Personal computer-incorporated numerical control apparatus, and image transfer method for personal computer-incorporated numerical control apparatuses

• US 6,445,973 B1
• Filed: 09/17/1999
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Oda, Syoji, Sagasaki, Masakazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garland, Steven R.
• Application Number:
  US09/367,663
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 700/83, 700/86, 700/87, 700/169, 700/174, 700/180, 700/181-185, 700/104, 345/473, 345/781, 345/778, 345/783-787, 345/541, 709/213, 709/331, 709/332
• US Class Current: 700/180
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/408 characterised by data handling or data format, e.g. reading, buffering or conversion of data
• 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 2219/33348 Processor adapts signals to connected display
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34209 Microprocessor only for display
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34262 DDE direct data exchange, DLL dynamic library linking

Abstract

A screen shifting method in a numerical control apparatus which includes a personal computer, comprising the steps of registering screen display processing libraries DLL; reading out all of the registered screen display processing libraries DLL when starting a screen shift execution program into a memory managed by an OS; managing the location of each of the screen display processing libraries DLL with a screen management table according to a discrete ID code; accepting a screen shift request when the screen shift execution program MMI application main module has been started and selecting a required screen display processing library DLL corresponding to the specified ID code from data in the screen management table; and executing screen shift according to the selected screen display processing library DLL.

Claims

1. A screen shifting method in a numerical control apparatus with a personal computer incorporated therein and having a numerical control unit for executing a machining program and a personal computer unit for editing the machining program or monitoring numerical control operations by said numerical control unit;

said method comprising the steps of;

registering screen processing libraries, each screen processing library including an independent processing section for defining contents of display on each screen and contents of setting and management of data used by the numerical control unit, and a common processing section for performing a screen shift;

reading out all of the registered screen processing libraries into a memory managed by an operating system when starting a screen shift execution program;

managing a location of each of the screen processing libraries with a screen management table, according to a discrete identification code;

accepting a screen shift request when the screen shift execution program has been started and selecting a screen processing library corresponding to the identification code specified in response to the screen shift request, based on data in the screen management table; and

executing the screen shift according to the selected screen processing library.

2. A numerical control (NC) apparatus with a personal computer incorporated therein, said NC apparatus having a numerical control unit for executing a machining program and a personal computer unit for editing the machining program or monitoring numerical control operations by said numerical control unit;

said NC apparatus comprising;

a plurality of screen processing units for each screen, each of the plurality of screen processing units being registered as a library for each screen and including an independent processing section for defining contents of a display on each screen and also contents of setting and management of data used by said numerical control unit, and a common processing section for performing a screen shift;

a screen management table for managing a location of the registered screen processing units, according to an identification code; and

a screen control unit for selecting a screen processing unit corresponding to the identification code specified in response to a screen shift request, according to the screen management table, and instructing execution of the screen shift by the selected screen processing unit.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said screen control unit initializes the screen management table.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said screen shift processing unit has a function for executing a screen shift execution program with a highest priority of execution, during the screen shift.

5. A numerical control (NC) apparatus with a personal computer incorporated therein, said NC apparatus having a numerical control unit for executing a machining program and a personal computer unit for editing the machining program or monitoring numerical control operations performed by said numerical control unit;

said NC apparatus further comprising;

a screen data memory provided in said numerical control unit for storing therein data for said numerical control unit;

a screen data registering unit provided in said personal computer unit for reporting a request to register data in said numerical control unit for each screen, in batch, to the NC unit;

a screen data batch reading unit provided in said personal computer unit for reporting a request to read screen data specified on selection of a new screen, in batch, to said numerical control unit and reading the screen data in batch from said numerical control unit; and

a screen data managing unit provided in said numerical control unit for storing data, in response to the request from said screen data registering unit, in said screen data memory, reading data from said screen data memory in response to the request from said screen data batch reading unit, and transmitting the data in batch to said screen data batch reading unit;

wherein

said personal computer unit executes the processing for screen display of the data transmitted to said screen data batch reading unit.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the data includes parameters required for screen display.