Operator support in automated systems

Abstract

In an automation system implementing a process flow that is displayed to an operator through several linked graphical objects (12, 14, 16, 18, 28, 30, 36, 40, 44, 48), a simulation comparison device obtains current status data of a current operation of the automation system having a current automation system parameter setting, receives a first simulation selection involving a selection of a simulation (S2) with an automation system parameter setting different from the current automation system parameter setting, receives a second simulation selection involving a selection of another simulation (S3) with an automation system parameter setting different from the current automation system parameter setting and different from the automation system parameter setting of the first simulation selection, determines at least one difference in the operation for the simulations (S2, S3), and displays the at least one difference through manipulating graphical objects (36, 40) corresponding to elements in the process flow that experience the difference in operation.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method, a simulation comparison device, a computer program and a computer program product for assisting an operator of an automation system, as well as an automation system comprising such a simulation comparison device. [Background technology]

[0002] Process control is important to ensure stable production in different automated systems, such as mining, petroleum, chemical processing, or power generation systems. Process control may need to rely on simulations, and operators may request the automated system to generate different simulations of the process based on different scenarios to support them in making decisions in managing the process. However, having several simulations with different configurations and results may lead to information overload for the operator to quickly and fully evaluate them and make appropriate decisions.

[0003] WO2005 / 109122 discloses a system that can be used to display the results of a simulation. According to this document, the same graphical objects can be used in the design of different visualizations, such as process control and simulation. The graphical objects can be used, for example, in a simulation view and an operator view.

[0004] However, the results of changing settings can be difficult to assess as they are often not readily apparent from such simulations, nor is there any discussion of how some simulations are handled.

[0005] This calls for improvements in the way simulations are handled in automated systems.

[0006] The present invention is concerned with improving the way in which such simulations are displayed so that the operator can get a better overview of the results of the simulations compared with each other. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present invention addresses this situation. The present invention therefore aims to solve the problem of simplifying the operation of an automation system operator to perform control activities such as setting automation system parameters.

[0008] This object is achieved according to a first aspect through a method for assisting an operator of an automation system, wherein the automation system implements a process flow that is displayed to the operator through a number of linked graphical objects representing elements in the process flow, the method being performed by a simulation comparison device, comprising: obtaining current status data of a current operation of the automation system, where the current status data comprises current automation system parameter settings; receiving a first simulation selection from an operator, wherein the first simulation selection involves selecting a simulation with an automation system parameter setting that is different from a current automation system parameter setting; receiving a second simulation selection from the operator, where the second simulation selection involves selection of another simulation with automation system parameter settings different from the current automation system parameter settings and different from the automation system parameter settings of the simulation selected in the first simulation selection; Determining at least one difference between the performance of the first simulation selection and the performance of the second simulation selection; displaying at least one difference in the operation according to a display scheme in which a graphical object corresponding to an element in the process flow experiencing the difference in operation is manipulated; and Equipped with.

[0009] This object is achieved according to a second aspect through a simulation comparison device for assisting an operator of an automation system, the automation system implementing a process flow that is displayed to the operator through a number of linked graphical objects representing elements in the process flow, the simulation comparison device comprising: obtaining current status data of a current operation of the automation system, where the current status data comprises current automation system parameter settings; receiving a first simulation selection from an operator, wherein the first simulation selection involves selecting a simulation with an automation system parameter setting that is different from a current automation system parameter setting; receiving a second simulation selection from the operator, where the second simulation selection involves selection of another simulation with automation system parameter settings that are different from the current automation system parameter settings and that are different from the automation system parameter settings used in the simulation of the first simulation selection; Determining at least one difference between the performance of the first simulation selection and the performance of the second simulation selection; displaying at least one difference in the operation according to a display scheme in which a graphical object corresponding to an element in the process flow experiencing the difference in operation is manipulated; and The device is configured to:

[0010] This object is achieved according to a third aspect through an automated system comprising a simulation comparison device according to the second aspect.

[0011] This object is achieved according to a fourth aspect through a computer program for assisting an operator of an automation system, the automation system implementing a process flow that is displayed to the operator through a number of linked graphical objects representing elements in the process flow, the computer program being configured to run on a simulation comparison device ... obtaining current status data of a current operation of the automation system, where the current status data comprises current automation system parameter settings; receiving a first simulation selection from an operator, wherein the first simulation selection involves selecting a simulation with an automation system parameter setting that is different from a current automation system parameter setting; receiving a second simulation selection from the operator, where the second simulation selection involves selection of another simulation with automation system parameter settings that are different from the current automation system parameter settings and that are different from the automation system parameter settings used in the simulation of the first simulation selection; Determining at least one difference between the performance of the first simulation selection and the performance of the second simulation selection; displaying at least one difference in the operation according to a display scheme in which a graphical object corresponding to an element in the process flow experiencing the difference in operation is manipulated; and The present invention comprises computer program code configured to cause the

[0012] This object is achieved according to a fifth aspect through a computer program product for assisting an operator of an automation system, the computer program product being provided on a data carrier comprising a computer program having computer program code according to the fourth aspect.

[0013] The performance difference may be caused by the use of different automation system parameter settings.

[0014] The current status data may be obtained when the automation system is run using the current automation system settings.

[0015] The automated system is thus provided with automated system parameters, which can be set by an operator to obtain automated system parameter settings.

[0016] The manipulation may comprise a change in color, which may additionally or alternatively comprise a highlighting of the object.

[0017] According to a first variant of the first aspect, the method further comprises determining, for each element experiencing a difference in effort, an amount by which the effort differs, wherein manipulating comprises manipulating an object representing the element to reflect the amount, wherein the manipulating may involve changing a brightness of the object.

[0018] According to a corresponding variation of the second aspect, the simulation comparison device is further configured to determine, for each element experiencing a difference in effort, an amount by which the effort differs, and when configured to manipulate a graphical object, is configured to manipulate an object representing the element to reflect the amount, wherein the manipulation may involve changing a brightness of the object.

[0019] An element may comprise a path along which a process flow occurs, which may be represented by a graphical object in the form of a line, where the difference in work associated with the path may be displayed through varying line thickness.

[0020] The simulations of the first simulation selection and the second simulation selection may be displayed as selectable thumbnail images in a thumbnail window.

[0021] Thus, the method may additionally comprise displaying thumbnail images corresponding to several available simulations in a thumbnail window, and receiving first and second selections as selections of corresponding thumbnail images in the thumbnail window.

[0022] In a corresponding manner, the simulation comparison device may be further configured to display thumbnail images corresponding to several available simulations in the thumbnail window and to receive first and second selections as selections of corresponding thumbnail images in the thumbnail window.

[0023] Each thumbnail image may comprise a representation of an automated system element in the process flow, and elements that have automation system parameter settings that differ from the current automation system parameter settings in the corresponding simulation are highlighted in the thumbnail image. The highlighting may be done through the use of different colors. Elements with different settings may be black, for example, and other elements may be white.

[0024] The simulation comparison device may arrange the thumbnail images in a thumbnail window in a priority order. The order may be the order in which the simulations meet key performance indicator criteria. It may be, for example, according to which simulation has the highest or lowest key performance indicator value. It may also be a ranking according to safety.

[0025] A process flow may therefore have several key performance indicators.

[0026] In this case, the method may further comprise determining the impact of each of the selected simulations on each of the key performance indicators and displaying this impact.

[0027] In this case, the simulation comparison device may be further configured to determine the impact of each of the selected simulations on each of the key performance indicators and display this impact.

[0028] The impact of the simulation on the key performance indicators may be displayed in association with the objects representing the key performance indicator values ​​of the current work or in association with the objects representing the key performance indicator values ​​of the simulation. The impact, which may be an increase or decrease, may be displayed in or adjacent to the object representing the key performance indicator.

[0029] The method may further comprise receiving a first display mode selection from an operator, wherein in the first display mode selection, determining at least one difference in the work comprises determining a difference in the work between a simulation of the first simulation selection and a simulation of the second simulation selection, and displaying the at least one difference comprises displaying one set of linked objects common to the selected simulations, and a display scheme is used in displaying the set of linked objects.

[0030] Accordingly, the simulation comparison device may additionally be configured to receive a first display mode selection from the operator, wherein in the first display mode selection, the simulation comparison device is configured to determine a difference in the work between a simulation of the first simulation selection and a simulation of the second simulation selection when configured to determine at least one difference in the work, and is configured to display one set of linked objects common to the selected simulations when configured to display the at least one difference, and a display scheme is used in displaying the set of linked objects.

[0031] Displaying may also comprise displaying linked graphical objects in one process for the simulations of the first and second selections, in this case, so that there may be one displayed process flow used for both simulations.

[0032] The method may additionally include receiving a second display mode selection from the operator, wherein in the second display mode selection, determining at least one difference in work comprises determining a first difference in work for a simulation of the first simulation selection and determining a second difference in work for a simulation of the second simulation selection, wherein the first difference in work is a difference in work between an automation system operated with current automation system parameter settings and an automation system operated with automation system parameter settings used in the simulation of the first simulation selection, and wherein the second difference in work is a difference in work between the automation system operated with the current automation system parameter settings and an automation system operated with automation system parameter settings of the simulation in the second simulation selection, and displaying the at least one difference comprises displaying the first difference in work in a first group of graphical objects illustrating the process flow using the display scheme and displaying the second difference in work in a second group of graphical objects illustrating the process flow using the display scheme, wherein the graphical objects in the first and second groups that correspond to each other are displayed together.

[0033] The simulation comparison device may be configured to receive a second display mode selection from the operator, whereby determining at least one difference in the work comprises determining a first difference in the work for the simulation of the first simulation selection and determining a second difference in the work for the simulation of the second simulation selection, where the first difference in the work is a difference in the work between the automation system operated with current automation system parameter settings and the automation system operated with automation system parameter settings used in the simulation of the first simulation selection, and the second difference in the work is a difference in the work between the automation system operated with the current automation system parameter settings and the automation system operated with automation system parameter settings of the simulation in the second simulation selection, and when configured to display the at least one difference, the simulation comparison device is configured to display the first difference in the work in a first group of graphical objects illustrating the process flow using the display scheme and display the second difference in the work in a second group of graphical objects illustrating the process flow using the display scheme, where the graphical objects in the first and second groups that correspond to each other are displayed together.

[0034] Corresponding objects may be displayed one over the other, or alternatively, they may be displayed next to each other.

[0035] The present invention has several advantages. It allows an operator to compare the results of the application of selected simulations in an automation system. The operator can thereby efficiently compare the effects of multiple simulations on a process. The operator may be able to immediately understand the pros and cons of a simulation with respect to being used for control. The operator may also be able to select parameter settings to be used in a process in a more effective manner.

[0036] The present invention will now be described with reference made to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0037] [Figure 1] 1 shows a schematic representation of an automated system in the form of a mining system with several operations; [Figure 2] 1 illustrates a schematic representation of one implementation of a simulation comparison device for use in an automated system. [Figure 3] 1 illustrates several steps performed by a simulation comparison device in a method for assisting an operator of an automated system. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are schematic illustrations of a first screen presented to an operator by a simulation comparison device; [Figure 5] 10 shows a schematic representation of a second screen presented to an operator by the simulation comparison device, which shows the effects of the first and second simulations on different KPIs; [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating a third screen presented to an operator by a simulation comparison device, where the third screen illustrating the differences between the second and third simulations is displayed in common view. [Figure 7] 10 shows a schematic representation of a fourth screen presented to an operator by the simulation comparison device, showing the second and third simulations with different values ​​of the KPIs; [Figure 8] 10 is a schematic illustration of a fifth screen presented to an operator by the simulation comparison device, showing the second and third simulations together with a trend comparison window showing the trends of KPIs in the two simulations. [Figure 9] 1 shows a data carrier having computer program code in the form of a CD-ROM disc for implementing a machine setpoint determination device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] Below is given a detailed description of preferred embodiments of an automation system, as well as a method, a simulation comparison device, a computer program, and a computer program product for assisting an operator of the automation system.

[0039] 1 schematically illustrates an exemplary automation system 10, which in this case is a mining system. However, it should be recognized that this is merely one example of an automation system in which aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented. Examples of other types of automation systems are systems such as paper and pulp production systems, oil and gas production systems, and power generation and transmission systems.

[0040] In such a system, there may be a work process flow in which several operations are performed. In a mining example, the operations comprise a material production operation MPO, which in the case of mining may be a first ore production operation, which may be, for example, a blasting operation. In this example, there is a first production point 12, a second production point 14, a third production point 16, and a fourth production point 18, and in this example, a material production operation MPO is performed at each of the production points 12, 14, 16, and 18.

[0041] The material production operation MPO is followed by a first material handling operation MHO1 for moving material away from the production points 12, 14, 16, and 18. The first material handling operation MHO1 may be considered a first material transport operation, which may additionally be a first ore transport operation involving transporting ore using equipment such as LHD (Load Haul and Dump) vehicles. Illustrated is a first LHD vehicle 20 moving material away from the first production point 12, a second LHD vehicle 22 moving material away from the second production point 14, a third LHD vehicle 24 moving material away from the third production point 16, and a fourth LHD vehicle 26 moving material away from the fourth production point 18. The first material handling operation MHO1 is followed by a first storage operation SO1, which in this case is a first intermediate material storage operation. This first storage operation SO1 may involve storing material in material stores, which in this case may be so-called ore passes. Here, there is a first material store 28 at the first material storage location and a second material store 30 at the second material storage location. The material stores 28, 30, and 32 may be connected to the material production locations 12, 14, 16, and 18 via several routes in the form of at least one road network. In the example of FIG. 1, the first material store 28 is connected to the first and second production locations 12 and 14 via a first road network, while the second material store 30 is connected to the third and fourth production locations 16 and 18 via several routes in the form of a second road network. The first and second LHDs 20 and 22 may therefore transport material to a first material storage area 28 via a first road network, and the third and fourth LHDs 24 and 26 may transport material to a second material storage area 30 via a second road network.

[0042] The first storage operation SO1 is followed by a second material handling operation MHO2 for moving material away from the first and second material storage areas 28 and 30. The second material handling operation MHO2, which may be a second material transport operation, also involves transporting material using LHD vehicles. The figure shows a fifth LHD vehicle 32 moving material from the first material storage area 28 and a sixth LHD vehicle 34 moving material from the second material storage area 14. The second material handling operation MHO2 is followed by a second storage operation SO2, which in this case is a second intermediate material storage operation. This intermediate material storage operation SO2 may also involve storing material in a material storage area, which may similarly be one or more ore passes if the material is ore. Here, there is a third material storage area 36 at a third material storage location. The third material storage location 36 may be connected to the first and second material storage locations 28 and 30 via several routes in the form of a third road network. The fifth and sixth LHD vehicles 32 and 34 may thereby transport material from either of the material storage locations 28 and 30 to the third material storage location 36 of the second storage operation SO2.

[0043] The second storage operation SO2 is followed by a third material handling operation MHO3 for moving material away from the third material storage area 36. The third material handling operation MHO3, which may be a third material transport operation, also involves transporting material using LHD vehicles. Shown is a seventh LHD vehicle 38 moving material from the third material storage area 36.

[0044] The third material handling operation MHO3 is followed by a third storage operation SO3, which in this case is a third intermediate material storage operation. This intermediate material storage operation SO3 may also involve storing material in a material storage section, which may similarly be one or more ore passes if the material is ore. Here, the fourth material storage location has a fourth material storage section 40. The fourth material storage section 40 may be connected to the third material storage section 36 via a path, such as a road, or a track. A seventh LHD vehicle 38 may thereby transport material from the third material storage section 36 to the fourth material storage section 40 of the third storage operation SO3.

[0045] The third storage operation SO3 is followed by a fourth material handling operation MHO4 for moving material away from the fourth material storage area 40, which may be a fourth material transportation operation involving transportation using transportation equipment such as trucks, trains, wagons, or belt conveyors. In this example, the transportation involves the use of the eighth LHD vehicle 42. It is then followed by a fifth material handling operation MHO5, which may be, by way of example, a fifth material transportation operation that is a hoisting operation using hoisting equipment 44. The hoisting operation may also be considered an ore handling operation. The eighth LHD vehicle 42 may thereby use a path or track, such as a road, between the fourth material storage area 40 and the hoisting equipment 44.

[0046] The fifth material handling operation MHO5 is followed by a sixth material handling operation MHO6 for moving the material away from the hoisting equipment 44. This is done using a transport device 46, in this case a wagon moving along a track in the form of a rail. The sixth material handling operation MHO6 is followed by a fourth storage operation S04 which involves storing the material in a fifth material store 48. The wagon 46 is moved along a path which thereby runs between the hoisting equipment 44 and the fifth material store 48.

[0047] Finally, there is a control device CD 50 that can receive measurements from and send commands to the different equipment involved in the automation process. Such an exchange of signals takes place between all the equipment in each of the operations and the control device 50. However, for the first four operations, signals are shown only for the first production point 12 in the material production operation MPO, the first LHD vehicle 20 in the first material handling operation MHO1, the first material storage 28 in the first storage operation SO1, and the fifth LHD vehicle 34 in the second material handling operation MHO2. The control device 50 can be implemented through a so-called SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) device.

[0048] It should be appreciated that the automated system 10 of Figure 1 is merely an example and that additional or fewer operations may be included. Additional types of operations may also be involved, such as loading, drilling, and shotcreting. As previously mentioned, the automated system may be a type of automated system other than a mining system.

[0049] The automation system 10 provides an automation or process flow that begins at the material production operation MPO and ends at the fourth storage operation SO4. Thus, there is a production flow from the material production operation MPO to the fourth storage operation SO4.

[0050] 2 shows a block schematic diagram of a simulation comparison device 52 used in different aspects of the present disclosure. The simulation comparison device 52 comprises a processor PR 54 and a memory M 56 having a display control unit DCU 58 and a simulation processing unit SHU 60, both of which are provided in the form of computer program code, software code, or computer instructions. The processor 54 performs display control functions when executing the computer program code of the display control unit 58, and performs simulation processing functions when executing the computer program code of the simulation processing unit 60.

[0051] There is also a communication interface CI 62 that the simulation comparison device 52 uses to communicate with a user interface UI 64 and a control device CD 50. The user interface 64, including a display DI 66, is shown as being external to the simulation comparison device 52. However, it should be recognized that it may alternatively be part of the simulation comparison device 52.

[0052] In some variations, user interface 64 is a touchscreen through which simulation comparison device 52 can present data to an operator and through which the operator can input data. It should be appreciated that in other variations, display 66 may be a display only, and input may be provided through a keypad or keyboard, a trackball, a joystick, or some other button.

[0053] An exemplary process controlled by an automation system is the flow of materials in a mine, such as the transportation of ore and rock, as a process using different elements such as belt conveyors, LHDs (Load, Haul and Dump machines), trucks, and mine hoists.

[0054] With recent advances in artificial intelligence, simulators can be used in process control to assist operators in making decisions to maintain production processes. In traditional process control, operators either rely on past experience or use a trial-and-error approach to adjust parameters in a process and monitor the results of the adjustments. This is not only time-consuming, but can also be costly if parameters are adjusted incorrectly, especially in unprecedented scenarios. Using a simulator, an operator can instruct the system to quickly generate multiple simulations of possible future states of the process based on current data and different configurations of parameters. The operator can evaluate these simulations to determine the most appropriate way to adjust parameters to achieve the desired results. However, multiple simulations generated simultaneously can cause information overload for the operator. For each simulation, the operator may need to remember which parameters were adjusted and what the results of those adjustments were. Because several parameters can be configured in a simulation, and each configuration can affect numerous factors and indicators in the process, it would be mentally taxing and tedious for the operator to keep track of all of these for every simulation while making decisions. This high cognitive workload can result in operator decisions that are incorrect in process control. Therefore, it is necessary to have an effective technique for visualizing multiple simulations that allows the operator to quickly discern the similarities and differences between them, as well as their relative merits.

[0055] Aspects disclosed herein introduce visualization of process simulations in a way that helps an operator quickly grasp the uniqueness of each simulation and identify similarities and differences between multiple simulated processes, based on which the operator can quickly derive the pros and cons of different simulated process control scenarios to inform appropriate decisions, such as selecting automation system parameter settings to be used in the process.

[0056] According to aspects described herein, a three-step visualization approach may be used to allow an operator to first easily distinguish one simulation from another and then further explore and compare the details of multiple simulations to understand their relative merits. In the first step of visualization, each simulation may be visually represented by a thumbnail image that visually encodes the parameter configuration of the corresponding simulation. This may help the operator roughly and quickly identify what was configured in the simulation. In the second step of visualization, the operator may select a thumbnail to further explore the details of the corresponding simulation. A visualization layer may be overlaid on the visualization of the current process, highlighting in detail the configured parameters and changes made to elements corresponding to the process equipment and operations. The visualization layer may additionally show process key performance indicators (KPIs) when the configuration of the selected simulation is applied to the current process. Furthermore, in the third step, an interface may be provided that allows the operator to efficiently visually compare multiple simulations. The interface provides visualizations that highlight process elements that are differentially affected by the simulations and provides comparative visualizations of process KPIs brought about by the selected simulations.

[0057] The simulation comparison device 52 is based on modular object-oriented simulation models of the different entities involved. The top-level controller, the control device 50, is responsible for dynamically invoking the relevant models and acts as a bridge between the user interface 64 and the connected systems to retrieve the data to be used for the simulation parameters.

[0058] The simulation comparison device 52 uses simulation processing functions provided by a simulation processing unit 60 and associated visualization provided by a display control unit 58 .

[0059] The starting point for the operation of the simulation comparison device 52 is the current system settings of the actual current operation of the automation system 10, along with the current parameters of the different operation. The operator can then see what effect a simulation with at least one parameter different from the currently used parameter settings would have on the automation system, and the display control unit 58 provides feedback to the operator via the user interface 64 regarding the expected impact of these changes.

[0060] An operator can access the automation system's current operation screen and open an existing simulation. When the operator opens an existing simulation, the display control unit 58 presents the operator with a simulation screen based on the current operation screen. In this simulation screen, the simulation unit 60 can show which parameter settings are different and the effect these different parameter settings have on the process, which can therefore show an effect different from the effect of the current parameter settings.

[0061] The display control unit 58 keeps track of the differences and provides feedback to the operator regarding the expected impact on the overall process and the results. The display control unit 58 can cascade the effects of these different parameter settings on connected parts of the process. All of this can be achieved by incorporating individual simulation models for each configurable element in the process within the overall process level simulation.

[0062] The simulated state of a process is visualized by showing which elements in the process are manipulated for the current simulation and how changes to these elements affect the process outcome and any connected KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).

[0063] A method of assisting an operator of an automated system will now be described with reference made to Figure 3 which shows some steps performed by the simulation comparison device 52, and to Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 which show schematically first, second, third, fourth and fifth screens presented to the operator by the simulation comparison device 52. The assistance, in this case, may be to assist the operator to evaluate the results when the automated system parameter settings used in the simulation are introduced into the automated system.

[0064] The automation system 10 implements a process flow that is displayed to an operator via a user interface 64 by a display control unit 58 through a number of linked graphical objects representing elements (tasks, paths, equipment, and / or locations) in the process flow.

[0065] During operation, the control device 50 may use current automation parameter settings to control the automation system 10. In the context of the mining system of Figure 1, such current automation system parameter settings may comprise settings for automation system parameters such as the amount of blasts to be performed, the time interval between blasts, the number of transport devices to be used, the degree to which the transport devices should be filled with material, the speed at which the transport devices should be moved, and minimum and maximum levels of material in the material storage. These parameters are thus parameters that an operator can set to control the process flow.

[0066] The simulation comparison device 52 may obtain current status data of the actual current operation of the automation system from the control device (step 68), where the current status data comprises the automation system parameters used for control of the process. The current status data thereby comprises the current automation system parameter settings. Furthermore, the current status data comprises data defining the current status of the operation or process being performed by the automation system 10.

[0067] Aspects of the present disclosure allow an operator to visually preview or compare different simulated scenarios to make more informed decisions in controlling a process. More specifically, the simulation comparison device 52 may use a three-level visualization approach that allows the operator to efficiently identify, explore, and compare different simulations to assist the operator in making decisions.

[0068] The display control unit 58 may display thumbnail images of selectable simulations. The display of the thumbnail images may be in a thumbnail window, each thumbnail image comprising a representation of an automation system element in the process flow, with elements in the corresponding simulation having automation system parameter settings that differ from the current automation system parameter settings being highlighted in the thumbnail image. Elements that have been changed in the simulation relative to the current operating settings are therefore highlighted in the corresponding thumbnail image. The highlighting may be done through the use of different colors. Elements with different settings may be black, for example, while other elements may be white.

[0069] Here, the thumbnail images can be arranged in a priority order in the thumbnail window, which can be an order according to key performance indicators of the automated system. The order can be an order in which the simulations meet the criteria of the key performance indicators. It can be, for example, according to which simulations have the highest or lowest key performance indicator values. The order can also be a ranking according to some other criteria, such as safety.

[0070] 4 shows schematically an exemplary first screen SCR1 90 displayed to the operator. Initially, the first screen 90 shows a visualization of the current process (center of the interface) with the process KPIs (at the top) and a list of thumbnail images in a thumbnail window TNW 92 (on the right), which represent the different generated simulations.

[0071] As can be seen in FIG. 4, the process is illustrated through elements representing production locations 12, 14, 16, and 18, first, second, and fourth LHD vehicles 20, 22, and 26, first and second material storage areas 28 and 30, third material storage area 36, ​​seventh LHD vehicle 38, fourth material storage area 40, eighth LHD vehicle 42, hoisting equipment 44, and fifth material storage area 48, with the elements representing the storage areas, production locations, and hoisting equipment linked by elements representing the road network and tracks used for transportation.

[0072] Further, the KPIs are shown through a first KPI widget KPI1, a second KPI widget KPI2, a third KPI widget KPI3, a fourth KPI widget KPI4, a fifth KPI widget KPI5, a sixth KPI widget KPI6, and a seventh KPI widget KPI7. In that view, the first KPI may be production at the production point, the second KPI may be cost of production, the third KPI may be energy consumed by the process, the fourth KPI may be emissions from the process, the fifth KPI may be production equipment utilization (FACE), the sixth KPI may be storage utilization, and the seventh KPI may be transportation equipment utilization.

[0073] Each simulation is thereby represented as a thumbnail image in the thumbnail window. The thumbnail images can be selected by the operator. They are therefore also selectable.

[0074] Thus, the display control unit 58 may additionally display thumbnail images corresponding to several available simulations in the thumbnail window, each thumbnail additionally showing a simplified structure of the process.

[0075] As an example, FIG. 4 shows a thumbnail window TNW 92 containing a first simulation S1, a second simulation S2, a third simulation S3, and a fourth simulation S4. In the view shown, the first simulation S1 appears at the top of the window 92, followed by the second, third, and fourth simulations S2, S3, and S4. Each thumbnail image visually encodes a particular characteristic of its corresponding simulation, making it easy to distinguish one thumbnail image from another. One way to create such thumbnails is to display a simplified visual structure of a process and use color to highlight process elements configured in the simulation. For example, elements configured for the corresponding simulation can be marked, such as highlighted as black, while other elements have a different color, such as white or gray.

[0076] In the given example, the production points 12, 14, 16, and 18, the material stores 28, 30, 36, 40, and 48, and the hoisting equipment 44 are shown in each thumbnail, and elements that have received different parameter settings compared to the current operation are marked by being colored black. It can be seen that in the first simulation S1, the first material store 28 has received new parameter settings, in the second simulation S2, the fourth material store 40 and the hoisting equipment 44 have received new parameter settings, in the third simulation S3, the third and fourth material stores 36 and 40 have received new parameter settings, and in the fourth simulation S4, the first and third material stores 28 and 36 have received new parameter settings.

[0077] This technique helps the operator quickly identify where in the process and even what in the process was configured for a simulation. Different shades of color can even be used to indicate the amount of change in the configuration (e.g., if an element's parameter was changed by 20%, the element shown in the thumbnail may be less dark than a simulation in which the element was changed by 50%). This visualization technique should give the operator a rough idea of ​​what was done for each simulation just by skimming through the list of thumbnails.

[0078] When the operator is viewing the first screen 90, the simulation processing unit 60 may receive a first simulation selection from the operator (step 70), where the first simulation selection is a selection of an existing simulation with an automation system parameter setting that differs from the current automation system parameter setting, thereby making it clear that at least one automation system parameter has a setting in the selected simulation that differs from the setting of the parameter in the current task. When thumbnails are used, the first simulation selection may also be received as a selection of a corresponding thumbnail image.

[0079] The simulation processing unit 60 further determines at least one difference in performance for the selected simulation, while the display control unit displays the at least one difference through manipulating graphical objects corresponding to elements in the process flow that experience the difference in performance.

[0080] In this case, the simulation processing unit 60 may determine a first difference in the performance of the automation system 10 between the actual current performance according to the current system settings and the first selected simulation (step 72). This is the effect that different parameter settings have on the performance of the automation system, i.e., the effect they have on the process. From this, it is a determination of the effect on the automation system of using different automation system parameter settings in the simulation.

[0081] Information about the first difference is then provided to the display control unit 58, which continues to display at least the difference, in this case the first difference, according to a display scheme (step 74). In this display scheme, a graphical object in the process flow representing an element experiencing at least one difference is manipulated, where the at least one difference in this case is the first difference. The operational difference for the graphical object can then be obtained through detecting a change in status data of a piece of equipment that corresponds to or uses the element that the graphical object illustrates. The manipulation can comprise a color change. It can additionally or alternatively comprise highlighting of the object. The operator is thereby enabled to determine the results of the parameter settings used in the simulation selected in the first selection.

[0082] As indicated above, the first selection simulation may have at least one automation system parameter setting for an operation and / or location in the process flow that is different from the corresponding parameter in the current operation, and the operation difference may comprise a difference in an operation downstream of the operation and / or location having the at least one parameter setting.

[0083] In this way, when scanning the list of thumbnails, an operator can identify a simulation associated with a particular configuration of interest and select the corresponding thumbnail, and the details of the simulation will be visualized on top of the current visualization of the process.

[0084] More specifically, another visualization layer highlighting the configured elements and the changes to the process elements and KPIs brought about by the simulation can be overlaid on top of the current process visualization (see FIG. 4). The operator can thereby compare the simulation options with the current state of the process to roughly determine whether this simulation's configuration approach may apply to their needs. In the example of FIG. 4, the operator selected the first simulation S1, and therefore the element that received the new parameter settings—in this example, the first material storage 28—is highlighted or shown in a different color than the other elements in the process view. The effect of this change before, during, or upstream and downstream in the process is also shown. In this example, this can be done through the use of different colors for the routes used in the first, second, third, fourth, and sixth material handling operations. If the amount of material being transported increases, the line can be thicker, while a decrease in volume can be indicated by a thinner line representing the route.

[0085] Elements may thus comprise paths such as roads, tracks, and conveyor belts along which process flows occur, and these paths may be represented by graphical objects in the form of lines, where differences in work associated with the paths may be displayed through varying line thickness and the use of color.

[0086] Also, the effect of the simulation on the KPIs can be shown as if they increased or decreased.

[0087] The simulation processing unit 60 may therefore determine the impact of each of the selected simulations on each of the key performance indicators, and the display control unit 58 may display this impact.

[0088] The impact of the simulations on the key performance indicators may be displayed in association with objects representing the key performance indicator values ​​of the current work, in which case the simulation comparison device may be further configured to determine the impact of each of the selected simulations on each of the key performance indicators and display this impact.

[0089] The impact of the simulation on the key performance indicators may be displayed in association with an object, here a widget, representing the key performance indicator values ​​of the current work, or in association with an object representing the key performance indicator values ​​of the simulation. The impact, which may be an increase or decrease, may be displayed in or adjacent to the object representing the key performance indicator.

[0090] In the example of Figure 5, a visualization overlay (e.g., trend arrows) is used on the KPI widget to show how the simulation affected the KPIs of the current process (e.g., whether they increased, decreased, or remained the same).

[0091] The operator may then be able to view more details of the element with the new parameter settings in a details window DW94, select options in an options window OW96, and view trends for one or more of the KPIs in a trends window TW98.

[0092] The simulation processing unit 60 may additionally determine whether activity and / or status differences lead to exceeding a risk threshold, and if so, the operator may be warned. This may be done through the display control unit 58 which displays such a warning, and the warning may be linked to the element of the automation system that exceeds the threshold. The risk threshold may thereby be linked to an activity or location in the automation system, and the warning may be made in association with a graphical object representing the activity or location.

[0093] Additionally, a difference display can be provided only if the difference in performance between the automation system run with the current automation system settings and the automation system run with the automation system settings used in the simulation exceeds a difference threshold, in which case the operator may also be allowed to set the difference threshold.

[0094] The operator can thus closely examine the effect of a first selected simulation on the operation of the automated system, and may additionally examine other simulations in the same manner.

[0095] According to aspects of the present disclosure, the operator may additionally make a second simulation selection to compare with the simulation of the first selection. When thumbnails are used, the second simulation selection may also be received as a selection of the corresponding thumbnail image.

[0096] Thereby, after perhaps skimming through several simulations, an operator may need to group together several simulation options of interest and compare their impact on the process to find the most appropriate one. The simulation comparison device 52 provides an interface to efficiently support such comparisons. The interface enhances the visualization of the current process with the changes induced by the selected simulations.

[0097] The simulation comparison unit 60 may therefore receive a second simulation selection from the operator, which simulation selection involves the selection of another simulation with automation system parameter settings that are different from the current automation system parameter settings used in the current task and that are different from the automation system parameter settings used in the first selected simulation (step 76).

[0098] For example, if an operator selects the first simulation S1 in the first selection and the second simulation S2 in the second selection to compare the first and second simulations S1 and S2, it is possible to see the effect each simulation has on the KPIs. The process KPIs can be augmented by visualizations (e.g., additional bars with varying lengths indicating different amounts of change) that show the changes each simulation has to the process. In the example of FIG. 5, the operator has selected to compare the first and second simulations S1 and S2 and, more specifically, to see the effect of these simulations on the KPIs. It can be seen that they had different impacts on the first, second, fifth, sixth, and seventh KPIs, KPI1, KPI2, KPI5, KPI6, and KPI7, while the third and fourth KPIs, KPI3 and KPI4, are not affected by both simulations.

[0099] As previously mentioned, simulation processing unit 60 may determine a performance difference between the simulation of the first selection and the simulation of the second selection, and the performance difference may differ based on whether the operator selected the first display mode or the second display mode. Simulation processing unit 60 may therefore receive a display mode selection from the operator.

[0100] If the operator selects the first display mode (step 80), determining at least one difference in performance may comprise determining a difference in performance between a simulation selected in the first selection and a simulation selected in the second selection (step 82). The display control unit 58 then controls the user interface to display process control elements of the process in a combined view according to a display scheme (step 84). The display is a display of one set of linked objects common to the selected simulations. The display may thereby be a display of linked graphical objects in one process for the first and second selection simulations. From this, there may be one displayed process flow used for both simulations. In the combined view, differences are displayed using the display scheme, i.e., through manipulating graphical objects corresponding to elements in the process flow that experience a difference in performance. From this, differences may be displayed through manipulating graphical objects representing elements that are differently affected by the first and second selection simulations, for example, through highlighting or being highlighted, or through using different colors.

[0101] The changes to be visualized may include changes related to process elements and changes related to process KPIs. To avoid cluttered visualizations that may lead to information overload regarding changes in process elements, a consideration is to only highlight components that are differentially affected by the selected simulations. When multiple simulations are selected, the visualization of the current process may be augmented with visual enhancements that highlight elements that are differentially affected by the simulations. This is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 6, where a difference window DiffW88 indicates the differentially affected elements.

[0102] 6, the operator has selected to compare the second and third simulations S2 and S3, and elements with new parameter settings in both simulations may be highlighted along with any elements that interconnect them. The first selection, in this case, may therefore be the selection of the second simulation S2, and the second selection may be the selection of the third simulation S3, or vice versa.

[0103] Differently affected elements can be colored, and the shade can also be used to encode the difference in change caused by different simulations. For example, if an element has a 10% difference between the changes caused by the simulations, its highlight shade may be less bright than if the difference is 50%. This will help operators easily focus on how process elements may be affected differently by different control strategies.

[0104] The simulation processing unit may thereby determine the amount by which the work differs for each element experiencing a difference in work, in which case the manipulating as previously described may comprise manipulating an object representing the element to reflect the amount, and the manipulating may involve changing the brightness of the object.

[0105] On the other hand, if the operator selects the second display mode (step 80), the simulation processing unit 60 determines a second difference in work for the simulation of the second selection (step 86), where the second difference in work is the difference in work between the automation system operated with the current automation system parameter settings and the automation system operated with the automation system parameter settings used in the simulation of the second selection.

[0106] Thereafter, the display control unit 58 continues to display the first operational difference according to the display scheme for the first selected simulation and begins displaying the second operational difference associated with the second selected simulation (step 88), the display of the second operational difference also being performed using the display scheme through manipulating graphical objects corresponding to elements in the process flow that experience the second operational difference. More specifically, at least one difference is displayed through displaying the first operational difference in a first group of graphical objects illustrating the process flow and through displaying the second operational difference in a second group of graphical objects illustrating the process flow. The objects in the groups that correspond to each other are also displayed together.

[0107] Corresponding objects may be displayed one over the other, or alternatively, they may be displayed next to each other.

[0108] The display of the simulations of the first and second selections may thus be performed side by side or partially overlapping. The manipulations performed here may also comprise changes in color and / or highlighting, as well as shading or brightness.

[0109] The simulation comparison device 52 therefore also provides a full detailed comparison view that can be switched from the default comparison view. In this full detailed comparison view, the operator can see all of the impacts of the simulation on the process. For each simulation, a copy of the current visualization of the process is created and enhanced with the changes brought about by the simulation. All copies can be stacked on top of each other with a spatial offset to make them distinguishable from each other (see FIG. 7).

[0110] In the example of FIG. 7, the second simulation S2 is again a simulation of the first selection, and the third simulation S3 is a simulation of the second selection. It can be seen that the KPIs of the simulations are also provided side by side. From this, it can be seen that KPI1S2 is the first KPI of the second simulation, KPI1S3 is the first KPI of the third simulation, KPI2S2 is the second KPI of the second simulation, KPI2S3 is the second KPI of the third simulation, KPI3S2 is the third KPI of the second simulation, KPI3S3 is the third KPI of the third simulation, KPI4S2 is the fourth KPI of the second simulation, KPI4S3 is the fourth KPI of the third simulation, KPI4S4 is the fifth KPI of the second simulation, and so on. There are KPIs KPI5S2, KPI5S3, the fifth KPI of the third simulation, KPI6S2, the sixth KPI of the second simulation, KPI6S3, the sixth KPI of the third simulation, KPI7S2, the seventh KPI of the second simulation, and KPI7S3, the seventh KPI of the third simulation, and the KPIs of the second simulation may be displayed in the first row below the process control elements, and the KPIs of the third simulation may be shown in the row below the KPIs of the second simulation.

[0111] This view allows the operator to easily find details about how each simulation affects the element and how the element is similarly / differently affected across different control strategies. Furthermore, when the operator selects an element, a visual representation of that element across the selected simulated processes may be highlighted. Additional views may also be provided that provide further comparison of how the selected simulations affect the element, such as the time series of a particular KPI (see Figure 8), which shows the KPI trend from both simulations S2 and S3.

[0112] For KPI changes, comparative visualization techniques can be used to highlight side-by-side the changes different simulations have caused to KPIs. Different visual properties of objects, such as size or color, can be used to visually communicate the changes to the operator, helping them quickly understand which KPIs have remained stable and which have changed in response to the control strategy.

[0113] The operator can then select the simulation that best suits the desired control objectives and apply the settings of this simulation to control the automated system.

[0114] In this way, the operator can see that they can select from among simulations in an efficient manner that allows them to immediately understand the merits and demerits of the simulations with respect to being used for control. This allows the operator to quickly and broadly identify and distinguish simulation techniques from other techniques. The operator can also preview the effect of a simulation on the process and efficiently compare the effects of multiple simulations on the process. This allows the operator to select parameter settings to be used in the process in a more efficient manner.

[0115] There are several possible variations: only a view to compare two or more simulations may be provided; additionally, KPIs may not be shown and / or the way in which KPIs are affected may not be shown; additionally, simulations may be displayed in ways other than through thumbnails, such as through a list of names or icons.

[0116] The display control unit and simulation processing unit of the simulation comparison device may be implemented using software. They may thus be implemented using computer program code that may be provided on one or more data carriers that perform the display control and simulation functions when the program code thereon is loaded into one or more computers. One such data carrier 112 having such computer program code 58 and 60 in the form of a CD-ROM disc is shown schematically in Figure 9. Such computer programs may alternatively be provided on a server from which they can be downloaded into one or more computers. The inventions described in the claims of the present application as originally filed are set forth below. [C1] A method for assisting an operator of an automation system (10), the automation system implementing a process flow that is displayed to the operator through a number of linked graphical objects (12, 14, 16, 18, 28, 30, 36, 40, 44, 48) representing elements in the process flow, the method being performed by a simulation comparison device (52); - obtaining (68) current status data for a current operation of the automation system (10), wherein the current status data comprises current automation system parameter settings; - receiving a first simulation selection (70) from the operator, wherein the first simulation selection involves selection of a simulation (S1; S2) with automation system parameter settings different from the current automation system parameter settings; - receiving a second simulation selection (76) from the operator, wherein the second simulation selection involves selection of another simulation (S2; S3) with automation system parameter settings different from the current automation system parameter settings and different from the automation system parameter settings of the simulation selected in the first simulation selection; - determining (72, 82; 86) at least one difference between the performance of the simulations (S1, S2; S2, S3) of the first simulation selection and the second simulation selection; - displaying at least one of said differences in operations according to a display scheme in which a graphical object (40) corresponding to an element in said process flow experiencing said difference in operations is manipulated (74, 84; 88); How to prepare. [C2] The method of claim C1, wherein the manipulation comprises a change in color. [C3] The method of any one of C1 and C2, further comprising: for each element experiencing a difference in effort, determining an amount by which the effort differs, wherein the manipulating comprises manipulating the graphical object representing the element to reflect the amount. [C4] The method of C3, wherein the manipulation involves varying brightness. [C5] A method according to any one of claims C1 to C4, wherein the elements comprise paths along which the process flow occurs, represented by graphical objects in the form of lines, and the difference in work associated with the paths is displayed through varying line thickness. [C6] The method according to any one of C1 to C5, wherein the simulations of the first simulation selection and the second simulation selection are displayed as selectable thumbnail images in a thumbnail window (92). [C7] The method of claim 6, wherein each thumbnail image comprises a representation of an automation system element in the process flow, and in the corresponding simulation, the element having an automation system parameter setting that differs from the current automation system parameter setting is highlighted. [C8] The method according to C6 or C7, wherein the thumbnail images are arranged in the thumbnail window (92) in order of priority. [C9] A method according to any one of C1 to C8, wherein the process flow has several key performance indicators, and further comprising determining the impact of each of the selected simulations on each of the key performance indicators and displaying the impact. [C10] The method of any one of C1 to C9, further comprising receiving a first display mode selection from the operator (78, 80), wherein in the first display mode selection, determining at least one difference in work comprises determining a difference in work between the simulation of the first simulation selection (S2) and the simulation of the second simulation selection (S3) (82), and displaying the at least one difference comprises displaying one set of linked objects common to the selected simulations, and wherein the display scheme is used in the display of the set of linked objects. [C11] and receiving a second display mode selection from the operator (78, 80), wherein in the second display mode selection, determining at least one difference in performance comprises determining a first difference in performance for the simulation (S2) of the first simulation selection (72) and determining a second difference in performance for the simulation (S3) of the second simulation selection (86), wherein the first difference in performance is a difference in performance between the automation system operated with the current automation system parameter settings and the automation system operated with the automation system parameter settings used in the simulation (S2) of the first simulation selection, and the second difference in performance is a difference in performance between the automation system operated with the current automation system parameter settings and the automation system used in the simulation (S2) of the first simulation selection (86). and displaying the at least one difference in operations between the automation system operated with the automated system parameter settings of the simulation (S3) in the second simulation selection and the automation system operated with the automated system parameter settings of the simulation (S4) in the second simulation selection, wherein displaying the at least one difference comprises displaying the first difference in operations in a first group of graphical objects illustrating the process flow using the display scheme (74) and displaying the second difference in operations in a second group of graphical objects illustrating the process flow using the display scheme (88), wherein the graphical objects in the first and second groups that correspond to each other are displayed together. [C12] A simulation comparison device (52) for assisting an operator of an automation system (10), the automation system implementing a process flow that is displayed to the operator through a number of linked graphical objects (12, 14, 16, 18, 28, 30, 36, 40, 44, 48) representing elements in the process flow, the simulation comparison device (52) comprising: obtaining current status data for a current operation of the automation system (10), wherein the current status data comprises current automation system parameter settings; receiving a first simulation selection from the operator, wherein the first simulation selection involves selecting a simulation (S1, S2) with an automation system parameter setting different from the current automation system parameter setting; receiving a second simulation selection from the operator, wherein the second simulation selection involves a selection of another simulation (S2; S3) with automation system parameter settings different from the current automation system parameter settings and different from the automation system parameter settings used in the simulation of the first simulation selection; determining at least one difference between the performance of the simulations (S1, S2; S2, S3) of the first simulation selection and the second simulation selection; displaying at least one of the differences in operations according to a display scheme in which graphical objects (40) corresponding to elements in the process flow that experience the difference in operations are manipulated; and A simulation comparison device (52) configured to: [C13] An automated system comprising a simulation comparison device (52) according to C12. [C14] 1. A computer program for assisting an operator of an automation system (10) implementing a process flow that is displayed to the operator through a number of linked graphical objects (12, 14, 16, 18, 28, 30, 36, 40, 44, 48) representing elements in the process flow, the computer program being configured to execute a simulation comparison device (52) when loaded into the simulation comparison device, the computer program comprising: obtaining current status data for a current operation of the automation system (10), wherein the current status data comprises current automation system parameter settings; receiving a first simulation selection from the operator, wherein the first simulation selection involves selecting a simulation (S1, S2) with an automation system parameter setting different from the current automation system parameter setting; receiving a second simulation selection from the operator, wherein the second simulation selection involves a selection of another simulation (S2; S3) with automation system parameter settings different from the current automation system parameter settings and different from the automation system parameter settings used in the simulation of the first simulation selection; determining at least one difference between the performance of the simulations (S1, S2; S2, S3) of the first simulation selection and the second simulation selection; displaying at least one of the differences in operations according to a display scheme in which graphical objects (40) corresponding to elements in the process flow that experience the difference in operations are manipulated; and A computer program comprising computer program code (58, 60) configured to cause a computer to: [C15] 1. A computer program product for assisting an operator of an automation system (10), the computer program product being provided on a data carrier (112) comprising a computer program having computer program code (58, 60) according to C14.

Claims

1. A method for assisting an operator of an automation system (10), the automation system implementing a process flow that is displayed to the operator through a number of linked graphical objects (12, 14, 16, 18, 28, 30, 36, 40, 44, 48) representing elements in the process flow, the method being performed by a simulation comparison device (52); - obtaining (68) current status data of a current operation of the automation system (10), wherein the current status data comprises current automation system parameter settings; receiving (70) a first simulation selection from the operator, wherein the first simulation selection involves selecting a simulation with an automation system parameter setting different from the current automation system parameter setting; receiving (76) a second simulation selection from the operator, wherein the second simulation selection involves selection of another simulation with automation system parameter settings that are different from the current automation system parameter settings and that are different from the automation system parameter settings of the simulation selected in the first simulation selection; - determining at least one difference between the work on the simulation selected in the first simulation selection and the work on the other simulation selected in the second simulation selection (72, 82; 86); - displaying (74, 84; 88) at least one difference in operations according to a display scheme in which graphical objects (40) corresponding to elements in the process flow that experience said difference in operations are manipulated; How to prepare.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the manipulation comprises a change in color.

3. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: for each element experiencing a difference in effort, determining an amount by which the effort differs, and wherein the manipulating comprises manipulating the graphical object representing the element to reflect the amount.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the manipulation involves changing brightness.

5. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the elements comprise paths along which the process flow occurs, represented by graphical objects in the form of lines, and the difference in work associated with a path is displayed through varying line thickness.

6. The method of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the simulations of the first simulation selection and the second simulation selection are displayed as selectable thumbnail images in a thumbnail window (92).

7. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein each thumbnail image comprises a representation of an automated system element in the process flow, and the element in the corresponding simulation has an automated system parameter setting that differs from the current automated system parameter setting, and the ... thumbnail image comprises a representation of an automated system element in the process flow, and the thumbnail image comprises a representation of an automated system element in the process flow, and the thumbnail image comprises a representation of an automated system element in the process flow, and the thumbnail image comprises a representation of an automated system element in the process flow

8. 8. The method of claim 6 or 7, wherein the thumbnail images are arranged in the thumbnail window (92) in a priority order.

9. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the process flow has several key performance indicators, and further comprising determining the impact of each of the selected simulations on each of the key performance indicators and displaying the impact.

10. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a first display mode selection from the operator (78, 80), wherein in the first display mode selection, determining at least one difference in performance comprises determining a difference in performance between the simulation of the first simulation selection and the other simulation of the second simulation selection (82), and displaying the at least one difference comprises displaying a set of linked objects common to the selected simulations, and wherein the display scheme is used in the display of the set of linked objects.

11. and receiving a second display mode selection from the operator (78, 80), wherein in the second display mode selection, determining at least one difference in performance comprises determining a first difference in performance for the simulation of the first simulation selection (72) and determining a second difference in performance for the simulation of the second simulation selection (86), wherein the first difference in performance is a difference in performance between the automation system operated with the current automation system parameter settings and the automation system operated with the automation system parameter settings used in the simulation of the first simulation selection, and the second difference in performance is a difference in performance between the automation system operated with the current automation system parameter settings and the automation system used in the simulation of the first simulation selection (86).

10. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying at least one difference in work between the automation system operated with parameter settings and the automation system operated with the automation system parameter settings of the simulation in the second simulation selection comprises: displaying (74) the first difference in work in a first group of graphical objects illustrating the process flow using the display scheme; and displaying (88) the second difference in work in a second group of graphical objects illustrating the process flow using the display scheme, wherein the graphical objects in the first and second groups that correspond to each other are displayed together.

12. A simulation comparison device (52) for assisting an operator of an automation system (10), said automation system implementing a process flow that is displayed to said operator through a number of linked graphical objects (12, 14, 16, 18, 28, 30, 36, 40, 44, 48) representing elements in the process flow, said simulation comparison device (52) comprising: obtaining current status data for a current operation of the automation system (10), wherein the current status data comprises current automation system parameter settings; receiving a first simulation selection from the operator, wherein the first simulation selection involves selecting a simulation with an automation system parameter setting that is different from the current automation system parameter setting; receiving a second simulation selection from the operator, wherein the second simulation selection involves selection of another simulation with automation system parameter settings that are different from the current automation system parameter settings and that are different from the automation system parameter settings used in the simulation of the first simulation selection; determining at least one difference between the work for the simulation selected in the first simulation selection and the work for the other simulation selected in the second simulation selection; displaying at least one of said differences in operations according to a display scheme in which graphical objects (40) corresponding to elements in said process flow that experience said difference in operations are manipulated; A simulation comparison device (52) configured to:

13. An automated system comprising a simulation comparison device (52) according to claim 12.

14. 1. A computer program for assisting an operator of an automation system (10) implementing a process flow that is displayed to the operator through a number of linked graphical objects (12, 14, 16, 18, 28, 30, 36, 40, 44, 48) representing elements in the process flow, the computer program, when loaded into a simulation comparison device (52), comprising: obtaining current status data for a current operation of the automation system (10), wherein the current status data comprises current automation system parameter settings; receiving a first simulation selection from the operator, wherein the first simulation selection involves selecting a simulation with an automation system parameter setting that is different from the current automation system parameter setting; receiving a second simulation selection from the operator, wherein the second simulation selection involves selection of another simulation with automation system parameter settings that are different from the current automation system parameter settings and that are different from the automation system parameter settings used in the simulation of the first simulation selection; determining at least one difference between the work for the simulation selected in the first simulation selection and the work for the other simulation selected in the second simulation selection; displaying at least one of said differences in operations according to a display scheme in which graphical objects (40) corresponding to elements in said process flow that experience said difference in operations are manipulated; A computer program comprising computer program code (58, 60) configured to cause a computer to:

15. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program having the computer program code (58, 60) according to claim 14.

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