Device, program, and method for creating monitoring image

A device for creating the monitoring image executes display data for each display component. The display component includes an edition region and an operation check region. An operation can be checked using the operation check region while the monitoring image is created using the edition region. A monitoring image without switching devices is efficiently created.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a device, a program, and a method for creating a monitoring image used during remote monitoring and remote control of an operating facility, e.g., a factory.

BACKGROUND ART

In the case of an operating facility, e.g., a factory, a status of the operating facility may be monitored and an operating status of the operating facility may be controlled remotely from the operating facility. Remote monitoring and remote control may be performed using an image displayed on the monitor of the controller of a PC and so on. Such an image illustrates, for example, components including switches and various devices in a factory. A temperature, a quantity, and a weight to be monitored are displayed as numeric values or on a meter, allowing an operator to intuitively recognize the statuses of the factory and components, thereby improving operability. Such an image is referred to as a monitoring image.

In the creation of a monitoring image according to the related art, a designer first places display components indicating a lamp, a switch, a device, and a meter and the like on the operation display of a device for creating a monitoring image. The display components may be previously created display components or display components created during development. The placed display components are then linked to the respective components of an operating facility, for example, the switches and devices of the operating facility. Linking means matching of numeric values and statuses between the display components and the respective components. Moreover, in the case of matching of statuses of the display components and the respective components, scripts for operating the components are associated with the display components. In this way, a link and a script are provided for each of the display components, thereby forming display data for each of the display components. According to the display data, for example, when a switch of an operating facility is turned off, the corresponding display component is turned off in a monitoring image, whereas when a display component is turned on in the monitoring image, the corresponding switch of the operating facility is turned on. If the temperature of a component of the operating facility reaches 180° C., the corresponding display component in the monitoring image indicates 180° C.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

In a device and method for creating a monitoring image according to the related art, however, the components of the operating facility cannot be operated or the operation of the monitoring image for monitoring a status of the component cannot be checked during the creation of the monitoring image. Thus, before an operation check, display data completed in the device for creating the monitoring image needs to be transferred to a device for checking the operation of the monitoring image or software for an operation check. For this reason, an operation can be checked only after a monitoring image is created to a certain degree. Defects in operations cannot be checked and corrected at any time, precluding efficient creation of a monitoring image.

In order to solve the problem, an object of the present invention is to efficiently create a monitoring image.

Solution to Problem

In order to attain the object, a monitoring-image creating device according to an embodiment of the present invention is a device for creating a monitoring image, the device including: a monitor that displays an edition screen for editing the monitoring image; and an arithmetic unit that controls the edition screen, wherein the edition screen includes a display-component selection screen, an operation screen, and a property screen, the display-component selection screen includes a display component constituting the monitoring image, the display component is selected and the monitoring image is placed in the operation screen, link information between the display component and an external facility is written in the property screen, the arithmetic unit sets a link according to the link information and optionally creates a script for operating the display component, the display component includes an edition region and an operation check region, and the edition region is selected so as to edit the monitoring image, whereas the operation check region is selected and executed so as to check an operation of the display component on the operation screen.

A monitoring-image creating device according to an embodiment of the present invention is a device for creating a monitoring image, the device including: a monitor that displays an edition screen for editing the monitoring image; and an arithmetic unit that controls the edition screen, wherein the edition screen includes a display-component selection screen, an operation screen, and a property screen, the display-component selection screen includes a display component constituting the monitoring image, the display component is selected and the monitoring image is placed in the operation screen, link information between the display component and an external facility is written in the property screen, the arithmetic unit sets a link according to the link information and optionally creates a script for operating the display component, the display component includes an edition region and an operation check region, and an edition mode and an operation check mode are switchable on the same edition screen such that selection of the edition mode edits the monitoring image using the edition region and selection of the operation check mode executes the operation check region so as to check an operation of the display component on the operation screen.

A method for creating a monitoring image according to an embodiment of the present invention is a method for creating a monitoring image of an operating facility for each display component by using the device for creating the monitoring image, the display component including an edition region and an operation check region, wherein the device for creating the monitoring image is configured such that selection of the edition region edits the monitoring image, whereas selection and execution of the operation check region enable an operation check on the display component on the device for creating the monitoring image, the method including: selecting the edition region of the display component and placing the display component; setting a link between the display component and an external facility while selecting the edition region; and selecting the operation check region and checking an operation of the display component.

A program for creating a monitoring image according to an embodiment of the present invention is a program for creating a monitoring image for each display component by using a monitor for displaying an edition screen and a computer, the program causing the computer to display an edition region and an operation check region as the display component on the edition screen, place the display component while selecting the edition region of the display component, set a link between the display component and an external facility while selecting the edition region of the display component, and select the operation check region of the display component and check an operation of the display component.

A program for creating a monitoring image according to an embodiment of the present invention is a program for creating a monitoring image for each display component by using a monitor for displaying an edition screen and a computer, the program causing the computer to switch an edition mode and an operation check mode on the same edition screen in response to an input from outside, display an edition region as the display component on the edition screen in the edition mode and display an operation check region as the display component on the edition screen in the operation check mode, place the display component while displaying the edition region of the display component, set a link between the display component and an external facility while displaying the edition region of the display component, and check an operation of the display component while displaying the operation check region of the display component.

Advantageous Effect of Invention

As has been discussed, display data can be executed, and the display component includes the edition region and the operation check region. Thus, an operation can be checked using the operation check region while the monitoring image is created using the edition region. This allows the monitoring image to be efficiently created without switching devices.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An operating facility is equivalent to various facilities such as a factory, an experiment/research facility, agricultural equipment including an agricultural sprinkler, and a medical facility. In an operating facility, various appliances or devices (Hereinafter, will be collectively called components) are operated. For example, the operations include monitoring of infrastructures for water supply and gas, air conditioning, and energy consumption, and SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) for a control facility and so on. In some cases, the statuses of these operating facilities and the components are remotely monitored and controlled. For example, in a factory and an experiment/research facility, appliances or devices, switches, and lamps are operated as components according to the purposes, the operations of appliances or devices and switches are remotely controlled, and the statuses of components such as a lamp, manufactured products, materials used for production, or subjects in experiments are remotely monitored. In a medical facility, for example, the vital signs of patients are remotely monitored in a nurses' station and medical equipment is remotely controlled based on the monitoring result. The remote monitoring and remote control are performed using monitoring images displayed on the monitor of the controller of a PC and so on. In such a monitoring image, the statuses of components such as appliances or devices and switches in an operating facility are displayed as display components of as an illustration, a photograph, a moving image, and so on. For example, the temperatures, quantities, and weights of the components and materials are to be monitored and thus are displayed as display components such as numeric values or on a meter. Moreover, the display components of appliances or devices and switches are configured such that components such as appliances or devices and switches in the operating device are operated in response to operations on the display components of a monitoring image on a control screen. For example, the switches can be turned on or off or the operations of the devices can be changed in the operating facility in response to operations on the display components on the control screen. In this way, the display components allow an operator to intuitively recognize the status of the operating facility, thereby increasing the operability of the operating facility. The display components include moving images for simulating a motion of an object at a production location and lines or images that can be moved, rotated, and scaled up or down according to linked data.

In the creation of the monitoring image, for example, a device for creating a monitoring image according to the present invention can perform an editing function and an operation checking function. In an editing state, the device for creating a monitoring image sets the position of a display component on an operation screen and links the display component to the corresponding component. Furthermore, in the editing state, the device for creating a monitoring image can create a script for controlling the operation of the display component or a script for operating the component if the operation of the display component is controlled or the component is operated by the display component. The display component is associated with the link information and the script so as to create display data for each of the display components. In the editing state, the device for creating a monitoring image can execute display data for each display component or the display components of the overall monitoring image. The display component is changed according to the status of the linked component or the numeric value of the linked component is displayed on the display component. Moreover, in the editing state, the function of compiling an edited script is provided, thereby converting the script into an executable form prior to the execution of the display data. The edited script can be immediately executed. Furthermore, the display component includes an edition region and an operation check region. On the operation screen, the edition region and the operation check region of the display component overlap each other. The status of the display component can be easily switched between the editing state and an operation checking state on the operation screen.

In the creation of the monitoring image, the display component is placed in the editing state and is disposed at the corresponding position in the monitoring image on the operation screen. Moreover, a link is formed between the display component and the corresponding component of the operating device, and the script is optionally created for the display component, thereby creating the display data. These operations are repeated for the display components disposed in the monitoring image. At this point, an operation check can be performed on the display data every time one segment of the display data is created or after multiple segments of the display data are created. The editing state and the operation checking state can be switched by changing programs to be executed. Alternatively, the states can be switched by selecting the edition region or the operation check region on the display component. Also when the programs to be executed are changed, the operation screen is not apparently changed. An operation can be checked by, for example, clicking the display component. Switching is performed by a switch provided on, for example, the operation screen. If switching is performed by selecting the edition region or the operation check region, the display component can be edited by selecting the edition region with a click or the like and an operation can be checked by, for example, a click on the operation check region.

As has been discussed, the device for creating a monitoring image can perform the editing function and the operation checking function and the display component has the edition region and the operation check region. Thus, an operation can be checked using the operation check region while a monitoring image is created using the edition region, thereby efficiently creating the monitoring image without switching devices.

In this example, the component of the operating facility is displayed as a display component. External facilities to be linked to display components include external data such as data stored on the web and data stored in a device other than the operating facility, in addition to the components of the operating facility. If the display component and external data are linked, the external data of the display component can be displayed as a number or can be processed to display a converted value, a graph, a table, and so on. The external data can be converted using a created script.

As an embodiment of a device and method for creating a monitoring image according to the present invention, an example of a factory that is a facility operating as an external facility will be described below in accordance with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1illustrates the configuration of an operating facility and a monitoring image.FIG. 2is an explanatory drawing showing the configuration of a display component.FIG. 3is an explanatory drawing showing the correlation between the components of the operating facility and the display components of the monitoring image.FIG. 4is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the device for creating the monitoring image.FIG. 5illustrates the configuration of the edition screen of the device for creating the monitoring image.FIG. 6is a flowchart showing a method for creating the monitoring image.

Referring toFIG. 1, the relationship between the components of a factory and the display components of the monitoring image will be first described below.

As shown inFIG. 1, a factory2, an example of an operating facility, includes a production unit3. The production unit3receives a required amount of raw materials from tanks4and5and produces products. The supply of the raw materials is adjusted by valves6and7installed between the tanks4and5and the production unit3. The tanks4and5can monitor the amounts of stored raw materials. The amounts of raw materials supplied to the production unit3from the tanks4and5are measured by sensors8and9, respectively. The production unit3has a switch10for outputting the produced products. Moreover, the internal temperature of the production unit3can be measured. The production unit3, the tanks4and5, the valves6and7, the sensors8and9, and the switch10are used as components.

For example, a monitoring image1is an image for controlling the factory2. The monitoring image1is displayed on the monitor of a controller50of, for example, a PC including an arithmetic unit of a CPU. The monitoring image1may be displayed by a web browser or a special program running on the controller50. The factory2and the controller50of the PC that displays the monitoring image1are connected to each other via a radio or wired line24such as an LAN. Data is transmitted and received through a device25. Reference numeral13denotes a display component corresponding to the production unit3that is a component of the factory2. Likewise, the tanks4and5are equivalent to display components14and15, the valves6and7are equivalent to display components16and17, the sensors8and9are equivalent to display components18and19, and the switch10is equivalent to a display component20. Moreover, the monitoring image1includes, as display components11and12, meters indicating the amounts of raw materials remaining in the tanks4and5. Furthermore, the monitoring image1includes, as a display component21, a meter that indicates the temperature of the production unit3, and includes, as a display component22, a lamp that is illuminated when the temperature of the production unit3is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. The factory2may be actually provided with a component that issues an alarm about a temperature increase and corresponds to the lamp. The display components11,12,18,19, and21acting as meters are displayed so as to indicate values measured in the factory. The display components16,17, and18acting as operation switches are operated by a screen touch or a mouse-click on the monitoring image1. This can actually operate the factory2. For example, the valves6and7of the factory2are opened or closed, or the output of products is started or stopped by the switch10.

Referring toFIG. 1 to 3, the correlation between the components of the factory2and the display components of the monitoring image1will be described below.

The display components of the monitoring image1and the equivalent components of the factory2are associated with each other by forming links. The link is established by connecting the display component and the component via the line24and the device25so as to transmit and receive data. Furthermore, the display components optionally have scripts. The scripts include a script for operating the display component according to data transmitted from the component of the factory2and a script that is executed by an operation of the display component so as to operate the component of the factory. The scripts are optionally associated with the display components. As shown inFIG. 2, each display component23includes an edition region26selected during the creation of a monitoring image and an operation check region27used for an operation check of the created display component23. The edition region26includes image data for the display component23and position information. The operation check region27is associated with corresponding link information and the script, constituting display data. The device25is, for example, an I/O device or a PLC. An I/O device only transmits and receives data between the components of the factory2and the display components of the monitoring image1. A PLC converts data received from the components of the factory2or the display components of the monitoring image1and then transmits the data to the display components of the monitoring image1or the components of the factory2. In the case of a link to external data, the link may be established through a web server or a communication line.

For example, as shown inFIG. 3, the display component11of the monitoring image is a meter that indicates the amount of raw materials remaining in the tank4of the factory2. The display component11receives, as data, the amount of raw materials measured in the tank4. The script is executed according to the received data and displays the display component11in a state corresponding to the amount of remaining raw materials. For example, if the amount of the remaining raw materials is 25 kg, the display component11is displayed such that the meter indicates 25 kg. An I/O device28is used as a data transfer device because data conversion is not necessary. Similarly, data measured by the sensor8is transmitted to the display component18, which serves as a meter, through an I/O device30. The display component18provides display according to the transmitted data. The display component21serving as a meter also receives an internal temperature of the production unit3as data through an I/O device31and is displayed in a state corresponding to the data. The display component16, which serves as a switch for monitoring and controlling the opening and closing of the valve6, transmits and receives data to and from the valve6through a PLC29used as a device. Data indicating an opened or closed state of the valve6is transmitted to the display component16, and then the display state of the display component16is changed to ON or OFF according to the data. When the ON or OFF of the display component16in the monitoring image1is changed, data indicating the state is transmitted to the PLC29. The PLC29converts the received data to data for opening or closing the valve6and then transmits the converted data to the valve6. This opens or closes the valve6. Likewise, the PLC32receives an internal temperature of the production unit3as data, decides whether or not the internal temperature has reached at least a predetermined temperature, and then transmits data on the display state of the display component22to the display component22according to the decision result. The display component22receives the data from the PLC32and changes the display state according to the data. For example, if the internal temperature is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, a red lamp is displayed, whereas if the internal temperature is not higher than the predetermined temperature, a green lamp is displayed. A PLC33receives data on the state of the switch10of the production unit3, converts the data to a signal for controlling the state of the display component20, and transmits the signal to the display component20. Moreover, the PLC33receives data on a change of the state of the display component20, converts the data to data for operating the switch10, and transmits the data to the switch10. The display component20having received the data displays a state according to the data. The switch10having received the data is turned on or off according to the data, thereby controlling the output of the product. A moving image, which is not shown, can be also displayed as a display component. For example, a display component for displaying a moving image of the interior of the factory2can be provided in the monitoring image1. The inside of the factory2can be remotely monitored through the moving image.

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 5, the device for creating a monitoring image will be described below.

A monitoring-image creating device34is a controller that operates on a computer, e.g., a PC. The monitoring-image creating device34includes a monitor35that displays the operation screen, a program36that operates the monitoring-image creating device34, an arithmetic unit, e.g., a CPU37that controls the monitoring-image creating device34and reads and executes the program36, a script38associated with display data, a storage device39, e.g., RAM or ROM that stores at least the program36and the script38so as to be readable by the CPU37, and an input device40, e.g., a mouse or a keyboard. The display component23includes image data. Link information and the script38are combined to constitute display data that is stored in, for example, the storage device39.

When a monitoring image is created, an edition screen41is displayed on the monitor35. The edition screen41includes, for example, an operation screen42, a display-component selection screen43, and a property screen44. The operation screen42is a screen for placing the display component23so as to form the outline of the monitoring image1. The display-component selection screen43is a screen including the multiple display components23and allows the selection of the display component23to be placed in the monitoring image1. The display component23to be stored in the storage device39may be created beforehand or may be additionally created by a user. The property screen44includes an information display section45, a link creation section46, and a script edition section47. The information display section45displays information such as terminal information and layout information on the display component23being operated on the operation screen42. The link creation section46sets the link of the display component23. The link is set by indicating the ID or terminal of the device25to be connected to the display component23. At least one I/O device and PLC may be used as the device25. The information on the ID and terminal of the device25is set beforehand. The script edition section47is a screen where the script38for operating the display component23is edited as necessary. The script38can be created in various languages. Moreover, a validate button48is provided. By selecting the validate button48, the edited script38can be compiled and stored in an executable state. The edition screen41may be displayed by starting a web browser. In addition to the function of editing the monitoring image1, the program36for operating the edition screen41has the function of transmitting and receiving data to and from the device25or performing a simulation with a recognized link, and the program36is capable of performing an operation checking function for executing the script38. The display component23can be always made executable and thus is operated in response to an operation of the operation check region27. The operation result is transmitted to the device25by setting the link. Moreover, data received or inputted from the device25is reflected to the display component23. The operation and movement of the display component23can be always checked during an editing operation. A correction of the link by the link creation section46and a correction of the script38are quickly reflected to a movement of the display component23.

The display data of the display component23also includes the edition region26and the operation check region27. The monitoring image1is edited using the edition region26. In an operation check, the operation check region27is operated to check an operation after a link is established and the script38is read. During an editing operation, the display component23being edited displays an edition frame49in response to selection of the edition region26by a click. A drag-and-drop operation on the edition frame49can edit the position of the display component23. Furthermore, the outside shape of the edition frame49is scaled up or down so as to change the display size of the display component23. The edition region26is provided over a wider range than the operation check region27, so that the edition region26and the operation check region27can be selected by changing a point to click the display component23. In an operation check, a change of the display state of the display component23is checked by, for example, clicking the operation check region27, enabling the operation check.

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 6, a method of creating a monitoring image using the monitoring-image creating device will be described below.

First, the edition screen41is opened on the monitoring-image creating device34. The display component23to be displayed in the monitoring image1is selected from the display-component selection screen43and is placed in the operation screen42. The display component23is selected and placed by, for example, a drag-and-drop operation on the display component23. The position and size of the display component23are changed by selecting the edition region26of the display component23and then operating the edition frame49(step1inFIG. 6).

Subsequently, a link is set between the display component23being edited and the component of the factory2. While the display component23is selected, the link is set by writing, in the link creation section46, the ID and the terminal number of the device25supposed to transmit and receive data. A symbol corresponding to the ID and the terminal number may be registered beforehand. For example, a symbol “a” may be written. The device25can be selected from an I/O device and a PLC according to the necessity for data conversion. The device25is connected beforehand to the corresponding component of the factory2. The selected device25transmits and receives data to and from the display component23(step2inFIG. 6).

After that, the script38is created on the script edition section47if necessary. The creation of the script38operates the display component23on the monitoring image1according to received data and remotely controls the component of the factory2according to data transmitted from the display component23. The script38can be compiled by the validate button48. The script38is executed in the absence of an error (step3inFIG. 6). At this point, the creation of display data for one of the display components23is completed. While the monitoring image1is created, the multiple display components23can be placed on the screen. Various kinds of display components23are available. For example, the display components23include a picture for displaying an object on site, a moving image for simulating a motion of an object, and a line and an image that can be moved, rotated, or scaled up or down by setting a link.

Subsequently, in this state, it is decided whether all the display components23have been edited or not (step4inFIG. 6). If the display components23have not been edited, it is decided whether to check an operation at this point (step5inFIG. 6). If an operation check is not necessary, the operations of steps1to4are repeated and display data is continuously created for other display components23until all the display components23are edited.

If all the display components23have been edited or an operation check needs to be performed, the operation check edition region27is selected in all the display components23or the display component23requiring an operation check, and then the display component23is clicked to check an operation. Since the monitoring-image creating device34can recognize a link and execute the script38, an operation can be checked on the monitoring-image creating device34. An operation check is performed by actually transmitting or receiving data to or from the factory2or transmitting data to the display component23through a simulation. For example, in the case of a switch, an operation check can be also performed by checking a change of the ON/OFF state of the display component23with a click on the switch on the edition screen41. If the operation is found to be faulty, the processing in steps1to3is examined and corrected (step6inFIG. 6).

If no faulty is found in the operation check, it is confirmed whether all the display components23have been edited or not (step7inFIG. 6). If all the display components23have not been edited, the process returns to step1to edit other display components23. If all the display components23have been edited, the editing operation is ended.

In this way, the monitoring-image creating device34can perform the editing function and the operation checking function, and the display component23has the edition region26and the operation check region27. Thus, an operation can be checked using the operation check region27while a monitoring image is created using the edition region26. This allows the monitoring image1to be efficiently created without switching devices.

Moreover, the program36may place the display component23being displayed and set a link with an external component before an operation check on the display component23. The program36displays the display component23including the edition region26and the operation check region27on the edition screen41. While the edition region26is selected, the program36displays and places the display component23in response to an operation of an operator, and sets a link with an external facility according to link information inputted by the operator. While the operation check region27is selected, the program36checks an operation of the selected and executed display component23. Furthermore, the program36is divided into a program for editing the monitoring image1and a program for an operation check on the display component23. The monitoring-image creating device34may switch the programs between an editing operation and an operation check such that the editing program is executed during an editing operation and the operation check program is executed during an operation check. Also in this case, it is not necessary to switch the monitoring-image creating device and a device for an operation check, thereby efficiently creating the monitoring image1.

In the above explanation, a factory was described as an example. As has been discussed, the operating device is not limited to a factory. The present invention is applicable to any facility as long as remote monitoring and remote control can be performed.