step of identifying arrangement orders of graphical objects selected by a user and assigning a priority to each of said arrangement orders when a plurality of arrangement orders are identified;

an eleventh step of displaying the same plurality of identified arrangement orders sequentially one after another in a sequence determined by said priorities assigned thereto at said tenth step,

a twelfth step of allowing the user to select an arrangement order among the same plurality of identified arrangement orders displayed sequentially at said eleventh step;

a thirteenth of allowing a user to change an arrangement order of graphical objects selected by the user at said twelfth step;

a fourteenth step of detecting a settable parameter graphical object with a new parameter thereof among graphical objects selected by a user and notifying the user of a result of detection;

a fifteenth step of detecting selection of said graphical object reported to the user at said fourteenth step or a graphical object other than said reported graphical object and creating and displaying a window used for setting a parameter of said reported graphical object or said other graphical object; and

a sixteenth step of allowing the user to set said parameter on said window displayed at said fifteenth step.

2. A visual programming method according to claim 1 further comprising a fourth step of allowing a user to select a graphical object or a plurality of graphical objects from said graphical objects each used for defining a function and displayed at said first step and transferring the same plurality of selected graphical objects to said layout diagram.

3. A visual programming method according to claim 2 further comprising a fifth step of displaying a graphical object or a plurality of graphical objects transferred at said fourth step on said layout diagram.

4. A visual programming method according to claim 1 further comprising:

a seventeenth step of selecting one graphical object or a plurality of graphical objects among graphical objects displayed on said graphical editor used for carrying out programming work by operating graphical objects each visually representing a function;

an eighteenth step of creating a new graphical object on the basis of said graphical objects selected at said seventeenth step and putting said created new graphical object in a displayable state; and

a nineteenth step of displaying said new graphical object.

5. A visual programming method according to claim 4 further comprising:

a twentieth step of setting state information for graphical objects displayed on said graphical editor used for carrying out programming work by operating graphical objects each visually representing a function;

a twenty-first step of allowing a user to set a state of each of said graphical objects on the basis of setting carried out at said twentieth step; and

a twenty-second step of storing a result obtained at said twenty-first step as a function rule.

6. A visual programming method according to claim 5 further comprising a twenty-third step of re-creating and displaying a behavioral rule stored at said twenty-second step on another screen.

7. A visual programming method according to claim 6 further comprising:

a twenty-fourth step of allowing a user to change a state of a graphical object; and

a twenty-fifth step comprising the steps of;

monitoring a state of a graphical object set at said twenty-fourth step;

setting state information in said displayed graphical objects used for carrying out programming work by operating ordinary graphical objects each visually representing a function; and

, if a condition set by the user with respective states of said graphical objects used as rules on the basis of said set state information is satisfied,

detecting a parameter settable graphical object with a new parameter thereof from graphical objects selected by the user;

detecting selection of said parameter settable graphical object or a graphical object other than said parameter settable graphical object and creating a window used for setting a parameter of said parameter settable graphical object or said other graphical object;

allowing the user to set a parameter on said displayed window; and

changing a state of said graphical object in accordance with said parameter set by the user.

8. A visual programming method according to claim 7 further comprising a twenty-sixth step of allowing a user to change an image of a graphical object.

9. A programming system comprising:

display means for displaying graphical objects representing a plurality of members connected to output terminals of a programmable logic controller, and for displaying graphical objects representing the output terminals of the programmable logic controller;

transfer means for connecting the graphical object selected by the user from the graphical objects representing the plurality of members displayed, to the graphical objects selected by the user from the graphical objects representing the output terminals and displayed;

said display means creating a layout diagram showing a layout of graphical objects representing configuration members of an application system being created by a user and displaying said layout diagram on a screen different from a screen for displaying a layout diagram showing a layout of graphical objects each defining a behavior;

said transfer means transferring a graphical object selected by a user from said graphical objects each defining a behavior to said layout diagram different from said laid out diagram showing a layout of graphical objects representing configuration members of an application system;

notification means for detecting a settable parameter graphical object with a parameter thereof not set yet among graphical objects selected by a user and notifying the user of a result of detection; and

parameter setting means for detecting selection of said graphical object reported to the user by said notification means or a graphical object other than said reported graphical object and allowing the user to set a parameter of said reported graphical object or said other graphical object on a window created and displayed by said display means for setting a parameter.

10. A programming system according to claim 9 wherein said display means displays one graphical object or a plurality of graphical objects transferred by said transfer means on said layout diagram.

11. A programming system according to claim 9 further comprising:

an identifying means for identifying arrangement orders of graphical objects selected by a user and assigning a priority to each of said arrangement orders when a plurality of arrangement orders are identified;

a step display means for displaying the same plurality of identified arrangement orders sequentially one after another in a sequence determined by said priorities assigned thereto by said identifying means; and

a select means for allowing the user to select an arrangement order among the same plurality of identified arrangement orders displayed sequentially by said step display means.

12. A programming system according to claim 9 further comprising a change means for allowing a user to change an arrangement order of graphical objects selected by the user.

13. A programming system according to claim 9 further comprising:

select means for selecting one graphical object or a plurality of graphical objects among graphical objects displayed on said graphical editor used for carrying out programming work by operating graphical objects each visually representing a function;

new object creation means for creating a new graphical object on the basis of said one graphical object or the same plurality of graphical objects selected by said select means and putting said created new graphical object in a displayable state; and

new object display means for displaying said new graphical object.

14. A programming system according to claim 9 further comprising:

state information setting means for setting date information for graphical objects displayed on said graphical editor used for carrying out programming work by operating graphical objects each visually representing a function;

state setting means for allowing a user to set a state of each of said graphical objects on the basis of setting carried out by said state information setting means; and

behavioral rule saving means for storing a result produced by said state setting means as a behavioral rule.

15. A programming system according to claim 14 further comprising a rule display means for re-creating and displaying a rule stored by said rule saving means on a new screen.

16. A programming system comprising:

display means for displaying graphical objects representing a plurality of members connected to output terminals of a programmable logic controller, and for displaying graphical objects representing the output terminals of the programmable logic controller;

transfer means for connecting the graphical object selected by the user from the graphical objects representing the plurality of members displayed in the first step, to the graphical objects selected by the user from the graphical objects representing the output terminals and displayed;

said display means creating a layout diagram showing a layout of graphical objects representing configuration members of an application system being created by a user and displays said layout diagram on a screen different from a screen for displaying a layout diagram showing a layout of graphical objects each defining a function;

said transfer means transferring a graphical object selected by a user from said graphical objects each defining a function to said layout diagram different from said laid out diagram showing a layout of graphical objects representing configuration members of an application system;

state information setting means for setting state information for graphical objects displayed on said graphical editor used for carrying out programming work by operating graphical objects each visually representing a function;

state setting means for allowing a user to set a state of each of said graphical objects on the basis of setting carried out by said state information setting means;

rule saving means for storing a result produced by said state setting means as a rule;

state change means for allowing a user to change a state of graphical object; and

state change display means for monitoring a state of a graphical object set by said state change means; and

, if a condition for respective states of said graphical objects set by the user on the basis of said set state information of each of said graphical objects is satisfied, changing a state of said graphical object with a parameter thereof set among said graphical objects each having a settable parameter, and displaying said state.

17. A programming system according to claim 16 wherein said display means displays a graphical object or a plurality of graphical objects transferred by said transfer means on a layout diagram different from a layout diagram showing a layout of graphical objects representing configuration members of an application system.