Programmable controller for sequentially controlling controlled machine

• US 6,421,572 B1
• Filed: 07/13/1999
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Keyence Corporation (Keyence)
• Original Assignee: Keyence Corporation (Keyence)
• Inventors: Iida, Mamoru, Koyama, Katsunari
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARNES-BULLOCK, CRYSTAL JOY
• Application Number:
  US09/352,840
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 700/17-19, 700/21, 700/23, 700/75, 700/87, 700/11, 700/78, 700/80, 700/84, 710/55, 361/269
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/056 Programming the PLC
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/1141 Modify manually, using keyboard configuration of module
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13029 Enter values with incremental keys
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13192 Eeprom and software interlock, user cannot change ram data

Abstract

To provide a programmable controller for enabling a device value to be set and changed, and also referenced, easily and accurately. A programmable controller has a main unit CPU, a storage section, a display CPU, a display section, and a key section. The state of the key section is stored in a key information buffer of the display CPU. A control section of the display CPU sets and changes the device value stored in the storage section through the main unit CPU and causes the display section to display the device value stored in the storage section based on key information in the key information buffer.

Claims

1. A programmable controller for sequentially controlling a controlled machine in accordance with a program, said programmable controller comprising:

storage means having a storage area defined as a device;

a key section for entering data into said storage means;

setting and changing means for setting a device value in the storage area of said storage means or changing the device value set in the storage area based on the data entered by operating said key section;

a display section for displaying the device value set in the storage area of said storage means; and

key locking means for locking said key section so that the device value is prevented from being changed undesirably.

2. The programmable controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said key locking means includes said key section and said display section.

3. The programmable controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said key section includes at least two keys, and said key locking means is operable to provide key lock states and release of the key lock states.

4. The programmable controller as claimed in claim 3, wherein said key locking means provides a first key lock state activated and released by simultaneously pushing two of the at least two keys for a predetermined time.

5. The programmable controller as claimed in claim 4, wherein said display section displays the first key lock state while it is activated.

6. The programmable controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said key locking means provides a second key lock state which is operable to prevent setting or changing of the device value.

7. The programmable controller as claimed in claim 6, wherein said key locking means provides the second key lock state to only refer to the device value.

8. The programmable controller as claimed in claim 6, wherein said display section includes a first display mode displaying the device value set in the storage area and a second display mode displaying at least one of a running or stopped status of a user program, and said display section includes switching means for switching between the first display mode and the second display mode, the switching means independent of the second key lock state.

9. The programmable controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display section includes a first display mode displaying the device value set in the storage area and a second display mode displaying at least one of a running or stopped status of a user program, and said display section includes switching means for switching between the first display mode and the second display mode.

10. A programmable controller for sequentially controlling a controlled machine in accordance with a program, said programmable controller comprising:

storage means having a storage area defined as a device;

a key for entering data and invalidating operation of said key so that said key is in a lock state;

setting and changing means for setting a device value in the storage area of said storage means or changing the device value set in the storage area based on the data entered by operating said key; and

a display section for displaying the device value set in the storage area of said storage means, wherein

said display section includes a first display mode displaying the device value set in the storage area and a second display mode displaying at least one of a running or stopped status of a user program, and said display section includes switching means for switching between the first display mode and the second display mode.

11. The programmable controller as claimed in claim 10, wherein said setting and changing means sets a device value defined in the program or changes the device value defined in the program based on the data entered by operating said key.

12. The programmable controller as claimed in claim 10, wherein

said storage means has a plurality of storage areas provided in a one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of devices;

said key is used to select any of the plurality of devices;

said setting and changing means sets a value of the device selected by operating said key in the corresponding storage area of said storage means or changes the device value set in the corresponding storage area of said storage means based on the data entered by operating said key; and

said display section displays the value of the device selected by operating said key from among the device values set in the plurality of storage areas of said storage means.

13. The programmable controller as claimed in claim 10, further comprising upper limit value setting means for setting the data entered by operating said key as an upper limit value of a device value.

14. The programmable controller as claimed in claim 10, wherein said key is used to execute a predetermined instruction, and further comprising instruction execution means for executing the predetermined instruction as said key is operated.