JP2023110263A - Program and programmable logic controller - Google Patents

Abstract

To interlock display screen images of plural application programs to be run in relation to a PLC.SOLUTION: Access information on another application program, that is, access information needed to access data employed in displaying an event screen image concerning the another application program is acquired. Based on the access information on the another application program and an event associated with a present event screen image dependent on one application program, an event screen image for the another application program associated with the event is identified. Based on a user manipulation performed on a screen image transition instruction component displayed in the present event screen image, a transition from the present event screen image to the identified event screen image is executed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 73

Description

The present invention relates to programmable and programmable logic controllers.

A programmable logic controller (PLC) is a controller that controls industrial machines such as manufacturing equipment, transport equipment, and inspection equipment in factory automation. The PLC controls various expansion units and controlled devices by executing user programs such as ladder programs created by programmers. In order to monitor the operation of the PLC, it has been proposed to collect the data held by the PLC and monitor the data with a computer (PC) or HMI (human interface: display device) connected to the outside of the PLC. (Patent Document 1).

JP 2019-016325 A

In order to operate the PLC normally, it is important to record the operation status of the PLC and analyze the record (operating record) to find the cause of the event that causes the production line to stop. This is useful for subsequent analysis of events that occurred in the past. For example, if the PLC situation before and after the event can be reproduced (played back) based on the driving record, it will be useful in discovering the cause.

On the other hand, it is also important to monitor the operational status of the PLC in real time. This will be useful in preventing the occurrence of events and analyzing events that have occurred by monitoring signs of events.

In this way, a program that generates an analysis report based on driving records and provides a minute screen and a program that provides a monitoring screen for monitoring event signs have different uses, so they are prepared separately. right. However, there are times when it is convenient to be able to use these two programs in conjunction. For example, when a predetermined event occurs, the user may want to reproduce the monitoring screen at the time of event occurrence while viewing the analysis screen. However, since the data displayed on the analysis screen and the data displayed on the monitoring screen are not associated with each other, the analysis screen and the monitoring screen cannot be linked to perform screen transition.

It would be convenient if the analysis screen and the monitoring screen could be linked in this manner. More generally, it would be convenient if the display screens of two independent programs associated with the PLC could be coordinated. For example, a display screen of a first application program that displays data based on symbol values (eg, device values, variable values) and a display screen of a second application program that displays results of processing driving records can be linked. If possible, the usability of the PLC will be further improved. Such linkage of display screens may be linkage between a plurality of display screens corresponding to a plurality of first application programs, or linkage between a plurality of display screens corresponding to a plurality of second application programs. may For example, when one display screen transitions to the other display screen, if it is possible to display the same event that is being watched on one display screen in cooperation with the other display screen, the event can be displayed efficiently. can be analyzed well. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to link display screens of a plurality of application programs executed in association with a PLC.

The present invention, for example,
user program execution means for repeatedly executing the user program;
a plurality of holding means that are devices or variables that store data accessed by the user program execution means;
collecting means for generating time-series data by collecting in time-series data stored in holding means to be collected among the plurality of holding means;
A program installed in a programmable logic controller comprising application management means for managing a plurality of application programs,
The plurality of application programs are
monitor data for monitoring the operating state of the programmable logic controller is displayed on a display screen based on the data stored in the plurality of holding means; a first application program for displaying first saved data in which a plurality of pieces of monitoring data are saved on a first event screen;
displaying on a second event screen second stored data relating to the time-series data generated by the collecting means for a predetermined period of time stored based on the point in time when the event notification was issued; 2 application program and/or
The program causes the programmable logic controller to:
screen generation means for generating an event screen according to one of the plurality of application programs and an event screen according to the other application program;
Acquisition of access information of the other application program accessible from the application management means, which is necessary for accessing data used to display an event screen for the other application program a obtaining means for
responding to the event based on the access information about the other application program acquired by the acquisition means and the event corresponding to the current event screen generated by the screen generation means according to the one application program; identifying means for identifying the event screen of the other application program to
an instruction generating means for generating an instruction for transitioning the current event screen to the event screen specified by the specifying means based on a user operation on a screen transition instruction component displayed on the current event screen;
To provide a program characterized by functioning as

According to the present invention, it is possible to link display screens of a plurality of application programs executed in association with a PLC.

Diagram explaining the PLC system Diagram explaining PC hardware Diagram explaining PLC hardware A diagram for explaining functions realized by a CPU of a PC. Diagram for explaining the functions realized by the CPU of the PLC Diagram explaining the user interface Diagram explaining the user interface Diagram explaining the notification dialog Diagram explaining the analysis report Diagram explaining the analysis report Diagram explaining the user interface Diagram explaining the analysis report Diagram explaining relation map Diagram explaining the waveform display user interface Diagram explaining the waveform display user interface Illustration explaining the case Diagram explaining the ladder program Diagram explaining relation map A diagram explaining the change in highlighting in the relation map Flowchart showing how to edit a project Flowchart showing analysis report display processing Diagram showing an example of linking analysis results and operation logs Diagram showing an example of linking analysis results and operation logs Flowchart showing how to associate analysis results with operation logs Diagram showing a PLC system Diagram explaining PC Diagram explaining PLC FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining functions realized by a CPU of the program creation support device; Diagram for explaining the functions realized by the CPU of the expansion unit (data utilization unit) Diagram for explaining the functions realized by the CPU of the expansion unit (data utilization unit) Diagram for explaining the functions realized by the CPU of the expansion unit (data utilization unit) Diagram explaining the display screen Diagram explaining the display screen Diagram explaining the display screen Diagram explaining the display screen Diagram explaining the display screen Diagram explaining the application selection screen Diagram explaining the configuration wizard Diagram explaining automatic threshold setting Diagram explaining the screen for setting monitoring items Diagram explaining threshold setting screen Diagram explaining the configuration wizard Diagram explaining the display screen Diagram explaining the screen for accepting switching of application operation Diagram explaining the chart Diagram explaining the configuration wizard Diagram explaining the waveform upper/lower limit monitoring application Diagram explaining the waveform upper/lower limit monitoring application Diagram explaining the waveform upper/lower limit monitoring application Diagram explaining the waveform upper/lower limit monitoring application Diagram explaining the waveform upper/lower limit monitoring application Diagram explaining the waveform upper/lower limit monitoring application Diagram explaining the combination of monitoring method and state determination method Diagram explaining the configuration wizard Diagram explaining the waveform guardband monitoring application Diagram explaining the threshold waveform determination method Diagram explaining the threshold waveform determination method Diagram explaining the threshold waveform determination method Diagram explaining the display screen Diagram explaining the configuration wizard Flowchart showing process monitoring and timing monitoring Flowchart showing waveform monitoring Diagram explaining the notification dialog Diagram explaining the dashboard of the KPI calculation application A diagram explaining a display screen including a screen transition instruction component A diagram explaining a display screen including a screen transition instruction component Expansion unit (data utilization unit) Diagram explaining some of the functions implemented Diagram explaining some of the functions realized by the basic unit 4 is a flow chart showing an overview of storage processing for storing operation records and history of monitoring results; Flowchart showing a screen transition method involving data linkage between different applications Flowchart showing a screen transition method involving data linkage between different applications A diagram explaining the concept of a method for linking display screens by the same event between the monitoring history and the analysis report. Sequence diagram showing the sequence related to screen transition Sequence diagram showing the sequence related to screen transition Diagram explaining the operation monitoring monitor Diagram explaining the alarm information monitor

Embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be combined arbitrarily. Identical or similar configurations are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions are omitted. A lowercase letter may be added to the end of the reference number to distinguish between configurations. Lowercase letters may be omitted when items common to a plurality of configurations are described.

1. First Embodiment A programmable logic controller (PLC) is a controller that controls industrial machines such as manufacturing equipment, transport equipment, and inspection equipment in factory automation. The PLC controls various expansion units and controlled devices by executing user programs such as ladder programs created by programmers. In order to monitor the operation of the PLC, it has been proposed to collect the data held by the PLC and monitor the data with a computer (PC) or HMI (human interface: display device) connected to the outside of the PLC. (JP 2019-016325 A).

By the way, a user creates a user program with a program creation support device and transfers it to the PLC. The PLC actually executes user programs to manufacture various products. Here, the production line may stop due to the occurrence of a rare event that was not assumed when the user program was created. While the production line never stops, there are events that require attention. On the other hand, when a predetermined event occurs, the PLC reads and records the device values collected before and after the occurrence time from the buffer. This may be referred to as a driving record (running log). A data exploitation unit could analyze this record to produce an analysis report and provide it to a web browser external to the PLC. Here, if the operation log can be reproduced together with the analysis report, the user will not only be able to easily understand the contents of the analysis report, but will also be able to easily identify the cause of the occurrence of the predetermined event. Therefore, the analysis report and the operation log should be linked. If the analysis report and the operation log were not linked, it would be difficult for the user to identify the operation log corresponding to the analysis report. Therefore, some of the following embodiments aim to appropriately maintain the relationship between the driving record and the analysis result in the PLC.

<System configuration>
First, the configuration and operation of a typical PLC will be described so that those skilled in the art can better understand programmable logic controllers (PLCs, which may be simply called programmable controllers).

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing one configuration example of a PLC system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the PLC system includes a PC 2 that edits user programs such as ladder programs, and a PLC 1 that comprehensively controls various industrial machines installed in a factory or the like. PC is an abbreviation for personal computer. The user program may be created using a graphical programming language such as a ladder language or a flowchart-type motion program such as SFC (Sequential Function Chart), or may be created using a high-level programming language such as C language. . In the following, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the user program executed by the basic unit 3 is a ladder program. The PLC 1 has a basic unit 3 with a built-in CPU and one or more expansion units 4 . One or a plurality of extension units 4 are detachable from the basic unit 3 .

The basic unit 3 has a display section 5 and an operation section 6 . The display unit 5 can display the operation status of the expansion unit 4 attached to the basic unit 3 and the like. The display unit 5 switches the display content according to the operation content of the operation unit 6 by the user. The display unit 5 normally displays current values (device values) stored in devices in the PLC 1, error information occurring in the PLC 1, and the like. A device is a name (symbol) indicating a storage area on a memory provided for storing device values (device data), and may be called a device memory. A device value is information that indicates the state of an input from an input device, the state of an output to an output device, and the state of internal relays (auxiliary relays), timers, counters, data memories, etc. that are set on a user program. Device value types include bit type and word type. A bit device stores a 1-bit device value. A word device stores a device value of one word.

An expansion unit 4 is provided to expand the functions of the PLC1. A field device (controlled device) 10 corresponding to the function of the expansion unit 4 may be connected to the expansion unit 4 , whereby each field device 10 is connected to the basic unit 3 via the expansion unit 4 . be done. The field device 10 may be an input device such as a sensor or camera, or an output device such as an actuator. Also, a plurality of field devices may be connected to one expansion unit 4 .

For example, the extension unit 4b may be a positioning unit that drives a motor (field device 10) to position a workpiece, or may be a counter unit. The counter unit counts signals from an encoder (field device 10) such as a manual pulser.

The extension unit 4a collects symbol values from symbols (devices, variables, etc.) in the basic unit 3, analyzes the symbol values, and creates an analysis report containing the analysis results. The expansion unit 4a may have a web server that provides analysis reports to the external PC2. The basic unit 3 is sometimes called a CPU unit. In this embodiment, an example in which the expansion unit (analysis unit) 4a has a collecting section for collecting symbol values will be described. However, the collection unit may be provided in the basic unit 3 or may be provided in another expansion unit. Further, the expansion unit 4a may function as an analysis device that analyzes collected data according to instructions from the basic unit 3 or predetermined timing. In this embodiment, an example in which the expansion unit 4a functions as an analysis device will be described. However, there is no intention to limit the invention. The basic unit 3 may function as an analyzer, or an external device such as the PC 2 may function as an analyzer. A system including PLC1 and PC2 may be called a programmable logic controller system.

PC2 is a computer operated primarily by a programmer. The PC 2 may be called a program creation support device (monitoring device). The PC 2 is, for example, a portable notebook-type or tablet-type personal computer or a smart phone, and is an external computer provided with a display unit 7 and an operation unit 8 . An external computer is a computer outside PLC1. A ladder program, which is an example of a user program for controlling the PLC1, is created using the PC2. The created ladder program is converted into a mnemonic code within the PC2. The PC 2 is connected to the basic unit 3 of the PLC 1 via a communication cable 9a such as, for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable. However, the communication cable 9a may be a network cable or the like similar to the communication cable 9b. The PC 2 may be a programmable display whose screen is set by the user. In this case, the screen for displaying the analysis results and the like may be set by the user. The programmable display is equipped with a web browser function, and analysis results and the like may be displayed by the web browser function.

Although not shown in FIG. 1 , the operation unit 8 of the PC 2 may include a pointing device such as a mouse connected to the PC 2 . Also, the PC 2 may be detachably connected to the basic unit 3 or the expansion unit 4a of the PLC 1 via a communication cable 9b other than the USB cable. The communication cable 9b may be a so-called LAN cable. The PC 2 may be connected to the basic unit 3 of the PLC 1 by wireless communication without using the communication cables 9a, 9b.

<Program creation support device>
FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining the electrical configuration of the PC2. As shown in FIG. 2, the PC 2 includes a CPU 11, a display section 7, an operation section 8, a storage device 12, and communication sections 13a and 13b. The display unit 7, the operation unit 8, the storage device 12, and the communication units 13a and 13b are electrically connected to the CPU 11, respectively. The storage device 12 includes RAM, ROM, HDD, SSD, and may also include a removable memory card. CPU is an abbreviation for central processing unit. ROM is an abbreviation for read-only memory. RAM is an abbreviation for random access memory. HDD is an abbreviation for hard disk drive. SSD is an abbreviation for solid state drive.

The user of the PC 2 causes the CPU 11 to execute the project editing program 14a stored in the storage device 12 and edits the project data through the operation section 8. FIG. In other words, the PC 2 is an engineering tool and also functions as a program creation support device. The project data includes one or more user programs (eg ladder program), configuration information of the basic unit 3 and expansion unit 4, and the like. The configuration information includes information indicating connection positions of a plurality of extension units 4 to the base unit 3, functions provided in the base unit 3 (eg, communication function and positioning function), and functions of the extension unit 4 (eg, imaging function). and b, device allocation information, and the like. Here, editing project data includes creating and changing (re-editing) project data. The user reads the project data stored in the storage device 12 as necessary and changes the project data using the project editing program 14a. The communication section 13a communicates with the basic unit 3 via the communication cable 9a. The CPU 11 transfers the project data to the basic unit 3 via the communication section 13a. The communication unit 13a includes a communication circuit and the like capable of executing communication conforming to the USB standard. The communication unit 13b communicates with the expansion unit 4a via the communication cable 9b. Communication unit 13b includes a network communication circuit. The web server program 14c is implemented as part of the project editing program 14a. The Web browser program 14 d receives the analysis report described in the Web format by the extension unit 4 a via the communication section 13 a and displays it on the display section 7 . The web browser program 14d may request the web server program 14c to provide an analysis report. The web server program 14c may access the extension unit 4a via the communication section 13a and the basic unit 3, acquire the analysis report, and transfer it to the web browser program 14d.

<PLC>
FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining the electrical configuration of the PLC1. As shown in FIG. 3, the basic unit 3 includes a CPU 31, a display section 5, an operation section 6, a storage device 32 and a communication section 33. The display unit 5, the operation unit 6, the storage device 32, and the communication unit 33 are electrically connected to the CPU 31, respectively. The storage device 32 may include RAM, ROM, memory cards, and the like. The storage device 32 has a plurality of storage areas such as a device section 34, a project storage section 35, a ring buffer 36, a driving record storage section 37, and the like. The device unit 34 has bit devices, word devices, etc., and each device stores a device value. The project storage unit 35 stores the project data transferred from the PC2. The ring buffer 36 periodically collects and stores device values from the device unit 34 . When a predetermined event occurs, the driving record storage unit 37 stores an event record including the device values collected around the occurrence time (before the occurrence time, after the occurrence time, or before and after the occurrence time) and the collection time. Remember. An event means, for example, that an alarm condition or caution condition set for each device is met. An alarm condition is, for example, a condition under which the control operation of the manufacturing line by the PLC 1 should be stopped. The caution condition is, for example, a device value condition that the manager should pay attention to when controlling the manufacturing line by the PLC 1 . The CPU 41 transmits the event record to the PC2 in response to the request from the PC2. Also, the CPU 31 may provide the device value to the PC 2 in real time. The storage device 32 also stores control programs executed by the CPU 31 of the basic unit 3 . As shown in FIG. 3, the basic unit 3 and the expansion unit 4 are connected via a unit internal bus 90 which is a kind of expansion bus. Although the communication function related to the unit internal bus 90 is implemented in the CPU 31, it may be implemented as part of the communication section 33. FIG. The communication unit 33 may have a serial communication circuit conforming to the USB standard or the like. The CPU 31 receives project data from the PC 2 via the communication section 33 .

Here, the unit internal bus 90 will be additionally explained. This unit internal bus 90 is a communication bus used for input/output refresh. Input/output refresh is processing for updating device values between the basic unit 3 and the expansion unit 4 . The input/output refresh is executed each time the ladder program is executed (that is, each scan).

The operation record (device value and its collection time, etc.) recorded in the operation record storage unit 37 may be a record of the operating state of the PLC 1 at the scan time level. For example, the operation record may be to record the symbol values of all the symbols related to the operation of the PLC 1 and their collection times in chronological order for each scan. All symbols related to operation may be, for example, all symbols used in user programs such as ladder programs, or all symbols included in program units or unit units selected by the user. good. In this case, the symbols to be the target of the operation record may be collectively selected in significant units such as program units or unit units. Symbols that are targets of driving records may be added or removed (added or deleted) individually. For example, when a trouble occurs, an operation record may be generated in which the symbol values of all symbols related to the operation of the PLC 1 around the trouble occurrence time and their collection times are recorded in time series for each scan. Based on the driving record, the user will be able to accurately grasp what happened when the trouble occurred even later. Driving records may contain a lot of information to reconstruct the situation at that time. If there is a lot of information, the data volume of the driving record becomes large, making it difficult to handle the driving record (data processing, etc.) and burdening the collection of the driving record. Therefore, the symbols to be collected can be selected by the user on a program-by-program or unit-by-unit basis.

In addition to the symbols, the driving record may include time-series camera images together with their imaging times. As a result, for example, when a trouble occurs, the user will be able to accurately grasp what happened around the time when the trouble occurred. In particular, the inclusion of camera images showing changes in the appearance of the facility in the driving record would be useful in grasping the situation. Therefore, camera images may be recorded in conjunction with the time series of execution of the user program. A writing history from an external device such as an HMI (Human Machine Interface) or a PC or a writing history from a PLC may be included in the driving record as change point events. As a result, for example, the user can confirm in chronological order what kinds of change point events occurred before and after the trouble occurred.

Supplementally from a different point of view, the driving record may also be called a general term for data for each scan time, such as devices, buffer memory of the expansion unit 4, variables, etc., saved in response to the establishment of the save trigger condition. The driving record may include video data acquired by the expansion unit (camera unit) for each frame, which is stored in response to the establishment of the storage trigger condition. The driving record may also include event history such as errors and device value changes that are saved according to the satisfaction of the save trigger condition. Furthermore, the driving record may include the ladder program (project data) that was being executed when the save trigger condition was met. By including the project data when the driving record was generated in the driving record, even if there are multiple versions of the project data, the situation is reproduced by the project data that was actually used when the driving record was generated. can do. Driving records may include analytical reports.

The expansion unit 4 has a CPU 41 and a memory 42 . The CPU 41b of the expansion unit 4b controls the field device 10 according to instructions (device values) from the basic unit 3 stored in the device. Further, the CPU 41b stores the control result of the field device 10 in a device called a buffer memory. The control result stored in the device is transferred to the basic unit 3 by input/output refresh. Also, the control result stored in the device may be transferred to the basic unit 3 according to a read command from the basic unit 3 even at a timing different from the input/output refresh. The memory 42 includes RAM, ROM, and the like. Among other things, the RAM has a storage area reserved for use as a buffer memory. The memory 42 may have a buffer that temporarily holds data acquired by the field device 10 (eg, still image data or moving image data).

The CPU 41a of the expansion unit 4a that functions as a data utilization unit (analysis unit) communicates with the PC 2 via the communication section 43 and the communication cable 9b. Communication unit 43 includes a communication circuit that performs network communication. The CPU 41a executes the data utilization program stored in the memory 42a, analyzes the device values collected in the basic unit 3, and creates an analysis report including the analysis results. When the driving record analysis application is set as the data utilization application, the CPU 41a analyzes the device values collected in the basic unit 3 to create an analysis report including the analysis results. For example, the CPU 41a identifies the abnormal symbol and the time when the symbol becomes abnormal by analyzing the symbol values included in the driving record data, and identifies the abnormal symbol and the time when the symbol becomes abnormal. create an analysis report containing analysis results that correspond to The drive record data includes information for reproducing the situation around the time when the save event of the drive record occurred. Therefore, the driving record data may be managed in association with the analysis report. Further, the driving record data includes symbol values of many symbols for reproducing the situation around the time when the driving record save event occurred. Therefore, the data size of the driving record data tends to be large. For example, the CPU 41a may read out data necessary for the analysis report from the driving record data and additionally store the read data in the driving record data as data for the analysis report. Here, additional storage means, for example, reading the data necessary for the analysis report from the driving record data, copying it, and adding the data for the analysis report created by tagging the copied data to the driving record data. This means additional storage. Applying data processing such as tagging data in this way makes it easier to create analysis reports.

A camera image may be included in the driving record data. In this case, by reproducing the camera image, the user can grasp in more detail the situation around the time when the storage event of the driving record occurred. The analysis report may include a UI (user interface) that reproduces camera images. Camera images have a large data size. Therefore, only necessary camera image data may be partially downloaded when a click or scroll operation is received on the UI for reproducing camera images. For example, when creating an analysis report, the CPU 41a may process the camera images in accordance with the display order in the analysis report, or generate index information indicating the correspondence between the times and the storage positions of the camera images. . Thereby, the CPU 41a may download the camera image corresponding to the display time (the time of the internal clock for reproduction) at high speed and partially.

In a narrow sense, the analysis report means the analysis result itself, but in a broader sense, it may mean a web application displaying the analysis result and its user interface. The CPU 41a determines, for example, whether the device value is within the normal range and whether the timing at which the device value changes is within the normal range. Whether the timing at which the device value changes is within the normal range may be, for example, whether the length of the period during which the device value is "1" (on) is within the normal range. It may also be determined whether the number of device value changes in a step or cycle is within a normal range. If the device values collected from a device do not meet normal conditions, the device may be called an abnormal device as it behaves differently than usual. The CPU 41a may create a web-format analysis report and provide the analysis report to the web browser of the PC 2 via the communication unit 43 and the communication cable 9b. If the CPU 31 has a protocol conversion function, the CPU 41a may transmit the analysis report to the PC 2 via the unit internal bus 90, CPU 31, communication section 33 and communication cable 9a. The analysis report may have a graph display component, a numerical display component, and the like. These display components consist of markup data (example: HTML data) that describes the structure of the front end, style data (example: CSS data) that describes decoration, and code that describes dynamic processing (example: JavaScript (registered trademark)). ) code). HTML is an abbreviation for Hypertext Markup Language. CSS is an abbreviation for Cascading Style Sheets.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining functions realized by the CPU 11 of the PC 2. As shown in FIG. The project editing unit 50 is a function realized by the CPU 11 executing the project editing program 14a. The project editing unit 50 creates project data including user programs according to user instructions input through the operation unit 8 . The web server 51 communicates with the web browser 60 according to HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol) and provides the web browser 60 with display components. The protocol converter 52 converts HTTP into a predetermined communication protocol. The predetermined communication protocol is a communication protocol used for communication between the communication units 13 a and 33 . For example, when the web browser 60 requests an analysis report using an HTTP request, the web server 51 passes the HTTP request to the protocol converter 52 . The HTTP request contains the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the expansion unit 4a (Web server) which is executed by the CPU 41a and which provides the analysis report. The protocol converter 52 encapsulates the HTTP request and converts it into a request signal (command) that can be transmitted using a predetermined communication protocol. This request signal is passed to the CPU 31 of the basic unit 3 and further passed to the CPU 41a of the expansion unit 4a. The CPU 41a returns an analysis report to the CPU 11 via the CPU 31. FIG. The web server 51 of the CPU 11 delivers the analysis report to the web browser 60 . The web browser 60 thereby displays the analysis report on the display unit 7 .

The download unit 53 downloads driving records and the like from the basic unit 3 and stores them in the storage device 12 . The debug unit 54 debugs the user program and displays the debug result on the display unit 7 . The ladder monitor unit 56 acquires the values stored in the symbols described in the user program from the driving record, and highlights the values for the symbols in the user program. For example, the device values obtained from the driving records may be displayed in association with the devices drawn in the ladder diagram of the ladder program. The relationship map unit 55 creates a relationship map showing devices related to the abnormal devices displayed in the analysis report and displays it on the display unit 7 . An abnormal device is a device whose device value does not satisfy normal conditions or whose device value change timing does not satisfy normal conditions. A relation map is, for example, a UI that visually indicates the relationship between a device (input device) that affects an abnormal device and the abnormal device. The relation map may also display the relationship between the device (output device) affected by the abnormal device and the abnormal device. The debug unit 54 acquires the abnormal device and its related devices by analyzing the ladder program, and creates a relation map.

The accepting unit 57 accepts an editing operation for a user program, an operation for debugging processing, and the like. The notification processing unit 58 acquires by polling whether or not the PLC 1 has issued a notification, and displays the acquired notification on the display unit 7 . The notification is, for example, that the preparation of the analysis report has been completed. Reproduction unit 59 causes download unit 53 to download the driving record and store it in storage device 12 , for example, in response to a reproduction request input from reception unit 57 or cooperation unit 64 . The reproduction request may include, for example, identification information that can identify the driving record (eg, unique identification information or a storage path name in the PLC 1). The reproducing unit 59 reproduces the driving record stored in the storage device 12 and displays it on the display unit 7 . The playback unit 59 may have a ladder monitor unit 56 instead of the debug unit 54 . Alternatively, the playback section 59 may be included in the debug section 54 . The reproducing unit 59 may waveform and display the time-series device values obtained from the PLC 1 in real time, or may waveform and display the time-series device values included in the driving record.

The web browser 60 may display the analysis report on the display unit 7 by executing the web application 61 . The web application 61 is composed of, for example, HTML data, CSS data, java(R) scripts, and the like. The web application 61 may be provided from the expansion unit 4a. The communication processing unit 62 processes communication with the web server 51 . The data acquisition unit 63 acquires driving records to be displayed in the analysis report from the project editing unit 50 . It is assumed that the driving record has already been saved in the storage device 12 by the download unit 53 . The linking unit 64 passes specification information indicating the device specified or selected by the user in the analysis report to the debugging unit 54 or the like. As a result, the debug unit 54 can display the relation map of the abnormal device specified in the analysis report, or display the part where the abnormal device is described in the ladder program. A user can easily edit the ladder program for the abnormal device. The drawing unit 65 displays the analysis report on the display unit 7. FIG. In addition, the cooperation unit 64 performs time management so that the reproduction time (selection time) in the analysis report and the reproduction time of the driving record in the project editing unit 50 are synchronized.

FIG. 5 shows functions realized by the CPU 31 and the CPU 41a executing the control program in the PLC 1. As shown in FIG. A command processing unit 71 in the CPU 31 interprets a command received from the PC 2 and executes processing corresponding to the interpretation result. For example, when a request signal created by encapsulating an HTTP request is received, the command processing unit 71 transfers the request signal to the CPU 41a. When a response signal to the request signal is received from the CPU 41a, the command processing section 71 transfers the response signal to the PC2. The collection unit 72 collects symbol values (device values and values stored in variables) from the basic unit 3 and the expansion unit 4b and stores them in the ring buffer 36 . The logging unit 73 determines whether any error or trouble (abnormal event) has occurred in the PLC 1 based on the collected symbol values and the like. For example, the logging unit 73 may determine whether the collected symbol values satisfy recording conditions. When the collected symbol values satisfy the recording conditions, the logging unit 73 saves the symbol values as an operation log 76 within the operation record 74 . For example, the logging unit 73 creates a folder for storing the driving record 74 and saves the operation log 76 there. The logging unit 73 reads the project data 75 that was being executed when the driving record was created from the project storage unit 35 and saves it in the driving record 74 . Furthermore, the logging unit 73 notifies the analysis unit 83 that the driving record 74 has been created.

Note that the CPU 31 or CPU 41a may have a setting unit for setting a control cycle used for generating a learning model, analysis, and analysis report generation according to an operator's input. A control cycle is set by specifying the timing that serves as a reference for the cycle. A control cycle setting may be referred to as a cycle setting. For example, the cycle setting includes a symbol name that defines the start timing of the cycle and rising/falling edge information of the symbol value. The cycle setting includes a symbol name that defines the cycle start timing, cycle start timing setting information based on rising/falling edge information of the symbol value, a symbol name that defines the cycle end timing, and the symbol value. It may contain setting information for cycle end timing based on rising/falling edge information. The setting of the control cycle by the setting unit may be provided to the PLC 1 in a file format such as CSV, and the setting unit may read the file such as CSV to set the control cycle. For example, the control cycle set by the setting unit can classify devices synchronized with the cycle and add the classification information to the model as attribute information, narrow down the devices to be analyzed by the control cycle, It is used to generate analysis reports that are displayed synchronously. A plurality of control cycles may be set. Also, the control cycle does not necessarily have to be set. For example, if the possible values of the symbol value in the normal state are determined in advance, it may be determined whether or not the symbol value is the abnormal symbol by determining whether or not the symbol value is the predetermined possible value.

In the CPU 41a, the protocol conversion unit 81 converts the protocol of the HTTP request transferred from the PC 2 via the CPU 31 in an encapsulated form and extracts it from the request signal. The protocol conversion unit 81 encapsulates response information transmitted from the web server 82 in response to the HTTP request and passes it to the CPU 31 . In the following also, the web browser 60 of the PC 2 and the web server 82 of the expansion unit 4a can indirectly communicate via the web server 51, the protocol conversion units 52 and 81, the command processing unit 71, etc. in the PC 2. . The protocol converters 52, 81 may provide transparent tunnels (eg TCP tunnels). Web server 82 provides the analysis report created by analysis unit 83 to PC 2 . The analysis unit 83 analyzes the operation log 76 in the operation record 74 , creates analysis results 77 , and delivers them to the logging unit 73 . When the analysis unit 83 creates the analysis result 77 , the logging unit 73 adds it to the operation record 74 including the analysis result 77 in addition to the project data 75 and the operation log 76 . The driving record 74 is stored in the driving record storage unit 37 . In this way, the operation record 74 stores the project data 75, the operation log 76, and the analysis result 77 when an abnormal event occurred in the PLC 1 in association with each other. Easier to reproduce accurately. For example, by visually reproducing changes in device values on the ladder diagram, it will be easier for the user to debug the ladder program. In particular, using the project data stored in the PC 2 may make it difficult to accurately reproduce the state of the PLC 1 when an abnormal event occurs. This is because the project data saved in the PC 2 may not match the project data 75 being executed in the PLC 1 when the abnormal event occurred. Therefore, the project data 75 being executed by the PLC 1 when the abnormal event occurred is saved in the operation record 74 . The notification issuing unit 84 issues a notification when the analysis result 77 is issued. This notification is sent to the CPU 11 .

<User interface (UI)>
6 and 7 show the UI 100 of the project editing program 14a displayed on the display unit 7 (the UI 100 is displayed on the display unit 7 by executing the project editing program 14a). A mode selection menu 101 selectably displays a plurality of modes provided in the project editing program 14a. Modes include edit mode, monitor mode, replay mode (debug mode), and the like. The edit mode shown in FIG. 6 is a mode for editing the ladder program displayed in the program display area 104. FIG. A project display area 102 displays information that constitutes a project. This information includes specification information and setting information of the basic unit 3 and the expansion unit 4 that constitute the PLC 1, device allocation information, operation record setting information, ladder programs, and the like. In edit mode, program display area 104 editably displays the ladder program specified in project display area 102 . In FIG. 6, a ladder program is displayed having program modules named Input, Output and Machining State. Among other things, a plurality of program modules are selectable by tabs 107, and in FIG. 6 the tab 107 corresponding to the input section is selected.

The monitor mode is a mode of waiting for notifications issued by the PLC1. When the extension unit 4a issues a notification indicating that the analysis result has been created, the CPU 11 displays a dialog or the like for displaying the notification on the display section 7. FIG. The user interface in monitor mode is basically the same as in edit mode.

FIG. 8 shows notification dialog 108 . The notification dialog 108 displays the name of the application or function that issued the notification, the content of the notification, the number of occurrences of the notification, the date and time of occurrence of the notification, and the like. The notification information for displaying the notification dialog 108 includes the URL of the analysis report. When the display button 109 is pressed, the CPU 11 passes the URL of the analysis report to the web browser 60 . As a result, the web browser 60 accesses the web server specified by the URL, acquires the analysis report display data (the web application 61), and displays the analysis report.

As shown in FIG. 7, the replay mode is a mode for reproducing driving records on a ladder program and displaying driving records as waveforms. A pointer 103 moves in conjunction with a user's operation on the operation unit 8 and is used to press a button or the like or to select an object. For example, when the analysis report displayed in the project display area 102 is double-clicked with the pointer 103, the CPU 11 causes the web browser 60 to display the analysis report.

In the replay mode, the program display area 104 displays the device values included in the driving record on the ladder program. In the case of a relay device (bit device), whether the device value is 0 or 1 is visually distinguishable. Visually distinguishable includes display with different colors and display with different icons. In the case of a word device, for example, the device value may be converted to decimal and displayed. In addition, other numerical display formats such as hexadecimal device values may be employed.

Since the device value is time-series data that can change over time, each device value is associated with time information indicating the time at which it was collected. The seek bar 105a indicates the playback time of the device value and may be operated by the pointer 103 to specify the playback time. During reproduction of the driving record, the seek bar 105a moves from left to right as the reproduction time elapses. The time designation unit 106a is a control object for advancing the reproduction time, returning the reproduction time, instructing automatic start of reproduction, and instructing to stop reproduction.

[Analysis report]
FIG. 9 shows an analysis report 110 displayed on the display unit 7 when the web browser 60 executes the web application 61 . Note that the analysis report 110 is displayed on the display unit 7 together with the UI 100 of the project editing program 14a. That is, the window of the UI 100 and the window of the analysis report 110 are displayed as different windows. However, UI 100 and analysis report 110 may be displayed in a single window. Also, the analysis report 110 may be displayed on the display unit 7, or may be displayed on another display device such as a programmable display, tablet, or smart phone.

The detection map 111 displays start timings and end timings for each of a plurality of processes executed in the PLC 1 . Generally, the period from start timing to end timing is called a cycle. In FIG. 9, each horizontally extending rectangle indicates a period (cycle) during which the process is being executed. This rectangle indicates old on the left and new on the right. The time bar 112a indicates the timing at which the drive record data storage trigger is generated. As described above, the driving record data holds the data collected before the timing at which the save trigger was generated and the data collected after this timing. Therefore, data is shown before and after the time bar 112a. On the other hand, the time bar 112e indicates the time being selected, and can be moved to a desired time (left or right) by the user's drag operation or drag-and-drop operation. Instead of drag and drop, when the user clicks a desired position on the detection map, the time bar 112e may jump to that desired position. Thus, the user can update the display of the analysis result by operating the time bar 112e. According to the operation of the time bar 112e, at least one or all of the detection list 114, the image display area 113, and the analysis comment 116, which will be described later, are updated (time-synchronized), and the corresponding analysis result is displayed. good too. Note that the time bars 112a and 112e may be drawn with different colors, or may be drawn with a solid line and a broken line. This improves the discriminating power of the time bars 112a and 112e.

Here, two circle marks are described in the process 1 of the detection map 111, which indicate timings when the detection target device becomes in an unusual state. The circles on the left indicate the timings (14:50:45 for both) at which the devices R001 and MR001 are in an unusual state. The circle on the right indicates the timing (14:59:01) at which the device R004 entered an unusual state. FIG. 9 shows a state in which the user has selected the R004 device column in the detection list 114, and the time bar 112e of the detection map 111 is displayed at a position overlapping the right circle.

The display position of the time bar 112 e on the detection map 111 is linked to the user's device selection in the detection list 114 . In the state shown in FIG. 9, when the device column of MR001 is selected (clicked), MR001 is highlighted as shown in FIG. (The same is true when selecting the device column of R001). Further, according to the movement of the time bar 112e, the time bar 112f of the detection list is also moved upward by one (linked).

The unusual state is, for example, that the device value deviates from the normal range, or the timing or number of changes of the device value deviates from the normal range. In a product manufacturing factory, the same product is mass-produced every day. That is, the same process is repeatedly executed many times. Therefore, detecting and displaying abnormal states is very useful for improving ladder programs and reviewing production equipment. A normal range (normal condition) that defines the same state as usual (normal state) may be defined by master data, or may be defined by learning results of device values. In the detection map 111, the rectangles indicating the processes move from right to left as time passes (as described above, the time is older on the left and newer on the right).

The image display area 113 displays the camera image acquired by the PLC1. Camera images may also be included in the driving record. In FIG. 9, the master data camera image and the current camera image are displayed so as to be comparable. Since the camera image is also time-series data, the seek bar 105b indicates the playback time of the camera image, and moves from left to right as the playback time elapses. The time bar 112b indicates the time being selected, and in FIG. 9 indicates the timing when the detection target device R004 is in an unusual state. The time specifying unit 106b is a control object for advancing the playback time of the camera image, returning the playback time, instructing the start of playback, and instructing to stop the playback. Note that the cooperation unit 64 and the reproduction unit 59 manage so that the reproduction time of the detection map 111, the reproduction time of the camera image, and the reproduction time on the UI 100 are synchronized. As a result, the playback time on the UI 100 and the playback time on the analysis report 110 match.

The detection list 114 shows devices that have entered an unusual state and the time when the state occurred (device value collection time). When the CPU 11 detects a click on a device displayed in the detection list 114, the CPU 11 may switch the operation mode of the project editing section 50 to the replay mode. The CPU 11 passes identification information of the clicked device, playback time information (device value collection time), and information (storage path, etc.) specifying the driving record to be analyzed to the debug unit 54 . As a result, the operation record to be analyzed is used to shift to the replay mode, and the playback time of the analysis report 110 is synchronized with the playback time information of the project editor 50 at that time. As a result, as FIG. 7 shows, a driving log 74 is played in association with the ladder program. Note that FIG. 7 corresponds to a display screen when the replay mode of the UI 100 is activated with the device R004 selected in the detection list 114 of FIG. The seek bar 105a in FIG. 7 indicates the time (14:59:01) when the device R004 entered an unusual state. Also, in the program display area 104, the state of each device at this time (14:59:01) is displayed so as to be visually distinguishable. Note that the project editor 50 may already be operating in replay mode before the analysis report 110 is displayed. In this case, when an abnormal device is selected in the analysis report 110, the CPU 11 passes the time when the abnormal state (unusual event) occurred to the project editor 50, and the project editor 50 The synchronized device values may be read from the storage device 12 and displayed on the ladder program.

In FIG. 9, the time bar 112c indicates the timing (14:59:06) at which the drive record data save trigger occurred. Further, the time bar 112f is linked with the time indicated by the time bar 112e of the detection map 111, as described above. For example, when the time bar 112e is moved to the left of the left circle, the time bar 112f in the detection list 114 moves to a position overlapping the top line of the device column of R001.

10 and 11 are explanatory diagrams for explaining how the analysis report 110 (FIG. 9) and the UI 100 (FIG. 7) of the project editing program 14a are interlocked. As described above, FIG. 7 corresponds to the display screen when the replay mode of the UI 100 is activated with the device R004 selected in the detection list 114 of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 10, when the user selects (clicks) MR001 in the detection list 114, the time bar 112e moves in conjunction with the detection map 111. FIG. As the time bar 112e moves, the time bar 112f also moves up by one. Further, as the time bar 112e moves, the time bar 112b in the image display area 113 also moves to the left (interlocked display). Furthermore, the display of the analysis comment 116, which will be described later, is also switched according to the selection of MR001. Details will be described later.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11, the seek bar 105a moves slightly to the left (earlier in time) than in FIG. At this time, the seek bar 105a shows the time (14:50:45) when the device MR001 entered an unusual state. In this way, the time specified by the time bar 112e and the time bar 112f of the analysis report 110 and the playback time of the driving record (the time specified by the seek bar 105a) are displayed in synchronization by the cooperation unit 64. It will be.

Note that FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 describe the interlocking display when the UI 100 of the project editing program 14a is activated in advance. When the UI 100 is activated in the state, the UI 100 is activated in the changed state shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 .

Also, in FIG. 10, the user selects one device from the detection list 114, but multiple devices may be selected. In this case, the same processing as when the highest device (the oldest device in terms of time) is selected is performed. That is, for example, when the replay mode of the UI 100 is activated with both MR001 and R004 selected, the UI 100 is activated in the changed state shown in FIG. Synchronous reproduction of time as used herein is a concept including synchronous reproduction of the time index specified by the time bar 112f and the reproduction time index of the driving record. In other words, not just the time itself, but the indexes representing the time may be synchronously reproduced.

As shown in FIG. 12, the CPU 11 may read the name of the abnormal device and its device comment 115 from the project data and display them in the detection list 114 . A device comment 115 indicates the usage of the device. Therefore, the user can easily understand the purpose of the abnormal device.

The analysis comment 116 displays comments included in the analysis result, master data for the device selected in the detection list 114, and time-series data of the current device value. The data displayed in the analysis comment 116 is data for one control cycle. A time bar 112d indicates the timing when an unusual state occurs.

FIGS. 9 and 12 show data for one control cycle in which an unusual state occurred for the device R004. More specifically, in the master data, two changes occur in one control cycle, ie, OFF→ON and ON→OFF, whereas the current data does not change at all. Therefore, the time bar 112d is displayed in a state different from usual, that is, at the timing of turning off to on.

Here, in the analysis comment 116 shown in FIGS. 9 and 12, when the user selects (clicks) MR001 in the detection list 114, the display is switched to that shown in FIG. FIG. 10 shows a state in which an unusual state occurs in the device of MR001. In this embodiment, each of the time bars 112e, 112b, and 112f indicates the same timing.

As shown in FIG. 12, the analysis report 110 may have a button 117a for instructing the display of the relation map and a button 117b for instructing the display of the waveform. The display of relation maps and waveforms is described in detail below.

[Relation Map]
FIG. 13 shows the relation map 120. As shown in FIG. The relation map 120 is a UI that displays other devices that are related in the ladder program to a device in an abnormal state (abnormal device). This allows the user to easily understand the relationship between the abnormal device and other devices. Generally, the number of devices used in the PLC 1 is several hundred to several tens of thousands, so it is not easy for the user to identify the device that caused the unusual state. The CPU 11 searches the ladder program for abnormal devices, finds descriptions of the abnormal devices, and analyzes the descriptions to identify related devices. In this example, an abnormal device (eg, R004) is described in the output section of the ladder program, and MR000, MR001, and MR002 exist as related devices. The CPU 11 displays the abnormal devices, related devices and program modules identified from the ladder program like a tree. In this example, devices input for calculations in the output section are displayed on the left, program modules are displayed in the middle, and abnormal devices are displayed on the right. As shown in FIG. 13 , when a program module is double-clicked by the pointer 103 , the CPU 11 may transfer the information to the project editor 50 and display the corresponding program module in the program display area 104 . The analysis report may be created for all devices, or may be created only for some devices. Restricting to some devices would reduce analysis time. Depending on the accuracy of the analysis, it is expected that the analysis results will be noisy, but the noise will be reduced by limiting to some devices. In the case of such an analysis report targeting some devices, the device that caused the anomaly exists either in the device that was determined to be abnormal or in the device that was not analyzed. Therefore, in the relationship mapping, devices that are excluded from analysis may be highlighted.

[Waveform display]
FIG. 14 shows a waveform UI 130 displayed on the display unit 7 by the CPU 11 executing the waveform display program 14b. The device list 131 shows a list of devices to be displayed. For example, the CPU 11 lists the device names selected or specified by the user in the detection list 114 in the device list 131 . FIG. 14 shows a state when the waveform UI 130 is activated with R001, MR001 and R004 selected in FIG. Note that the relay device MR000 indicating the control cycle (from start to end) of the process is listed in the device list 131 by the CPU 11 without being specified by the user. That is, MR000 is a device defined by the cycle setting described above, and is automatically displayed on the waveform UI 130 regardless of whether it is specified by the user. Note that the number of device values forming the device waveform displayed on the waveform UI 130 may be specified in advance by user settings. For example, a predetermined number of device values may be displayed relative to the time (before baseline, after baseline, before and after baseline) corresponding to the device column selected in detection list 114 of analysis report 110 . As another example, the waveform may be displayed in a reduced size so that all the device values included in the driving record are displayed as the device values forming the device waveform displayed on the waveform UI 130 . In this case, by enlarging the display, the device waveform near the reference time can be visually recognized more clearly.

Waveform display area 132 shows the waveform of device values for the selected device. The CPU 11 reads time-series data of device values from the driving record and displays them in the waveform display area 132 . The CPU 11 may also display the time bar 112g for the waveform. This will make it easier for the user to grasp in which part of the waveform an unusual event occurred. The time indicated by the time bar 112g matches the time indicated by the time bars 112e, 112b, and 112f. This is because the cooperation unit 64 manages the time so that the playback time and the event occurrence time in the analysis report 110 match those in the playback unit 59 .

Here, FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of the area indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 14 . In FIG. 15, broken-line waveforms are shown for the devices MR001 and R004, but this is for convenience of explanation and does not appear on the actual display screen. FIG. 15 explains that the linking unit 64 synchronizes and reproduces the time specified by the selected device in the detection list 114 of the analysis report 110 and the time bar 112g of the waveform UI 130 .

14 and 15 show device waveforms of MR000, R001, MR001, and R004 in order from the top. MR000 is a device indicating a control cycle as described above, and the period from OFF→ON to ON→OFF to OFF→ON again corresponds to one control cycle. In FIG. 14, R001 is a device that should normally be turned off. However, due to some abnormality, R001 is turned on (abnormality occurs) at the timing when the control cycle starts (when MR000 is turned on). As a result, even if R000 (not shown in FIG. 14) shown in FIG. 7 is turned on, MR001 is not turned on (in FIG. 14, this state is indicated by a dotted line). Furthermore, since MR001 does not turn on, R004 of the output section shown in FIG. 13 also does not turn on (in FIG. 14, this state is indicated by a dotted line).

FIG. 14 shows a state when the waveform UI 130 is activated with the device R001 selected in the detection list 114 of FIG. That is, the time bar 112g is displayed at the time when R001 is in an unusual state. In this state, when the device MR001 is selected in the detection list 114 of FIG. 9, the time bar 112g is displayed at the time when MR001 is in an unusual state (see time bar 112ga of FIG. 15). In addition, when the device R004 is selected in the detection list 114 of FIG. 9, the time bar 112g is displayed at the time when R004 is in an unusual state (see time bar 112gb of FIG. 15). In this way, the linking unit 64 synchronously designates and reproduces the time specified by the selected device in the detection list 114 of the analysis report 110 and the time indicated by the time bar 112g on the waveform UI 130 .

FIG. 15 describes the interlocked display with the waveform UI 130 activated in advance. A waveform UI 130 may be launched. In this case, the waveform UI 130 is activated in the changed state shown in FIG. Further, although the user selects one device from the detection list 114 in FIG. 15, multiple devices may be selected. In this case, the same process as when the highest device (the oldest device in terms of time) is selected is performed. That is, for example, when the waveform UI 130 is activated with both MR001 and R004 selected, the time bar 112g is displayed (linked display) at the position of the time bar 112ga shown in FIG.

In FIG. 14, both devices are relay devices, but word devices may be selected. The CPU 11 may waveform the device value of the word device and display it in the waveform display area 132 .

Although the device values included in the driving record 74 are displayed in FIG. 14, the master data may be displayed superimposed thereon. Master data is time-series data of the same device values as usual. Therefore, by displaying these overlaid, the user will be able to easily understand when an unusual event occurred.

[Example]
FIG. 16 shows an example of a field device 10 controlled by PLC1. In this example, the work W1 is conveyed by the belt conveyor 140a. The sensor 141a detects that the workpiece W1 has arrived at a predetermined position. A work W2 is conveyed by the belt conveyor 140b. The sensor 141b detects that the work W2 has arrived at a predetermined position. The robot 143 assembles the work W1 and the work W2 on the workbench 142 to manufacture the work W3, and loads the work W3 onto the belt conveyor 140c.

FIG. 17 shows a ladder program that implements the example shown in FIG. Program module 150a represents an input. The input device R000 is a relay device that indicates the detection result of the sensor 141a. When the sensor 141a detects the workpiece W1, the input device R000 is turned on. When the sensor 141a does not detect the workpiece W1, the input device R000 is turned off. The input device R001 is turned off when the robot 143 can accept the workpiece W1. The input device R001 is turned on when the robot 143 cannot accept the workpiece W1. MR001 is a relay device indicating that the work W1 is ready. According to the first line of program module 150a, MR001 is turned on when input device R000 is on and input device R001 is not on.

The input device R002 is a relay device that indicates the detection result of the sensor 141b. When the sensor 141b detects the workpiece W2, the input device R002 is turned on. When the sensor 141b does not detect the workpiece W2, the input device R002 is turned off. The input device R003 is turned off when the robot 143 can accept the workpiece W2. The input device R003 is turned on when the robot 143 cannot accept the workpiece W1. MR002 is a relay device that indicates that work W2 is ready. According to the second line of program module 150a, MR002 is turned on when input device R002 is on and input device R003 is not on.

Program module 150b represents the output. MR000 is a relay device that indicates that the production line is in operation. Relay device R004 is turned on when MR000 is on, MR001 is on, and MR002 is on. The relay device R004 is called a processing start signal and instructs the robot 143 to start processing (start assembly).

The program module 150c indicates the working section status. DM0 is a device called a data memory, and indicates 0 (acceptable), 1 (abnormal work), 2 (work jammed), 3 (insufficient material), etc. for work W1. According to line 1 of program module 150c, R001 is set on if DM0 is non-zero. DM1 is also a device called data memory, and indicates 0 (acceptable), 1 (abnormal work), 2 (work jammed), 3 (insufficient material), etc. for work W2. According to line 2 of program module 150c, R003 is set on if DM1 is non-zero.

As an example of debugging, an example in which an abnormality occurs in the workpiece W1 and the robot 143 does not start machining is taken up. First, at the start of debugging, it is assumed that an error event has occurred in which the work W3, which is a finished product, has not been ejected. The user tries to find out why the work W3 was not ejected.

The user starts the project editing program 14a and selects monitor mode. CPU 11 receives the notification from PLC 1 and displays notification dialog 108 . The CPU 11 detects that the display button 109 has been pressed by the user, acquires the analysis report from the PLC 1 and displays it on the display unit 7 .

As shown in FIG. 12, according to the detection list 114 and the analysis comment 116 of the analysis report, since R004, which is the machining start signal, was not turned on, workpieces W1 and W2 were not machined, and workpiece W3 was ejected. I know it wasn't. Since R001 is on, it can be seen that the work W1 was not ready, but the reason why the work W1 was not ready is unknown.

When the CPU 11 detects that MR001, R001 and R004 have been selected in the detection list 114 of the analysis report 110 of FIG. 9 and that the button 117b has been pressed, the waveform UI 130 shown in FIG. indicate. MR000 is a relay indicating one machining cycle. That is, one workpiece W3 is manufactured during the period when MR000 is on.

When multiple devices are selected in the detection list 114, as described above, the CPU 11 identifies the time when the device displayed at the top of the detection list (leading device) becomes abnormal, A time bar 112g is displayed at the specified time. In this example, since R001 is the leading device, the time bar 112g is set at the timing when R001 is in an unusual state. According to this example, it can be seen that R001 is turned on at the timing when R001 is normally turned off. Also, it is easy to visually recognize that MR001 and R004, which should be on in the normal state, are off. In FIG. 14, waveforms corresponding to 6 cycles are shown, but the CPU 11 may extract and enlarge only the waveform corresponding to 1 cycle including the time indicated by the time bar 112g.

Next, the user searches for the cause of R004 being in an unusual state. In FIG. 12, when detecting that R004 is selected and the button 117a is pressed down, the CPU 11 displays the relation map 120 on the display section 7. FIG. The CPU 11 extracts the line including the description of R004 from the ladder program and creates the relation map 120. FIG. The relationship map 120 may be displayed in a window different from the analysis report 110 and the UI 100 of the project editing program 14a. As shown in FIG. 13, the relation map 120 shows that MR000, MR001, and MR002 are related to R004 in the first line of the output section (program module 150b). The CPU 11 may highlight the device and the line number of the program module that are in an unusual state. Further, when the block of the output section in the relation map 120 is clicked, the CPU 11 displays the program module 150b in the program display area 104. FIG. The CPU 11 causes each device in the program module 150b to reflect the device value collected at the timing when the state is different from usual. In FIG. 13, it can be seen that MR001 is off and as a result R004 is off. Program module 150b may be displayed in the same window with relation map 120. FIG. When the expand button 121 shown in FIG. 13 is clicked, the CPU 11 expands and displays the relation for MR001.

FIG. 18 shows a state in which the expansion button 121a for MR001 has been clicked, and the expansion button 121b for R001 has been clicked. When the expansion button 121a of MR001 is clicked, the CPU 11 searches the ladder program and extracts the first line (the first line of the input section) of the program module 150a in which MR001 is described. As a result, the CPU 11 displays the block indicating the first line of the input section to the left of MR001, and further displays the blocks R000 and R001 to the left of the block indicating the first line of the input section. . Analysis reports or driving records show that R001 is in an unusual state. Therefore, the CPU 11 highlights the R001 block.

When the expand button 121b displayed beside the block of R001 is clicked, the CPU 11 executes a search for R001 and finds the first line of the program module 150c (processing section state). The CPU 11 displays a block indicating the first row of the processing unit status on the left side of the R001 block, and further displays a DM0 block on the left side of that block. It eventually turns out that R001 turned on and R004 turned off because DM0 was not "0".

In FIG. 18, the program display area 122 shows the extracted program module and the device value of each device at the timing when R004 is in an unusual state. A blank indicates that the device is off, and a diagonal line indicates that the device is on. The CPU 11 acquires the device value of each device from the driving record stored in the storage device 12 and reflects it in the relation map 120 .

Although FIG. 18 does not show a seek bar for displaying the playback time or specifying the playback time, a seek bar may be provided in the relation map 120 . As a result, the user can easily change the playback time of the device value in the relation map 120 as well. Also in this case, the CPU 11 synchronizes the reproduction time in the relation map 120 with the reproduction time of the device value in another user interface.

By checking the device value of each device while changing the playback time in the relation map 120, the user can easily understand how the abnormal states of the device values are chained.

Note that a device in which an unusual event has occurred may be highlighted on the ladder program. As shown in FIG. 18, the periphery of R001 may be displayed with hatching or a highlighted color. In addition, it may be displayed that the device value in the normal state is OFF. This will allow the user to easily understand normal device values.

As described above, FIG. 18 shows the relation map displayed when the button 117a is pressed while the device R004 is selected. As the time bar 112e of the analysis report 110 is moved to the left, the highlighted devices are switched. This will be described with reference to FIG. 19 .

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram showing how devices to be highlighted are switched. The time bar 112e of the analysis report 110 shows the timing (14:50:45) when the device R001 and MR001 were detected to be different, and the timing (14:59:01) when the device R004 was detected to be different. may be between In this case, only devices R001 and MR001 are highlighted in relation map 120 (the highlighting of device R004 disappears). Then, if the time bar 112e of the analysis report 110 is to the left of the timing (14:50:45) at which the device R001 and MR001 were detected to be different than usual, none of the devices is highlighted on the relation map 120. .

FIG. 19 shows how the number of highlighted devices gradually decreases as the time bar 112e of the analysis report 110 is moved to the left. This makes it easier to track which device caused trouble over time. As the time bar 112e of the analysis report 110 is moved to the right, the number of devices that are highlighted gradually increases. Devices R001, MR001 and R004 are all highlighted once the time bar 112e passes the timing (14:50:45) when anomalies were detected for devices R001 and MR001. In other words, the highlighted device corresponds to a device that has already been detected at the time indicated by the time bar 112e of the analysis report 110, although it is unusual.

It should be noted that the relationship map 120 shown in FIG. 18 may include devices that are not subject to analysis when the analysis report 110 is created. In this case, this non-analyzed device may be highlighted on the relationship map 120 . This is because, in addition to devices determined to be unusual, there is a possibility that devices not subject to analysis may correspond to devices that cause trouble. In order to improve recognizability, the highlighting of devices that are determined to be unusual and the highlighting of devices that are not subject to analysis should be performed differently, such as by changing the line type or color. is preferred. Also, in the relation map 120 shown in FIG. 18, the devices (MR001 and R001) that affect the device (R004) selected in the analysis report 110 are displayed to the left of the selected device. However, this is only an example, and the present invention is not limited to this. For example, devices affected by a device selected in analysis report 110 may be displayed to the right of the selected device.

<Flowchart>
FIG. 20 is a flow chart showing a method performed by CPU 11 . When the project editing program 14a is activated through the operation unit 8, the CPU 11 executes the following processes according to the project editing program 14a.

In step S1, the CPU 11 (project editing unit 50) reads project data designated by the user. As a result, the CPU 11 (project editing unit 50) displays the UI 100 on the display unit 7. FIG. Information read from the project data is reflected in the project display area 102 . A program display area 104 displays a ladder program included in the project data.

In step S2, the CPU 11 (project editor 50) sets the operation mode to the edit mode. Thereby, the CPU 11 (accepting unit 57) accepts the editing instruction input to the program display area 104, and edits the ladder program according to the editing instruction.

At step S3, the CPU 11 (project editing unit 50) determines whether or not the monitor mode has been selected as the operation mode. When the monitor mode is selected in the mode selection menu 101, the CPU 11 proceeds to S4. If the monitor mode is not selected in the mode selection menu 101, the CPU 11 proceeds to S11.

In step S4, the CPU 11 (debugging unit 54) determines whether or not the PLC 1 has issued a notification. The notification processing unit 58 acquires notifications from the notification issuing unit 84 by polling. Note that step S4 is an optional step. If there is notification, the CPU 11 proceeds to step S5.

In step S<b>5 , the CPU 11 (debugging unit 54 ) displays the analysis report 110 on the web browser 60 . The debug unit 54 passes the URL of the analysis report included in the notification to the web browser 60 . The web browser 60 generates an HTTP request according to the URL and accesses the web server 51 . The web server 51 passes the HTTP request to the protocol converter 52 according to the URL. The protocol converter 52 encapsulates the HTTP request and passes it to the CPU 31 (command processor 71) of the basic unit 3. FIG. The command processing unit 71 passes the encapsulated HTTP request to the protocol conversion unit 81 of the CPU 41a based on the header information and the like. The protocol converter 81 extracts the HTTP request from the encapsulated HTTP request and passes it to the Web server 82 . The web server 82 passes the web application 61 for displaying the analysis report 110 to the protocol converter 81 as an HTTP response. The protocol converter 81 encapsulates the web application 61 and passes it to the command processor 71 . The command processing unit 71 passes the encapsulated web application 61 to the protocol conversion unit 52 . The protocol converter 52 extracts the web application 61 from the encapsulated web application 61 and passes it to the web server 51 . The web server 51 delivers the web application 61 to the web browser 60 . The web browser 60 displays the analysis report 110 on the display unit 7 by executing the web application 61 . The data acquisition unit 63 requests the driving record 74 from the web server 51 via the communication processing unit 62 . The web server 51 instructs the download unit 53 to download the driving record 74 from the PLC 1 and store it in the storage device 12 . The download unit 53 downloads the driving record 74 from the PLC 1 and stores it in the storage device 12 . The Web server 51 passes the driving record 74 requested by the data acquisition unit 63 to the data acquisition unit 63 . The drawing unit 65 displays the analysis result 77 included in the driving record 74 on the analysis report 110 .

In step S6, the CPU 11 (debugging unit 54) determines whether the operation mode has been switched to the replay mode in the analysis report 110 or the UI 100. FIG. When the operating unit 8 switches the operation mode to the replay mode, the CPU 11 proceeds to step S7. If the play mode has not been switched to the replay mode, the CPU 11 proceeds to step S5.

In step S<b>7 , the CPU 11 (ladder monitor unit 56 ) reproduces the driving record 74 downloaded to the storage device 12 on the display unit 7 . As described above, in the program display area 104, the device values of the devices described in the ladder program are read out from the operation record 74 and reflected in each device. “Reflected on the device” means that the device is displayed so as to visually recognize whether it is on or off, or that the device value stored in the device is displayed in association with the device. Displaying a device value in association with the device means, for example, displaying the device value near the device in the line describing the device.

When switching to the monitor mode is not instructed in step S3, the CPU 11 proceeds to S11. In step S11, the CPU 11 determines whether switching to the replay mode has been instructed. If switching to the replay mode has not been instructed, the CPU 11 proceeds to S2. If switching to the replay mode has been instructed, the CPU 11 proceeds to S12.

At step S12, the CPU 11 reproduces the driving record 74 stored in the storage device 12. FIG. If the driving record 74 is not stored in the storage device 12, the CPU 11 downloads the driving record 74 from the PLC 1, stores it in the storage device 12, and reproduces the driving record 74. The CPU 11 (reproducing unit 59) displays the device values as time series data included in the driving record 74 superimposed on the ladder program. In addition, the reproducing unit 59 reads out the next device value from the driving record 74 as time elapses and displays it.

In step S13, the CPU 11 determines whether the analysis report 110 should be displayed. For example, the CPU 11 determines whether an instruction to display the analysis report 110 has been input through the operation unit 8 . When not displaying the analysis report 110, the CPU 11 returns to S12. It should be noted that here, when switching to another mode is instructed, the CPU 11 switches the operation mode to another mode. When displaying the analysis report 110, the CPU 11 proceeds to S14.

In step S<b>14 , the CPU 11 causes the web browser 60 to display the analysis report 110 .

[Analysis report display processing]
FIG. 21 shows details of the analysis report display processing in steps S5 and S14.

In step S<b>21 , the CPU 11 designates the URL (IP address) for displaying the analysis report 110 to the web browser 60 . A URL for displaying the analysis report 110 may be included in the analysis result 77 of the driving record 74, for example.

In step S<b>22 , CPU 11 (Web browser 60 ) accesses Web server 51 according to the URL for displaying analysis report 110 and receives Web application 61 for displaying analysis report 110 .

In step S<b>23 , the CPU 11 (web browser 60 ) executes the web application 61 to display the analysis report 110 on the web browser 60 .

In step S24, the CPU 11 determines whether the relation map 120 should be displayed. For example, when button 117a is clicked, CPU 11 determines to display relation map 120, and proceeds to step S25.

In step S25, the CPU 11 displays the relation map 120 on the display section 7. FIG. For example, CPU 11 (coordination unit 64 ) transmits a display request (HTTP request) for relation map 120 to Web server 51 via communication processing unit 62 . This display request includes information specifying the abnormal device and time information indicating the timing at which the abnormal state occurred. The Web server 51 passes the request to display the relation map 120 to the relation map unit 55 to prepare display components for the relation map. The relation map unit 55 reads the device values of the abnormal devices before and after the timing when the abnormal state occurred from the operation record 74 based on the information specifying the abnormal device and the time information indicating the timing when the abnormal state occurred. Then, display parts of the relation map 120 are created and transferred to the Web server 51 . The web server 51 passes the display component of the relation map 120 to the web browser 60 . The web browser 60 displays the relation map 120 according to the display parts of the relation map 120 . Alternatively, the relationship map unit 55 may display the relationship map 120 on the display unit 7 as a window different from the window of the web browser 60 .

When determining not to display the relation map 120 in step S24, the CPU 11 proceeds to S26. In step S26, the CPU 11 determines whether or not to display the waveform of the designated device value. For example, when any abnormal device is specified and button 117b shown in FIG. 12 is clicked, CPU 11 determines to display the waveform, and proceeds to step S27.

In step S27, the CPU 11 displays the waveform UI 130 on the display section 7. FIG. For example, the CPU 11 (linkage unit 64 ) transmits a waveform UI display request (HTTP request) to the web server 51 via the communication processing unit 62 . This display request includes information specifying the abnormal device and time information indicating the timing at which the abnormal state occurred. The Web server 51 passes the display request of the waveform UI 130 to the reproduction unit 59 and prepares display components for the waveform UI 130 . The reproduction unit 59 reads the device values of the abnormal devices before and after the timing when the abnormal state occurred from the operation record 74 based on the information specifying the abnormal device and the time information indicating the timing when the abnormal state occurred. , create a display component for the waveform UI 130 and pass it to the web server 51 . The web server 51 passes the display component of the waveform UI 130 to the web browser 60 . The web browser 60 displays the waveform UI 130 according to the display components of the waveform UI 130 . Alternatively, the playback unit 59 may activate the waveform display program 14 b to display the waveform UI 130 on the display unit 7 as a window different from that of the web browser 60 .

Here, after the relation map is displayed in step S25, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the time bar 112e of the analysis report 110 has been operated (step S28). When the time bar 112e is operated, as described above with reference to FIG. 19, the CPU 11 (coordination unit 64) highlights devices that have already been detected to be different based on the time indicated by the time bar 112e. (step S29). No device is highlighted depending on the time indicated by the time bar 112e.

Further, after the waveform is displayed in step S27, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the time bar 112e of the analysis report 110 has been operated (step S30). When the time bar 112e is operated, the CPU 11 (linkage unit 64) interlocks and displays the time bar 112g of waveform display based on the time indicated by the time bar 112e (step S31). In the present embodiment, as described with reference to FIG. 19, the waveform display time bar 112g is interlocked and displayed. However, this is only an example, and the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the display range of the waveform display may be interlocked so that the device waveform corresponding to the time indicated by the time bar 112e is displayed.

[Associating project data, operation logs and analysis results]
In the operation record 74 shown in FIG. 5, the project data 75, the operation log 76, and the analysis result 77 are stored in the same folder and are linked. However, the linking method is not limited to this. The logging unit 73 may compress the project data 75, the operation log 76 and the analysis result 77 to generate a single file. Alternatively, the logging unit 73 may link the project data 75, the operation log 76, and the analysis result 77 using unique identification information. Below, it is assumed that the project data 75, the operation log 76, and the analysis result 77 are linked, but two of these three pieces of information may be linked.

FIG. 22 shows a method of linking project data 75, operation logs 76, and analysis results 77 using identification information. When the logging unit 73 detects the predetermined vent, the logging unit 73 saves the operation log 76 and the project ID 200 as the operation record 74 in the operation record storage unit 37 and notifies the analysis unit 83 of them. A predetermined event is, for example, an event that the user should pay attention to in managing the PLC 1 and that satisfies a recording condition predetermined by the user. The logging unit 73 acquires the project ID 200 from the project storage unit 35, for example. The logging unit 73 may determine the project ID 200 by performing hash calculation on the project data 75 . Thus, the project ID 200 is identification information of the project data 75 being executed by the PLC 1 when the predetermined event occurred.

The analysis unit 83 creates an analysis result 77c and notifies the logging unit 73 of an analysis ID 201 that is identification information of the analysis result 77c. In this example, previously generated analysis results 77a and 77b are also stored in the memory 42b. The logging unit 73 saves the analysis ID 201 in the driving record 74 . As a result, the operation log 76 recorded for the predetermined event is linked to the project data 75b via the project ID 200. FIG. Similarly, the operation log 76 recorded for the predetermined event is linked to the analysis result 77c via the analysis ID 201. FIG. The notification issuing unit 84 transmits a notification (including an analysis ID) indicating that the analysis result has been created to the PC 2 via the basic unit 3 .

Upon receiving the notification, the project editor 50 acquires the driving record 74 from the basic unit 3 and stores it in the storage device 12 . Furthermore, when an instruction to reproduce the driving record 74 is input, the project editing unit 50 acquires the project data 75 b corresponding to the project ID 200 included in the driving record 74 from the storage device 12 . Since the project ID of the project data 75a is 0, the project data 75a is not selected here. Furthermore, the project editor 50 acquires the analysis result 77c corresponding to the analysis ID 201 included in the operation record 74 via the command processor 71 of the basic unit 3 and the CPU 41a of the expansion unit 4a. As a result, the project data 75, the operation log 76, and the analysis result 77c that were executed when the predetermined event occurred are saved in the storage device 12, and are used for displaying the analysis report 110 and reproducing the operation record 74. .

Note that multiple driving records 74 may be generated when multiple different events occur. In this case, the logging unit 73 may assign a record ID, which is unique identification information, to each of the plurality of driving records 74 . Thereby, a plurality of driving records 74 may be made identifiable.

As shown in FIG. 23, other data may be linked mainly to the analysis result. In FIG. 23, the storage device 12 stores project data 75a and 75b. The driving record storage unit 37 stores driving records 74a to 74c. An analysis result 77 is stored in the memory 42a.

When the logging unit 73 detects a predetermined vent, the logging unit 73 creates an operation log 76 and an operation record 74c including the record ID 202, saves it in the operation record storage unit 37, and notifies the analysis unit 83 of the record ID and the project ID. It is assumed that the logging unit 73 acquires the project ID 200 from the project storage unit 35 . The project ID 200 is identification information of the project data 75 being executed by the PLC 1 when the predetermined event occurred.

The analysis unit 83 analyzes the operation log 76 to create analysis result data 203 , and stores the project ID 200 and record ID 202 received from the basic unit together with the analysis result data 203 in the analysis result 77 . As a result, the analysis result 77 is linked to the project data 75b via the project ID 200. FIG. Similarly, the analysis result 77c is linked via the record ID 202 to the driving record 74c (operation log 76) recorded for the predetermined event. The notification issuing unit 84 transmits a notification (including an analysis ID) indicating that the analysis result has been created to the PC 2 via the basic unit 3 .

Upon receiving the notification, the project editor 50 acquires the analysis result 77 from the expansion unit 4a via the basic unit 3 based on the analysis ID, and stores it in the storage device 12. FIG. Further, the project editing unit 50 acquires the project data 75 b corresponding to the project ID 200 included in the analysis result 77 from the storage device 12 when an instruction to reproduce the driving record 74 is input. The project editor 50 acquires the operation record 74 c corresponding to the record ID 202 included in the analysis result 77 via the command processor 71 of the basic unit 3 . As a result, the storage device 12 stores the project data 75b, the operation log 76 (operating record 74c), and the analysis result 77 (analysis result data 203) executed when the predetermined event occurred. It is used for display and playback of the driving record 74 .

In this way, the operation record 74 has the project data 75, the operation log 76, and the analysis result 77 that are linked to each other, so that the information necessary for debugging the ladder program can be easily obtained. For example, even if there are different versions of the project data 75, the project data 75b used when the operation log 76 was acquired can be easily acquired. Also, the operation log 76 used to obtain the analysis result 77 can be easily obtained.

By the way, when the person in charge of operation who operates the PLC 1 cannot solve the trouble, he may ask the engineer who set up the PLC 1 or created the project data 75 to help solve the trouble. In such a case, the operations manager may read out the driving record 74 and attach it to an e-mail and send it to the engineer. By reproducing the operation record 74 attached to the e-mail, displaying the analysis report 110, or re-editing the project data 75, the engineer can easily solve the trouble.

The CPU 31 may function as an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) client. After saving the driving record 74 in the driving record storage unit 37 , the logging unit 73 instructs the FTP client to upload the driving record 74 . The FTP client uploads the driving record 74 to the FTP server with the IP address specified in advance. Here, the FTP server may be running in the CPU 11 of the PC2. The project editing unit 50 of the PC 2 becomes able to acquire the driving record 74 from the FTP server. For example, when the FTP server stores the driving record 74 in the storage device 12 , the project editor 50 can read the driving record 74 from the storage device 12 .

FIG. 24 is a flow chart showing a method of storing driving records.

In step S31, the CPU 31 (logging unit 73) determines whether the recording condition (storage condition) of the driving record 74 is satisfied. The recording conditions are set in advance by the PC 2 or the like. When the recording conditions are satisfied, the CPU 31 proceeds to step S32.

CPU 31 (logging unit 73) acquires operation log 76 in step S32. As described above, the logging unit 73 reads device values and the like from the ring buffer 36 to create the operation log 76 . Here, the logging unit 73 may give the operation log 76 a record ID for identifying the operation record 74 .

In step S33, the CPU 31 (logging unit 73) acquires the project data 75 being executed in the basic unit 3 or the project ID, which is its identification information.

In step S34, the CPU 31 (logging unit 73) associates the operation log 76 with the project (project ID or project data 75). For example, logging unit 73 saves operation log 76 and project data 75 in the same folder or file. Alternatively, the logging unit 73 saves the operation log 76 and the project ID in the same folder or file.

In step S35, the CPU 31 (logging unit 73) issues an analysis command to the analysis unit 83 of the expansion unit 4a. For example, logging unit 73 may transmit to analysis unit 83 a notification indicating that operation record 74 (operation log 76) has been saved. The analysis command or notification includes information that can identify the operation log 76 to be analyzed (eg, the path name of the folder or file in which the driving record 74 is saved, identification information of the driving record 74). The analysis unit 83 accesses the operation log 76 according to this information and creates an analysis result. The analysis unit 83 transmits the analysis result 77 or an analysis ID specifying this analysis result to the logging unit 73 .

In step S36, the CPU 31 (logging unit 73) receives the analysis result 77 or analysis ID from the expansion unit 4a.

In step S37, the CPU 31 (logging unit 73) associates the analysis result 77 with the operation log 76 and the project. For example, logging unit 73 saves operation log 76, project data 75 (project ID), and analysis result 77 in the same folder or file. Alternatively, the logging unit 73 saves the operation log 76, project data 75 (project ID), and analysis ID in the same folder or file. This completes the operation record 74 in which the project data 75, the operation log 76, and the analysis result 77 are mutually linked. The operation record 74 does not need to include the project data 75, the operation log 76, and the analysis result 77 itself, and may include identification information such as an ID.

In step S38, the CPU 31 (command processing unit 71) transfers the driving record 74 to the PC2. For example, the FTP client built into the command processing unit 71 uploads the driving record 74 to the FTP server running on the PC2. When the upload is completed, the command processing unit 71 may switch the bit device indicating that the driving record 74 has been saved from off to on. Alternatively, the command processing unit 71 may transmit to the PC 2 a notification indicating that the driving record 74 has been saved. This allows the project editor 50 to recognize that the driving record 74 is stored in the storage device 12 .

By the way, although the analysis unit 83 is mounted on the expansion unit 4a, the analysis unit 83 may be mounted on the basic unit 3 or the PC2. For example, the logging unit 73 may store the operation log 76 and project data 75 (or project ID) in the operation record 74 in the memory card. It is assumed that the memory card forms part of the storage device 32 . PC2 may have a memory card reader capable of reading data from a memory card. The CPU 11 (analyzer 83 ) of the PC 2 may read the operation log 76 from the memory card to create the analysis result 77 and save the analysis result 77 or the analysis ID in the driving record 74 . Thereby, the operation log 76, the project data 75, and the analysis result 77 which comprise the driving record 74 may be linked.

<Summary of the first embodiment>
[Viewpoint 1]
The CPU 11 or the like functions as acquisition means for acquiring an analysis report indicating abnormal devices that do not satisfy normal conditions as analysis results of a plurality of device values collected from a plurality of devices by a programmable logic controller that executes a user program. The display unit 7 and the like function as report display means for displaying an analysis report. The operation unit 8 functions as a reception unit that receives selection inputs for analysis reports. The CPU 11 and the cooperation unit 64 function as identification means for identifying the abnormal device selected by the selection input. As shown in FIG. 9 and the like, the CPU 11 and the display unit 7 function as graphical display means for graphically displaying information about an abnormal device, which is information about the device held in the programmable logic controller. This makes it possible to provide the user with information on devices that behave differently than usual (abnormal devices).

[Viewpoint 2]
The CPU 11 and the linking unit 64 may function as specifying means for specifying the point in time when an event occurs that the abnormal device selected by the selection input does not satisfy the normal condition. As described above, the analysis result 77 displayed in the analysis report 110 includes the device value of the abnormal device and the time information when the device value was collected. Therefore, the linking unit 64 can identify from the analysis result 77 the time when the event occurred in the abnormal device selected by the pointer 103 . Note that the device value and its time information may be acquired from the operation log 76 . As shown in FIG. 9 and the like, the CPU 11 and the display unit 7 display graphically the information about the devices whose device values are collected around the specified point in time, which is held in the programmable logic controller. It may function as graphical display means for displaying.

[Viewpoint 3]
As described with reference to FIG. 7, the graphical display means (eg UI 100) may include debug display means (eg replay mode) for displaying a debug screen of the user program. The debug display means may display the device values collected from the device as the device-related information in association with the user program on the debug screen. The device values were collected by PLC1 during the period when PLC1 was actually executing the project. Displaying the actual device values in conjunction with the user program will help the user debug or improve the user program.

[Viewpoint 4]
Acquisition means (eg, CPU 11, download unit 53) may be configured to acquire driving record data (eg, driving record 74) including a plurality of time-series device values collected in the programmable logic controller. The analysis report 110 may be an analysis report presenting non-normal devices that do not meet normal conditions determined based on analysis of the driving record data. As shown in FIGS. 7, 9, and 14, the CPU 11 and the reproducing unit 59 display the device values included in the driving record data on the monitor screen for monitoring the device values stored in the devices provided in the PLC 1. It may also include reproduction display means for reproducing and displaying changes in device values over time based on a plurality of time-series device values. The reproduction display means (eg, the reproduction unit 59) reproduces and displays the time-series device values collected from the abnormal device and included in the operation record data over time. good. The reproducing display means (eg, the reproducing unit 59) displays time-series device values collected from a plurality of devices around the time when the event occurred, and time-series device values included in the driving record data. It may be configured to reproduce and display according to the progress.

[Viewpoint 5]
The relation map 120 is based on the analysis result obtained by analyzing the user program for the selected device of interest, and the relation indicating the device of interest and other devices related to the device of interest in the user program. An example of a map. The relation map section 55 functions as map display means for displaying the relation map 120 on the display section 7 . The map display means (eg, the relationship map unit 55) may highlight the relationship map based on the time when the event occurred. For example, abnormal devices, program modules describing abnormal devices, etc. may be highlighted. For example, the display color of a normal device and the display color of an abnormal device may be different. The icon image of the normal device and the icon image of the abnormal device may be different. Characters, symbols, or the like indicating that an abnormal event has occurred may be displayed on the abnormal device. Further, among the times when a plurality of abnormal events have occurred, the time that the user is paying attention to may be highlighted. Such a time of interest may be highlighted by the time bar 112 and displayed. In particular, when the device values are displayed as waveforms, the user can easily understand at what timing an unusual event occurred by focusing on the time bar 112 .

[Viewpoint 6]
The CPU 11 and the project editing unit 50 present driving record data including a plurality of time-series device values collected in the PLC 1 and abnormal devices that do not satisfy the normal conditions determined based on the analysis of the driving record data. Acts as a retrieval means to retrieve reports. The CPU 11 and the reproduction unit 59 (ladder monitor unit 56) reproduce the time-series device values included in the driving record data, which are time-series device values collected from a plurality of devices around the time when the event occurred. It may be reproduced and displayed according to the progress of.

[Viewpoint 7]
The CPU 11 functions as acquisition means for acquiring an analysis report indicating abnormal devices that do not satisfy normal conditions as analysis results of a plurality of device values collected from a plurality of devices by the PLC 1 executing the user program. Based on the analysis result obtained by analyzing the user program for the selected device of interest, the CPU 11 and the relationship map unit 55 determine the device of interest and other devices related to the device of interest in the user program. It functions as map display means for displaying a relation map 120 showing the . The relationship map unit 55 may highlight the relationship map 120 based on the time when the event occurred.

[Viewpoint 8]
PLC1 is an example of a programmable logic controller that executes a user program and controls a controlled device. The PC2 is connected to the PLC1 and functions as a program creation support device (monitoring device) that edits a user program and transfers it to the PLC1. The communication unit 33 is an example of first communication means that communicates with the program creation support device. The CPU 31 is an example of execution means for executing a user program received by the first communication means. The CPU 31 may have multiple processor cores or multiple processor circuits. The CPU 31 , the collection unit 72 and the logging unit 73 function as recording means for recording an operation record 74 regarding the operation of the PLC 1 . The CPU 41a and the analysis unit 83 function as creating means for analyzing the driving record and creating an analysis report (eg, analysis result). The web application 61 that implements the analysis report 110 may be stored in the ROM area of the memory 42 a and read by the web server 82 . The communication unit 13a of the PC 2 is an example of second communication means that communicates with the first communication means. The CPU 11 and the project editing unit 50 are an example of program editing means for accepting editing of the user program through a user program editing screen. The CPU 11 and the web browser 60 function as acquisition means for acquiring the analysis report from the PLC 1 via the program editing means and displaying it on the report display screen (FIG. 9). As a result, it is possible to provide the user with an analysis report 110 that may include information about devices that behaved differently than usual (abnormal devices). The web browser 60 may be a browser built into the project editor 50 .

[Viewpoint 9]
The web server 51 functions as a first web server that receives HTTP requests regarding analysis reports from the obtaining means. The protocol converter 52 functions as first conversion means for converting the HTTP protocol of the first Web server into a communication protocol used between the first communication means of the PLC 1 and the second communication means of the PC 2 . The second communication means (eg, communication unit 13a) transmits a request signal (eg, encapsulated HTTP request) generated by converting the HTTP request regarding the analysis report by the first conversion means to the first communication means. . The second communication means (eg, communication unit 13a) is configured to receive the analysis report from the first communication means as a response to the request signal and pass it to the first conversion means. The acquisition means may be the web browser 60 . The report display screen (eg, the analysis report 110) may be the window of the web browser 60 concerned.

[Viewpoint 10]
The web server 82 of the expansion unit 4a functions as a second web server that provides analysis reports. The protocol conversion unit 81 functions as second conversion means for converting the request signal into an HTTP request regarding the analysis report and passing it to the second web server. The protocol converter 81 receives an analysis report (web application 61) from the second web server and passes it to the first communication means. The first communication means (eg, communication section 33) transmits the analysis report to the second communication means (eg, communication section 13a). The second communication means (eg, communication section 13a) passes the analysis report to the first conversion means. The first conversion means (eg protocol conversion unit 52) passes the analysis report to the first web server (eg web server 51). The first web server (eg, web server 51) passes the analysis report to the web browser (eg, web browser 60). Thus, even if the expansion unit 4a and the PC 2 are not directly connected, the analysis report 110 can be provided. Incidentally, when the extension unit 4a and the PC 2 can communicate with each other via the communication cable 9b, the web server 82 of the extension unit 4a can pass the analysis report directly to the web browser 60. FIG.

[Viewpoint 11]
The project editing unit 50 may display the contents of the driving record 74 linked to the analysis report 110 on the debug screen (eg, the program display area 104) in association with the user program.

[Viewpoint 12]
The cooperation unit 64 or the download unit 53 may identify the driving record 74 linked to the analysis report 110 based on information included in the analysis report 110 (analysis result 77). The download unit 53 may function as download means for downloading the identified driving record 74 from the PLC 1 .

[Viewpoint 13]
The storage device 12 functions as holding means for holding the driving record 74 downloaded by the download means. The reproducing unit 59 and the debugging unit 54 may function as reproducing means for acquiring and reproducing the driving record 74 linked to the analysis report 110 from the holding means.

[Viewpoint 14]
The detection map 111 is an example of a process map showing start timings and end timings of a plurality of processes executed according to a user program in the PLC 1 . The detection list 114 is an example of a list of devices that did not meet the presumed normal conditions. The image display area 113 displays a camera image further associated with the time information associated with the device selected in the list. The reproducing unit 59, the debugging unit 54, and the linking unit 64 may be configured to time-match and reproduce the display information. As described above, the cooperation unit 64 shares the playback time information in the analysis report 110 and the playback time information of the device values displayed together with the ladder program in the replay mode with the playback unit 59 and the debug unit 54 . For example, when the reproduction time is changed by operating the seek bar 105b or the time bar 112e in the analysis report 110, the cooperation unit 64 notifies the reproduction unit 59 and the debug unit 54 of the change in the reproduction time via the communication processing unit 62. do. Similarly, when the reproduction unit 59 and the debug unit 54 detect that the reproduction time has been changed by the seek bar 105a or the like, they notify the cooperation unit 64 of the change in the reproduction time. As a result, the playback time of the driving record 74 is synchronized between the project editing unit 50 and the web browser 60 .

[Viewpoints 15-17]
The relation map unit 55 functions as map display means for displaying a relation map 120 including relations between a plurality of devices described in the user program. This will allow the user to easily find the device that caused the abnormal event.

The map display means (for example, the relationship map unit 55) may highlight the device that did not satisfy the normal condition among the device of interest and the other devices in the relationship map. The map display means (eg, the relationship map unit 55) includes the device of interest selected from the list (eg, the detection list 114) and other devices that are affected by the device of interest or that affect the device of interest. A relation map 120 may be displayed. It should be noted that the devices affected by the device of interest need not be included in the relation map 120 . This is because a device affected by the device-of-interest value does not cause an abnormal event to occur in the device-of-interest. This is because the event that caused the abnormal state should have occurred before the time when the abnormal state occurred.

The map display means (eg, the relationship map unit 55) may highlight the device of interest selected from the list on the relationship map 120. FIG. The device value of the device of interest is the result of computing the device values of a plurality of different devices. Therefore, even if some devices out of a plurality of related devices used for computation are abnormal and other devices are normal, the device of interest that stores the computation result may become abnormal. Therefore, if only abnormal devices among the related devices are emphasized, the user will be able to easily search for the cause of the abnormal state.

[Viewpoint 18]
The reproducing unit 59, the debugging unit 54, and the linking unit 64 may display a seek bar indicating the time to reproduce the driving record 74, and read the device value of the time according to the operation of the seek bar from the holding means. This will allow the user to easily change the playback time. Furthermore, the user will be able to easily search for the cause of the abnormal state by confirming the change in the device value while changing the playback time.

[Viewpoint 19]
The reproducing unit 59 and the waveform UI 130 may be configured to waveform and display the time-series data of the device values included in the driving record 74 . The user will be able to easily confirm the change in the device value, so it will be easier to identify the cause of the abnormal zone.

[Viewpoints 20 and 21]
The CPU 41a and the analysis unit 83 function as generation means for analyzing the driving record 74 and generating an analysis result when a predetermined event occurs. The CPU 41a and the notification issuing unit 84 function as notification means for notifying the program creation support device (eg, PC 2) that the analysis result has been generated. This will allow the user to easily grasp that an event requiring attention has occurred.

It should be noted that the predetermined event may be, for example, that the device value for each scan exceeds the normal variation range. Specifically, the CPU 41a constantly monitors (so-called symptom monitoring) whether or not the device values of one or more devices designated in advance by the user have exceeded a threshold value indicating the normal variation range. Then, when the device value exceeds the threshold value indicating the normal variation range, the CPU 41a instructs the CPU 31 to generate the driving record 74 based on the timing. The CPU 31 automatically generates a driving record 74 based on instructions from the CPU 41a. When the generation of the driving record 74 is completed, the CPU 31 notifies the CPU 41a of the completion of generating the driving record. Having received this notification, the CPU 41 a automatically generates an analysis report based on the driving record 74 generated by the CPU 31 . In this way, it becomes possible to monitor signs before troubles occur and to identify the causes of the signs by automatically generated analysis reports.

A notification indicating that the analysis results have been generated may be displayed on the edit screen of the user program. In particular, when the UI 100 for project editing is set to monitor mode, the CPU 11 polls for notifications. Then, the CPU 11 displays a notification dialog 108 upon receiving the notification. This will allow the user to easily recognize that an event requiring attention has occurred. A display button 109 for displaying the analysis report 110 may be provided in the notification dialog 108 . This allows the user to easily check the details of the analysis result 77 . Furthermore, by giving an instruction to reproduce the driving record 74 from the analysis report 110, the user can reproduce and confirm the device values of the devices that should be noted.

[Viewpoint 22]
The analysis comment 116 may function as a comparison display area for comparing and displaying the waveform of the time-series data of the device value included in the driving record 74 and the waveform of the master data obtained in advance for the device value. With this, it will be possible to easily grasp what kind of abnormal event has occurred. The master data may be learning results learned based on a plurality of operation logs 76 or the like, or past operation logs 76 specified by the user.

[Viewpoint 23]
The CPU 31 functions as execution means for executing user programs included in projects. The CPU 31 (collection unit 72) functions as monitoring means for monitoring the operating state of the PLC 1 during the operating period during which the user program is being executed. The ring buffer 36 functions as holding means for temporarily holding the monitoring result of the operating state. The CPU 31 (logging unit 73) is an example of recording means for recording the monitoring result held in the holding means as an operation record (operation log 76) when a predetermined event occurs. The analysis unit 83 functions as an analysis unit that analyzes driving records and generates analysis results 77 . The CPU 31 (logging unit 73) and CPU 41a function as linking means for linking the analysis result 77 generated from the monitoring result and the operation record (operation log 76) including the monitoring result. As a result, the analysis result 77 is directly or indirectly associated with the driving record 74 (operation log 76). Therefore, it will be possible to identify the operation record 74 that is the basis of the analysis result 77 and reproduce the operation of the PLC 1 based on the operation record 74 . This will allow debugging of the project data 75 to proceed efficiently.

[Viewpoint 24]
The linking means further links the project (project data 75) including the user program that was being executed when the operation record (operation log 76) was recorded to the operation record 74 (operation log 76) and the analysis result 77. may As a result, it will be possible to reproduce the operation of the PLC 1 more accurately based on the operation record 74 .

[Viewpoints 25 and 26]
The CPU 31 (logging unit 73) stores the analysis result 77 (analysis ID), the monitoring result (operation log 76 or record ID) on which the analysis result 77 is based, and the project (project data 75 or project ID). It may be collectively recorded as a driving record 74 . The CPU 31 (logging unit 73) may record the analysis result 77, the monitoring result on which the analysis result 77 is based, and the project as one file. For example, driving records 74 may be stored in one folder or one compressed file.

[Viewpoint 27]
PC2 is an example of a computer that communicates with PLC1. In this case, the PLC 1 may have the execution means, monitoring means, retention means, recording means, analysis means and linking means described above. The PC 2 may have acquisition means (eg, project editing unit 50) that acquires driving records from the PLC 1, and storage means (eg, storage device 12) that stores the driving records acquired by the acquisition means. . Furthermore, the PC 2 displays recording and reproducing means (reproducing unit 59, debugging unit 54, Web browser 60) for reproducing the monitoring results contained in the driving records, and the analysis results contained in the driving records as analysis reports. and report display means (Web browser 60).

[Viewpoint 28]
The linking means (eg, CPU 31) may link the identification information of the driving record, the identification information of the project, and the identification information of the analysis result. Thereby, the project including the user program that was being executed when the driving record was recorded may be linked to the analysis result generated from the monitoring result.

[Viewpoint 29]
The storage device 12 or the project storage unit 35 functions as a first storage unit that stores a project (eg project data 75) and identification information of the project (eg project ID). The operation record storage unit 37 may function as a second storage unit that stores monitoring results, project identification information, and analysis result identification information. The memory 42a may function as a third storage unit that stores analysis results and identification information of the analysis results. Projects stored in the first storage unit and monitoring results stored in the second storage unit may be associated with project identification information. The monitoring result stored in the second storage unit and the analysis result stored in the third storage unit may be linked by the identification information of the analysis result. As a result, monitoring results, projects and analysis results may be linked.

[Viewpoint 30]
The driving record storage unit 37 may function as a second storage unit that stores the monitoring result and the identification information of the driving record including the monitoring result. The storage device 32 and the memory 42a may function as a third storage unit that stores analysis results, project identification information, and driving record identification information. In this case, the project stored in the first storage unit and the analysis result stored in the third storage unit may be linked by project identification information. The monitoring result stored in the second storage unit and the analysis result stored in the third storage unit may be associated with the identification information of the driving record. As a result, monitoring results, projects and analysis results may be linked.

[Viewpoint 31]
The CPU 11 (eg, the project editing unit 50) acquires the driving record, the analysis result, and the project that are associated with each other based on the driving record identification information, the analysis result identification information, and the project identification information. It may function as a means. The storage device 12 may function as storage means for storing driving records acquired by the acquisition means. The debugging unit 54 or the reproducing unit 59 may function as recording/reproducing means for reproducing the monitoring results included in the driving record. The web browser 60 may function as report display means for displaying analysis results associated with driving records as an analysis report.

[Viewpoint 32]
Monitoring results include device values stored in devices used by user programs. The monitoring results may contain information obtained from symbols different from the device, such as variables used by the user program.

[Viewpoint 33]
The recording and reproducing means (eg, CPU 11) displays the user program that is part of the project linked to the driving record, and also displays the device included in the monitoring result in association with the device described in the user program. may display the device value of the device in question.

[Viewpoint 34]
The CPU 31 and CPU 41a may function as issuing means for issuing a notification when a driving record is recorded. The CPU 31 and CPU 41a may function as issuing means for issuing a notification when an analysis record is created. If the driving record is always recorded and the analysis results are generated, then a notification that the driving record has been recorded would be synonymous with a notification that the analysis results have been generated. Similarly, a notification that an analysis result has been produced would be synonymous with a notification that a driving record has been recorded.

[Viewpoint 35]
Acquisition means (eg CPU 11 ) may function as an FTP server to receive driving records, projects and analysis results uploaded from PLC 1 .

2. Second embodiment (2020057)
By the way, in the invention described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-016325, information is collected by an IPC (industrial computer) provided outside the PLC. could not provide information. Therefore, the second embodiment aims to provide a PLC having a data collection function and a data display screen generation function.

Note that the description and illustration of the components already described in the first embodiment among the components of the second embodiment are omitted. This means that the first embodiment and the second embodiment can be implemented simultaneously. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the points that are different from the first embodiment or the points supplemented to the first embodiment will be mainly described.

<System configuration>
FIG. 25 is a conceptual diagram showing one configuration example of the programmable logic controller system according to the embodiment of the invention.

By executing the flow, the expansion unit 4a collects collection target data from the basic unit 3 and the expansion unit 4b, performs data processing on the collection target data to create display target data, and displays the dashboard on the display unit 7 or A data collection unit that creates display data to be displayed on the PC 2 .

PC2a is a computer operated primarily by a programmer. On the other hand, the PC 2b is a computer operated by the person in charge on site. The PC 2b may be a programmable display whose screen is set by the user. In this case, the screen for displaying the analysis results and the like may be set by the user. A web browser function may be installed in the programmable display device in advance, and analysis results and the like may be displayed by the web browser function. The PC 2a may be called a program creation support device (setting device). A ladder program, which is an example of a user program for controlling the PLC 1, is created using the PC 2a. The created ladder program is converted into a mnemonic code within the PC 2a. For example, the PC 2a sends a ladder program converted into mnemonic codes to the basic unit 3. The basic unit 3 converts the ladder program into machine code and stores it in a memory provided in the basic unit 3 . Although the mnemonic code is transmitted to the basic unit 3 here, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the PC 2a may convert the mnemonic code into an intermediate code and send the intermediate code to the basic unit 3.

HMI (Human Interface) 16 is a display device that reads and displays information stored in the device or buffer of PLC 1 . The HMI 16 may have, for example, a touch panel type input device.

<Program creation support device>
FIG. 26 is a block diagram for explaining the electrical configuration of PC2.

The user of the PC 2a causes the CPU 11 to execute the project editing program 14a stored in the storage device 12, and edits the project data through the operation section 8. FIG. That is, the PC 2a is an engineering tool and functions as a program creation support device. Project data includes one or more user programs (eg ladder program, control program, motion program, data utilization program), configuration information of basic unit 3 and expansion unit 4, drawing data of WebHMI, basic unit 3 and expansion unit 4. including setting information for specific functions provided in The configuration information includes information indicating connection positions of a plurality of expansion units 4 to the base unit 3, functions provided in the base unit 3 (eg, data collection function, communication function, and positioning function), functions of the expansion unit 4 (eg : communication function, positioning function, photographing function), etc. Drawing data is a display component group for realizing WebHMI. Drawing data includes markup data (eg HTML data) describing the structure of the front end, style data (eg CSS data) describing decoration, and code describing dynamic processing (eg JavaScript (registered trademark) code). ), etc. Note that the front end refers to a portion of a web page, web service, or web application that is directly visible to the user. Style data describing decorations may be provided, for example, as a file format. In this case, the style data may be invoked by a statement calling the external style data file within the markup data describing the structure. Code describing the dynamic processing may be provided, for example, in file format. In this case, the code that describes the dynamic processing may be called by the description that calls the external code file within the markup data that describes the structure. A front-end that can be used by calling an external style data file or an external code file has high reusability and maintainability, and can use, for example, general-purpose front-end components. By adopting such general-purpose and highly reusable web drawing technology, components can be reused in the development of WebHMI and the like, and maintainability of WebHMI and the like is improved. The drawing data is hereinafter referred to as a display component. The data utilization program includes programs for collecting control data (device values, etc.) in the PLC 1, processing the data, and creating data to be passed to the WebHMI. The specific function setting information includes setting information related to the functions provided in the basic unit 3 (eg, data collection function, communication function, positioning function). For example, in the case of the data collection function, data collection conditions and setting information for data collection targets are included. Setting information and the like related to functions of the expansion unit 4 (eg, communication function, positioning function, data utilization function, photographing function) may also be included. Here, editing project data includes creating and changing (re-editing) project data. The user can read the project data stored in the storage device 12 as necessary and change the project data using the project editing program 14a. The communication section 13 communicates with the basic unit 3 via the communication cable 9a. The CPU 11 transfers the project data to the basic unit 3 via the communication section 13 . The communication unit 13 communicates with the expansion unit 4a via the communication cable 9b.

The CPU 11 may create flow (data utilization program) and dashboard setting data by executing the flow/dashboard editing program 14e. The flow dashboard editor program 14e may be part of the project editor program 14a.

The CPU 11 may function as the web browser 60 shown in FIG. 28 by executing the web browser program 14d. The web browser 60 may also be part of the project editing program 14a. The web browser 60 displays a display screen (dashboard) provided by the PLC 1 on the display unit 7 . Note that the project editing program 14a or the flow/dashboard editing program 14e may incorporate a function of displaying a display screen (dashboard) provided by the PLC 1 on the display unit 7. FIG. The CPU 11 transfers flow and dashboard setting data to the expansion unit 4a via the communication unit 13 .

<PLC>
FIG. 27 is a block diagram for explaining the electrical configuration of PLC1. The project storage unit 35 stores project data input from the PC 2a. The CPU 31 receives the project data from the PC 2a via the communication section 33. FIG.

The CPU 41a of the expansion unit 4a that functions as a data utilization unit (analysis unit) communicates with the PC 2a via the communication section 43 and the cable 9b. The CPU 41a may create a web-format analysis report and provide the analysis report to the web browser of the PC 2b via the communication unit 43 and the communication cable 9b.

A data utilization unit is an extension unit that executes a data utilization application. Data-utilizing applications include data-utilizing programs (eg, flows) that collect control data and process data, and dashboards that display the execution results of the data-utilizing programs. Here, a flow is adopted as an example of a data utilization program, but a user program in another language may be used. A flow may have operational blocks that collect data, operational blocks that perform data processing, operational blocks that create display data, and the like. The dashboard has graph display components, numerical display components, and the like. The analysis report may have a graph display component, a numerical display component, and the like. These display components may be realized by markup data describing front-end structure, style data describing decoration, code describing dynamic processing, and the like. In this embodiment, flows are realized by flow templates. A flow template is prepared in advance for each application and has one or more operation blocks in which parameters specified by the user are set. Dashboards are also realized by templates. A dashboard template has one or more display components that have parameters specified by the user. Parameters are a wide variety of information such as dashboard names, device names, numerical values, and unit variable names. A unit variable is a variable for the expansion unit 4a to hold the flow execution result.

The CPU 41a stores the flow and dashboard setting data received from the PC 2a in the memory 42a. The CPU 41a executes the flow according to the setting data, collects the device values, and creates display data for displaying on the dashboard. The CPU 41a communicates with the PC 2b via the communication section 43 and the cable 9b. The CPU 41a transmits dashboard display data to the PC 2b. As a result, the PC2b displays a dashboard containing various data regarding the PLC1.

The HMI 16 may also be connected to the communication section 43 and communicate with the CPU 41a via the communication section 43 . The CPU 41a stores display data in a predetermined buffer or device. The HMI 16 reads display data from a predetermined buffer or device and displays the display data.

FIG. 28 is a diagram for explaining functions realized by the CPU 11 of the PC 2a. The project creating section 250 is a function realized by the CPU 11 executing the project editing program 14a. The project creation unit 250 includes a control program creation unit 252 , a flow/dashboard creation unit 251 and a collection setting unit 257 . The project creation unit 250 creates project data 75 including user programs such as ladder programs in accordance with user instructions input through the operation unit 8 .

The control program creation unit 252 creates a control program 155 such as a ladder program to be executed by the CPU 31 according to user instructions input through the operation unit 8 . Control program 155 is stored in storage device 12 as part of project data 75 .

The flow/dashboard creating unit 251 is a function realized by the CPU 11 executing the flow/dashboard editing program 14e. The flow/dashboard creation unit 251 includes an application selection unit 255 and a setting data creation unit 256 . The application selection unit 255 displays a selection screen on the display unit 7 to assist the user in selecting one application from a plurality of applications (data utilization programs), and accepts selection of the application by the user. Applications include a real-time monitoring application that monitors devices and variables to be monitored in real time, and an operation record analysis application that analyzes operation records to reproduce the operation state of the PLC 1 and generates an analysis report. good too. Further, as an application, there may be a calculation application for calculating KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) such as the availability rate, non-defective product rate, or cycle time.

The setting data creation unit 256 creates application setting data 274b including parameters related to the application (data utilization program) selected by the user and parameters related to dashboard display settings, in accordance with user instructions. These parameters include, for example, monitored devices or variables, monitored item names (e.g., process names), monitoring conditions for each monitored target, files to be analyzed, devices to be analyzed, analysis target periods, display targets, It is the name of the display part, the unit, and the like. The setting data creating unit 256 may provide the PLC 1 with information necessary for creating the application setting data 274b in a file format such as CSV. The setting data creating unit 256 may read the provided file such as CSV and create the application setting data 274b. Setting data creation unit 256 extracts a template for displaying the dashboard selected by the user. For example, a dashboard template 271 a is extracted from the dashboard template 271 and saved in the setting data 273 . The dashboard template 271 has various display components (graph modules) for realizing the dashboard. Setting data creation unit 256 extracts a template of a data utilization program that executes data processing required to display data on the dashboard selected by the user. For example, the utilization program template 272 a is extracted from the utilization program template 272 and stored in the setting data 273 . The utilization program template 272 has operation components (program modules) for executing data processing. The setting data creation unit 256 creates setting data 273 including a dashboard template, a data utilization program template, and application setting data 274b set in these templates, and stores them in the storage device 12 . Note that the setting data creation unit 256 may create collection setting data 274a including devices or variables to be collected, collection conditions, and the like.

The setting data creation unit 256 may create another application that refers to the measurement result of the monitored object calculated in the real-time monitoring application. The measurement result of the monitored object calculated by the real-time monitoring application is output to a predetermined variable for each measurement result. The setting data creating unit 256 sets other applications and applications newly created by the user so as to refer to the variables indicating the measurement results. The measurement results to be monitored calculated in the real-time monitoring application include time results such as the processing time of each process, the time between the preceding process and the following process, the time indicating the length of the entire process, time series data ( waveform data), a feature amount of a camera image, and the like. The setting data creation unit 256 may configure the dashboard created by the user so as to refer to the variables indicating the measurement results. Note that the measurement result of the monitored object calculated by the real-time monitoring application may be stored in the database. This may be accomplished by coordinating a real-time monitoring application with database functionality.

The collection setting unit 257 defines collection operations for devices and variables according to user instructions. Furthermore, the collection setting unit 257 creates collection setting data 274a including devices or variables to be collected, collection conditions, and the like. The collection setting data 274 a may be included in the setting data 273 . The collection setting unit 257 and the setting data creation unit 256 may be integrated into one.

The transfer section 260 transfers the project data 75 to the basic unit 3 and the setting data 273 to the expansion unit 4a. The web browser 60 is implemented by the CPU 11 executing the web browser program 14d.

FIG. 29 shows functions realized by the CPU 41a of the expansion unit 4a. Some or all of the functionality of the extension unit 4a described below may be implemented in the base unit 3. The setting unit 280 stores the setting data 273 received from the PC 2a in the memory 42a. The setting section 280 may set what kind of device values should be collected for the basic unit 3 according to the setting data 273 . The setting data 273 includes a dashboard template 271a, a utilization program template 272a, collection setting data 274a and application setting data 274b. The collection setting data 274a may be passed from the PC 2a to the expansion unit 4a while being assigned to the dashboard template 271a and the utilization program template 272a, or may be passed to the PC 2a while being separated from the dashboard template 271a and the utilization program template 272a. to the expansion unit 4a. The flow execution part 281 is a function realized by the CPU 41a executing the flow in the utilization program template 272a according to the collection setting data 274a. The collection unit 282 collects the device values specified by the collection setting data 274a from the basic unit 3 and the expansion unit 4b, creates the collected data 275, and stores it in the memory 42a. The data processing unit 283 applies the data processing specified by the collection setting data 274a to the collected data 275, creates analyzed data 276, and stores it in the memory 42a. The display processing unit 284 generates dashboard display data 277 (eg, HTML data, image data, CSS (cascading style sheet), JavaScript ( (registered trademark) code). The web server 82 provides the dashboard display data 277 to the web browser 60 such as the PC 2b.

FIG. 30 is a diagram for explaining other functions realized by the CPU 41a of the expansion unit 4a. Some or all of the functionality of the extension unit 4a described below may be implemented in the base unit 3. Here, the expansion unit 4a provides a setting editing function such as a dashboard to the PC 2b by means of web-based technology. Note that the setting editing function may be invoked and executed from the dashboard. The setting editing function may also be provided in the PC 2a, which is a program creation support device. It should be noted that the same reference numerals are given to the same functions as those already explained, and the explanation of such functions will be omitted.

The setting unit 280 has the flow dashboard creation unit 251 described above. The flow/dashboard creating unit 251 is a function realized by the CPU 41a executing the flow/dashboard editing program 14e. The flow/dashboard editing program 14e may cause the CPU 41a to function as a web processing unit that communicates with a so-called web browser 60 via the web server 82 to provide a display screen and receive input. The application selection unit 255 displays a selection screen for assisting the user in selecting one dashboard from a plurality of dashboards (real-time monitoring applications) on the display unit 7b of the PC 2b via the Web server 82, and displays the selection screen on the display unit 7b of the PC 2b. Accept board selection. The setting data creation unit 256 accepts, via the web server 82, user specifications of parameters related to the flow associated with the dashboard selected by the user and parameters related to dashboard display settings. The parameters include the device to be collected, the device to be analyzed, the period to be analyzed, the display object, the name of the display part, the unit, and the like. The setting data creating unit 256 extracts from the dashboard template 271 a dashboard template 271 a for displaying the dashboard selected by the user. The dashboard template 271 has various display components (graph modules) for realizing the dashboard. The setting data creation unit 256 extracts from the utilization program template 272 a utilization program template 272 a that executes data processing required to display data on the dashboard selected by the user. The utilization program template 272 has operation components (program modules) for executing data processing. The flow dashboard creating unit 251 may also create the collection setting data 274 a and the application setting data 274 b described above in accordance with user instructions input from the web browser 60 . The setting data creating unit 256 creates setting data 273 including a dashboard template 271a, a utilization program template 272a, collection setting data 274a and application setting data 274b, and stores them in the memory 42a.

FIG. 31 shows additional functions implemented in the expansion unit 4a.

The notification unit 290 has a function of issuing a notification to the peripheral device based on the determination result of the flow execution unit 281 (analysis unit 254). Peripherals are the HMI 16, PCs 2a and 2b, and the like. The application notification unit 291 is a function of notifying the peripheral device that the monitoring state of the real-time monitoring application has changed from the normal state to the caution state or alarm state. A real-time monitoring application is an application that displays device values on a display screen while a user program (ladder program) is being executed in the PLC 1 . Real-time monitoring applications are distinguished from applications that only display past device values stored on a memory card or the like. A real-time monitoring application may also include the ability to display these historical device values.

The event registration unit 292 is a function for registering in the basic unit 3 as an event that the monitoring state of the monitoring application has changed from a normal state to a caution state or an alarm state. The CPU 31 of the basic unit 3 has a function of saving error and event history. The event registration unit 292 requests the CPU 31 of the basic unit 3 to register an event by transmitting a communication command via the internal bus 90 .

The driving record storage unit 293 is a function that requests the CPU 31 of the basic unit 3 to store the collected device values (driving records). The CPU 31 stores device values in a ring buffer or the like for each scan time of the ladder program. The CPU 41a of the expansion unit 4a acquires and analyzes this device value and determines whether or not the storage conditions are satisfied. When the storage condition is satisfied, driving record storage unit 293 transmits a storage request to CPU 31 via internal bus 90 . The CPU 31 stores the device value stored in the ring buffer as a driving record in accordance with the storage request. The flow executing unit 281 (analyzing unit 254 ) may acquire analysis results by reading and analyzing the driving records from the basic unit 3 and store the analysis results in the analyzed data 276 .

Here, the operating record may be a record of the operating state of the PLC 1 at the scan time level. For example, the operation record may be to record the symbol values of all the symbols related to the operation of the PLC 1 and their collection times in chronological order for each scan. All symbols related to operation may be, for example, all symbols (eg variables, devices) used in user programs such as ladder programs, or included in program units or unit units selected by the user. Any symbol is acceptable. In this case, the symbols to be the target of the operation record may be collectively selected in significant units such as program units or unit units. Symbols that are targets of driving records may be added or removed (added or deleted) individually. For example, when a trouble occurs, an operation record may be generated in which the symbol values of all symbols related to the operation of the PLC 1 around the trouble occurrence time and their collection times are recorded in time series for each scan. Based on the driving record, the user will be able to accurately grasp what happened when the trouble occurred even later. Driving records may contain a lot of information to reconstruct the situation at that time. If there is a lot of information, the data volume of the driving record becomes large, making it difficult to handle the driving record (data processing, etc.) and burdening the collection of the driving record. Therefore, the symbols to be collected can be selected by the user on a program-by-program or unit-by-unit basis.

In addition to the symbols, the driving record may include time-series camera images together with their imaging times. As a result, for example, when a trouble occurs, the user will be able to accurately grasp what happened around the time when the trouble occurred even afterward. In particular, the inclusion of camera images showing changes in the appearance of equipment in the driving record would be useful in grasping the situation. Therefore, camera images may be recorded in conjunction with the time series of execution of the user program. A writing history from an external device such as an HMI (Human Machine Interface) or a PC or a writing history from a PLC may be included in the driving record as change point events. As a result, for example, the user can confirm in chronological order what kinds of change point events occurred before and after the trouble occurred. Additionally, the driving record may include project data. By including the project data at the time when the driving record data was generated in the driving record, even if there are multiple versions of the project data, the situation can be changed according to the project data that was actually used when the driving record data was generated. can be reproduced. Driving records may include analytical reports. By including an analysis report including the analysis results obtained by analyzing the driving record data in the driving records, it is possible to link the analysis results and the driving record data.

The history storage unit 294 is a function that stores device values, dashboard display data (charts and graphs), and thresholds acquired when a caution state or alarm state occurs as a history. These histories are useful for reproducing unusual actions that occurred in the past on the display screen.

The data processing unit 283 may have a function of performing statistical processing on collected data 275 (device values, etc.). The trend graph creating unit 253 a creates a trend graph from the collected data 275 . For example, the trend graph creation unit 253a selects a statistic value (maximum value, average value or minimum value) for each specified number of device values included in the collected data 275, and and the time information indicating the time when this statistical value was collected are linked and accumulated. Since one measured value is selected from the specified number of measured values and stored, a data compression effect can be obtained. Increasing the specified number reduces the amount of data that is stored, resulting in data showing longer-term trends.

The histogram creation unit 253b creates a distribution of the specified number of device values included in the collected data 275. FIG. For example, a distribution can be obtained for several hundred recently collected measurements.

The analysis unit 254 analyzes whether or not the symbol values collected by the collection means according to the application program satisfy normal conditions set for the application program. This allows the analysis unit 254 to detect an unusual situation regarding the symbol values. Normal conditions include, for example, thresholds used to detect caution and alarm conditions.

The flow dashboard creation unit 251 may have a threshold setting unit 258 and a bank switching unit 259 . The threshold setting unit 258 is a function that assists the user in setting thresholds used to detect caution and alarm states. For example, the threshold setting unit 258 may perform learning based on device values collected in the past and propose thresholds to the user based on the learning results. The bank switching unit 259 prepares a threshold set (bank) in advance according to the type of product manufactured under the control of the PLC 1, and switches the threshold set when the type of product is changed.

The flow execution section 281 may have a stop/resume section 286 and an application error detection section 287 . The stop/restart unit 286 is a function that temporarily stops the monitoring application and restarts the operation of the monitoring application. A surveillance application may store various data by accessing the memory card. Data can be corrupted if the memory card is removed while the surveillance application is accessing it. Therefore, the monitoring application should be stopped when the memory card is removed. In addition, the operation of the actuator may not stabilize until a certain period of time has elapsed since the power was turned on. During such periods, the monitoring application should not monitor the actuator. Therefore, upon receiving a monitoring application stop request from the PC 2a, PC 2b, or the like, the stop/restart unit 286 temporarily stops the operation of the monitoring application. When the stop/restart unit 286 receives a restart request for the monitoring application from the PC 2a, PC 2b, etc., it restarts the operation of the monitoring application. The application error detection unit 287 detects an error in the monitoring application itself and notifies the peripheral device of the occurrence of the error. For example, the application error detection unit 287 issues a notification to the peripheral device when the device or variable to be monitored is specified incorrectly, or when the free space of the memory card for saving the monitoring results is insufficient. Application error detection unit 287 may be included in reporting unit 290 .

Real-Time Monitoring Applications Several real-time monitoring applications that provide dashboards are described below. Such applications monitor monitored devices and variables in real time. Real-time monitoring applications may include:
(I) Process monitoring (cycle chart): Cycle operation refers to repeatedly executing a plurality of processes for each cycle. In cycle monitoring, a bit device indicating start timing and a bit device indicating end timing of each of a plurality of steps constituting a cycle operation are set as devices to be monitored. The time interval from the start to the end of the entire cycle operation and the time interval from the start to the end of each step within a cycle are monitored. A full cycle operation refers to the entirety of one cycle. For example, it may be monitored whether the time from the start trigger to the end trigger (process time) is within a specified range. When the monitoring results of a plurality of processes are displayed at the same time, it becomes easier for the user to confirm which of the processes is the bottleneck. When an abnormality occurs in a certain process, monitoring results (charts) are saved not only for that process but also for other processes executed before and after that process.
(II) Timing monitoring: The ON and/or OFF timing of the monitored bit device is monitored. For example, it is monitored whether the time from the start trigger to the end trigger is within a specified range. In timing monitoring, when an abnormality occurs in a certain process, only the monitoring result (chart) of that process is saved.
(III) Waveform upper/lower limit monitoring: Whether the waveform (monitoring target waveform) consisting of time-series device values (or analog values stored in variables) is within the preset range from the upper limit value to the lower limit value is monitored.
(IV) Waveform guard band monitoring: A waveform (monitored waveform) composed of time series device values (or analog values stored in variables) is monitored in time series to see if it falls within a predetermined guard band. be. A guard band is a strip-shaped range surrounded by two threshold waveforms. A guard band may be defined by upper or lower limits that change over time. That is, the guard band may be defined by the upper limit value of the time series and the lower limit value of the time series.
(V) Camera monitoring: It is monitored whether the feature amount data (eg, luminance, color difference blue, color difference red, etc.) of the camera image to be monitored satisfies preset detection conditions. If the field device 10 is a camera, a camera surveillance application is executed.

The real-time monitoring application is an application for constant monitoring based on the symbol values of the symbols of the PLC 1. For example, according to the settings of the real-time monitoring application, the symbol values of one or more symbols are constantly collected at the scan time level, and the collected symbols It is an application that constantly displays value-based information while updating it in real time. One or more symbols to be constantly monitored are set in advance by the user. The real-time monitoring application has a Web server function, for example, and can be set from a general-purpose browser via the communication unit 43 . By being able to set from a general-purpose browser, it is possible to set or monitor from a PC, smartphone, or tablet without going through a dedicated tool such as a program creation support device. In addition, the real-time monitoring application automatically sets a threshold corresponding to one or more symbols to be constantly monitored based on symbol values of a plurality of cycles in normal times. For example, the real-time monitoring application accepts user instructions and automatically sets threshold values for monitoring symbol states collectively based on variations in symbol values of multiple cycles in normal times for multiple symbols to be constantly monitored. set. A threshold is set to monitor anomalous or abnormal conditions, and the real-time monitoring application issues an alarm if the symbol value of the monitored symbol exceeds the threshold. In this way, for example, the PLC 1 can catch the symptom before the installation stops. The PLC 1 may set an alarm when a symbol value of a symbol to be monitored exceeds a threshold value as a result of symptom monitoring by a real-time monitoring application as a driving record storage condition. The PLC 1 saves the driving record data before and after the trigger by using the occurrence of an alarm by the real-time monitoring application as an event trigger. The PLC 1 turns on the storage completion device when the storage of the driving record data is completed. The driving record analysis application may automatically analyze the driving record data upon completion of saving the driving record data. For example, the drive record analysis application may analyze drive record data in response to turning on the save completion device. The driving record analysis application analyzes the symbol values of the symbols to be analyzed (for example, the device values of all bit devices), and extracts the symbol of the cause candidate for the alert. In this way, the driving record analysis application automatically analyzes the driving record data stored by the real-time monitoring application for the cause of the alarm generation, and extracts unusual symbols from the driving record data. As a result, the CPU 41a constantly monitors the state of the facility using the symptom monitoring function of the real-time monitoring application, and issues an alert based on the change factor. Furthermore, the CPU 41a automatically analyzes alert factors and extracts unusual symbols. In other words, the PLC 1 constantly monitors symbol values to monitor symptoms of the equipment to be controlled, notifies the symptoms before the equipment to be controlled is stopped by an alarm, and automatically analyzes the factors of the symptoms.

[Details of process monitoring application]
FIG. 32 shows the dashboard 300 of the process monitoring application displayed on the PC 2b. Dashboard 300 is displayed by web browser 60 according to display data 277, for example. The dashboard 300 may be displayed on the display device by software different from the web browser, such as the PC 2a or the HMI 16. FIG. The dashboard 300 is a display screen (user interface) that displays monitoring results in real time. The operation display unit 301 displays whether the process monitoring application is in operation or stopped. The switch button 302 is a button for instructing the stop/resume unit 286 to switch the operating state of the process monitoring application between active and stopped. The switch button 302 may switch on/off of the test run mode as well as operating/non-operating the application. The trial operation mode is a mode in which the determination of the alarm state and caution state is executed and the determination results are displayed, but the determination results are not recorded as history. A history button 303 is a button for instructing the history saving unit 294 to save the currently displayed information (measured values, charts, etc.) as a history. A setting button 304 is a button for calling a setting wizard of the process monitoring application. A ratio button 305 is a button for requesting the display processing unit 284 to display the measured value of each process (the time from the start trigger to the end trigger) as a ratio for each process. Thus, the display data 277 includes display components that implement control objects such as buttons.

Status display area 306a indicates whether the measured value is a normal status, a caution status, or an alarm status alert. The item name display area 306b displays the name of each process. The measurement display area 306c displays the measurement of the time from the start trigger to the end trigger. The chart display area 306d displays the measured value as a bar-shaped object 307a. The chart display area 306d displays the upper and lower limits for determining whether the measured value is in the alarm state and the upper and lower limits for determining whether the measured value is in the caution state as vertical line objects 307c. You may Furthermore, the chart display area 306d may display learning results or master data of measured values specified by the user as bar-shaped objects 307b. The master data object 307b may be visually differentiated from the measurement object 307a by being given hatching, for example. A details button 308 is a button for instructing display of details of the measured value (eg, trend graph, histogram).

In FIG. 32, the chart display area 306d displays measured values in a synchronous mode (cutout mode). The synchronous mode is a mode in which the measured values of each process are displayed starting from the timing of the start trigger in the entire cycle operation. In synchronous mode, the chart display area 306d displays measured values and master data for each full cycle. Measurements are updated in real time. Therefore, the object 307a indicating the measured value of the entire cycle gradually extends from left to right as time elapses. When a start trigger is generated for each process, the object 307a indicating the measured value of that process gradually extends from left to right as time elapses. When the end trigger occurs, object 307b stops growing. Note that the master data object 307b is always displayed as an object with a fixed length.

Thus, the display data 277 has display parts for realizing the plurality of display areas 306 . In addition, since the display processing unit 284 updates the display data 277 over time, the information displayed on the dashboard 300 is also updated.

FIG. 33 shows the dashboard 300 of the process monitoring application in asynchronous mode. In the asynchronous mode, among the measured values of the duration of each process, the latest measured value is displayed as a bar-shaped object 307d moving from right to left. Past measurements are displayed as dashed bar-shaped objects 307e. That is, when a start trigger is detected for a certain process, the object 307d extends from the right end to the left end of the chart display area 306d. When an end trigger is detected for that process, the extension of object 307d stops because the measurement is fixed. Object 307d then moves to the left over time while maintaining a constant length corresponding to the measured value. Note that when the object 307d reaches the left end of the chart display area 306d, the object 307d cannot move further to the left, so the object 307d is displayed so as to shrink over time.

The chart display area 306d may display measurements for consecutive full cycles. For example, for a certain process, the shorter the distance from the right end of the object 307e showing the past measured value to the left end of the object 307d showing the next measured value, the less time margin there is for that process and the overall cycle. It can be visually seen that it is a bottleneck in

The colors of objects 307a, 307b, 307d, 307e may differ according to normal, caution and alarm states. For example, a normal state may be green, a caution state yellow, an alarm state red, and so on.

FIG. 34 shows the percentage display mode invoked by the percentage button 305. FIG. In the percentage display mode, for example, the objects 307a and 307b are normalized such that the larger of the upper limit of the warning state and the upper limit of the caution state is 70% of the entire length of the chart display area 306d. This mode displays the Alternatively, a mode in which the objects 307a and 307b are normalized and displayed so that the smaller of the lower limit value of the warning state and the lower limit value of the caution state is 30% of the entire length of the chart display area 306d. may be Alternatively, a mode may be used in which the objects 307a and 307b are normalized and displayed so that the master data is 50% of the entire length of the chart display area 306d. Alternatively, a mode may be used in which the objects 307a and 307b are normalized and displayed with a predetermined maximum monitoring time set to 100%. Specific numerical values defining the ratio are merely examples. Display settings for the percentage display mode (such as parameters indicating percentages) may also be selected or specified by the user in the configuration wizard described below.

In FIG. 34, a notification display area 309 is provided to indicate that an application error has occurred. If no application error has occurred, the notification display area 309 may display normal or nothing. A notification is issued when the application error detector 287 detects an application error. The notification display area 309 displays an error message (notification content) together with an error code, date and time of occurrence, etc. based on this notification.

In FIG. 34, a bank switching button 391 is provided. A bank switching button 391 is a button for designating one of a plurality of banks to the bank switching unit 259 . If a bank has not yet been created by the user, and the bank switching button 391 is pressed, the bank switching unit 259 displays a new bank creation screen on the display unit 7, and the bank identification information (eg, bank number or bank name) may be accepted. Thus, the memory 42a stores a plurality of banks. Multiple banks may be part of configuration data 273 .

Each bank is associated with a caution state threshold setting, an alarm state threshold setting, and a chart display setting (eg, trend graph creation and display settings, histogram creation and display settings). Therefore, by switching the bank, these settings can also be switched collectively.

FIG. 35 shows a detail screen 310 displayed by pressing the detail button 308 . Upon receiving information indicating that the details button 308 has been pressed via the web server 82 , the display processing unit 284 transmits display data for displaying the details screen 310 to the web browser 60 via the web server 82 . Note that the display data for displaying the detailed screen 310 may be part of the display data 277 .

A status display area 311 indicates the status of the process selected by the detail button 308 . The date and time display area 312 indicates the date and time when the state indicated in the state display area 311 occurred. A return button 313 is a button for instructing to return to the dashboard 300 from the detailed screen 310 . Details of the status of the process selected by detail button 308 are shown in display areas 306a-306d. The ratio button 305 may be provided in the chart display area 306d.

The detailed display area 314 displays a histogram when the button 316a is pressed, and displays a trend graph when the button 316b is pressed. The histogram display area 315 displays the histogram of the most recent data and the histogram of the master data so that they can be compared. The histogram display area 315 may display thresholds (upper and lower limits) for alarm and caution states as vertical lines. The statistical value display area 317a displays the statistical values (the number of data, the maximum value, the minimum value and the average value) of the most recent data. The statistical value display area 317b displays the statistical values of the master data (number of data, maximum value, minimum value and average value).

The monitoring item setting display area 318 displays item names (process names) set as monitoring items, monitoring methods, bit devices that serve as start triggers, bit devices that serve as end triggers, and the like. The edit button 320a is a button for instructing editing of settings of monitoring items. When the edit button 320a is pressed, the CPU 41a (the display processing section 284 and the setting section 280) of the expansion unit 4a may display a setting editing screen on the PC 2b.

The threshold setting display area 319 displays the thresholds (upper limit and lower limit) of the warning state and caution state. The edit button 320b is a button for instructing editing of threshold settings. When the edit button 320b is pressed, the CPU 41a of the expansion unit 4a may display an edit screen for threshold setting on the PC 2b. The threshold automatic setting button 321 is a button for instructing the CPU 41a (threshold setting unit 258) of the expansion unit 4a to automatically set the threshold.

FIG. 36 shows a detail screen 310 displayed by pressing the detail button 308 . Here, since the button 316b is pressed, the detailed display area 314 displays the trend graph in the trend graph display area 323. FIG. The trend graph display area 323 may display a line indicating the trend of the maximum value, a line indicating the trend of the average value, and a line indicating the trend of the minimum value. Furthermore, the thresholds (upper limit and lower limit) of the warning state and caution state may be displayed by horizontal lines.

●Setting Wizard FIG. 37 shows a selection screen 330 displayed on the display unit 7 of the PC 2 when setting these real-time monitoring applications. Almost the same selection screen 330 is displayed on the PC 2a and the PC 2b. The selection screen 330 may be displayed on either one of the PC 2a and the PC 2b. When the flow/dashboard creation unit 251 detects that the button 331a has been pressed, the display unit 7 displays a setting wizard for setting the process monitoring application. When the flow/dashboard creation unit 251 detects that the button 331b has been pressed, the display unit 7 displays a setting wizard for setting the timing monitoring application. When the flow/dashboard creation unit 251 detects that the button 331c has been pressed, the display unit 7 displays a setting wizard for setting the waveform upper/lower limit monitoring application. When the flow/dashboard creation unit 251 detects that the button 331d has been pressed, the display unit 7 displays a setting wizard for setting the waveform guard band monitoring application. When the flow/dashboard creation unit 251 detects that the button 331e has been pressed, the display unit 7 displays a setting wizard for setting the camera monitoring application. Buttons 331 a to 331 e are operated by pointer 103 .

FIG. 38 shows a configuration wizard 340 for configuring the process monitoring application. The application name setting unit 341 accepts designation of identification information and a name of a real-time monitoring application to be set. The application name setting unit 341 may receive an application name for each application ID (=0, 1, 2, . . . ), for example. Furthermore, the application name setting unit 341 may accept input of application names for each of a plurality of languages.

The maximum monitoring time input unit 342 receives input of the time during which device values and the like are continuously monitored by the real-time monitoring application. The display mode selection menu 343 is a menu for receiving selection of a chart display mode in the chart display area 306d. Here, either the synchronous mode or the asynchronous mode described above is selected. The monitoring method setting unit 345a receives setting of a monitoring method for each process. The start specification of the monitoring method means a monitoring method in which the period from the input of a certain start trigger to the input of the next start trigger is set as the monitoring period. The start/end designation means a monitoring method in which the period from the input of the start trigger to the input of the end trigger is set as the monitoring period. The item name setting section 345b receives an input of the process name. The start trigger setting unit 345c accepts designation of a bit device that serves as a start trigger. The termination trigger setting unit 345d accepts designation of a bit device that serves as an termination trigger. If the monitoring method is "specified start", setting the end trigger is unnecessary. The monitoring enabler 345e receives a designation as to whether process monitoring is enabled or disabled. The caution state threshold value setting unit 345f receives designation of the upper limit value and the lower limit value of the caution state. The warning state threshold value setting unit 345g receives designation of the upper limit value and the lower limit value of the caution state. Although not shown in FIG. 38, a master data setting section and a detailed setting section (eg, a threshold automatic setting button, an input section for the number of data used to create a trend graph), etc. may be added. .

Of the setting information received by the setting wizard 340, the setting information received by the start trigger setting section 345c, the end trigger setting section 345d, etc. is appropriately selected by understanding the user program executed by the basic unit 3. FIG. However, the creator of the user program may be different from the configurator of the real-time monitoring application. In this case, the configurator of the real-time monitoring application would not understand the user program. Therefore, a bit device that serves as a start trigger and a bit device that serves as an end trigger may be input in a file format. Start and end triggers for the overall process and start and end triggers for individual processes may be entered in a file format containing structured data such as CSV. Also, parameters for multiple applications may be entered collectively in a file format containing structured data. The multiple applications may include a driving record analysis application and a real-time monitoring application, and may include a process monitoring application and a timing monitoring application among the real-time monitoring applications. The parameters are the item name, trigger type (use only the start trigger or use both start and end triggers), device name of the start trigger, and conditions for which one is determined to be triggered), the device name of the end trigger, and the condition for trigger establishment.

When the synchronous mode is selected as the display mode, a reception section may be further displayed for receiving designation of the item name or the number of the item as a reference for synchronous display.

The language setting button 346 is a button for setting which set of a plurality of comment sets is assigned. For example, language setting is performed such that Japanese is assigned to comment set number 1, and English is assigned to comment set number 2. Note that the application name is also entered in association with the language setting. For example, if the comment set number 1 is set to Japanese, the application name set to the comment set number 1 is written in Japanese.

The translation button 347 is a button for requesting the CPU 41a to translate a word written in a certain language in a certain comment set into a word in another selected language in another comment set. When the user specifies the language before translation, the language after translation, and the number of the comment set to which the translation result is to be output, the CPU 41a executes translation to create a comment set. The CPU 41a may receive from the user a specification of dictionary data to be used for translation.

The setting save button 348 is a button for commanding the CPU 41a to give a file name to the setting data input through the setting wizard 340 and save the setting data. The setting read button 349 is a button for commanding the CPU 41 a to read setting data stored in advance and reflect it in the setting wizard 340 .

Automatic Threshold Setting When the threshold setting unit 258 detects that the automatic threshold setting button 321 shown in FIG. Automatically set thresholds all at once. Here, automatic setting means eliminating the need for the user to manually input at least some of all the thresholds that need to be set. The threshold value setting unit 258 may receive input of conditions necessary for calculation of automatic setting. Here, the conditions may include designation of measurement data used for threshold calculation and designation of a threshold calculation method (calculation rule). As the measurement data, accumulated measurement data for displaying a histogram may be designated, or new measurement data may be designated. In the latter case, when the threshold setting unit 258 detects that an execution button (not shown) has been pressed, it starts measuring data, acquires new measurement data, and uses it for threshold calculation.

FIG. 39 shows a condition setting screen 350 displayed on the display unit 7 of the PC 2b by the threshold setting unit 258. As shown in FIG. In this example, a calculation method selection menu is provided for each threshold value. In this example, it is selected that the upper limit (eg +σ) and the lower limit (eg −σ) of the alert state are set using the standard deviation σ of the measured data. When using the standard deviation σ, it is easy to set an appropriate threshold under stable conditions with little long-term offset such as drift. On the other hand, in consideration of the long-term offset, the maximum and minimum values of the measurement data may be used to set the upper and lower limits. For example, the threshold value setting unit 258 may set the upper limit value and the lower limit value by multiplying the maximum value and the minimum value by coefficients such as 1.1 or 0.9. As for the alarm state, it is selected to set the upper limit (eg +3σ) and the lower limit (eg −3σ) of the caution state using the standard deviation σ of the measured data. A setting method using maximum and minimum values may be prepared for the alarm state as well as for the caution state. As for the master value, the average value of the measured data is adopted. In this way, a plurality of calculation methods are proposed by the selection menu, and one calculation method selected by the user is used for automatically setting the threshold. Note that when the user specifies a threshold value, the checkbox is unchecked.

Monitoring Item Setting FIG. 40 shows a monitoring item manual setting screen 400 displayed when the edit button 320a is pressed. In this example, a toggle switch 401 is provided to instruct whether monitoring is enabled or disabled. The manual setting unit 402 accepts from the user the specification of the monitoring method, item name (process name), start trigger, and end trigger. The setting unit 280 stores information input through the manual setting screen 400 in the setting data 273 .

Threshold Manual Setting FIG. 41 shows a threshold manual setting screen 410 displayed when the edit button 320b is pressed. The threshold input unit 411 accepts manual input of master values in addition to thresholds (upper and lower limits) for caution and alarm states. The setting unit 280 stores information input through the manual setting screen 410 in the setting data 273 .

● System Settings FIG. 42 shows the System Settings tab 360 included in the Settings Wizard 340 . The driving record setting section 361 has a check box for designating whether or not to save the driving record, and a driving record ID designating section. When this check box is checked, the driving record storage unit 293 is activated. The details button 365a is a button for accepting detailed settings regarding driving records. For example, a screen for setting driving record storage conditions may be displayed. In this setting screen, as a saving condition, you can choose to save driving records only when a caution state occurs, save driving records only when an alarm state occurs, or save driving records only when either a caution state or an alarm state occurs. When to save the driving record is selected.

The event registration setting section 362 has a check box for receiving a setting as to whether or not to register the caution state or alarm state in the CPU event/error history of the basic unit 3 . When the check box is checked, the event registration portion 292 described above is activated. The details button 365b is a button for accepting detailed settings regarding the event/error history. When the details button 365b is pressed, a screen for setting conditions for registering event/error history is displayed. A choice is made to perform or to perform registration when either a caution condition or an alarm condition occurs.

As for data setting, the memory card setting unit 363 includes a check box for specifying whether or not the memory card is used as a storage destination for driving records, a menu for specifying which unit the memory card is attached to, and a menu. have.

The history data setting unit 364 displays a designation unit for receiving designation of the amount of chart data to be saved by the history storage unit 294 after the occurrence of the caution state or the alarm state, a designation unit for the maximum number of history records to be saved, and a trend graph. and a check box for specifying whether to retain data for

The advanced setting unit 366 sets the upper limit of the number of monitoring items (the number of processes to be monitored), the upper limit of the length of the item name character string, and the upper limit of the length of the variable name specified by the start trigger/end trigger. It accepts specification of values, etc. Information input through the system setting tab 360 is stored in the setting data 273 by the setting unit 280 .

●Another Example of Dashboard FIG. 43 shows another example of the dashboard 300 . The same reference numerals are given to the display parts already explained, and the explanation thereof is omitted. The dashboard 300 shown in FIG. 43 has a threshold display area 306e for displaying threshold values (upper limit and lower limit) for the caution state and a threshold display area 306f for displaying threshold values (upper limit and lower limit) for the alarm state. include. These display the upper limit value and the lower limit value as numerical values. When the threshold automatic setting button 321 is pressed on the dashboard 300 shown in FIG. 43 as well, the condition setting screen 350 shown in FIG. 39 is displayed, and the thresholds for all items are automatically set according to the specified conditions. Other buttons and displays are as described in connection with FIG.

Application Operation Switching Screen FIG. 44 shows a screen 420 for switching application operations. The screen 420 is displayed on the display unit 7 of the PC 2b by the stop/restart unit 286 when the switch button 302 is pressed. The switch 421 is a switch that instructs the stop/resume unit 286 to switch the operating state of the application between running and stopped. A switch 422 is a switch that instructs the stop/restart unit 286 to switch the test run mode between enabled and disabled.

●Relationship between measured data and master data in the chart FIG. 45 shows the chart in the synchronous mode. Hatched bar-shaped objects indicate master data. A blank bar-shaped object indicates the duration (measurement result) of each step. In this example, the start trigger for the entire cycle is on at time t0. At time t1, the transfer process for the master data is started. On the other hand, after that, at time t2, the transfer process for the measurement data is started. Time t3 corresponds to the lower limit of the alarm state with reference to time t2. Time t4 corresponds to the lower limit of the attention state with reference to time t2. Time t5 is the time when the transfer process in the master data ends and the time when the processing process starts. Time t6 corresponds to the upper limit value of the caution state with reference to time t2 for the transport process. Time t7 corresponds to the upper limit value of the caution state with reference to time t2 for the transport process. In practice, times t1 to t7 are managed as lengths of time. For example, the lower limit value of the alarm state for the transport process is stored in advance as the length of time T1 from time t2 to time t3. The lower limit value of the attention state for the transport process is stored in advance as the length of time T2 from time t2 to time t4. The upper limit of the caution state for the transport process is stored in advance as a time length T3 from time t2 to time t6. The upper limit value of the alarm state for the transport process is stored in advance as the length of time T4 from time t2 to time t7. Since the time t2 changes each time, when the time t2 is determined, the time lengths T1 to T4 are added to the time t2 to determine the display position of each threshold value.

A bar-shaped object indicating the time length (measured value) of each step may be colored according to the state. Similarly, the vertical lines indicating the threshold for each state may also be colored accordingly. For example, normal conditions may be colored green, caution conditions may be colored yellow, and alarm conditions may be colored red.

The display range is set to (1) the maximum monitoring time of the entire cycle, or (2) the maximum value among the threshold value, the master value (master data), and the measurement value (measurement data) of the previous entire cycle. . (1) is a case in which neither the threshold nor the master value is set. (2) is the case where either the threshold value or the master value is set.

[Timing monitoring application details]
The timing monitor application is a scaled-down version of the process monitor application described above. For example, a process monitoring application has a synchronous mode, an asynchronous mode, and a percentage display mode, but a timing monitoring application has only a percentage display mode. Also, in the process monitoring application, when a history saving event occurs, the charts of all processes are saved as history, but in the timing monitoring application, only the chart of the process that caused the history saving event is saved. Timing monitoring applications are primarily used to monitor the operation of actuators (eg, air cylinders). In other words, the timing monitoring application is prepared independently of the process monitoring application so that the user can easily understand the difference between the usage of the process monitoring application and the usage of the timing monitoring application. Therefore, the monitoring method that can be executed by the timing monitoring application can also be executed by the process monitoring application. The reduced functionality in the timing monitoring application also simplifies the configuration wizard. This would improve usability.

FIG. 46 shows the setting wizard 340 of the timing monitor application. The setting wizard 340 for the timing monitoring application is also substantially the same as the setting wizard 340 for the process monitoring application. Since the display mode is fixed to the ratio display mode, the display mode selection menu is omitted. On the other hand, a setting section 345h is provided for receiving the setting of the maximum monitoring time for each process. The maximum monitoring time in the timing monitoring application is the timeout period of the termination trigger. In the process monitoring application, one maximum monitoring time is set for the entire cycle, but in the timing monitoring application, the maximum monitoring time is set for each process.

[Waveform Upper/Lower Limit Monitoring Application]
Upper/Lower Limit Monitoring FIG. 47 is a diagram for explaining a monitoring method (upper/lower limit monitoring) in the waveform upper/lower limit monitoring application. The horizontal axis indicates time. The vertical axis indicates the magnitude of the measured value. Upper/lower limit monitoring is a method of monitoring whether all of the time-series measured values measured within a certain measurement time are equal to or less than the upper limit and equal to or greater than the lower limit. Here, the upper limit value and the lower limit value may be two thresholds set for the warning state, or may be two thresholds set for the caution state. In FIG. 47, the normal range is the range below the upper limit and above the lower limit. When the measured value exceeds the upper limit value of the alarm state, the CPU 41a determines that the upper limit NG has occurred and issues an alarm notification. NG means bad (abnormal). When the measured value falls below the lower limit of the alarm state, the CPU 41a determines that the lower limit NG has occurred and issues an alarm notification. Note that similar determination processing and notification processing are executed for the caution state as well.

Monitoring of Peak (Bottom) Upper and Lower Limits FIG. 48 is a diagram for explaining a monitoring method (monitoring of peak (bottom) upper and lower limits) in a waveform upper and lower limit monitoring application. The horizontal axis indicates time. The vertical axis indicates measured values. Peak (bottom) upper/lower limit monitoring is a method of monitoring whether the peak value (or bottom value) of the time-series measured values measured within a certain measurement time is below the upper limit and above the lower limit. be. Here, the upper limit value and the lower limit value may be two thresholds set for the warning state, or may be two thresholds set for the caution state. In FIG. 48, the normal range is the range below the upper limit and above the lower limit. If the peak value (or bottom value) is not within the normal range, the CPU 41a (analysis unit 254, application notification unit 291) determines that the peak value (or bottom value) is NG, and issues an alarm notification. do. Note that similar determination processing and notification processing are executed for the caution state as well. The measurement time is specified in advance by the user. The measurement time is, for example, timed from the rising edge (falling edge) of the start trigger. In FIG. 48, since the peak value measured at the measurement time does not reach the normal range, the analysis unit 254 determines that an NG peak value has occurred, and the application notification unit 291 issues a notification. In the case of FIG. 48, the timing at which the analysis unit 254 determines NG is the end of the measurement time.

FIG. 49 shows another example of peak (bottom) upper and lower limit monitoring. In FIG. 49, the measured value deviates from the normal range during the measurement time. In this case, the CPU 41a (analysis unit 254, application notification unit 291) issues a notification that the peak value exceeds the upper limit at the timing when the measured value exceeds the upper limit. In this way, when the upper and lower limits of the peak value are being monitored, a NG notification is issued at the timing when the measured value exceeds the upper limit.

Note that when the bottom value is monitored for the upper and lower limits of the bottom value, if the bottom value does not fall within the upper limit value and the lower limit value during the measurement time, the CPU 41a notifies NG. The determination timing in this case is the end timing of the measurement time. On the other hand, when the measured value falls below the lower limit during the measurement time, the CPU 41a immediately issues an NG notification.

Timing Upper/Lower Limit Monitoring FIG. 50 is a diagram for explaining timing upper/lower limit monitoring. Timing upper and lower limit monitoring refers to monitoring the change timing of the measured value. The change timing is, for example, the timing at which the measured value exceeds a threshold (trigger level).

The CPU 41a (analysis unit 254) determines whether the timing at which the measured value exceeds the threshold (trigger level) is within the normal range. That is, if the timing at which the measured value exceeds the trigger level is equal to or greater than the lower limit value and equal to or less than the upper limit value, the CPU 41a determines normal. In FIG. 50, the timing at which the measured value exceeds the trigger level exceeds the upper limit value, so the CPU 41a (application notification unit 291) issues a notification of NG. The determination timing in this case is the timing corresponding to the upper limit value.

FIG. 51 shows the case where the measured value did not exceed the trigger level within the normal range. Since the measured value did not reach the trigger level within the normal range, the CPU 41a (analysis unit 254, application notification unit 291) issues an NG notification. The determination timing in this case is the timing corresponding to the upper limit value.

FIG. 52 shows the UI of the detailed display area 314 in the waveform upper/lower limit monitoring application. In the waveform upper/lower limit monitoring application, a button 316c for instructing waveform display is provided in the detailed display area 314 of the UI shown in FIG. Buttons 316a-316c may be implemented as tabs.

When the button 316c is pressed, the CPU 41a (display processing unit 284) displays a waveform, which is time-series data of measured values, in the waveform display area 505. FIG. In this example, the length of the horizontal axis (display range) of the waveform display area 505 corresponds to one measurement time. The vertical axis (display range) of the waveform display area 505 is determined by the CPU 41a based on the maximum and minimum values of past measurements. In other words, the scale of the vertical axis is set so that the maximum and minimum values of the past measured values do not protrude from the display range. The CPU 41 a may display thresholds for the alarm state and caution state in the waveform display area 505 . The CPU 41 a may display a cursor 506 in the waveform display area 505 . A cursor 506 can be moved in the direction of the horizontal axis according to a user operation, and designates the collection time (collection timing) of the measured value displayed on the tool tip 507 . A tooltip 507 displays current and past measurements at the same elapsed time relative to the start trigger. The display control 503 may include a control object that instructs the CPU 41a to stop or restart updating the display of the waveform display area 505. FIG. The display control 503 may include a control object that instructs the CPU 41 a to enlarge or reduce the horizontal axis (time axis) of the waveform display area 505 . The CPU 41a may accept an operation to move the enlarged display range, and move the waveform display range in accordance with the movement operation.

Although multiple waveforms are displayed in synchronous mode in FIG. 52, waveforms may be displayed in asynchronous mode. For example, when the waveform extraction method is not set, the CPU 41 a displays the latest measured value at the right end of the waveform display area 505 . When the latest measured value is updated, the CPU 41a displays the latest measured value on the right end of the waveform display area 505 and displays past measured values on the left side thereof. As a result, the waveform is displayed so that the waveform moves from the right end to the left end of the waveform display area 505 . Also in this case, the display range of the horizontal axis of the waveform display area 505 may be set according to the maximum monitoring time. The CPU 41a (display processing unit 284, setting unit 280) may adjust the display range of the vertical axis according to the maximum and minimum values of the plurality of measured values obtained so far.

The CPU 41 a (display processing unit 284 ) may display the threshold of each state in the waveform display area 505 . In this case, the CPU 41a may set different display colors for the current measured value, the past measured value, and the threshold value for each state.

●Monitoring Method FIG. 53 shows the relationship between the monitoring method (waveform extraction method) and the judgment method in the waveform upper/lower limit monitoring application. "Only the start trigger" is a monitoring method in which the measurement time (monitoring time) is the time from one start trigger to the next start trigger. The "start trigger/end trigger" is a monitoring method in which the time from the start trigger to the end trigger is the measurement time (monitoring time). “Start trigger/monitoring time” is a monitoring method in which a predetermined period of time starting from a start trigger is set as a monitoring time. “Continuous monitoring” is a method of constantly monitoring. "Sample trigger" is a method of monitoring a value only at the moment when a certain sample trigger is entered.

As shown in FIG. 53, there are five waveform display patterns by combining the monitoring method and the state determination method. In the first pattern, the waveform does not move, and the left end of the waveform display area 505 corresponds to the generation time of the start trigger. The position of the right end of the waveform display area 505 is the position corresponding to the maximum range among the waveform extraction ranges (monitoring times) applied to waveforms acquired in the past. When the generation timing of each trigger is aperiodic, variations occur in the waveform extraction range (monitoring time). Therefore, the position of the right end of the waveform display area 505 may be set according to this variation. One or more past waveforms may be displayed in the waveform display area 505 in addition to the latest waveform. Also, a threshold value corresponding to each state may be displayed as a horizontal bar.

The second pattern is a technique in which the waveform is continuously displayed in the waveform display area 505 so as to move from the right end to the left end. The display range on the horizontal axis of the waveform display area 505 is the maximum measurement time preset by the user. A threshold corresponding to each state is displayed as a horizontal bar.

A third pattern is a technique in which the waveform is continuously displayed in the waveform display area 505 so as to move from the right end to the left end. The display range on the horizontal axis of the waveform display area 505 is the maximum measurement time preset by the user. A threshold corresponding to each state is displayed as a horizontal bar.

In the fourth pattern, the waveform does not move, and the left end of the waveform display area 505 corresponds to the generation time of the start trigger. The right end position of the waveform display area 505 is the end position of the waveform extraction range (monitoring time). One or more past waveforms may be displayed in the waveform display area 505 in addition to the latest waveform. Also, the threshold corresponding to each state is displayed as a horizontal bar.

In the fifth pattern, the waveform does not move, and the left end of the waveform display area 505 corresponds to the generation time of the start trigger. The right end position of the waveform display area 505 is the end position of the waveform extraction range (monitoring time). One or more past waveforms may be displayed in the waveform display area 505 in addition to the latest waveform. Also, the threshold corresponding to each state is displayed as a vertical bar. Furthermore, a horizontal bar indicating the trigger level used for determination is also displayed at the change timing.

FIG. 54 shows the setup wizard 340 for the waveform bounds monitoring application. Parts already described are provided with the same reference numerals.

The determination method setting unit 510a accepts the setting of any one of the waveform determination methods described above. The monitoring target setting unit 510c receives settings such as a unit to be monitored, a device (or variable), and a data type. The collection cycle setting unit 510d receives the setting of the collection cycle (eg, fixed cycle or scan time) for the monitoring target. When fixed cycle is selected, setting such as specific cycle length (eg, 50 milliseconds) is accepted. The monitoring method setting unit 510e selects one of the above-described monitoring methods (eg, start trigger only, start trigger/end trigger, etc.). The specified condition setting unit 510f accepts settings such as the trigger device, trigger signal timing (falling edge, rising edge), monitoring time, and the like. The change timing setting unit 510g receives the trigger level and conditions for the trigger level when the determination method is change timing (timing upper/lower limit monitoring). Conditions for the trigger level mean, for example, comparing the time required for the measured value to exceed (or fall below) the trigger level (measurement time) with the upper limit or lower limit of each state. For example, "above" or "below" may be selected as a condition for the trigger level.

Although omitted in FIG. 54, a monitoring enabler 345e may be provided for receiving designation of whether to enable or disable monitoring for each item. Also, a detail setting button or the like may be provided. When the detail setting button is pressed, for example, the setting of the number of digits after the decimal point of the numerical value displayed on the dashboard may be accepted.

[Waveform guard band monitoring application]
Waveform guard band monitoring refers to monitoring whether a waveform composed of measured values falls within a normal range (guard band) defined by an upper limit waveform and a lower limit waveform. The upper limit waveform and lower limit waveform may be called a guard band waveform (threshold waveform). Note that the waveform guard band monitoring application and the waveform upper/lower limit monitoring application are almost common applications. However, these differ in the threshold value in the determination method. In waveform bound monitoring applications, the threshold is specified as a constant value. On the other hand, in waveform guardband monitoring applications, the threshold is specified as a waveform. Additionally, waveform guardband monitoring applications use only the start trigger/measurement time as a monitoring technique. This is because the temporal length of the measured waveform and the temporal length of the threshold waveform must match in order to compare the measured waveform with the threshold waveform. In the waveform upper/lower limit monitoring application, one of the five types of patterns shown in FIG. 53 is used.

FIG. 55 shows the waveform displayed in the waveform display area 505 of the waveform guardband monitoring application. The CPU 41a synchronizes the threshold waveform and the measured waveform with the start trigger as a reference, and compares the measured value and the threshold waveform acquired over time. In this example, the normal range is a belt-like range (guard band) between the upper limit waveform and the lower limit waveform. In FIG. 55, the measured value exceeds the upper limit waveform at a certain timing, so the CPU 41a (the analysis unit 254 and the application notification unit 291) determines that the upper limit NG has occurred and issues a notification. In FIG. 55, since the measured value is below the lower limit waveform at yet another timing, the CPU 41a determines that the lower limit NG has occurred and issues a notification.

●Method of Setting Threshold Waveform FIG. 56 shows a method of setting a threshold waveform (computation rule). The vertical axis indicates values and the horizontal axis indicates time. The CPU 41a (threshold value setting unit 258) determines the upper limit waveform and the lower limit waveform based on the past measurement data and the allowable value width mv specified in advance by the user. The past measurement data may be one-time measurement data, or may be average value data of a plurality of measurement data. In this example, the upper limit value waveform Uth(t) is calculated by adding the allowable value width mv to the past measured value M(t). Similarly, the lower limit value waveform Lth(t) is calculated by subtracting the allowable value width mv from the past measured value M(t).

FIG. 57 shows another threshold waveform setting method (computation rule). In this example, the upper limit value waveform Uth(t) and the lower limit value waveform Lth(t) obtained using the value allowable width mv are transformed using the time allowable width mt. For example, when the allowable time width mt is 2, the new upper limit waveform Uth'(t) is obtained as follows. First, the maximum value Uth_max(t) among Uth(t-2), Uth(t-1), Uth(t), Uth(t+1), and Uth(t+2) is obtained. Uth_max(3) is 7 when t=3. Therefore, Uth'(3) is determined to be 7.

A new lower limit waveform Lth'(t) is obtained as follows. When the allowable time width mt is 2, the minimum value Lth_min(t) among Lth(t−2), Lth(t−1), Lth(t), Lth(t+1), and Lth(t+2) is obtained. be done. When t=3, Lth_min(3) is -1. Therefore, Lth'(3) is determined to be -1.

Thus, the upper bound Uth'(t) at some time t is the number of mt+1 measurements (Uth, if a value tolerance mv is used) taken between times t−mt and t+mt. is determined to be the maximum value. Similarly, the lower bound Lth′(t) at a given time t is defined as is determined to be the minimum value of

FIG. 58 shows still another method of setting the threshold waveform. The CPU 41a (threshold value setting unit 258) determines the upper limit value Uth(t) and the lower limit value Lth(t) for the free curve drawn based on the trajectory of the pointer 103 interlocked with the operation of the operation unit 8 of the PC 2b. You may For example, the CPU 41a may save the coordinate data of the trajectory (free curve) of the pointer 103 as a file in CSV format. The CPU 41a creates a file path by combining the application ID and the monitoring item number, and saves the CSV format file of the file path. As a result, a file in CSV format that includes the upper limit value and the lower limit value for each combination of monitoring application and monitoring item is saved.

FIG. 59 shows the UI of the detailed display area 314 in the waveform guardband monitoring application. FIG. 59 differs from FIG. 52 in that the threshold for each state is set as a waveform. Other display methods in the waveform guard band monitoring application are the same as those of the waveform upper/lower limit monitoring application. For example, in addition to the current waveform, three previously measured waveforms may also be displayed.

As described above, the monitoring strategy for waveform guardband monitoring applications is defined by a start trigger and a measurement time. However, in rare cases, the monitoring method is not set by the user. In this case, the CPU 41 a (display processing unit 284 ) updates the display over time so that the latest measured value of the measured waveform is displayed at the right end of the waveform display area 505 . That is, the waveform moves from the right end to the left end of the waveform display area 505 as in the asynchronous mode. The CPU 41a may display the threshold waveform in each state together with the measured waveform with reference to the start trigger. Note that the display range of the horizontal axis of the waveform display area 505 is set to the maximum monitoring time previously determined by the user.

FIG. 60 shows the configuration wizard 340 for the waveform guardband monitoring application. Parts already described are provided with the same reference numerals. The setting unit 280 displays a setting wizard 340 on the PC 2b and accepts various settings. The start trigger setting unit 520a accepts settings such as a device that serves as a start trigger. The measurement time setting section 520b accepts the setting of the measurement time (monitoring time) based on the start trigger. The threshold specifying method setting unit 520c receives setting of a threshold specifying method. As described above, the user may select either the method of specifying the allowable width (value allowable width and time allowable width) and the past measurement data, or the method of specifying the threshold waveform using a free-form curve. . Other methods are also an option if other methods are implemented. The permissible width setting unit 520d receives settings of the permissible value width mv and the permissible time width mt regarding the caution state. The permissible width setting unit 520e receives the setting of the permissible value width mv and the permissible time width mt regarding the alarm state. The permissible width setting section 520d and the permissible width setting section 520e receive a common value permissible width mv and time permissible width mt for the upper threshold waveform and the lower threshold waveform, but this is only an example. The value tolerance mv and time tolerance mt for the upper threshold waveform and the value tolerance mv and time tolerance mt for the lower threshold waveform may be received separately.

[flowchart]
●Process Monitoring Application and Timing Monitoring Application FIG. 61 is a flow chart showing monitoring processing executed by the CPU 41a of the expansion unit 4a. As mentioned above, the timing monitor application is a subset of the process monitor application, so the following describes processing that applies to both applications. Also, the monitoring application includes a data utilization program executed by the expansion unit 4a and a web application executed by the web browser of the PC 2b.

In S41, the CPU 41a (collection unit 282) monitors devices or variables corresponding to the start trigger and end trigger according to the setting data 273. FIG. The setting data 273 holds the name of the device or variable used as the start trigger and the predetermined value stored in the device or variable. The start condition may be set such that the timing at which the value of the device or variable changes to a predetermined value is the start timing, or that the change in the device or variable is a rising edge or a falling edge. The same is true for termination triggers. The CPU 41a (collection unit 282) collects device values to be collected specified by the setting data 273 by executing a data utilization program based on the setting data 273, and stores them as collected data 276 in the memory 42a. Here, the collected data 276 may be time-series data collected at different times. Aside from the data utilization program, a collection program that executes the collection operation according to the collection setting data 274a in the setting data 273 may be provided.

In S42, the CPU 41a (data processing unit 283) executes the data utilization program designated by the utilization program template 272. FIG. The CPU 41a (data processing unit 283) executes the data utilization program to determine time information from the timing when the start trigger condition is satisfied to the timing when the end trigger condition is satisfied based on the collected data 275 (device value). do. The CPU 41a (data processing unit 283) monitors whether the devices and variables set as monitoring targets satisfy conditions such as a rising edge. Here, the timing that satisfies the condition, that is, the timing that satisfies the condition of the start trigger, is monitored. The CPU 41a (data processing unit 283) monitors whether the devices and variables set as monitoring targets satisfy conditions such as a rising edge. Here, the timing that satisfies the condition of the end trigger, that is, the timing that satisfies the condition of the end trigger is monitored. The time information determined by the CPU 41a (data processing unit 283) may be the time width (measurement time) from the timing when the condition of the start trigger is satisfied to the timing when the condition of the end trigger is satisfied.

In S<b>43 , the CPU 41 a (data processing unit 283 ) determines the state based on the time information determined in S<b>42 and the determination threshold set according to the setting data 273 . The CPU 41a (data processing unit 283) executes this determination by executing the data utilization program. Upper and lower limits may be set for caution and alarm states as decision thresholds. In this case, the CPU 41a (data processing unit 283) determines whether or not the determined time information, which is the measured value, exceeds the upper limit value. Further, the CPU 41a (data processing unit 283) determines whether or not the determined time information is below the lower limit. Conditions to be monitored may include a normal condition, a caution condition, and an alarm condition. A cautionary state and a warning state are distinguished based on the deviation of the measured value from the normal state. The difference between the normal state measurement value (normal value) and the alarm state measurement value (alarm value) is greater than the difference between the normal state measurement value and the caution state measurement value (caution value). Therefore, the threshold for the warning state is set to a value that deviates from the normal value more than the threshold for the caution state. A caution state threshold and a warning state threshold may each be set as an upper limit. In this case, the CPU 41a (data processing unit 283) determines the state of the monitoring target to be the "normal state" when the determined time information is equal to or less than the caution state threshold. The CPU 41a (data processing unit 283) determines the state of the monitoring target to be the "caution state" when the determined time information exceeds the caution state threshold and is equal to or less than the alarm state threshold. The CPU 41a (data processing unit 283) determines the state of the monitored object to be an "alarm state" when the determined time information exceeds the alarm state threshold. Thereby, the analyzed data 276 is created and stored in the memory 42a.

A caution state threshold and an alarm state threshold may each be set as a lower limit. In this case, the CPU 41a (data processing unit 283) determines the state of the monitoring target to be the "normal state" when the determined time information is equal to or greater than the caution state threshold. The CPU 41a (data processing unit 283) determines the state of the monitoring target to be the "caution state" when the determined time information is less than the caution state threshold and is equal to or greater than the alarm state threshold. The CPU 41a (data processing unit 283) determines the state of the monitoring target to be "alarm state" when the determined time information is less than the threshold for the alarm state. Thereby, the analyzed data 276 is created and stored in the memory 42a.

A caution state threshold and an alarm state threshold may be set by upper and lower limits, respectively. In this case, the CPU 41a (data processing unit 283) determines the state of the monitoring target when the determined time information is equal to or greater than the lower limit value of the caution state and the determined time information is equal to or less than the upper threshold value of the caution state. Determined as "normal". The CPU 41a (data processing unit 283) determines the state of the monitoring target to be the "caution state" when the determined time information is less than the upper limit value of the warning state and equal to or greater than the upper limit threshold value of the caution state. Similarly, the CPU 41a (data processing unit 283) determines the state of the monitoring target to be the "caution state" when the determined time information is less than the lower limit value of the caution state and is equal to or greater than the lower limit value of the alarm state. . The CPU 41a (data processing unit 283) determines the state of the monitoring target when the determined time information is less than the lower threshold of the alarm state or exceeds the upper threshold of the alarm state. Determined as "alarm state". Thereby, the analyzed data 276 is created and stored in the memory 42a.

In S44, the CPU 41a (display processing unit 284) generates dashboard display data 277 including the time information determined in S42, the determination threshold value, and the state of the monitoring target determined in S43. The CPU 41 a (display processing unit 284 ) reflects the time information, the determination threshold value, and the determined monitoring target state based on the dashboard template 271 and the setting data 273 to the variables assigned to the dashboard template 271 . For example, the CPU 41a creates the display data 277 so that the measured value indicating the time width from the timing when the condition of the start trigger is satisfied to the timing when the condition of the end trigger is satisfied is displayed in the form of a bar graph in the chart display area 306d. . Display data 277 may be created as part of a web application. This time and the time from the timing when the condition of the start trigger is satisfied to the timing when the condition of the end trigger is satisfied may be displayed in a strip shape. As a result, a dashboard showing not only the time width but also the timing within the cycle at which each monitored object is operating in the control of the cycle operation is displayed. The CPU 41a may create the display data 277 by periodically updating the data to be displayed. The CPU 41 a creates display data 277 using display target data such as collected data 275 and/or analyzed data 276 .

In S45, the CPU 41a (Web server 82) provides the display data 277 to the PC 2b. The CPU 41a may display the display data 277 on the display of the PLC 1 (HMI 16). The display of PLC1 may be built in PLC1, or may be connected to PLC1 by wire or wirelessly.

●Waveform Upper/Lower Limit Monitoring Application and Waveform Guard Band Monitoring Application FIG. 62 is a flow chart showing monitoring processing relating to the waveform monitoring application. In FIG. 62, the same reference numerals are assigned to the processes common to those in FIG. 61, and the description thereof will be omitted. After S41 described above, the CPU 41a proceeds to S52.

In S52, the CPU 41a (data processing unit 283) cuts out data during the monitoring period from the timing when the condition of the start trigger is satisfied to the timing when the condition of the end trigger is satisfied based on the data 275 (device value) collected according to the setting data 273. Obtain the feature value of the waveform. The feature quantity of the upper/lower limit monitoring application is the measured value itself. The feature value for peak upper/lower limit monitoring is the maximum value (peak value) of all measured values measured during the monitoring period. The feature quantity for monitoring the bottom upper and lower limits is the minimum value (bottom value) of all measured values measured during the monitoring period. The characteristic amount of change timing monitoring is the time from when the start trigger is turned on to the measurement time when the measured value first exceeds the trigger level.

In S53, the CPU 41a (data processing unit 283) determines the state based on the feature amount and the determination threshold. The determination threshold varies depending on the determination method. For example, in a waveform guardband monitoring application, decision thresholds are provided as waveform data (such as a file in CSV format). As described in S43, the state of the monitoring target item is classified into a normal state, a caution state, or a warning state by comparing the feature amount and the determination threshold (the upper limit value and the lower limit value that are the threshold values of each state). be.

In S54, the CPU 41a (display processing unit 284) generates display data 277 for displaying the determination threshold value, waveform (measured value or feature amount), and determined information (determination result) on the dashboard. Display data 277 of dashboard 300 is provided to PC 2a, PC 2b or HMI 16 in S45.

[Details of KPI calculation application]
FIG. 64 shows the dashboard 550 of the KPI calculation application displayed on the PC 2b. The KPI calculation application may calculate the KPI for the production preparation period, for example. The KPI calculation application dashboard 550 displays the calculated KPIs. Here, KPI includes KPI for a certain period of time. For example, output per hour, availability rate, non-defective product rate, cycle time, etc. may be included. The KPI calculation application may calculate, in addition to the KPI, the achievement rate for the target of the KPI and display the achievement rate. The KPI for a certain period of time may be a KPI in the measurement period from when the measurement start button 551 is displayed on the dashboard 550 of the KPI calculation application and when the measurement end button 552 is pressed. In this way, the KPI in the measurement period specified by user input may be calculated. Alternatively, a device that defines the measurement period may be set. In this case, the KPI in the measurement period determined according to the set device value of the device will be calculated.

The dashboard 550 of the KPI calculation application has a KPI item display section 560 and a measurement result display section 570 . The item display section 560 displays, as KPI items, items related to yield measurement, items related to average CT (cycle time), items related to the rate of non-defective products, and items related to availability. The measurement result display unit 570 displays the raw data (measurement results) used for calculating the KPI. The measurement results may include measurement start time, measurement end time, elapsed time, operating time, cycle time, the number of cycle time measurements, the number of product discharges, the number of non-defective products, the number of defective products, and the like. The dashboard 550 of the KPI calculation application displays KPIs calculated based on measured values from the start of measurement to the current time, from the start of measurement to the end of measurement. After the measurement is finished, the dashboard 550 displays the KPI calculated based on the measured values from the start of the measurement to the end of the measurement. The dashboard 550 displays the measurement start time based on user input or device input in the start time display column. The dashboard 550 displays the measurement end time based on user input or device input in the end time display field. The dashboard 550 displays the elapsed time from the start of measurement to the current time in the display column of the elapsed time. The end time display field may indicate that the measurement is in progress if the measurement has not yet ended.

The KPI calculation application (flow/dashboard creation unit 251) receives parameter settings for calculating each item of the KPI. The flow dashboard creation unit 251 generates, for example, an operation signal indicating that the production facility is in operation, a discharge signal indicating that the product has been discharged from the production facility, the number of pieces taken per cycle, and , the specification of the device corresponding to each of the defective numbers is accepted. A bit device that turns ON during operation may be specified as the operation signal. A bit device that turns ON each time a product is discharged may be specified as the discharge signal. A constant indicating the number of cycles taken or a word device storing a constant may be designated as the number of cycles taken. A device that stores the number of defects per cycle may be designated as the number of defects per cycle.

As the cycle time, the time (measured value) of the entire cycle measured in the process monitoring application may be specified. The KPI calculation application acquires the values measured by other applications, that is, the cycle time and the number of cycle time measurements. The KPI calculation application may automatically acquire the measurement values of the entire cycle and the number of cycle time measurements from the process monitoring application. The number of cycle time measurements counted from the start to the end of the entire cycle as one measurement. Therefore, the number of cycle time measurements indicates the number of repetitions of the entire cycle.

The dashboard 550 displays the operating time, which is measured based on the ON time of the bit device that is ON during operation, in the operating time display field. The dashboard 550 displays the current cycle time automatically acquired from the process monitoring application in the current CT display field, and displays the number of cycle time measurements in the CT count display field. The dashboard 550 displays the ON count of the bit device that is turned ON each time the product is discharged in the discharge signal ON display column. The dashboard 550 displays the number of non-defective products in the display column for the number of non-defective products and the number of defective products in the display column for the number of defective products. The number of non-defective products is a cumulative number obtained by adding the number obtained by subtracting the number of defective products per cycle from the number of products taken per cycle each time the discharge signal is turned ON. The number of defects is a cumulative number obtained by adding the number of defects per cycle each time the discharge signal is turned ON.

The item display section 560 of the dashboard 550 may display each target value input by the user, each item of KPI calculated based on the measurement results, and the achievement rate corresponding to each item, together with the graph of the achievement rate. good. The achievement rate for each item indicates the actual value (calculated KPI) for each goal of each KPI item. The turnover corresponds to the number of non-defective products. The average CT is obtained by dividing the cumulative value of the measured values for the entire cycle by the number of cycle time measurements. The non-defective product rate is obtained by dividing the number of non-defective products by the total production volume. The total number of production is the cumulative number obtained by adding the number of pieces taken per cycle each time the discharge signal is turned on. In the example of FIG. 64, the number of times the ejection signal is turned ON is 163 times. The number of pieces is 12. The number of non-defective products is 1917. Therefore, the non-defective product rate is calculated as 1917/(163×12). The availability ratio is obtained by dividing the operating time by the elapsed time. In addition to the real-time screen described above, the dashboard 550 of the KPI calculation application displays a setting button 404 for displaying a setting screen for setting the KPI calculation application and a history screen for displaying past history. may have a history display button 403 for

<Summary of Second Embodiment>
[Viewpoint 1]
The storage device 32 and memories 42a and 42b may be used as storage means for storing application programs. The CPUs 31, 41a, 41b may function as execution means for executing application programs.

The collecting unit 282 is an example of collecting means for collecting symbol values stored in symbols, which are devices or variables to be collected according to an application program. The flow executing unit 281 (analyzing unit 254) determines or analyzes whether the symbol values collected by the collecting means according to the application program satisfy the normal conditions set for the application program, thereby obtaining symbol values It may function as a determination means or an analysis means for detecting unusual situations with respect to. The display processing unit 284 functions as generation means for generating a display screen (eg, dashboard 300) including determination results or analysis results and information indicating symbol values collected by the collection means according to the application program. The dashboard 300 may be displayed on any of the PC 2a that is a program creation support device, the PC 2b that has a web browser, or the HMI 16. FIG. The display data 277 required to display the display screen may be an image or video, or may be implemented as a web application. Symbol values may also be collected and displayed in real time. That is, while the display screen is displayed, the symbol values may be updated and displayed in real time.

[Viewpoint 2]
Determination means or analysis means (eg, flow execution unit 281) determines or analyzes whether the duration of the process executed by PLC 1 (eg, time from start trigger to end trigger) satisfies normal conditions. good too. Note that the duration may be called monitoring time or measurement time.

[Viewpoint 3]
The symbol values (eg, device values or values stored in variables) may include a start device device value that indicates the start of the process and an end device device value that indicates the end of the process. The duration may be the time from when the device value of the start device changes to when the device value of the end device changes. The duration may be the time from the first start trigger to the second start trigger. The second start trigger is the next start trigger after the first start trigger. Also, the duration may be a predetermined time starting from the first start trigger.

[Viewpoint 4]
Collection means (eg, collection unit 282) is used to determine the duration of each of a plurality of processes (eg, overall cycle, transport process, processing process, inspection process, discharge process, etc.) that constitute one operation cycle. symbol values may be collected. The generation means (eg, the display processing unit 284) may be configured to generate a display screen for displaying the duration of each of the plurality of steps.

[Viewpoint 5]
The display screen displays a graphical object (e.g., bar-shaped object) suggesting the duration for each of the plurality of steps and a graphical object suggesting master data against which the duration for each of the plurality of steps is contrasted. may be configured to Since the master data is data indicating the same state as usual, the user can easily recognize in which process an unusual event occurs.

[Viewpoint 6]
As described with respect to the asynchronous mode, graphical objects may appear to move in one direction on the display screen over time. As described with respect to the synchronous mode, graphical objects may be displayed starting from a predetermined position on the display screen and extending in one direction.

[Viewpoint 7]
The display screen may be configured to display graphical objects indicating normal conditions (eg, vertical lines, horizontal lines, waveforms, bands) along with the graphical objects.

[Viewpoint 8]
The notification unit 290 may function as notification means for issuing a notification when the symbol value satisfies a notification condition set by the user.

[Viewpoint 9]
The notification means may be configured to send a notification to the peripheral device displaying the display screen. As illustrated in FIG. 43 and the like, the application notification unit 291 may display notifications on the dashboard 300 . As illustrated in FIG. 63 , the application notification unit 291 may display a dialog 531 overlaid on the dashboard 530 . Dialog 531 may include a message indicating that the application's monitoring state has changed from a normal state to a caution state or an alert state. When a plurality of notifications occur at intervals, the application notification unit 291 may display only the latest notification in the dialog 531 for each monitoring application. A clear button 532 may be provided in the dialog 531 . The application notification unit 291 may erase the dialog 531 upon detecting that the clear button 532 has been pressed by the user. The application notification unit 291 may hold notifications for each monitored device. When the clear button 532 is pressed, the application notification unit 291 may delete all notifications regarding the monitored device linked to the dialog 531 including the clear button 532 . It should be noted that the dashboards 300 and 530 may not be displayed on the PC 2b or the like when the notification regarding the monitoring target device is generated. In this case, when the dashboards 300 and 530 are displayed on the PC 2b, the application notification unit 291 may display a dialog 531 indicating the previously held notifications on the PC 2b. The CPU 11 and HMI 16 of the PCs 2a and 2b may poll the application notification unit 291 to acquire notification and display the dialog 531. FIG. A display link 533 is a link for calling the dashboards 300 and 530 of the monitoring application that monitors the device notified by the dialog 531 . Upon detecting that the display link 533 has been pressed, the display processing unit 284 transmits the display data 277 of the dashboards 300 and 530 linked to the display link 533 to the PC 2b via the web server 82 . As a result, a chart showing device values when the notification occurs is displayed on the dashboards 300 and 530 .

[Viewpoint 10]
The event registration unit 292 may function as registration means for registering a history of errors or events occurring in the PLC 1 . The event registration unit 292 may be configured to register in the history when a symbol value satisfies a registration condition (eg, caution state or alarm state). For example, this history may be held by the CPU 31 of the basic unit 3 . The event registration unit 292 may request the CPU 31 via the internal bus 90 to register the event in the history. Also, the function of the event registration unit 292 may be implemented by the CPU 31 .

[Viewpoint 11]
The driving record storage unit 293 functions as driving record storage means for storing the symbol value as a driving record when the symbol value satisfies a storage condition (eg, caution state or alarm state). In this case, the CPU 41a (flow execution unit 281) may analyze the driving record, create an analysis report showing the analysis results, and display the report on the peripheral device.

[Viewpoint 12]
The history storage unit 294 functions as a history storage unit that, when a symbol value deviating from normal conditions is detected, stores the symbol value, normal conditions, and display screen as a history. For example, when a symbol value deviating from normal conditions is detected, not only the symbol value but also the display data 277 for that symbol value may be saved.

[Viewpoints 13 and 14]
As shown in FIG. 36, the display screen may include a trend graph showing the trend over time determined from the symbol values or the symbol values. As shown in FIG. 35, the display screen may include a histogram of symbol values or times determined from the symbol values.

[Viewpoints 15 and 16]
The setting unit 280, the setting wizard 340, and the like function as setting means for setting normal conditions. As described with reference to FIGS. 56 and 57, the setting means (threshold value setting unit 258) is configured to apply a predetermined calculation rule to symbol values obtained in advance to create a normal condition. good too. For example, the threshold setting unit 258 may use a calculation rule specified by the user as the predetermined calculation rule.

[Viewpoint 17]
The memory 42a may function as condition storage means for storing a plurality of condition sets each having different normal conditions. The bank switching unit 259 may function as selection means for selecting one condition set from a plurality of condition sets stored in the condition storage means in accordance with user instructions. This would allow normal conditions to be easily changed. A plurality of condition sets may be prepared, for example, for each type of product manufactured on a manufacturing line controlled by PLC1.

[Viewpoint 18]
The stop/resume unit 286 and switching button 302 are an example of input means for inputting an instruction for stopping or resuming the execution of the application program. Stop/resume unit 286 stops execution of the application program when an instruction to stop the execution of the application program is input. When an instruction for resuming execution of the application program is input, the stop/resume unit 286 resumes execution of the application program. This allows the user to easily instruct the stop and restart of the application program.

[Viewpoint 19]
The application error detector 287 may be configured to detect an event that prevents normal execution of the application program and report the event. Such an event is that a device not used by a ladder program or the like is designated as a device to be monitored. In addition, it may be detected as a kind of error that a variable designated as a monitoring target is not described in the user program. Insufficient free space in the memory card designated as the storage destination of the collected data 275 and the analyzed data 276 may also be detected as a kind of error. This is because any of these errors will interfere with normal execution of the application program.

[Viewpoint 20]
As shown in FIG. 47, FIG. 52, etc., the generation means (display processing unit 284) may generate a display screen to display a plurality of symbol values collected as time-series data by the collection means as waveforms.

[Viewpoint 21]
As shown in FIG. 52, the generating means (display processing unit 284) generates a first waveform (bold line) representing a plurality of symbol values collected as time-series data by the collecting means during the first collecting period, and a first A second waveform (thin line) representing a plurality of symbol values collected as time-series data by the collection means during a second collection period earlier than the collection period may be superimposed and displayed. The first waveform may be latched by the user performing a latch operation while the first waveform is being displayed, and the latched waveform may be used as the second waveform. This will help the user contrast the current waveform with some past waveforms.

[Viewpoint 22]
The generation means (display processing unit 284) generates a line indicating a threshold included in the normal condition, which is a threshold for regulating the peak value or bottom value of the waveform (eg, upper limit or lower limit of caution state or alarm state). may be generated to display along with the waveform. This will make it easier for the user to visually understand how much margin the peak value and bottom value have with respect to the threshold.

[Viewpoint 23]
As shown in FIGS. 50 and 51, the generating means (display processing unit 284) sets a threshold included in the normal condition, which is a threshold for regulating the timing when the symbol value exceeds a predetermined value (eg, trigger level). A display screen may be generated to display the indicated line along with the waveform.

[Viewpoint 24]
As described with reference to FIGS. 56 and 57, the threshold setting unit 258 may function as threshold determination means for determining a threshold waveform, which is a set of thresholds, based on a measured waveform based on symbol values and user input. good. User input may include, for example, a factor (eg, value tolerance mv) to be added or subtracted from the measured waveform. The user input is a waveform section (e.g., time tolerance mt) considered for determining the threshold value of the timing of interest in the threshold waveform among the plurality of symbol values that make up the measured waveform, and is before and after the timing of interest. may include designation information that designates the waveform section of . This makes it possible to easily set the threshold.

[Viewpoint 27]
As shown in FIG. 58, the threshold setting unit 258 may function as threshold determination means for determining a threshold waveform, which is a set of thresholds, based on a free-form curve drawn by the user.

3. Third Embodiment According to the first embodiment, the operating state of the PLC 1 is recorded as the operation record 74, the analysis report 110 is created based on the operation record 74 when the event occurs, and the analysis report 110 is displayed on the analysis screen. be done. On the other hand, according to the second embodiment, a monitoring screen (eg, dashboard 300) for monitoring signs or occurrences of events in real time is provided. It would be convenient for the user if display screens could be transitioned while linking data (events) to be displayed among such a plurality of applications. For example, it would be convenient if the cycle monitoring results (eg, dashboard 300, detailed screen 310) of the second embodiment could be confirmed while viewing the analysis report 110 of the first embodiment. Alternatively, while reviewing cycle monitoring results for an event, it would be convenient to be able to view analysis reports 110 for other symbols that are not subject to cycle monitoring. As illustrated in FIG. 65 , a screen transition instruction button 601a may be provided on the detail screen 310 . The screen transition instruction button 601 a is a screen transition instruction component for instructing display of the analysis report 110 associated with the event displayed on the detailed screen 310 . As illustrated in FIG. 66, a screen transition instruction button 601b may be provided in the analysis report 110. FIG. When the screen transition instruction button 601b is operated, a detailed screen 310 including monitoring results associated with the event displayed in the analysis report 110 may be displayed. By providing the screen transition instruction buttons 601a and 601b, the transition of the display screen is realized while the display targets are linked between different applications. The details screen 310 shown in FIG. 65 is a screen that transitions when the details button 308 is clicked on the dashboard 300 shown in FIG. Therefore, the screen transition instruction button 601 a may be displayed on the dashboard 300 instead of the detailed screen 310 .

FIG. 67 shows part of the functions of the CPU 41a of the expansion unit 4a. Memory 42a stores application programs 602a, 602b-602n and data group 606. FIG. Data group 606 may include configuration data 273, collected data 275, parsed data 276, display data 277, and the like described above. The first application 603 is a function implemented by the CPU 41a executing the application program 602a. The first application 603 is, for example, various monitoring applications described in the second embodiment. The first application 603 includes a setting unit 280, a flow execution unit 281, a collection unit 282, a Web server 82, an alarm unit 290, a data processing unit 283, a flow dashboard creation unit 251, and the like. The second application 604 is a function implemented by the CPU 41a executing the application program 602b. The second application 604 is, for example, an application that creates and displays the analysis report 110 described in the first embodiment. A second application 604 includes a protocol conversion unit 81, a web server 82, an analysis unit 83, a notification issuing unit 84, and the like.

The application management unit 605 may be implemented by the CPU 41a executing the application program 602n, or may be implemented by the CPU 41a executing a program (such as a system program) stored in advance in the expansion unit 4a. . The application management unit 605 manages a plurality of application programs 602a to 602n installed in the expansion unit 4a, and has a function of mediating display screen transitions in cooperation with a plurality of applications. The application manager 605 may also manage application programs installed in the basic unit 3 . The application manager 605 knows how to obtain information (eg, dashboard numbers, page numbers, etc.) from multiple application programs 602a, 602b (eg, commands, interfaces, data formats, etc.). When the application management unit 605 detects that the screen transition instruction button 601 a has been pressed, it requests the second application 604 to display the analysis report 110 related to the event displayed on the detail screen 310 . As a result, the recording time of the information displayed on the detailed screen 310 and the recording time of the information displayed on the analysis report 110 are the same or similar. Similarly, upon detecting that the screen transition instruction button 601b has been pressed, the application management unit 605 requests the first application 603 to display the detailed screen 310 related to the event displayed in the analysis report 110. . As a result, the recording time of the information displayed on the detailed screen 310 and the recording time of the information displayed on the analysis report 110 are the same or similar. The detailed screen 310 is merely an example, and the dashboard 300 may be provided with a screen transition instruction button 601a.

In FIG. 67, the application manager 605 is independent of the first application 603 and the second application 604. FIG. However, application manager 605 may be implemented as part of first application 603 or second application 604 . Alternatively, the application management section 605 may be implemented by the CPU 31 of the basic unit 3 as long as the application management section 605 can communicate with the first application 603 and the second application 604 .

FIG. 68 shows functions realized by the CPU 31 of the basic unit 3. As shown in FIG. The driving record application 610 includes the command processing unit 71, the collecting unit 72, the logging unit 73 described in the first embodiment, and the functions described as being realized by the CPU 31 in the second embodiment, but FIG. , only the logging unit 73 is shown. The application here is a special purpose program that is transmitted and incorporated (added) to the PLC 1 (or expansion unit 4a) from the PC 2 or the like in order to extend the function of the PLC 1 (or expansion unit 4a), It is also possible to delete the added application later. That is, the application is implemented by an add-on program to the PLC 1 (or the expansion unit 4a) and can be freely added or removed. Therefore, a plurality of applications have a sparse relationship with each other.

The driving record application 610 described above may be realized as one of such applications, but may also be realized by a program (so-called system program) preinstalled in the PLC 1 (basic unit 3). The driving record function collects devices at scan time, generates a driving record when an event occurs, and is deeply involved in the basic operation of the PLC 1. Therefore, from the viewpoint of improving the processing speed, the driving record application 610 is also preferably realized by the driving record system program.

Logging unit 73 includes event management unit 611 and recording management unit 612 . When the CPU 41a of the expansion unit 4a detects a predetermined event, the CPU 41a issues an event notification. When the event notification is received, the event management unit 611 manages the content of the event indicated by the event notification and the occurrence time of the event. For example, the event management unit 611 may issue identification information (event ID) for the event, and associate the content of the event with the occurrence time of the event. Further, the content of the event, the time of occurrence of the event, the event ID, and the like may be stored and managed in the storage device 32 . The event management unit 611 identifies the content of the event and the time of occurrence of the event from the event ID, or identifies the event ID and the content of the event from the time. Upon receiving an inquiry about an event, the event management section 611 may search for the event and return the search result.

The record management unit 612 receives a storage request for the operation record 74 issued when an event is detected by the CPU 41a, and saves the plurality of symbol values (device values, variable values) held in the ring buffer 36 as the operation record 74. , and is saved (stored) in the driving record storage unit 37 . When saving (storing) of the driving record 74 is completed, the record management unit 612 may return a completion notification (storage completion response) to the CPU 41a. Thereby, the CPU 41a can recognize that the storage of the driving record 74 has been completed.

(1) Storage Processing FIG. 69 shows processing executed by the CPU 41a according to the first application 603. FIG.

In S61, the CPU 41a acquires from the basic unit 3 a symbol value to be monitored (eg, device value, variable value).

In S62, the CPU 41a determines whether a predetermined condition (situation) has occurred based on the acquired symbol value. For example, if the acquired symbol value satisfies a predetermined condition (eg, large variation, etc.), it is determined that the predetermined condition has occurred. If the predetermined condition has not occurred, the CPU 41a returns to S61. When a predetermined event occurs, the CPU 41a proceeds to S63.

In S<b>63 , the CPU 41 a issues a storage request for the operation record 74 to the CPU 31 of the basic unit 3 . As a result, the CPU 31 reads from the ring buffer 36 a predetermined symbol value indicating the state of the PLC 1 and its collection time, creates an operation record 74 including these, and stores it in the operation record storage unit 37 .

In S64, the CPU 41a issues an event notification indicating that an event has occurred to the CPU 31 (event management unit 611). The event management unit 611 saves the content of the event indicated by the event notification, the occurrence time, and the like in the storage device 32 . This is called event registration.

In S65, the CPU 41a saves the history including the time when the event was detected (event occurrence time) in the memory 42a. Here, the history includes symbol values, normal conditions, display screens (templates and data groups necessary for displaying display screens), etc. when symbol values deviating from normal conditions are detected. sell.

In S66, the CPU 41a determines whether or not the driving record 74 has been saved in the basic unit 3. For example, when a response to the storage request (a storage completion response) is received from the basic unit 3, it is determined that the operation record 74 has been stored. After the driving record 74 is saved, the CPU 41a proceeds to S67. Note that the CPU 41a executes the processes after S66 according to the second application 604 different from the first application 603 described above. That is, the CPU 41a monitors whether or not the driving record 74 has been saved according to the second application 604, and advances to S67 when recognizing that it has been saved.

In S67, the CPU 41a acquires the driving record 74 from the basic unit 3 and creates the analysis report 110 based on the driving record 74. FIG. The processing for creating the analysis report 110 is as described in the first embodiment. The analysis report 110 includes time information corresponding to the event occurrence time, such as the collection time of the symbol value to be analyzed.

(2) Display Processing FIG. 70 shows display processing for two applications to link their respective display screens. Here, screen transition from the display screen of one of a plurality of applications to the display screen of the other application is assumed. Here, the screen transition is not a simple screen transition such as switching the active window between multiple windows, but the relevance of the collection time in the PLC 1 of the data displayed on each of the multiple display screens. It refers to a screen transition that accompanies

The combination of one application and the other application is arbitrary. As an example, it is assumed that one application is a real-time monitoring application (first application 603) and the other application is a driving record analysis application (second application 604). The combination of one application and the other application may be a combination that is related to the collection time of data displayed on the respective display screens. For example, one application may be the second application 604 and the other application may be the first application 603 . Alternatively, one application may be the first application 603 of the first version, and the other application may be the first application 603 of the second version different from the first version. Since the application program 602 is generally improved through repeated updates, there are cases where both a new version of the program and an old version of the program can be activated at the same time. In such a case, screen transitions involving event cooperation may be realized between a plurality of applications of different versions. Similarly, one application may be the first version of the second application 604 and the other application may be the second version of the second application 604 that differs from the first version. Furthermore, the number of applications cooperating with one application may be two or more. In other words, screen transitions involving event cooperation may be realized among three or more applications.

In the following, for convenience of explanation, when one application is the first application 603 , the first application 603 displays the history selected by the user on the detail screen 310 of the dashboard 300 .

In S71, the CPU 41a (one application) determines whether or not a screen transition to the other application has been instructed. As described above, when the screen transition instruction button 601 of one application is operated, the CPU 41a determines that a screen transition to the other application has been instructed, and proceeds to S72. Note that when the screen transition instruction button 601 is operated, one application sends information necessary for displaying another display screen associated with the data displayed on the display screen to the application management unit 605. may be requested. Here, the required information may be information required to create a URL for opening the display screen of the other application. Information required to create a URL includes, for example, a dashboard number and a page number. A dashboard number is identification information of an application (application program). For example, the dashboard number of the first application 603 and the dashboard number of the second application 604 are different. A page number is identification information of a plurality of display screens provided by an application. For example, dashboard 300 and detail screen 310 are assigned different page numbers. If one application knows the dashboard number and page number of the other application to be linked, there is no need to inquire about the dashboard number and page number of the other application. This is the case, for example, when the properties of the screen transition instruction button 601 include the dashboard number and page number of the other application. Since one application usually does not know this information, it is necessary to inquire of the application management unit 605 about the dashboard number and page number of the other application.

In S72, the CPU 41a (application management unit 605) acquires a list of applications (application programs) installed in the PLC 1 from the memory 42a. This list is managed by the application management unit 605 . Therefore, upon receiving an inquiry from one of the applications, the application management unit 605 acquires the list from the memory 42a.

In S73, the CPU 41a (application management unit 605) determines whether or not the other application is installed in the PLC 1 based on the list. If the other application is installed in the PLC 1, the CPU 41a proceeds to S74.

In S74, the CPU 41a (application management unit 605) retrieves and acquires the dashboard number and page number of the other application from the list. Alternatively, the application management unit 605 may acquire the dashboard number and page number of the other application by inquiring of the other application included in the list. The application management unit 605 transmits the dashboard number and page number of the other application to one application. This allows one application to obtain the dashboard number and page number of the other application.

In S75, the CPU 41a (one application) creates the URL of the display screen requested by the user. One application creates the URL of the display screen of the other application based on the dashboard number and page number of the other application received from the application management unit 605 . An example URL is as follows.
http://192.168.0.11/?boardno=0&pageno=0
Here, boardno is a query parameter indicating the dashboard number. pageno is a query parameter that indicates the page number. Additional query parameters may also be specified. For example, when it is desired to display the display screens of two applications in relation to a specific event, the occurrence time of the event may be specified as a query parameter.
http://192.168.0.11/?boardno=1&pageno=3&datetime=20211226123456
Here, datetime is a query parameter that indicates the time (eg year, month, day, hour, minute, second).
Designating the event occurrence time very directly links the information displayed on the display screen of one application with the information displayed on the display screen of the other application. Linkage information different from time information, such as an event ID, may be specified in the query parameter. As described above, the event ID may be commonly managed for multiple applications in the event management unit 611 . Although the URL is created by one of the applications here, it may be created by the application management unit 605 and passed to one of the applications. When event time information or an event ID is included as a URL query parameter, the application management unit 605 acquires the event time information or event ID from one of the applications to complete the URL.

In S76, the CPU 41a (one application) accesses the created URL. This is realized, for example, by passing the URL to the web browser 60 of the PC 2 communicating with one of the applications. The web browser 60 accesses the URL set by one application.

By the way, when it is determined in S73 that the other application is not installed in the PLC 1, the CPU 41a proceeds to S77.

In S77, the CPU 41a (one application) outputs (displays) a message indicating that the display screen requested by the user cannot be displayed. In this process, for example, application management unit 605 replies to one application that the other application is not installed, and based on this reply, one application notifies that the display screen cannot be displayed. and outputting (displaying) a message indicating.

FIG. 71 shows display processing of the display screen mainly executed in the other application.

In S81, the CPU 41a (the other application or the Web server 82) determines whether there is access to the URL of the other application. As described above, the web browser 60 accesses the URL specified by one of the applications. The other application recognizes that the display screen has been requested via the web server 82 corresponding to the URL. When access to the URL of the other application is detected, the CPU 41a proceeds to S82.

In S82, the CPU 41a (the other application or Web server 82) searches for a display screen related to the link information (eg, event occurrence time, ID) specified by the query parameter. For example, when Web browser 60 running on PC 2 accesses Web server 82 according to a URL, Web server 82 passes query parameters to the other application based on the query parameters of the URL. Specifically, the Web server 82 identifies the other application based on the dashboard number, and passes the page number and time information (event ID) to the other application. The other application thereby obtains the page number and time information (event ID). This Web server 82 may be provided in the other application, may be provided in one application, or may be provided independently of these applications. The other application identifies the display screen based on these linkage information. For example, the other application recognizes that a particular display screen (eg, analysis report 110) corresponding to the page number is requested. Furthermore, based on the time information (or the event ID), the other application searches and extracts the display screen linked to this time information from among the plurality of display screens. When the time information is the event occurrence time (eg time t3), the event occurrence time (eg : time t3), the display screen is searched (t1<t3<t5). This search is executed with respect to a storage device (eg, memory 42a, driving record storage unit 37, removable media, data server) holding display screens (data group necessary for generating display screens). .

In S83, the CPU 41a determines whether the display screen requested by one of the applications has been found. If the display screen is found, the CPU 41a proceeds to S84. If the display screen is not found, the CPU 41a proceeds to S87. In S87, the CPU 41a outputs a message indicating that there is no requested display screen. This message may be output as the display screen of the other application. If the display screen is found, the CPU 41a proceeds to S84.

In S84, the CPU 41a provides the display screen requested by one of the applications. For example, the CPU 41a transmits a group of data necessary for displaying the requested display screen (eg, dashboard template, symbol values, numerical values calculated from the symbol values, etc.) via the web server 82. Send to browser 60 . As a result, the web browser 60 displays the display screen for the other application. For example, detail screen 310 of first application 603 displays cycle time measurements based on symbol values collected from time t2 to time t4. On the other hand, the analysis report 110 of the second application 604 displays analysis results for symbol values collected from time t1 to time t5. Here, since t1<t2<t3<t4<t5, the detailed screen 310 of the first application 603 and the analysis report 110 display information about symbol values affected by the same event.

FIG. 72 is a diagram for explaining the concept of a technique for linking the display screens of two applications. As an example, it is assumed that the first application 603 is executing process monitoring (timing monitoring, waveform up/down monitoring, waveform guard band monitoring). The first application 603 detects an event based on the symbol values collected by PLC1 (time t3). The first application 603 saves the history of monitoring using an event as a trigger. In this example, the history includes measured values (time length of one cycle (measured values) calculated based on symbol values collected from time t2 to time t4, and collection time information (t2 to t4). On the other hand, the second application 604 uses the event as a trigger to save the driving record 74 in the basic unit 3, creates the analysis report 110 based on the driving record 74, and saves it in the basic unit 3. Here, , the analysis report 110 is created based on the symbol values collected from time t1 to time t5.As is clear from FIG. Time t3, which is the occurrence time, is included in. Similarly, time t3 is included in the period (analysis period) from time t1 to time t5 linked to the analysis report 110. In this way, time t3 is included in the event occurrence time. Based on t3, the display screen of the first application 603 and the display screen of the second application 604 are time-linked.As linkage information required for linkage, the event occurrence time t3 is not essential, and the event can be specified. Information (eg, event ID) may be employed as the cooperation information.

(3) Sequence FIG. 73 shows screen transition from the first application 603 to the second application 604 when the first application 603 is an application for executing process monitoring and the second application 604 is an application for executing operation analysis. An example is shown. However, Sq1 to Sq5 include processing related to creation and storage processing of the driving record 74 and analysis report 110 .

At Sq 1 , drive record 610 sends symbol values as requested by first application 603 . The first application 603 displays the symbol value or a numerical value calculated from the symbol value on the monitoring screen. The first application 603 detects abnormal conditions (events) based on symbol values or numerical values.

In Sq2, the first application 603 sends an event notification to the driving record 610 since the event has been detected. The event management section 611 of the driving record 610 manages the event based on the event notification.

In Sq3, the first application 603 transmits a drive record storage request to the record management unit 612 of the drive record 610 since the event is detected.

In Sq4, the record management unit 612 saves the driving record 74 based on the save request and transmits a save notification to the second application 604 .

In Sq5, the second application 604 analyzes the driving record 74 based on the storage notification, creates an analysis result 77 (analysis report 110), and transmits the analysis result 77 (analysis report 110) to the record management unit 612.

In Sq11, the first application 603 transmits an information request for requesting information necessary for displaying the analysis report 110 to the application management unit 605 based on the screen transition instruction input by the user.

In Sq<b>12 , the application management unit 605 identifies the second application 604 to be linked according to the information request from the first application 603 and transmits the information request to the second application 604 .

In Sq 13 , upon receiving the information request, the second application 604 transmits the dashboard number and page number of the second application 604 to the application management unit 605 .

In Sq<b>14 , the application management unit 605 transmits the dashboard number and page number of the second application 604 to the first application 603 .

In Sq15, the first application 603 receives the dashboard number and page number of the second application 604, creates a URL based on these, and transmits a screen request using the URL. As described above, information that can identify an event associated with the display screen of the first application 603 (eg, event occurrence time, event ID) or the like may be added to the URL as a query parameter.

In Sq16, the second application 604 (web server) transmits a screen information request for requesting screen information necessary for the display screen to the driving record 610 in accordance with the screen request from the first application 603 (web browser). . The screen information request is, for example, a request to read component data (screen information) forming a web page (analysis report 110) specified by a page number set as a query parameter.

In Sq17, the driving record 610 transmits the screen information of the analysis report 110 to the second application 604. FIG.

The second application 604 transmits the screen information to the first application 603 in Sq18. As a result, an analysis report 110 related to the event displayed on the monitoring screen is displayed on the analysis screen.

FIG. 74 shows an example of screen transition from the second application 604 to the first application 603 when the first application 603 is an application for executing process monitoring and the second application 604 is an application for executing operation analysis. there is However, Sq1 to Sq5 are as already explained.

In Sq21, the second application 604 transmits an information request to the application management unit 605 for requesting information necessary for displaying the monitoring screen based on the screen transition instruction input by the user.

In Sq22, the application management unit 605 identifies the first application 603 to be linked according to the information request from the second application 604, and transmits the information request to the first application 603. FIG.

In Sq 23 , upon receiving the information request, the first application 603 transmits the dashboard number and page number of the first application 603 to the application management unit 605 .

In Sq 24 , the application management unit 605 transmits the dashboard number and page number of the first application 603 to the second application 604 .

In Sq25, the second application 604 receives the dashboard number and page number of the first application 603, creates a URL based on these, and transmits a screen information request using the URL. As described above, information that can identify an event associated with the display screen of the second application 604 (eg, event occurrence time, event ID) or the like may be added to the URL as a query parameter.

In Sq26, the first application 603 (web server) reads the component data (screen information including history) that constitutes the web page (monitoring screen) corresponding to the screen information request from the second application 604 (web browser), and displays the screen information. Send the information to the first application 603 . As a result, the results of process monitoring related to the event displayed in the analysis report 110 are displayed on the monitoring screen.

<Modified example of the third embodiment>
(Modification 1)
Here, another example of the first application 603, the second application 604, and the display screen will be described. The first application 603 may be an application that displays symbol values as waveforms. The second application 604 may be an application that performs statistical processing on symbol values to obtain and display statistical data. When the first application 603 detects an event based on the symbol value, it saves the waveform data as history. The second application 604 saves statistical data based on the event notifications described above. Here, the event occurrence time t3 is included in the time range (t2 to t4) associated with the history of the waveform data. Similarly, the statistic period (t1 to t5) of the statistic data also includes the event occurrence time t3. Therefore, based on the linkage information such as the event occurrence time t3, the display screen of the first application 603 can be changed to the display screen of the second application 604 while maintaining the association of symbol values or events. It becomes possible.

(Modification 2)
There may be a plurality of other applications that allow screen transition from one application. Furthermore, the user may select another application to which screen transition is possible from one application. In the embodiment described above, the dashboard number of one other application is specified by the application manager 605, but this is only an example. For example, the application management unit 605 may hold a list of multiple applications that can cooperate with one application. In this case, the application management unit 605 may display a list and allow the user to select from the list an application to be linked with one application. Accordingly, the application management unit 605 may reply to one application with the dashboard number of the other application selected by the user.

(Modification 3)
The cooperation information may be information other than time information. In the example described above, datetime, which is time information, is adopted as the query parameter of the URL, but other query parameters may be adopted. Analysis reports 110 and history may be saved in different subfolders of the same folder when an event occurs. This folder may be stored in any of the storage device 32 of the base unit 3, memory 42a, removable media, and data server. Furthermore, the folder name of the folder or the folder name of the subfolder may be adopted as the query parameter (pathname). Thus, the display screen may be searched and specified in S83 based on the path information such as the folder name of the folder or the folder name of the subfolder.

(Modification 4)
Linkage information for linking display screens between two applications need not be a query parameter. Although the time information is set in the query parameter in the above example, the time information may be omitted from the URL. In this case, when a screen transition is instructed in S71, one application requests the dashboard number and page number from the application management unit 605, and passes the event occurrence time t3. When the application management unit 605 specifies the other application to be linked with one application, the application management unit 605 passes the event occurrence time t3 to the other application. The other application holds event occurrence time t3. In this case, time information is not included in the query parameter of the URL created in S75. In S82, the other application identifies the display screen by the page number specified by the query parameter, and searches for a display screen that includes the previously saved event occurrence time t3 as the time range of the symbol value. In this way, the federation information may be passed by another technique instead of being passed as a URL query parameter.

(Modification 5)
In the above example, detection of an event (abnormal state) by the first application 603 is used as the trigger for saving the history in the first application 603 and the trigger for saving the driving record 74 in the second application 604 . However, this is only an example. For example, an external sensor connected to PLC 1 may detect certain events. When the external sensor detects a predetermined event, the device value of the bit device assigned to the external sensor changes (OFF⇒ON). When the bit device assigned to the external sensor changes, the CPU 31 of the basic unit 3 issues a history storage request to the first application 603 and issues a drive record 74 storage request to the logging unit 73 . As one of the applications, the first application 603 or the second application 604 can adopt the reception time of the save request as the event occurrence time t3. In this way, the display screen of the first application 603 and the display screen of the second application 604 may be linked based on the storage time of the history and the storage time of the driving record 74 . Alternatively, for example, the second application 604 may detect an event (abnormal state), or both the first application 603 and the second application 604 may detect the event. In the latter case, since the first application 603 and the second application 604 detect events independently of each other, it is necessary to link the corresponding events. For example, when an event detected by the first application 603 and an event detected by the second application 604 occur at the same timing, the same timing may be searched and linked (associated). In this case, the time information for managing the saved data can be absolute time or relative time. On the other hand, if the event detected by the first application 603 and the event detected by the second application 604 do not occur at the same timing (when the event timings of the two do not coincide), for example, searching for the closest time is performed. Corresponding events may be linked (associated) by means. In this case, the time information used to manage the saved data must be absolute time.

(Modification 6)
The examples described above mainly describe that the history is held in the memory 42a of the expansion unit 4a and the driving record 74 is held in the storage device 32 of the basic unit 3. FIG. However, the history and driving record 74 may be provided outside the PLC 1, stored in a data server (database) connectable via a network, and accessed from the PLC 1. In this case, the data server may further have a relational database that holds pathnames of history and pathnames of driving records 74 (analysis reports 110). The first application 603 uploads the history to the data server and saves the pathname of the history to the relational database record. The second application 604 uploads the driving record 74 (analysis report 110) to the data server and saves the path name of the driving record 74 (analysis report 110) in the relational database record. Each save trigger is common as described above. In this way, the history and the driving record 74 (analysis report 110) may be linked via records in the relational database.

(Modification 7)
The history may be the monitored symbol values themselves or data generated by analyzing the symbol values by the data processing unit 283 . In this case, the history storage format may be CSV format. Also, FIG. 73 described above shows an example of screen transition from the first application 603 to the second application 604, but for example, screen transition from the first application 603 to another first application 603' (not shown) Supplementary examples. Both of the first applications 603 and 603' have the function of detecting events, and may notify the driving record application 610 of the event. Which event detection has priority may be set by the user in advance (for example, it may be set so that only one of the first applications is enabled for event detection, or both first applications 603, 603 may be set to enable event detection). ' can be set so that the earliest event detection is enabled). The first applications 603 and 603' notify each other that the driving record application 610 has been notified of the event, and display the first saved data on the first event screen based on the notification timing. After that, the steps after Sq11 in FIG. 73 can be considered in the same way. If the first applications 603 and 603' are of the same type, it is conceivable to omit the exchange of information such as the dashboard number and page number (which dashboard number and page number should be determined in advance). should be fine). However, considering the case where the first applications 603 and 603' are different types of applications, it is preferable not to omit exchange of information such as the dashboard number and page number. When specifying the event screen of the screen transition destination, if the event detections of the first applications 603 and 603' occur at the same timing, the timing of the event detection associated with the absolute time or the relative time should be searched. On the other hand, if the event detections of the first applications 603 and 603' are out of sync, it is sufficient to search for the event detection timing associated with the closest time.

(Modification 8)
FIG. 75 shows, as an example of the first application 603, an operation monitoring monitor 620 that monitors statistical information about the PLC operating status. FIG. 75 is displayed, for example, by clicking a predetermined button (button for activating the operation monitoring monitor 620) displayed on the dashboard 300 of FIG. FIG. 76 shows, as an example of the second application 604, an alarm information monitor 630 that displays alarm history.

As shown in FIG. 75, in the operation monitoring monitor 620, a pie chart classified into items of "in operation", "out of order", and "planned suspension" is displayed in an upper graph area 621 as statistical information. "In operation" indicates a state in which the PLC is operating normally, "Out of order" indicates a state in which the PLC is stopped due to a failure, and "Planned stop" indicates a state in which the PLC is stopped in a planned manner. This indicates that the The operating state can be recognized, for example, by measuring the duration of the ON state of a predetermined bit device signal. A bar graph 622 is displayed below the operation monitoring monitor 620 so that the operating status of the day can be understood at a glance.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 76, an alarm information monitor 630 displays an alarm history 632 within a time range set as a time range 631 . In FIG. 76, a list of the history of alarms generated between 2:00 and 6:00 on January 14, 2022 is displayed.

75 is displayed on the HMI 16 shown in FIG. 27 or an external device such as the PCs 2a and 2b, the user clicks on the "out of order" portion of the bar graph to select "out of order". The "medium" time range is automatically set as the "alarm information monitor" time range 631, and a list of the alarm history 632 that occurred during the set time range is displayed on the alarm information monitor 630 (FIG. 76).

As described above, the screen transition instruction component that triggers screen transition does not necessarily have to be a dedicated button as shown in FIGS. good too. Also, as exemplified here with time ranges, parameters of one application may be passed as arguments to the other application. Parameters may include devices, variables, and the like.

In Modification 8, the time range of "out of order" is automatically set as the time range of "alarm information monitor", but this is only an example. For example, the start time may be automatically set to a time slightly earlier than 2:00. This is because there is a possibility that an alarm that is the cause may have occurred shortly before the failure occurred.

Further, in Modified Example 8, a list of the history 632 of alarms generated in the time range of "out of order" is displayed, but this is only an example. For example, a list of all alarms may be displayed as the alarm history 632, and the alarm whose occurrence time is closest to the start time of the "out of order" time range may be highlighted.

(Modification 9)
Incidentally, the programmable logic controller in claim 1 may be physically composed of a plurality of programmable logic controllers. For example, a first programmable logic controller for the edge tier may execute a first application, and a second programmable logic controller for the equipment tier may execute a second application. In this case, data exchange (for example, information shown in FIGS. 73 and 74) between the first application and the second application is performed through communication.

<Summary of Third Embodiment>
[Viewpoints 1 and 17]
The CPU 31 is an example of user program executing means for repeatedly executing a user program. The devices and variables secured in the device unit 34 are an example of a plurality of holding means which are devices or variables that store data accessed by the user program execution means. The CPU 31 and the collecting unit 72 are an example of collecting means for generating time-series data by collecting in time series data stored in a holding means to be collected among the plurality of holding means. CPU 31, CPU 41a and application management unit 605 are an example of application management means for managing a plurality of application programs. Application programs 602a-602n are examples of programs installed in programmable logic controllers. The first application program 602a is an example of a first application program that displays monitoring data for monitoring the operating state of the programmable logic controller on the display screen based on data stored in a plurality of holding units. The first application program 602a further stores a plurality of pieces of monitoring data when a predetermined condition is met and an event notification is issued, and the first saved data is displayed on the first event screen (eg, dashboard 300, displayed on the detailed screen 310). The second application program 602b converts the second stored data relating to the time-series data generated by the collection means for a predetermined period of time based on the point in time when the event notification was issued to the second event notification. It is an example of the 2nd application program displayed on a screen (example: analysis report 110). Note that the first application program 602a transfers the first saved data in which a plurality of pieces of monitoring data to be displayed on the dashboard 300 after a predetermined condition is met and an event notification is issued to the first event screen. may be displayed.

Application programs 602a-602n serve PLC 1 in a variety of ways, such as: The screen generation means (eg, CPU 41a, flow/dashboard creation unit 251, Web server 82) generates an event screen (eg, detailed screen 310/analysis report 110) according to one application program among a plurality of application programs and the other. event screen (eg, analysis report 110/detail screen 310) according to the application program of . Acquisition means (eg, CPU 41a) acquires access information (eg, dashboard number, page number, time information, path information) of the other application program accessible from the application management means. For example, the acquisition means (eg, CPU 41a) acquires access information required to access data used to display an event screen for the other application program. The identifying means (eg, CPU 41a) uses the acquired access information (eg, dashboard number, page number) for the other application program and the current event screen generated by the screen generating means according to the one application program. Based on the corresponding event (eg event occurrence time t3, event ID, path information), the event screen of the other application program corresponding to the event is specified. The command generating means (eg, CPU 41a) selects the current event screen based on the user's operation on the screen transition instruction component (eg, screen transition instruction button 601) displayed on the current event screen. Generates an instruction to transition to an event screen (eg, a request to access a URL with query parameters). It is possible to link the display screens of a plurality of application programs executed in association with the PLC. In other words, screen transitions will be facilitated while associating display data between a plurality of application programs.

[Viewpoint 2]
One application program may be the first application program 602a. In this case, the other application program may be the second application program 602b.

[Viewpoint 3]
One application program may be the second application program 602b and the other application program may be the first application program 602a.

[Viewpoint 4]
One application program may be a first version of the first application program 602a, and the other application program may be a second version of the first application program different from the first version.

[Viewpoint 5]
One application program may be the first version of the second application program 602b, and the other application program may be the second version of the second application program different from the first version.

[Viewpoints 6 and 7]
As described in relation to S64 in FIG. 69, the PLC 1 may further include event notification issuing means (eg CPUs 31, 41a) that issues an event notification when a predetermined condition is met. The event notification issuing means (eg, CPU 41a) may be provided in the expansion unit 4a included in the programmable logic controller. For example, the event notification issuing means may be implemented in the first application 603 or implemented as a bit device assigned to an external sensor.

[Viewpoint 8]
As suggested by FIG. 32 and the like, the monitoring data is the time from the timing when the device value of the first device specified as the start trigger changes to the timing when the device value of the second device specified as the end trigger changes. may be the measured value of

[Viewpoint 9]
As suggested by FIG. 32 and the like, the first saved data (example: history) is monitoring data for one cycle, which is the time from the start timing to the end timing of the process repeatedly executed by the programmable logic controller. good. More specifically, the dashboard 300 of the process monitoring application shown in FIG. 32 updates the display of the monitoring results in real time (like a moving image). One cycle of monitoring data (a plurality of monitoring data) is saved in the memory 42a as first saved data. FIG. 32 also shows how the first saved data saved in memory 42a is displayed on dashboard 300 (like a still image). To return from this state to the real-time monitoring state, for example, a button (not shown) for returning to real-time monitoring may be displayed and the user may press the button.

[Viewpoint 10]
The access information (eg, cooperation information) may be path information indicating a storage location in which data used to display an event screen for the other application program is stored.

[Viewpoint 11]
As suggested by FIGS. 32 and 65, the first application program 602a monitors one cycle, which is the time from the start timing to the end timing of the process repeatedly executed by the programmable logic controller, as the first saved data. The monitoring data, which is data and is a measurement of the time of the one cycle, may be displayed on the first event screen.

[Viewpoint 12]
As suggested by FIG. 66 and the like, the second application program 602b may cause the second event screen to display an analysis report generated by analyzing time-series data for a predetermined period.

[Viewpoint 13]
As described in connection with S82, the identifying means (eg, CPU 41a) uses the time information linked to the saved data displayed on the current event screen according to one application program as a key to identify the current event. The event screen according to the other application program may be identified by retrieving stored data displayed on the event screen according to the other application program corresponding to the event corresponding to the event screen.

[Viewpoint 14]
The event screen may be described in HTML format. That is, the event screen may be displayed by a web browser. The access information may include the URL of the event screen, as described in relation to S75, S76 and S81, etc. FIG.

[Viewpoint 15]
The screen transition instruction component may be a switch component (eg, screen transition instruction button 601, hyperlink) linked to the event screen of the application program to be screen transitioned.

[Viewpoint 16]
The first application program is a program for displaying, on a first event screen, first stored data in which a plurality of pieces of monitoring data to be displayed on a display screen after a predetermined condition is satisfied and an event notification is issued. There may be.

[Viewpoint 17]
The application management unit 605 and the CPU 41a may function as the application management means described in the first aspect. Application management means may be implemented in the CPU 31 .

[Viewpoint 17]
The device unit 34 is an example of holding means for holding a plurality of data that are repeatedly updated by repeatedly executing the user program. The first application 603 (CPU 41a) monitors data designated as a monitoring target in advance among a plurality of data held in the holding means according to the first application program, and when a predetermined event occurs, the data is snapped. It functions as a monitoring means that creates shot data. The first application 603 (CPU 41a) and the web server 82 function as first display means for displaying the monitoring result of the monitoring means on the external device according to the first application program. CPU 31, CPU 41a, second application 604, and logging unit 73 function as output means for outputting a plurality of data held in the holding means as driving records when a predetermined event occurs. The CPU 41a and the analysis unit 254 function as analysis means for analyzing driving records and creating analysis results according to the second application program 602b. The flow/dashboard creating unit 251, the Web server 82, and the CPU 41a function as second display means for displaying the analysis results on the external device according to the second application program. The CPU 41a and the application management unit 605 function as linking means for linking screen transitions between the display screen of the monitoring result on the external device by the first application program and the display screen of the analysis result on the external device by the second application program. Function. The CPU 41a and the application management unit 605 pass link information (eg, page number, time information, event ID, and path information) related to the monitoring result displayed on the external device to the second application program. may cause the external device to display analysis results related to the monitoring results. The CPU 41a and the application management unit 605 pass link information (eg, page number, time information, event ID, path information) related to the analysis result displayed on the external device to the first application program. may cause the external device to display monitoring results related to the analysis results.

The invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims (19)

user program execution means for repeatedly executing the user program;
a plurality of holding means that are devices or variables that store data accessed by the user program execution means;
collecting means for generating time-series data by collecting in time-series data stored in holding means to be collected among the plurality of holding means;
A program installed in a programmable logic controller comprising application management means for managing a plurality of application programs,
The plurality of application programs are
monitor data for monitoring the operating state of the programmable logic controller is displayed on a display screen based on the data stored in the plurality of holding means; a first application program for displaying first saved data in which a plurality of pieces of monitoring data are saved on a first event screen;
displaying on a second event screen second stored data relating to the time-series data generated by the collecting means for a predetermined period of time stored based on the point in time when the event notification was issued; 2 application program and/or
The program causes the programmable logic controller to:
screen generation means for generating an event screen according to one of the plurality of application programs and an event screen according to the other application program;
Acquisition of access information of the other application program accessible from the application management means, which is necessary for accessing data used to display an event screen for the other application program a obtaining means for
responding to the event based on the access information about the other application program acquired by the acquisition means and the event corresponding to the current event screen generated by the screen generation means according to the one application program; identifying means for identifying the event screen of the other application program to
an instruction generating means for generating an instruction for transitioning the current event screen to the event screen specified by the specifying means based on a user operation on a screen transition instruction component displayed on the current event screen;
A program characterized by functioning as 2. The program according to claim 1, wherein said one application program is said first application program, and said other application program is said second application program. 2. The program according to claim 1, wherein said one application program is said second application program and said other application program is said first application program. 3. The one application program is a first version of the first application program, and the other application program is a second version of the first application program different from the first version. 1. The program according to 1. 3. The one application program is the first version of the second application program, and the other application program is the second version of the second application program different from the first version. 1. The program according to 1. 6. The program according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said programmable logic controller further comprises event notification issuing means for issuing said event notification when said predetermined condition is satisfied. 7. The program according to claim 6, wherein said event notification issuing means is provided in an expansion unit included in said programmable logic controller. The monitoring data is a measurement value of the time from the timing when the device value of the first device specified as the start trigger changes to the timing when the device value of the second device specified as the end trigger changes. 8. The program according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: 9. The first stored data is monitor data for one cycle, which is the time from the start timing to the end timing of the process repeatedly executed by the programmable logic controller. The program described in Section. 10. The access information is path information indicating a storage location where the data used for displaying the event screen for the other application program is stored. or the program described in paragraph 1. In the first application program, as the first saved data, monitoring data for one cycle, which is the time from the start timing to the end timing of the process repeatedly executed by the programmable logic controller, wherein the one cycle time 8. The program according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by displaying the monitoring data, which is the measured value of, on the first event screen. 12. The second application program displays, on the second event screen, an analysis report generated by analyzing the time-series data for the predetermined period. program described in . The specifying means uses time information linked to stored data displayed on the current event screen according to the one application program as a key, and uses the other application program corresponding to the event corresponding to the current event screen. 13. The event screen according to the other application program is identified by retrieving stored data displayed on the event screen according to the application program. program. The event screen is written in HTML format,
14. The program according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein said access information includes a URL of said event screen. 15. The program according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the screen transition instruction component is a switch component linked to an event screen of an application program to be subjected to screen transition. The first application program displays, on a first event screen, first saved data in which a plurality of pieces of the monitoring data to be displayed on the display screen are saved after an event notification is issued upon establishment of a predetermined condition. 16. The program according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized by: user program execution means for repeatedly executing the user program;
a plurality of holding means that are devices or variables that store data accessed by the user program execution means;
collecting means for generating time-series data by collecting in time-series data stored in holding means to be collected among the plurality of holding means;
A program installed in a programmable logic controller comprising
The program causes the programmable logic controller to:
Application management means for managing a plurality of application programs, wherein the plurality of application programs display monitoring data for monitoring the operating state of the programmable logic controller based on the data stored in the plurality of holding means. a first application program for displaying, on a first event screen, first saved data in which a plurality of pieces of monitoring data are saved when an event notification is issued upon establishment of a predetermined condition; a second application program for displaying on a second event screen second stored data relating to time-series data for a predetermined period of time stored based on the point in time when the event notification was issued, which is time-series data generated by and an application management means including at least one of
screen generation means for generating an event screen according to one of the plurality of application programs and an event screen according to the other application program;
Acquisition of access information of the other application program accessible from the application management means, which is necessary for accessing data used to display an event screen for the other application program a obtaining means for
responding to the event based on the access information about the other application program acquired by the acquisition means and the event corresponding to the current event screen generated by the screen generation means according to the one application program; identifying means for identifying the event screen of the other application program to
an instruction generating means for generating an instruction for transitioning the current event screen to the event screen specified by the specifying means based on a user operation on a screen transition instruction component displayed on the current event screen;
A program characterized by functioning as A programmable logic controller,
user program execution means for repeatedly executing the user program;
a plurality of holding means that are devices or variables that store data accessed by the user program execution means;
collecting means for generating time-series data by collecting in time-series data stored in holding means to be collected among the plurality of holding means;
Application management means for managing a plurality of application programs, wherein the plurality of application programs display monitoring data for monitoring the operating state of the programmable logic controller based on the data stored in the plurality of holding means. a first application program for displaying, on a first event screen, first saved data in which a plurality of pieces of monitoring data are saved when an event notification is issued upon establishment of a predetermined condition; a second application program for displaying on a second event screen second stored data relating to time-series data for a predetermined period of time stored based on the point in time when the event notification was issued, which is time-series data generated by and an application management means including at least one of
screen generation means for generating an event screen according to one of the plurality of application programs and an event screen according to the other application program;
Acquisition of access information of the other application program accessible from the application management means, which is necessary for accessing data used to display an event screen for the other application program a obtaining means for
Based on the access information about the other application program acquired by the acquisition means and the event corresponding to the current event screen generated by the screen generation means according to the one application program, identifying means for identifying the corresponding event screen of the other application program;
an instruction generating means for generating an instruction for transitioning the current event screen to the event screen specified by the specifying means based on a user operation on a screen transition instruction component displayed on the current event screen;
A programmable logic controller comprising: user program execution means for repeatedly executing the user program;
holding means for holding a plurality of data repeatedly updated by repeatedly executing the user program;
monitoring means for monitoring data designated as a monitoring target in advance among the plurality of data held in the holding means according to a first application program, and creating snapshot data of the data when a predetermined event occurs; and,
a first display means for displaying a monitoring result of the monitoring means on an external device according to the first application program;
output means for outputting the plurality of data held in the holding means as a driving record when the predetermined event occurs;
analysis means for analyzing the driving record and creating an analysis result according to a second application program;
a second display means for displaying the analysis result on the external device according to the second application program;
linking means for linking screen transition between a display screen of the monitoring result on the external device by the first application program and a display screen of the analysis result on the external device by the second application program;
has
The cooperation means is
By passing linking information related to the monitoring result displayed on the external device to the second application program, the second application program causes the external device to display the analysis result related to the monitoring result, or or,
By passing link information related to the analysis result displayed on the external device to the first application program, the first application program causes the external device to display the monitoring result related to the analysis result. logic controller.