CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A TECHNICAL PLANT WITH REDUCED VIEWS OF PLANT ILLUSTRATIONS

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a control system for a technical plant, in particular a process or production plant, which has an operator station server and an operator station client, wherein the operator station server is designed to generate visualization information and to transmit it to the operator station client for visualization in order to enable operation and monitoring of the technical plant by an operator, wherein the visualization information comprises at least a first and a second plant image of the technical plant, which is different from the first plant image and in which digital representations of components of the technical plant and associated data for operating and monitoring the technical plant are visually displayed or can be displayed, wherein the digital representations of the first plant image differ from the digital representations of the second plant image.Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for operating a control system for a technical plant, in particular a process or production plant.

[0002] The operation and monitoring of (process) engineering plants is carried out via plant diagrams, in which the process is schematically represented by image elements, which in turn are dynamized by process values ​​and alarms. Alarm management guides operators of the technical plant to the plant diagrams, in which the image elements of the alarm-generating process objects are visualized.

[0003] For more detailed observation and operation, operators can open so-called detailed views in plant displays – such as trend curves, faceplates of process objects, message sequence displays, etc. If alarms are reported from other plant displays during detailed operation or observation in an open plant display, the operator must decide whether to interrupt the operation and observation they have started in order to deal with the reported alarms, or to end the operation and observation first.

[0004] If the operator interrupts their current operation and observation—assuming this is even possible—they have to expend considerable effort and expense due to the plant screen changes to return to the state of the plant screen prior to the interruption. This is particularly disadvantageous if they would not have had to interrupt their work in the first place due to the incoming alarm—e.g., because of a low-criticality alarm. The previously described guidance through alarm management can therefore also be disadvantageous if operators have to interrupt their work due to newly reported alarms because of a plant screen change to the alarm-reporting plant screen, even if the handling of the alarm could have been postponed.

[0005] Known control systems that present plant images with different objects to an operator by means of several operator station servers are disclosed, for example, in EP 3 637 205 A1 and EP 3 736 647 A1.

[0006] US 2021 / 081080 A1 discloses a system with a graphical user interface for graphically displaying full-screen plant images on mobile devices.

[0007] EP 3 623 891 A1 discloses an individualization service for implementation in a control system of a technical installation.

[0008] The invention is based on the object of providing a control system for a technical system which enables improved operation and monitoring of the technical system.

[0009] This object is achieved by a control system for a technical plant, in particular a production or process plant, having the features of claim 1. In addition, the object is achieved by a method for operating a control system for a technical plant, in particular a process or production plant, having the features of claim 11. Advantageous further developments emerge from the dependent claims.

[0010] A control system of the type described above is characterized according to the invention in that it is designed to visually present the second plant image to the operator by the operator station client during the visual presentation of the first plant image to the operator by the operator station client, due to an occurring event, wherein a display size of the second plant image is preferably smaller than a display size of the first plant image, wherein the display size is a number of pixels of a screen which is used by the operator station client for the visual display of the plant images.

[0011] In this context, a control system is understood to be a computer-aided technical system that includes functionalities for displaying, operating, and managing a technical system such as a manufacturing or production facility. In addition to the operator station server and the operator station client, the control system can include other components, such as process- or production-related components that serve to control actuators or sensors.

[0012] The technical plant can be a plant from the process industry, such as a chemical, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, or food and beverages industry. This also includes any plant from the production industry, such as factories where cars or goods of all kinds are produced. Technical plants suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention can also come from the field of energy generation. Wind turbines, solar systems, or power plants for energy generation are also encompassed by the term "technical plant."

[0013] An "Operator Station Server" is defined here as a server that centrally collects data from an operating and monitoring system, as well as alarm and measured value archives from the control system for the technical plant, and makes them available to users. The Operator Station Server typically establishes a communication connection to automation systems (such as an automation device) of the technical plant and forwards data from the technical plant to at least one Operator Station Client, which can be used to operate and monitor the operation of the individual functional elements of the technical plant.

[0014] The operator station server itself can have client functions to access the data (archives, messages, tags, variables) of other operator station servers. This allows images of the operation of a technical plant on the operator station server to be combined with variables from other operator station servers (server-to-server communication). The operator station server can be, but is not limited to, a SIMATIC PCS 7 Industrial Workstation Server from SIEMENS.

[0015] An operator is defined as a human operator of a technical system. The operator interacts with the technical system or its control system via special user interfaces and controls specific technical functions of the system. To do this, the operator can use the control system's operating and monitoring system with the Operator Station Servers and the Operator Station Client.

[0016] In the case of a process plant, the data from the technical system can be process data such as pressure values, temperature values, or fill level values, but also messages, for example. The data can represent raw data from sensors. However, it can also have been processed by a transmitter, a peripheral device, an automation device, or another device designed for this purpose.

[0017] The operator can use the (first) plant diagram and the (second) plant diagram (and possibly additional plant diagrams), which are visually presented to them on the Operator Station Client, to operate and monitor the technical plant. In the plant diagrams, for example, a process engineering process can be schematically visualized and dynamized using block symbols (digital representations) of the individual process objects with which the process engineering process is automated. Operation of the process engineering process can be made possible, among other things, using so-called faceplates, which can be opened, for example, using the dynamized block symbols.

[0018] The control system according to the invention is advantageously designed to provide the operator with a visual representation of a second plant image upon the occurrence of an event. It is essential that the display size of the first plant image differs from the display size of the second plant image. The term "display size" refers, for example, to the number of pixels on a screen used to visually display the plant images. Due to the different display sizes, the operator can directly obtain an overview of the second plant image (which may be relevant for various reasons) without the first plant image no longer being displayed.

[0019] If the operator is in the open first plant image during operation and observation, the control system according to the invention no longer requires them to switch (completely) to the second plant image (and thus close the first plant image) in order to assess whether the event that has occurred requires immediate action or whether action can be postponed until the operator has completed operation and observation in the first plant image. The control system according to the invention can provide them with an overview of the second plant image without requiring them to terminate operation and observation of the first plant image.

[0020] Preferably, the display size of the second plant image is smaller than the display size of the first plant image. The second plant image can be superimposed on the first plant image in the form of a thumbnail. This can particularly preferably be done in the form of an (additional) image window in which the second plant image can be or is displayed. The operator can move this image window to a suitable position on a display of the operator station client.

[0021] The event can be an instruction issued by the operator. This instruction can be issued, for example, in the form of a mouse click, a touch of a touchscreen, or a voice command. The initiative comes from the operator, who in turn, upon the occurrence of an event, such as the occurrence of an alarm message, instructs the control system to display the second plant image in the manner described above.

[0022] Preferably, the event involves selecting the second plant image (more precisely: a symbol or icon that references the second plant image) from a list display of (at least) two plant images. The second plant image in the list display can be provided with a message that has occurred in the technical system, in particular an alarm message. While operating and monitoring in the list display, the operator can recognize that an alarm message has occurred in the second plant image, select this second plant image in the list display, and display the second plant image. An alarm message is a message that generally requires an immediate response from the operator of the technical system.A message is understood to be a report of the occurrence of an event that represents a transition from one discrete state within the technical system to another discrete state.

[0023] An event can also be a message occurring in the technical system, particularly an alarm message. In this case, no operator initiative is generally required. Upon the occurrence of the alarm message, the control system can automatically display the second plant image in the manner described above – as a "pop-up" image window. However, it is also possible for the control system to first ask the operator whether they would like to have the second plant image displayed. This intermediate step is particularly advantageous if the operator does not (yet) want the second plant image to be displayed automatically at a given time.

[0024] The operator can specify the properties that the message must have to trigger the visual display of the second plant image by the Operator Station Client. For example, they can specify that only messages with a certain criticality or origin, or that are addressed only to the operator themselves, are considered.

[0025] Within the scope of a preferred development of the invention, the visual representation of the second system image includes an overview of alarm messages assigned to components of the technical system included in the second system image. This provides the operator with direct information about which alarm messages are linked to the second system image. For example, the operator can obtain an overview of how many critical or non-critical alarm messages are assigned to components displayed in the second system image.

[0026] In a preferred development of the invention, the visualization information additionally comprises at least a third plant image of the technical plant, wherein the control system is designed to visually present the second plant image and the third plant image to the operator by the operator station client during the visual presentation of the first plant image to the operator, due to an occurring event or due to several occurring events, wherein a display size of the first plant image and the second plant image, and of the first plant image and the third plant image are designed differently from one another, wherein a display size of the second plant image and the third plant image is preferably smaller than a display size of the first plant image. This is also possible for any number of further plant images.

[0027] The above-stated object is also achieved by a method for operating a control system for a technical installation, in particular a process or production installation, which has an operator station server and an operator station client, wherein the operator station server is designed to generate visualization information and to transmit it to the operator station client for visualization in order to enable operation and monitoring of the technical installation by an operator, wherein the visualization information comprises at least a first and a second installation image of the technical installation, which is different from the first installation image, in which digital representations of components of the technical installation and associated data for operating and monitoring the technical installation are visually displayed or can be displayed,where the digital representations of the first plant image differ from the digital representations of the second plant image.,

[0028] The procedure includes the following steps: a) Visual presentation of the first plant image by the operator station client to the operator; b) In response to an occurring event, visual presentation of the second plant image by the operator station client to the operator, wherein a display size of the first plant image and the second plant image are different from one another, wherein a display size of the second plant image is preferably smaller than a display size of the first plant image, wherein the display size is a number of pixels of a screen that is used by the operator station client for the visual display of the plant images.

[0029] Preferably, the second system image is displayed in an image window which is designed to be movable by the operator on an image display visually displayed by the operator station client.

[0030] The visual representation of the second system image preferably includes an overview of alarm messages that are assigned to components of the technical system included in the second system image.

[0031] The task explained above is also solved by using a control system to operate a technical plant, in particular a manufacturing or process plant.

[0032] The above-described properties, features, and advantages of this invention, as well as the manner in which they are achieved, will become clearer and more readily understood in connection with the following description of an embodiment, which is explained in more detail in conjunction with the drawings. FIG 1 shows a first system image with a superimposed second system image; FIG 2 shows the second system image from FIG 1 in an enlarged view; FIG 3 the first system image from FIG 2 with the superimposed second system image and a superimposed third system image; and FIG 4 shows a control system according to the invention in a schematic diagram.

[0033] In FIG 1 A first plant diagram 1 of a technical plant designed as a process engineering plant is shown. The first plant diagram 1 comprises various image objects 2, 3, 4, 5, each of which visualizes a process component of the process engineering plant or represents a digital representation of these process objects. Pipelines 6 connecting the individual process components can be seen.

[0034] In addition, the first plant image 1 includes a diagram 7 with measured values ​​of the process plant as well as various interfaces 8, 9 for operating and monitoring the individual process objects. The first plant image 1 is overlaid in the upper left area by a second plant image 9, which is displayed in a movable image window. Both plant images 1, 9 are displayed in a display environment 10 of an operator station client of a control system of the process plant. The first plant image 1 is in FIG 1 by a dashed line, the second system diagram 9 by cross symbols.

[0035] On the left side of FIG 1 The display environment 10 has a list display 11 of the plant images 1, 9. When an alarm message occurs in the process plant, the alarm message is displayed in the list display 11. The operator can then select the relevant (second) plant image 9 in the list display 11 and thereby FIG 1 to be recognized visual representation of the second plant image 9 by the Operator Station Client. It is clearly visible that a display size of the second plant image 9 is smaller than a display size of the first plant image 1.

[0036] In FIG 2 The second plant diagram 9 is shown in an enlarged view. It basically has comparable elements to the first plant diagram 1, which is why these will not be discussed in detail here. In an upper area 12, an overview of alarm messages is shown that are assigned to components of the process plant included in the second plant diagram 9. In the present exemplary embodiment, one of the components is assigned an alarm message that has the property "critical" (which in FIG 2 indicated by the designation "H-1").

[0037] FIG 3 shows the first system image 1 together with the superimposed second system image 9 (cf. FIG 1 ). In contrast to the embodiment according to FIG 1 A third system image 14 in the form of an image window is superimposed on the first system image 1. This image window can also be designed to be movable by the operator.

[0038] In FIG 4 A part of a control system 15 according to the invention for a technical system designed as a process plant, i.e., as a process engineering plant, is shown. The control system 15 comprises an operator station server 16 and an operator station client 17.

[0039] The operator station server 16 and the operator station client 17 are connected to each other via a terminal bus 18 and optionally to other components of the control system 15, such as an engineering station server, which are not shown.

[0040] A user or operator can access the operator station server 16 for the purpose of operating and monitoring via the operator station client 17 using the terminal bus 18. The terminal bus 18 can, for example, be configured as Industrial Ethernet, without being limited thereto.

[0041] The operator station server 16 has a device interface 19 connected to a plant bus 20. Via this device interface 19, the operator station server 16 can communicate with an automation device 21 as well as with optionally present additional components of the process plant, such as peripheral devices (not shown). The plant bus 20 can be configured, for example, as Industrial Ethernet, without being limited thereto. The automation device 21 can be connected to any number of subsystems (not shown).

[0042] A visualization service 22 and a process image 23 are implemented (among other things) on the operator station server 16. The operator station client 17 is designed to display plant images for operating and monitoring the process plant. The automation device 21 is designed to control and monitor the automation of the process plant. For this purpose, a control program is implemented on the automation device 21, which was loaded onto the automation device 21 as part of a configuration of the automation of the process plant. The automation device 21 receives process data (e.g., measured values) from the process plant and transmits them to the process image 23 of the operator station server 16.

[0043] A specialized display service 24 of the visualization service 22 of the operator station server 16 generates the first plant image 1 (cf. FIG 1 and 3), which is transferred to the Operator Station Client 17 for visualization. As can be seen from FIG 1 As described above, the operator can trigger the visual display of the second plant image 9 on their own initiative (or alternatively the control system 15 can trigger it automatically). To do so, the operator can select the second plant image in the list display 11 of the plant images 1, 9 (step I). A reception service 25 of the operator station server 16 receives the operator's instruction and forwards it to an object service 26 (step II). This object service 26 transmits the visualization information relating to the second plant image 9 to the operator station client 17 so that the latter can overlay the second plant image 9 on the first plant image 1 (step III).

[0044] In addition, the object service 26 transmits the instruction to the display service 24 to generate an alarm-detailed overview of alarm messages, which provides the operator with a direct overview of the alarm messages assigned to the second plant image 9 (step IV). To generate this overview, the display service 24 accesses the process image 23, which stores which alarm message (with which property) for which process object (step V). Because the display service 24 knows which process objects are assigned to the second plant image 9, the display service 24 can also assign the alarm messages accordingly to the second plant image 9 and generate the alarm-detailed overview. This is then transmitted to the operator station client 17 (step VI), where it is visually displayed together with the second plant image 9.

[0045] The alarm-detailed thumbnail views (second plant image 9 and third plant image 14) allow the operator to better prioritize their operation and monitoring. Unnecessary image changes and interruptions in the processing of existing tasks can be effectively avoided with the previously described control system 15.

[0046] The invention can therefore make a significant contribution to improving the operability of the control system of a technical plant.

Claims

1. Control system (15) for a technical installation, in particular a process installation or production facility, which has at least one operator station server (16) and at least one operator station client (17), wherein the operator station server (16) is designed to generate visualisation information and transmit it to the operator station client (17) for visualisation in order to enable an operator to control and monitor the technical installation, wherein the visualisation information comprises at least one first installation image (1) and a second installation image (9) of the technical installation, in which digital representations (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) of components of the technical installation and associated measurement data (7, 8, 9) for operator control and monitoring of the technical installation are or can be visually displayed, characterised in that as the result of an event occurring during the visual presentation of the first installation image (1) to the operator by the operator station client (17), the control system (15) is designed to visually present the second installation image (9) to the operator by means of the operator station client (17), wherein a display size of the first installation image (1) and the second installation image (9) are designed as different from one another, and wherein a display size of the second installation image (9) is preferably smaller than a display size of the first installation image (1).

2. Control system (15) according to claim 1, wherein an event represents an instruction issued by the operator.

3. Control system (15) according to claim 2, wherein the event represents selecting of the second installation image (9) from a list display (11) of the installation images.

4. Control system (15) according to claim 3, wherein the second installation image (9) is provided in the list display (11) with a message occurring in the technical installation, in particular an alarm message.

5. Control system (15) according to claim 1, wherein an event represents a message occurring in the technical installation, in particular an alarm message.

6. Control system (15) according to claim 5, wherein it is possible to predefine the properties that the message must possess in order to trigger the visual display of the second installation image (9) by the operator station client (17).

7. Control system (15) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second installation image (9) can be displayed in an image window which is designed to be movable by the operator on an image display visually displayed by the operator station client (17).

8. Control system (15) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the visual display of the second installation image (9) comprises an overview (12) of alarm messages which are assigned to components of the technical installation that are comprised by the second installation image (9).

9. Control system (15) according to claim 8, wherein the overview (12) comprises a respective number of alarm messages of a particular alarm class.

10. Control system (15) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the visualisation information additionally comprises at least one third installation image (14) of the technical installation, wherein, as the result of an event occurring or as the result of a plurality of events occurring during the visual presentation of the first installation image (1) to the operator by the operator station client (17), the control system (15) is designed to visually present the second installation image (9) and the third installation image (14) to the operator by means of the operator station client (17), wherein a display size of the first installation image (1) and of the second installation image (9), and of the first installation image (1) and of the third installation image (14) are designed as different from one another, wherein a display size of the second installation image (9) and of the third installation image (14) is preferably smaller than a display size of the first installation image (1).

11. Method for operating a control system (15) for a technical installation, in particular a process installation or production facility, which comprises at least one operator station server (16) and at least one operator station client (17), wherein the operator station server (16) is designed to generate visualisation information and to transmit it to the operator station client (17) for visualisation, in order to enable operator control and monitoring of the technical installation, wherein the visualisation information comprises at least one first installation image (1) and a second installation image (9) of the technical installation, in which digital representations (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) of components of the technical installation and associated measurement data (7, 8, 9) for operator control and monitoring of the technical installation are or can be visually represented, the method comprising: (a) visual presentation of the first installation image (1) to the operator by the operator station client (17); b) in response to an event occurring, visual presentation of the second installation image (9) to the operator by the operator station client (17), wherein a display size of the first installation image (1) and of the second installation image (9) are different from one another, wherein a display size of the second installation image (9) is preferably smaller than a display size of the first installation image (1).

12. Method according to claim 11, wherein an event represents an instruction received from the operator.

13. Method according to claim 11, wherein an event represents a message, in particular an alarm message, occurring in the technical installation.

14. Method according to one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the second installation image (9) is displayed in an image window which is designed to be movable by the operator on an image display visually displayed by the operator station client (17).

15. Method according to one of claims 11 to 14, wherein the visual display of the second installation image (9) comprises an overview (12) of alarm messages associated with components of the technical installation that are comprised by the second installation image (9).