Project format, suitable to define functions and/or characteristics of an operator interface device or of a PLC of an operating machine, more generally of an industrial device. The project format comprises a base layer and a plurality of additional layers disposed in order on the base layer from the oldest to the newest.

A control system, a support device, and a recording medium are provided. This control device includes a storage unit which stores native code generated from a first user program that includes a sequence program, and a calculation processing unit which executes the native code stored in the storage unit. A display device of the present invention includes: a storage unit which stores sequence circuit information that is generated from the first user program and defines a circuit configuration of the sequence program; and a monitor functioning unit which acquires, from the control device, a circuit output state that indicates the execution state of the native code, and visualizes the execution state of the sequence program in the control device on the basis of the acquired circuit output state and the sequence circuit information.

The present invention relates to generally to programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and more particularly to a system and method to enables a user to accelerate the generation of PLC programs. The system includes a set of specific keywords and an internal algorithm that in combination with the industrial process information provided by the user, creates a methodology for PLC program generation, which is flexible enough to adapt to the user, PLC programming strategies, and other standards and practices.

A design assistance device assists design of a processing device to execute processing and includes an acquirer, divider, communication code generator, and outputter. The acquirer acquires processing code describing content of the processing. The divider divides the processing code into modules and determines, for each of the modules, an execution environment in which the module is to be executed, from among a plurality of execution environments provided on the processing device. The communication code generator generates, when a module of the plurality of modules includes partial processing prioritized for execution in a second execution environment other than a first execution environment determined for execution of the module, a communication code for communication between the first execution environment and the second execution environment to execute the partial processing in the second execution environment. The outputter outputs the plurality of modules and the communication code to the processing device.

A programming supporting apparatus that supports production of a control program for controlling a system configured from a plurality of mechanism components includes: a component-information storage unit to store component information corresponding to each of the mechanism components capable of configuring the system, the component information including a parameter for setting a condition of an operation executable by the system and a method describing, in accordance with the parameter, movement of a driving end that a driving device connected to the mechanism component is instructed to perform so as to cause the system to perform the operation; and a control-program producing unit to, when the mechanism component configuring the system is specified and the parameter for the mechanism component is set, produce the control program by using the method of the specified mechanism component and the set parameter.

A partial circuit selector selects a partial circuit comprising a plurality of contacts in a ladder diagram program. A replacement circuit generator generates a replacement circuit comprising a smaller number of contacts than in the selected partial circuit. An auxiliary circuit generator generates an auxiliary circuit that causes the replacement circuit to perform the same action as the partial circuit. A program editor performs, on the ladder diagram program, a replacement process for replacing a partial circuit appearing in the ladder diagram program with the replacement circuit, and performs an auxiliary circuit insertion process for inserting the auxiliary circuit into the ladder diagram program.

The invention realizes miniaturization, high performance, and informatization of a control device. Only an application not required to be repeatedly executed with respect to a control subject at an execution interval less than or equal to a prescribed time interval is assigned to a fourth core (114) of a PLC (10).

A controller includes a control operation unit that cyclically performs a control operation for controlling a control target, a data generator that generates data showing a chronological change in a value associated with a control target, and an analyzer that analyzes the data and outputs an analysis result in a predetermined analysis target period. The analysis target period includes a plurality of sections. The data generator sequentially outputs section data showing a chronological change in a value for each of the plurality of sections in the analysis target period. The analyzer analyzes the sequentially output section data for each section. When an analysis of section data for a section in the analysis target period shows a predefined result, the analyzer eliminates an analysis of section data for one or more sections in the analysis target period that are subsequent to the section for which the analysis shows the predefined result.

A programming supporting apparatus that supports production of a control program for controlling a system configured from a plurality of mechanism components includes: a component-information storage unit to store component information corresponding to each of the mechanism components capable of configuring the system, the component information including a parameter for setting a condition of an operation executable by the system and a method describing, in accordance with the parameter, movement of a driving end that a driving device connected to the mechanism component is instructed to perform so as to cause the system to perform the operation; and a control-program producing unit to, when the mechanism component configuring the system is specified and the parameter for the mechanism component is set, produce the control program by using the method of the specified mechanism component and the set parameter.

The present invention relates to a system (100) for monitoring process controls, said system (100) comprising: an engineering tool module (10) configured to provide process control for an engineering product and to accomplish initializing of the process control of the engineering product; and a monitoring tool module 20) configured to be co-executed with the initializing of the process control of the engineering product and to be coupled to the process control of the engineering product.