JPH1139191A - Method for debugging analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To unnecessitate dispatch of staff, etc., when an abnormality occurs by debugging the contents of storage to calculate an analyzed value in a storage part of an analyzer through a communication means from a computer for debugging after confirming whether the abnormality exists in each unit of a detection part of the analyzer. SOLUTION: Absence of the abnormality in each unit 5 to 7 of the detection part 4 is confirmed prior to the debugging of the contents of storage stored in a user's microcomputer 3 in the analyzer 1. After that, metal is burned, combustion gas is extracted, the combustion gas is fetched in an infrared gas density detector 7 by every required time and a detected value is obtained. The detected value is corrected by a correction coefficient and a gas correction coefficient proper to the detector and after that, the corrected value is expressed in terms of the density by a calibration curve. An intermediate variable generated at each stage during correction and expression of the detected value is outputted whenever it is generated and transmitted to the computer 2 for debugging through the communication means 12. After the transmission, a bug is found from the intermediate variable, an arithmetic operation program, etc., is corrected and transmitted from the computer 2 for debugging to the user's microcomputer 3 through the communication means 12.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for debugging an analyzer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an analyzer, data for analysis is measured by a detecting section, and the measured data, that is, the detected value from the detecting section, is stored in a microcomputer in accordance with predetermined storage contents stored in a storage section. And the analysis value is calculated.

[0003]

By the way, an abnormality may occur in the analysis value due to a bug in software (storage contents) for calculating the analysis value. If something goes wrong,
The manufacturer needs to dispatch a developer to the site, or perform an investigation for debugging by reproducing the abnormality using an analyzer (manufacturer) at the developer's hand. Moreover, it is difficult to reproduce a subtle abnormality when the abnormality is reproduced by a device at hand of the developer. Furthermore, post-fixing costs are required even after the correction, so it is not economical and it is difficult to quickly respond to bugs.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of debugging an analyzer which solves such a problem.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a computer for debugging is connected to an analyzer via communication means, and there is no abnormality in each device of a detection unit of the analyzer. After confirming through the communication means whether or not there is no data, debugging of the storage contents for calculating the analysis value in the storage unit of the analyzer is performed from the debugging computer via the communication means. In the present invention,
A “bug” is an error in a program or an error in a variable or function related to the program. Also, "Debug"
To fix a bug. The “storage content of the storage unit” to be debugged is an arithmetic program stored in the storage unit or a numerical value or function used for executing the arithmetic program. The numerical values or functions used to execute the program include a correction coefficient, a gas correction coefficient, and a calibration curve specific to the analyzer.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.
It is explained according to. In FIG. 1, the user has an analyzer 1 such as a metal analyzer, for example.
The manufacturer has a debugging computer 2. The analyzer 1 includes a microcomputer (hereinafter, referred to as “user's microcomputer”) 3 and a detection unit 4. The detection unit 4 includes an electric furnace (furnace) 5 for burning metal. In the electric furnace 5, the combustion gas G generated from the burned metal passes through the flue 6 and is introduced into the infrared gas concentration detector 7, where the concentration of CO ₂ and SO _{2 in} the combustion gas G is detected. The detection value a from the infrared gas concentration detector 7 is output to the microcomputer 3 of the user. The microcomputer 3 of the user detects disconnection by monitoring the resistance value of the heater of the electric furnace 5 based on the output from the sensor S.

The user's microcomputer 3 includes a CPU 3
0, a RAM (storage unit) 31 and a ROM 32, and a keyboard 8, a display 9, a printer 10, and a modem 11 constituting an input unit are connected.

The keyboard 8 is used for inputting setting data necessary for elemental concentration analysis, inputting settings for statistical processing, and the like. Note that the setting data includes an analysis time, a coefficient of a calibration and a calibration curve, and the like. The display 9 and the printer 10 display or print various set values and analysis results.

The RAM 31 stores an arithmetic program for calculating an analysis value, a correction coefficient specific to the apparatus, a gas correction coefficient, a calibration curve, and the like.

The CPU 30 includes an analyzing unit 33 and a hardware abnormality determining unit 34. The analysis means 33
An analysis value is calculated based on the detection value a from the infrared gas concentration detector 7 and the calculation program, the correction coefficient, the gas correction coefficient, and the calibration curve.

The hardware abnormality judging means 34 judges whether or not each device of the detecting section 4 has an abnormality. For example, the hardware abnormality judging means 34 determines a resistance of a heater for temperature control by an output from the sensor S. By monitoring, if the resistance becomes larger than a predetermined value, it is determined that the wire is disconnected. In addition, not only the output from the sensor but also, for example, whether or not the flue 6 is clogged, the number of analyzes is counted, and when the number of times exceeds a predetermined value, it is determined that the flue 6 is clogged. .

The microcomputer 3 of the user is provided with a communication unit 12
Is connected to the personal computer 2 via the.
The personal computer 2 is a debugging computer 2
Is composed. That is, the debug computer 2 has a built-in modem 20 and is connected to the modem 11 connected to the user's microcomputer 3 via the public line 13. Note that commercially available terminal software or remote software is installed in the microcomputer 3 and the debugging computer 2 of the user, respectively.

The debugging computer 2 has a CPU 21, a RAM 22, and an R in addition to the modem 20.
A keyboard 14, a display 15, and a printer 16 which include an OM 23 and constitute an analysis condition input unit
Is connected.

The RAM 22 stores a test tool (debug program) for debugging the contents stored in the microcomputer 3 of the user. The test tool is started after being transmitted from the debugging computer 2 to the microcomputer 3 of the user, and outputs a determination result of the hardware abnormality determination unit 34, an intermediate variable, and an internal variable. Here, the “internal variable” refers to a set value of a waiting time between operations of each device of the detection unit 4 at the time of analysis, and the “intermediate variable” refers to an analysis after obtaining a detection value a. It is an intermediate value up to the value.

The keyboard 14 is for inputting necessary for communication and debugging. The display 15 and the printer 16 respectively display or print the information required for debugging, such as the result of determination by the hardware abnormality determination means 34 and intermediate variables and internal variables.

Next, a method of debugging the analyzer will be described. First, the RAM 2 of the debugging computer 2
2 is transmitted to the microcomputer 3 of the user via the communication means 12. Next, the test tool is started by operating the keyboard 14 on the maker side, and before the debugging of the stored contents (software) stored in the microcomputer 3 of the user, abnormalities are detected in the devices 5, 6, 7 of the detection unit 4. Detects whether there is no This detection is performed, for example, by operating each device individually, or by actually analyzing. After confirming that there is no abnormality in each of the devices 5, 6, and 7 by this detection, software debugging is performed. That is, the combustion gas G
And the combustion gas G is taken into the infrared gas concentration detector 7 every 10 msec to obtain a detection value a.
Is corrected by a correction coefficient and a gas correction coefficient specific to the apparatus, and then the concentration is converted by a calibration curve. By the time the concentration calculation is reached, the test tool outputs the intermediate variables generated in each of the above steps each time, and the intermediate variables are transmitted to the debugging computer 2 via the communication unit 12.

After this transmission, a bug is found from the intermediate variables, and the operation program and the like are corrected. The corrected arithmetic program is transmitted from the debugging computer 2 to the user's microcomputer 3 via the communication unit 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, the analyzer 1 may be composed of a user's microcomputer 3 and a personal computer 17 having a built-in modem 11, and the detection unit 4 connected to the personal computer 17.

Further, the communication means 12 in the above-mentioned embodiment is used.
Is composed of a modem 20 built in the debugging computer 2 of FIG. 1, a public line 13 and a modem 11 connected to the user's microcomputer 3, but instead of such a connection method of connecting the computers one-to-one. Alternatively, a computer network such as the Internet or a LAN may be used. Instead of a general telephone line, a public line including wireless communication such as a mobile phone may be used. Further, a digital public line may be used instead of the analog public line 13 and a terminal adapter (TA) may be used instead of the modems 11 and 20.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the debugging of the analyzer can be performed via the communication means, there is no need to dispatch a developer to the analyzer or to reproduce the abnormality with an analyzer (manufacturer) at hand of the developer. . In addition, post-fixing costs are not required even after the correction, which is economical. Furthermore, quick response is possible because no time is required for dispatching or sending personnel.

Further, before debugging the contents stored in the storage unit, it is checked whether or not each device of the detection unit has any abnormality. Therefore, it is possible to narrow down the abnormality in the analysis value to a bug caused by the contents stored in the storage unit. No extra time or effort required.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, an intermediate variable that cannot be output by the microcomputer of the analyzer can be output to the output device of the debugging computer. Can be specified in detail. On the other hand, it is economical because it is not necessary to add an extra debug program for checking the intermediate variables and internal variables, which is not related to the original function of the analyzer, to the contents of the storage unit of the microcomputer of the user.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an analyzer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a modification of the analyzer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Analytical device 2: Debug computer 3: User microcomputer (microcomputer) 4: Detector 7: Infrared gas concentration detector 12: Communication means 31: RAM (storage unit) a: Detected value

Claims (2)

[Claims] A detection unit that has a detector or a measuring device and outputs a detection value; and a microcomputer that calculates an analysis value according to the detection value from the detection unit and the content stored in a storage unit. In the debugging method for an analyzer, a debugging computer is connected to the analyzer via a communication unit, and after checking via the communication unit whether or not each device of the detection unit is normal, the storage unit A debugging method of an analyzer, wherein debugging of storage contents for calculating an analysis value is performed from the debugging computer via communication means. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein an intermediate variable from the time when the detection value is obtained to the analysis value is output to an output device of the debugging computer via the communication means. A debugging method for an analyzer that performs the debugging based on the information.