JPH0344478B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a system in which a plurality of operator stations, each equipped with a display device such as a CRT, are connected via a communication line, such as in a plant control system. This invention relates to a display control method in a multi-station system.

[Prior art]

For example, when controlling a plant, an operator needs to know a lot of information, and when using a large number of display devices for that purpose, the conventional display control method is to use one computer COM1 as shown in Figure 1. There is a method of giving screen information to a plurality of operator stations (operator consoles) OC1 to OCn2. In this case, by operating the keyboard at each operator station, the desired information can be called up and viewed on the display screen of that operator station. For example, by operating the common keyboard KB3, the switching control circuit By switching the output, for example, the screen displayed on the operator station OC1 can be easily switched and displayed on the OC2 side. In Fig. 1, 5 is a communication line, and 6 is a controller (controller) that directly controls input and output to the process.
CONT.

With this method of controlling multiple screens with one computer, cross-display can be freely performed between display devices, but as the number of display devices increases, the processing power that the computer 1 that controls them must have increases. This will inevitably lead to increased costs. Furthermore, if the computer or other common hardware fails, all operator stations become uncontrollable and no display or operation can be performed.

In contrast, as shown in FIG.
In a configuration interconnected via , the above-mentioned disadvantages are eliminated. However, on the other hand, there is a drawback that cross display cannot be easily performed as described below. In FIG. 2, 7 is a common memory, and when each operator station receives a display command from its keyboard, it reads necessary information from the controller 6 and memory 7 in response to the display command and displays it. .

That is, in the configuration shown in FIG. 2, the operator stations are arranged, for example, as shown in FIG.
If the operator wants to move the screen displayed on the display device 2a to OC3, in order to create the same screen as OC1 on OC3, the operator goes to the front of OC3,
The user must independently operate the keyboard 2b to input display commands similar to those performed in the OC1. In addition, in a digital PBX, etc., it is possible to directly transfer all the information that makes up the screen using the telephone line by sending the OC2, but the amount of information to be transferred is large and the time burden is large. , the load on the microprocessor also increases.

[Object and structure of the invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a multi-station system consisting of independent operator stations. It is an object of the present invention to provide a display control method that can be easily performed by a device.

In order to achieve such an object, the present invention transfers a display command corresponding to a desired display to a designated receiving operator station in accordance with a transfer command input operation at an arbitrary operator station. The receiving operator station takes in the display command and performs display according to it. Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail using Examples.

〔Example〕

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an operator station used in the present invention.
In the figure, 11 is a well-known microprocessor unit MPU, 12 is a memory, 13 is a keyboard (corresponding to 2b in FIG. 3), 14 is a screen generator, and 15 is a
1 is a display device (corresponding to 2a in FIG. 3) consisting of a CRT display; 16, 17, and 18 are interfaces, and 19 is a bus.

Here, the memory 12 includes an area 12a for inputting screen display commands, and an area 1 for storing screen display commands, although they do not need to be fixed areas.
2b. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the keyboard 13 is provided with a key α13a for inputting a normal display command, a key β13b for specifying each operator station for inputting a transfer command, and a key γ13c for specifying the own device. ing.

Here, the key α13a acts as a display command input operator, and the key β13b and the key γ13c
acts as an operator for inputting transfer commands.

In the above configuration, for example, if an operator is at operator station OC2 and wants to monitor the display, for example, the output status of a specific valve, and also display other displays, for example, the status of the entire plant, on the adjacent OC1. , the operator first selects the OC on the keyboard 13 of the OC2.
Press the key β corresponding to 1 to specify the receiving operator station OC1, then press the key α to specify the receiving operator station OC1.
Input a predetermined display command corresponding to the display you want to display on the OC1. In this case, the microprocessor 11 of the OC2 performs processing operations as shown in FIG.

That is, the microprocessor 11 determines whether there is a designation of the receiving side address, that is, whether there is an input from the key β (step 101), and if there is an input, it inputs a display command, that is, from the key α. The presence or absence of an input is determined (step 102), and if there is an input, the display command is sent to the communication line together with an address signal specifying the receiving operator station (step 103). This signal is transmitted to a predetermined area 12a of the memory 12 at the operator station OC1 corresponding to the specified address.
, and is further stored in a predetermined area 12b and displayed accordingly. That is,
The display command sent from OC2 is sent to OC1 in OC1.
It is treated as a display command input from the key α of 1 itself, and display processing is performed. Note that in this embodiment, when a display command is input from the OC2,
OC2 itself becomes the transmitting example operator station.

The above is an example of transferring a display command input at any operator station to any other operator station and causing the corresponding display to be performed. It can also be displayed on the station.
For example, if an operator is at OC2 and wants to display the screen displayed on OC1 on OC2, he must first press the key γ to designate OC2 itself as the receiving operator station, and then press the key β to specify the OC2 itself as the receiving operator station.
Specify 1. In this case, the microprocessor 11 of the OC2 performs processing operations as shown in FIG.

That is, the microprocessor 11 determines whether or not its own device has been designated as the receiving operator station, that is, whether or not the key γ has been pressed first (step 201), and if it has been pressed, it has been designated by the key β. The operator station OC1, which is the sender, is requested to transmit the display command it holds (step 202), and when the display command is received (step 203), it is read (step 204) and displayed accordingly. (Step 205).

Conversely, it is possible to display the display of the own device on another operator station, or when an operator is at OC2 and displays the display of another operator station, for example, OC6 located at a slightly distant position, on a third operator station, for example, the adjacent OC1. You can also call it up and view it. In the former case, the operator first presses the key β corresponding to OC1, and then presses the key γ. In the latter case, after the key β corresponding to OC1,
Press key β corresponding to OC6. The microprocessor 11 performs processing operations as shown in FIG. 8, for example.

In FIG. 8, the microprocessor 11 is
It is determined whether the receiving side address has been specified, that is, whether the key β has been pressed (step 301), and if it has been pressed, it is determined whether the own device has been specified as the transmitting side, that is, the key γ has been pressed. (step 302), and if specified, memory 1 of the own device is
The display command held in the predetermined area 12b of 2 is read out, and
It is sent to the communication line together with an address signal specifying OC1 (step 303). On the other hand, if the operator station designated as the transmitting side is not the own device, that is, if there is no input from the key γ (step 302), whether another operator station is designated as the transmitting side or not. mosquito,
In other words, it is determined whether or not there is an input from the second key β (step 304), and if there is no specification, it is determined whether there is any further display command input, that is, whether there is an input from the key α (step 304). 305), if there is an input, this is exactly the same case as explained in FIG. 6, so the display command is sent to the communication line along with the address signal specifying the receiving operator station OC1 as described above. (Step 306). On the other hand, if another operator station is specified as the transmitter, that is, if the second key β is pressed (step
304), the microprocessor 11 of the OC2 reads the display command from the transmitting operator station OC6 (step 307) in the same manner as explained in FIG. 7, and then designates the display command to the receiving operator station OC1. It is sent to the communication line along with the address signal (step
308).

Above, any operator station, e.g.
According to the transfer command input operation in OC2, the relevant
When transferring display commands input at OC2 to another operator station, for example, OC1,
When transferring a display command held by OC1 to its own device OC2, conversely when transferring a display command held from OC2 to OC1, and when transferring a display command held from a third operator station, for example OC6, to OC1. As mentioned above, FIG. 9 shows an example of the execution program of the microprocessor 11 in a case where it is possible to handle any of these transfer modes in relation to key input operations.

That is, in FIG. 9, if the key β is input (step 401) and the key γ is subsequently input (step 402), this means that the own device has been designated as the transmitting operator station. , the microprocessor 11 reads a display command corresponding to the currently displayed screen of its own device from a predetermined area 12b of the memory 12 (step
403), and sends the display command to the communication line together with an address signal specifying the receiving operator station (step 404).

If the key γ is not input (step 402) and the second key β is input (step 402),
405), reads the display command held by the transmitting operator station corresponding to the key β (step 406), and sends the display command and an address signal specifying the receiving operator station to the communication line (step 407). .

No input of second key β (step
405), when key α is input, (step
408), the microprocessor 11 reads the display command corresponding to the key input (step 409), and sends the display command to the communication line together with an address signal specifying the receiving operator station (step 410).

On the other hand, if the key γ is pressed (step 411) without the key β being pressed first (step 401), this means that the own device has been designated as the receiving operator station. If the key β is subsequently input (step 412), the display command held by the transmitting operator station specified by the key β is read (step 413), and the display is performed according to the display command (step 414). .

After key γ is input (step 411), key β is not input (step 412), or key β and key γ are neither input (steps 401, 411), and key α
If there is an input (step 415), the microprocessor 11 simply reads the display command corresponding to the key input (step 416), stores the display command in the memory area 12b, and executes the display command. Therefore, it displays on its own device (step
417).

In each of the embodiments described above, when the display command of the second operator station is further transferred to the third operator station by the operation at the first operator station, first the first operator station
The first operator station requests the second operator station to send the display command, and the first operator station that receives the display command sends the display command again to the third operator station. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, a first operator station may request that a second operator station receive and send its display commands directly to a third operator station, or alternatively, On the other hand, it may be requested that the display command be read from the second operator station.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, in addition to the key β for specifying each operator, the key γ for specifying the own device is also used.
Although it is provided separately, it is of course possible to use the key β corresponding to the own device instead of providing it separately.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, transfer command input operation can be performed at any operator station, but only one or more predetermined operator stations are provided with a transfer command input operation, and a transfer command input operation for display commands is provided. The operation may be performed only at the operator station.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, a display command is transferred in response to a transfer command input operation performed by specifying a transmitting side and a receiving side operator station at an arbitrary operator station, that is, through a communication line. By treating display commands sent from other independent operator stations as equivalent to display commands directly input from the operator of the own device, cross-display between operator stations can be freely realized. Therefore, the operator can freely display the desired screen on the desired operator station from any operator station, and can simultaneously monitor multiple necessary screens without moving his or her body. .

Further, the control operations of the processor unit can be appropriately distributed between the receiving side and the transmitting side, and the load on the processor unit can be distributed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a conventional multi-station system, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a multi-station system showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of operator stations, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an operator station, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a keyboard, FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of an execution program in a microprocessor, and FIGS. 7 to 9 are the same. 7 is a flowchart showing another example of an execution program in a microprocessor. 2... Operator station, 2a, 15...
...Display device, 2b, 13...Keyboard, 5...
Communication line, 11... Microprocessor, 12...
Memory, 12a...Display command input area, 12b
...Display command storage area, 13a...Key α for display command input, 13b...Key β for transfer command input,
13c...Key γ for inputting transfer command.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a multi-station system in which a plurality of operator stations each having a memory for storing display commands and a display device for performing display according to the display commands are interconnected via communication lines. , at least one operator station is equipped with a display command input operator and a transfer command input operator as input operators, and transfer command input is performed by specifying a transmitting side and a receiving side operator station to any operator station. Through the operation, the display command held by the specified transmitting operator station or the display command corresponding to the display desired to be displayed on the receiving operator station is transferred to the specified receiving operator station, and the above display is performed at the receiving operator station. A display control method characterized by performing a display corresponding to a command. 2 The transmitting operator station sends the display command it holds or the input display command and the address signal corresponding to the receiving operator station to the communication line, and the operator station specified by the address signal performs the above display. 2. The display control method according to claim 1, wherein a command is written in a predetermined memory area and display is performed in accordance with the display command. 3. The display control method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving operator station reads a display command from a predetermined memory area of the transmitting operator station and performs display according to the display command.