Programming method and apparatus for programmable controller

Claim 2

A programming method for a programmable controller wherein a data inputting portion or a data correcting portion of a ladder diagram displayed on a screen is designated by a cursor, wherein to designate the data inputting portion or the data correcting portion, at least two cursors (11: 12) are employed; at least each of a symbol element and a character element which are constructive unit of said ladder diagram is designated by a first cursor (11); and said character element of this designated element is designated by a second cursor (12) moving within said first cursor (11).

Claim 3

A programming method for a programmable controller wherein a data inputting portion or a data correcting portion of a ladder diagram displayed on a screen is designated by a cursor, wherein to designate either the data inputting portion or the data correcting portion, at least two cursors (11: 12) are employed; an element being a constructive unit of said ladder diagram is equipped with a symbol element representative of a relay symbol and also a plurality of character data for specifying said relay symbol; each element is designated by a first cursor (11), and each of character display positions of said character elements for said designated element is designated by a second cursor (12) which is moved within said first cursor (11).

Claim 4

A programming method for a programmable controller wherein a data inputting portion or a data correcting portion of a ladder diagram displayed on a screen is designated by a cursor, wherein to designate either the data inputting portion or the data correcting portion, at least two cursors (11: 12) are employed; an element being a constructive unit of said ladder diagram is equipped with a symbol element representative of a relay symbol and also a plurality of character data for specifying said relay symbol; each element is designated by a first cursor (11), and each of character display positions of said character elements for said designated element is designated by a second cursor (12) which is moved within said first cursor (11).

Claim 5

The method of claim 2, wherein, in response to a symbol input, said inputted symbol is displayed on said symbol element, and also in response to a character input, said inputted character is displayed on a position of said second cursor (12) for said character element.

Claim 6

The method of claim 3, wherein while a symbol is inputted in case that a symbol has been previously displayed on a symbol element, said symbol being displayed is substituted by said inputted symbol, and while a character is inputted in case that a character has been previously displayed on a character element, the character being displayed is substituted by said inputted character.

Claim 8

The method of claim 5, wherein at least the character element is displayed in an enlargement mode by moving the first cursor (11) to the previously inputted element.

Claim 11

A programming apparatus for a programmable controller wherein either a data inputting portion or a data correcting portion of a ladder diagram displayed on a screen is designated by a cursor, comprising: first cursor designating means for sequentially designating by a first cursor (11), each of at least a symbol element or a character element which are constructive unit of said ladder diagram in response to a movement operation; and second cursor designating means for sequentially designating by a second cursor (12), an inside of said character element of the element designated by said first cursor designating means in response to the movement operation.

Claim 12

A programming apparatus for a programmable controller wherein either a data inputting portion or a data correcting portion of a ladder diagram displayed on a screen is designated by a cursor, comprising: first cursor designating means for sequentially designating by a first cursor (11), each of at least a symbol element or a character element which are constructive unit of said ladder diagram in response to a movement operation; and second cursor designating means for sequentially designating by a second cursor (12), an inside of said character element of the element designated by said first cursor designating means in response to the movement operation.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising emphasizing display means for emphatically displaying the element designated by said first cursor designating means.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising high-brightness display means for displaying the element designated by the first cursor designating means in high brightness.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising reverse display means for displaying the element designated by said first cursor designating means in a reverse mode.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising enlarging display means for displaying the element designated by said first cursor designating means in an enlargement mode.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising display means for displaying the character element of said element at a position different from a normal position in response to designation of the previously inputted element made by said first cursor designating means.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising correcting means for correcting one arbitrary character present within a character element designated by said second cursor designating means by the inputted character.

Claim 19

A programming apparatus for a programmable controller wherein either a data inputting portion or a data correcting portion of a ladder diagram displayed on a screen is designated by a cursor, comprising: first cursor movement controlling means for sequentially designating by a first cursor (11), each of said elements in response to a movement operation; and, second cursor movement controlling means for sequentially designating by a second cursor (12), an inside of said character element of the element designated by said first cursor movement controlling means in response to the movement operation, the elements which are constructive unit of said ladder diagram being constructed of a symbol element indicative of a relay symbol and also a character element representative of a plurality of character data which specify said relay symbol.

Claim 20

A programming apparatus for a programmable controller wherein either a data inputting portion or a data correcting portion of a ladder diagram displayed on a screen is designated by a cursor, comprising: first cursor movement controlling means for sequentially designating by a first cursor (11), each of said elements in response to a movement operation; and, second cursor movement controlling means for sequentially designating by a second cursor (12), an inside of said character element of the element designated by said first cursor movement controlling means in response to the movement operation, the elements which are constructive unit of said ladder diagram being constructed of a symbol element indicative of a relay symbol and also a character element representative of a plurality of character data which specify said relay symbol.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 16, further including symbol display means for displaying said inputted symbol on a symbol element of the element designated by said first cursor in response to a symbol input; and, character display means for displaying the inputted character on a character element of the element designated by said first cursor in response to a character input, the element which is constructive unit of said ladder diagram being arranged by the symbol element representative of a relay symbol and also the character element indicative of a plurality of character data which specify said relay symbol.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein while a symbol is inputted, when a symbol has been displayed on the symbol element, said symbol display means changes said previously displayed symbol by said inputted symbol; and also while a character is inputted, when a character has been displayed on the character element, said character display means changes said previously displayed character by said input character.

Claim 29

A programming apparatus (PGH) for a programmable controller (PCS), for producing a sequence program used to a programmable controller by forming a ladder diagram on a display screen, comprising: display means (75) for displaying a ladder diagram constructed of various circuit symbols and parameters attached to the respective circuit symbols; symbol input means for inputting said circuit symbols; and, parameter input means for inputting said parameters, one of said symbol input means and said parameter input means being capable of inputting, irrelevant to an input operation of the other means.

Claim 30

A programming apparatus (PGH) for a programmable controller (PCS), for producing a sequence program used to a programmable controller by forming a ladder diagram on a display screen, comprising: display means (75) for displaying a ladder diagram constructed of various circuit symbols and parameters attached to the respective circuit symbols; symbol input means for inputting said circuit symbols; and, parameter input means for inputting said parameters, one of said symbol input means and said parameter input means being capable of inputting, irrelevant to an input operation of the other means.

Claim 31

The apparatus of claim 25, wherein a display screen displayed by said display means is subdivided into a circuit display region and a circuit input region; the circuit input region has a symbol input region and a parameter input region; the symbol and parameter which have been inputted by said symbol input means and said parameter input means, respectively, are once displayed on said symbol input region and said parameter input region, and are transferred to said circuit display region in response to an instruction of an operator so as to be displayed.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said display means displays a first cursor (11) for instructing input positions of the circuit symbol and parameter on said circuit display region and a second cursor (12) for indicating an input device of a character on said parameter input region.

Claim 33

The apparatus of claim 26 or 27, wherein said symbol input means selects one circuit symbol from plural sorts of circuit symbols which have been previously registered, in response to an instruction issued by an operator.

Claim 34

The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said symbol input means cyclically and successively selects the plural sorts of circuit symbols which have been previously registered every time the operator issues the instruction.

Claim 35

The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said parameter input means freely moves said second cursor (12) in response to the instruction issued from the operator, and is capable of amending only a portion of character series which has been previously inputted.

Claim 36

The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising means for duplicating said circuit symbol into said symbol input region when said first cursor (11) is moved and if the circuit symbol is already present at this position, and for maintaining a display content of said symbol input region if the circuit symbol is not present at this position.

Claim 37

The apparatus of claim 27 or 31, further comprising means for duplicating said parameter into said parameter input region when said first cursor is moved and if the parameter is already present at this position, and also for maintaining a display content of said parameter input region if the parameter is not present at this position.

Claim 38

A programming apparatus (PGH) for a programmable controller (PCS), for producing a sequence program used to a programmable controller by forming a ladder diagram on a display screen, comprising: display means (75) for displaying a ladder diagram constructed of various circuit symbols and parameters attached to the respective circuit symbols; symbol input means for inputting said circuit symbols; parameter input means for inputting said parameters; and, operation mode control means capable of selecting a first mode under which both a symbol and a parameter can be inputted; a second mode under which only a symbol can be inputted; and a third mode under which only a parameter can be inputted.

Claim 39

A programming apparatus (PGH) for a programmable controller (PCS), for producing a sequence program used to a programmable controller by forming a ladder diagram on a display screen, comprising: display means (75) for displaying a ladder diagram constructed of various circuit symbols and parameters attached to the respective circuit symbols; symbol input means for inputting said circuit symbols; parameter input means for inputting said parameters; and, operation mode control means capable of selecting a first mode under which both a symbol and a parameter can be inputted; a second mode under which only a symbol can be inputted; and a third mode under which only a parameter can be inputted.

Claim 40

A programming apparatus (PGH) for a programmable controller (PCS), for producing a sequence program used to a programmable controller by forming a ladder diagram on a display screen; comprising: ladder diagram storage means for storing both the respective sorts of symbols to constitute the ladder diagram displayed on said display screen and parameters attached to the respective circuit symbols; display means for displaying as the ladder diagram, the circuit symbols and parameters which have been stored in said ladder diagram storage means; symbol input means for inputting said circuit symbol; symbol temporarily storing means for temporarily storing one circuit symbol inputted from said symbol input means; parameter input means for inputting said parameter; parameter temporarily storing means for temporarily storing one parameter inputted from said parameter input means; and, means for transferring contents of said symbol temporarily storing means and also of said parameter temporarily storing means to said ladder diagram storage means in response to an instruction issued from an operator.

Claim 41

A programming apparatus (PGH) for a programmable controller (PCS), for producing a sequence program used to a programmable controller by forming a ladder diagram on a display screen; comprising: ladder diagram storage means for storing both the respective sorts of symbols to constitute the ladder diagram displayed on said display screen and parameters attached to the respective circuit symbols; display means for displaying as the ladder diagram, the circuit symbols and parameters which have been stored in said ladder diagram storage means; symbol input means for inputting said circuit symbol; symbol temporarily storing means for temporarily storing one circuit symbol inputted from said symbol input means; parameter input means for inputting said parameter; parameter temporarily storing means for temporarily storing one parameter inputted from said parameter input means; and, means for transferring contents of said symbol temporarily storing means and also of said parameter temporarily storing means to said ladder diagram storage means in response to an instruction issued from an operator.