US 5,812,133 AGranted

Industrial controller with display of rung execution

AssigneeAllen-Bradley Company, Inc.

InventorsRonald E. Schultz, Charles M. Rischar, David R. Rohn

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An industrial controller executing a graphical language employs a comparator circuit for monitoring the address locations of memory used to store the control program and its data. A cursor positioned on a graphics representation of the program is used to identify a particular graphical element to be monitored and the address of the starting instruction for that element is loaded into the comparator. An interrupt generated by the comparator causes the generation of a histogram listing the particular rungs name and the times at which it has been executed, useful for verifying and monitoring the operation of a control program. A snapshot of data values used by the element of the program at the time of its execution may also be stored to verify the condition under which the element executes.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An industrial controller comprising:

(a) an electronic memory;
(b) input/output circuitry accessing a first address area in the electronic memory to write input values sampled from external equipment to the electronic memory and to read output values from the electronic memory to the external controlled equipment;
(c) an electronic processor accessing a second address area in the electronic memory to read a stored program of instructions and reading the input and output values from the first address area of the electronic memory to change the output values with execution of the stored program;
(d) a display depicting the stored program and the input and output values as a plurality of interconnected graphical elements;
(e) user input device for identifying at least one graphical element to monitor;
and
(f) an address monitor communicating with the user input device and the display and the electronic memory to alter the display of the graphical element when an address of the electronic memory is accessed during execution of the stored program, the address corresponding to the identified graphical element.

4 more elements

An industrial controller comprising:

(a) an electronic memory;
(b) input/output circuitry accessing a first address area in the electronic memory to write input values sampled from external equipment to the electronic memory and to read output values from the electronic memory to the external controlled equipment;
(c) an electronic processor accessing a second address area in the electronic memory to read a stored program of instructions and reading the input and output values from the first address area of the electronic memory to change the output values with execution of the stored program;
(d) a display depicting the stored program and the input and output values as a plurality of interconnected graphical elements;
(e) user input device for identifying at least one graphical element to monitor;
and
(f) an address monitor communicating with the user input device and the display and the electronic memory to display an indication of the graphical element together with a time of accessing of an address of the electronic memory when an address of the electronic memory from the second address area is accessed during execution of the stored program.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/551,606Filed 1 Nov 1995
Granted: 22 Sep 1998
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

G06F 11/3466
Recording or statistical evaluation of computer activity, e.g. of down time, of input/output operation ; Recording or statistical evaluation of…:…
G05B 19/058
Programmable logic controllers, e.g. simulating logic interconnections of signals according to ladder diagrams or function charts: safety, monitoring
G06F 11/324
With visual or acoustical indication of the functioning of the machine: display of status information
G05B 19/0428
Using digital processors: safety, monitoring