Control server, control terminal, control system, and recording medium storing control communication program

• US 7,970,941 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2006
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric Japan Holdings Ltd. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Digital Electronics Corporation
• Inventors: Yoshida, Minoru, Yamada, Masaaki, Saito, Masao, Kato, Satoshi, Kegoya, Kentaro, Yagi, Nobuhiro, Tanigawa, Shunu
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess; Barbara N
• Application Number:
  US11/370,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20060179120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,937 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/223, 709/230, 709/243, 709/244, 709/246, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/05 Programmable logic controllers, e.g. simulating logic interconnections of signals according to ladder diagrams or function charts
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2206 Microprocessor for display and parameter input, link to control microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24084 Remote and local monitoring, local result to remote, remote takes action
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31161 Java programcode or simular active agents, programs, applets
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31186 TCP-IP internet protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31457 Factory remote control, monitoring through internet

Abstract

Screen data is generated by a screen generating processor (74) of a control host computer (7) and transmitted to a programmable display apparatus (5). In accordance with the screen data, the programmable display apparatus (5) inquires a PLC (3) or the like about a state of a device (21), so as to update the display or transmit a control instruction depending on an input result. On the other hand, a control host computer (7) has a public server section (77) to transmit to a client apparatus (9) via the Internet an applet, which is generated by a compiler (76) compiling the screen data. The client apparatus (9) executes the applet to transmit to the public server section (77) an or the control instruction inquiry similar to those the programmable display apparatus (5) makes. In this way, the display is updated in accordance with a response. This realizes a control system, which allows a display content of the programmable display apparatus (5) to be remotely checked from a remote area remote from the programmable display apparatus (5), without newly generating a display screen.

Claims

1. A control system comprising:

a terminal apparatus including;

a terminal-end recording means for storing screen data in a format suitable for display processing, the screen data being for a display-use screen and including, one or more process instruction words each including one or more reference information referred to for each carry-out event which is generated in advance in order to display in accordance with device data of a predetermined device;

the screen data is obtained by combining process instruction words including;

a process instruction word for displaying, on a predetermined area of one of the display-use screens, a display element corresponding to predetermined device data;

a process instruction word for specifying an input operation;

a control display apparatus, which reads out device data indicating a state of a device from a predetermined recording area and displays the device data on one of display-use screens that have been generated in advance, and which gives a control instruction to the device via said one of display-use screens, the control display apparatus including a recording means for storing therein screen data, which is data of the display-use screens, and a transmitting means for transmitting the screen data stored in the recording means in accordance with a request from the terminal apparatus; and

a host computer including;

a communication means for acquiring, from the control display apparatus, the device data indicating a state of the device, the communication means being capable of communicating with the terminal apparatus via a network,

an execution program recording means for storing therein an applet for causing the terminal apparatus to perform an action of inquiring the communication means about the device data corresponding to the screen data transmitted, and an action of displaying the one of display-use screen screens on the terminal apparatus in accordance with the device data corresponding to the process instruction word and a response to the inquiring, and

a generating means for generating terminal-use data for displaying one of the display-use screens on a display surface of the terminal apparatus, in accordance with the thus acquired device data and the transmitted screen data,

the communication means transmitting the applet and the terminal-use data to the terminal apparatus, and acquiring device data that is inquired about by the terminal apparatus, so as to transmit the device data to the terminal apparatus, and

the terminal apparatus executing the applet so as to inquire the communication means about the device data, to cause one of the display-use screens to be displayed based on the terminal-use data, and to cause the state of the device to be displayed on said one of the display-use screens based on the device data acquired from the communication means.

2. The control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the terminal-use data are XML files generated so as to respectively correspond to the display use screens, and each of the terminal-use data includes one or more XML elements indicating one or more process instruction words relating to each of the display-use screens.

3. The control system as set forth in claim 2 wherein

the generating means extracts one or more process instruction words relating to each of the display-use screens from the screen data, generates one or more XML elements corresponding to the extracted one or more process instruction words, and sets contents of said one or more XML elements in accordance with the extracted one or more process instruction words, so as to generate a XML file for each of the display-use screens, and

the applet is executed by the terminal apparatus using the terminal-use data so that the terminal apparatus performs an action of inquiring the communication means about the device data, and an action of updating, in accordance with the device data, a display of a display area indicated by the one or more XML elements in the display-use screen displayed by the terminal apparatus.

4. A non-transitory recording medium storing thereon a communication control program for causing a computer to execute in a control system including on

a) a terminal apparatus including;

a terminal-end recording, means for storing screen data in a format suitable for display processing, the screen data being for a display-use screen and including, one or more process instruction words each including one or more reference information referred to for each carry-out event which is generated in advance in order to display in accordance with device data of a predetermined device;

the screen data is obtained by combining process instruction words including;

a process instruction word for displaying, on a predetermined area of one of the display-use screens, a display element corresponding to predetermined device data;

a process instruction word for specifying an input operation;

(b) a control display apparatus, which reads out device data indicating a state of the device from a predetermined recording area and displays the device data on one of display-use screens that have been generated in advance, and which gives a control instruction to the device via said one of display-use screens, the control display apparatus including a recording means for storing therein screen data for the display-use screen, and a transmitting means for transmitting the screen data stored in the recording means in accordance with a request from a terminal apparatus, on

(c) a host computer for executing;

a communication process for acquiring, from the control display apparatus, the device data indicating a state of the device, and which can communicate with the terminal apparatus via a network;

an execution program recording process for storing therein an applet for causing the terminal apparatus to perfoi in an action of inquiring the communication process about the device data corresponding to the screen data transmitted, and an action of displaying the one of display-use screens on the terminal apparatus in accordance with the device data corresponding to the process instruction word and a response to the inquiring; and

a generating process for generating terminal-use data for displaying one of the display-use screens on a display surface of the terminal apparatus, in accordance with the thus acquired device data and the transmitted screen data,

the communication process transmitting the applet and the terminal-use data to the terminal apparatus, and acquiring device data that is inquired about by the terminal apparatus, so as to transmit the device data to the terminal apparatus, and

the terminal apparatus executing the applet so as to inquire the communication process about the device data, to cause one of the display-use screens to be displayed based on the terminal-use data, and to cause the state of the device to be displayed on said one of the display use screens based on the device data acquired from the communication process.

5. The non-transitory recording medium as set forth in claim 4, wherein the terminal-use data are XML files generated so as to respectively correspond to the display use screens, and each of the terminal-use data includes one or more XML elements indicating one or more process instruction words relating to each of the display-use screens.

6. The non-transitory recording medium as set forth in claim 5, wherein the generating means extracts one or more process instruction words relating to each of the display-use screens from the screen data, generates one or more XML elements corresponding to the extracted one or more process instruction words, and sets contents of said one or more XML elements in accordance with the extracted one or more process instruction words, so as to generate a XML file for each of the display-use screens, and

the applet is executed by the terminal apparatus using the terminal-use data so that the terminal apparatus performs an action of inquiring the communication means about the device data, and an action of updating, in accordance with the device data, a display of a display area indicated by the one or more XML elements in the display-use screen displayed by the terminal apparatus.

7. A control system, comprising:

a control display apparatus, which reads out device data indicating a state of a device from a predetermined recording area and for displaying the state of a device on one of display-use screens that have been generated in advance, and for giving a control instruction to the device via said one of display-use screens;

the control display apparatus including a recording means for storing therein screen data, and a transmitting means for transmitting the screen data stored in the recording means in accordance with a request from a terminal apparatus;

a server apparatus including;

a server-end communication means for acquiring device data from the control display apparatus, and for transmitting the device data, the device data indicating the state of the device; and

an execution program recording means for storing therein an applet for causing a terminal apparatus to perform an action of inquiring the server-end communication means about the device data corresponding to the screen data transmitted, and an action of displaying the one of the display-use screens on the terminal apparatus in accordance with the device data corresponding to a process instruction word and a response to the inquiring;

a plurality of terminal apparatuses each including;

a terminal-end recording means for storing screen data in a format suitable for display processing, the screen data being for the display-use screen and including one or more process instruction words each including one or more reference information referred to for each carry-out event which is generated in advance in order to display in accordance with device data of a predetermined device;

the screen data is obtained by combining process instruction words including;

a process inst ction word for displaying, on a predetermined area of one of the display-use screens, a display element corresponding to predetermined device data; and

a process instruction word for specifying an input operation;

a display processing means for inquiring the server-end communication means about whether or not the server-end communication means has acquired the device data corresponding to the process instruction word of the screen data stored in the teiiiiinal-end recording means, and for displaying the display-use screen in accordance with the device data corresponding to the process instruction word which is transmitted from the server-end communication means, and

a terminal-end communication means for communicating with the server-end communication means via a local network so as to receive the inquiry from the display processing means and the device data as a reply for the inquiry.

8. The control system as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

the server apparatus includes a server-end storing means for storing the screen data in a format suitable for display processing, and a communication relay means for relaying communication between the server-end communication means and a public network, the server-end communication means acquiring the screen data stored in the server-end storing means and giving the screen data to the communication relay means, and

the display processing means (a) inquires the server-end communication means, by relay communication via the relay means via the public network, about whether or not the server-end communication means has acquired the screen data stored in the server-end storing means and the device data corresponding thereto, and (b) displays the screen-use screen in accordance with (i) the screen data transmitted from the server-end communication means by the relay communication and (ii) the device data corresponding thereto, (c) causes the server-end communication means to perform the communication via the local network for acquiring the screen data stored in the terminal-end storing means, and (d) causes the server-end communication means to perform the communication via the public network for acquiring the screen data stored in the server-end storing means.

9. The control system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the server apparatus further includes a file converting means for extracting said one or more process instruction words from the screen data and setting a content of one or more XML elements in accordance with said one or more process instruction words so as to convert the screen data into a format suitable for display processing, thereby generating a XML file for a screen.

10. A non-transitory recording medium storing therein a communication control program for causing a computer to execute:

in a control system including (a) a control display apparatus, which reads out device data indicating a state of a device from a predetermined recording area and for displaying the state of a device on one of display-use screens generated in advance, and for giving, via said one of display-use screens, a control instruction to the device, the control display apparatus including a recording means for storing therein screen data, and a transmitting means for transmitting the screen data stored in the recording means in accordance with a request from a terminal apparatus;

(b) a server apparatus having a server-end communication means for acquiring, from the control display apparatus, display data indicating the state of the device, and for transmitting the device data, an execution program recording means for storing therein an applet for causing a terminal apparatus to perfot in an action of inquiring the server-end communication means about the device data corresponding to the screen data transmitted, and an action of displaying the one of the display-use screens on the terminal apparatus in accordance with the device data corresponding to a process instruction word and a response to the inquiring; and

(c) a plurality of terminal apparatuses for communicating with the server apparatus,

a storing process for storing the screen data in a terminal-end storing means for storing screen data in a format suitable for display processing, the screen data being that data of the display-use screen which the terminal apparatuses have and including one or more process instruction words each including one or more reference information referred to for each carry-out event which is generated in advance in order to display in accordance with device data of a predetermined device;

the screen data is obtained by combining process instruction words including;

a process instruction word for displaying, on a predetermined area of one of the display-use screens, a display element corresponding to predetermined device data; and

a process instruction word for specifying an input operation;

a display processing means for inquiring the server-end communication means about whether or not the server-end communication means has acquired the device data corresponding to the process instruction word of the screen data stored in the terminal-end storing means, which the terminal apparatuses have, and for displaying the display-use screen in accordance with the device data corresponding to the process instruction word which is transmitted from the server-end communication means; and

a terminal-end communication means for communicating, via a local network, with the server-end communication means so as to receive the inquiry from the display processing means and the device data as a reply thereto.

11. The non-transitory recording medium as set forth in claim 10, further comprising:

a server-end storing means for storing therein the screen data in a format suitable for display processing; and

a communication relay means for relaying communication between the server-end communication means and a public network, the server-end communication means acquiring the screen data stored in the server-end storing means, and the communication control program causing the computer to perform the storing processing for storing the screen data in the server-end storing means in the server apparatus for giving the screen data to the communication relay means, and in the server-end storing means,

the display processing means (a) inquiring the server-end communication means, by relay communication via the relay means via the public network, about whether or not the server-end communication means has acquired the device data corresponding thereto, and (b) displaying the screen-use screen in accordance with the screen data transmitted from the server-end communication means and the device data corresponding thereto by the relay communication, (c) causing the server-end communication means to perform the communication via the local network for acquiring the screen data stored in the terminal-end storing means, and (d) causing the server-end network to perform the communication via the public network for acquiring the screen data stored in the server-end storing means.

12. The non-transitory recording medium as set forth in claim 10, wherein the server apparatus further includes a file converting means for extracting said one or more process instruction words from the screen data and setting a content of one or more XML elements in accordance with said one or more process instruction words so as to convert the screen data into a format suitable for display processing, thereby generating a XML file for a screen.