System for transferring data between program development computer and control unit via specific memory addresses of interface computer

Claim 1

An apparatus for developing a control program comprising: a control unit including a first computer, said control unit controlling an object and said first computer having a memory storage device storing a first control program; a development computer, said development computer including a program development-supporting tool for checking an operation of a new control program written by a high-level language; and an interface computer connected between said control unit and said development computer, said interface computer including a first memory in which a result of processing of said development computer is written and a second memory in which a result of processing of said first computer is written; wherein said interface computer includes means for transferring first data being written into said second memory to said development computer when said first computer accesses a specific address of said second memory to write said data therein; said interface computer includes means for transferring second data being written into said first memory to said first computer when said development computer accesses a specific address of said first memory, said development computer computing said second data using said first data and said new control program; and said first computer controls said object by utilizing said second data transferred from said first memory.

Claim 2

An apparatus for developing a control program comprising: a control unit including a first computer, said control unit controlling an object and said first computer having a memory storage device storing a first control program; a development computer, said development computer including a program development-supporting tool for checking an operation of a new control program written by a high-level language; and an interface computer connected between said control unit and said development computer, said interface computer including a first memory in which a result of processing of said development computer is written and a second memory in which a result of processing of said first computer is written; wherein said interface computer includes means for transferring first data being written into said second memory to said development computer when said first computer accesses a specific address of said second memory to write said data therein; said interface computer includes means for transferring second data being written into said first memory to said first computer when said development computer accesses a specific address of said first memory, said development computer computing said second data using said first data and said new control program; and said first computer controls said object by utilizing said second data transferred from said first memory.

Claim 7

A method for developing a control program for a first computer forming part of a control unit for controlling an object, said method comprising the steps of: connecting a development computer to said first computer via an interface computer which includes a first and second memory; accessing a specific address of said second memory by said first computer and writing data therein as written data; transferring said written data to said development computer as transferred data as said writing process begins in said second memory; computing using said transferred data by utilizing a control program in said development computer written in a high-level language to generate computed data; using a program development-supporting tool to check operation of said development computer control program; accessing a specific address of said first memory and writing said computed data into said first memory; transferring said data written into said first memory to first computer as said writing process begins in said first memory; and controlling said object in said first computer by utilizing said data transferred from said first memory.

Claim 8

A method for developing a control program for a first computer forming part of a control unit for controlling an object, said method comprising the steps of: connecting a development computer to said first computer via an interface computer which includes a first and second memory; accessing a specific address of said second memory by said first computer and writing data therein as written data; transferring said written data to said development computer as transferred data as said writing process begins in said second memory; computing using said transferred data by utilizing a control program in said development computer written in a high-level language to generate computed data; using a program development-supporting tool to check operation of said development computer control program; accessing a specific address of said first memory and writing said computed data into said first memory; transferring said data written into said first memory to first computer as said writing process begins in said first memory; and controlling said object in said first computer by utilizing said data transferred from said first memory.