Adaptive Character Width for HMI Numeric Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
In human machine interface (HMI) devices, the fixed screen area often leads to issues where large numeric values either overrun or truncate, causing incomplete or corrupted displays, as the display areas are constrained by legibility requirements and the need to accommodate the largest expected values.
Innovation Solution
A method for dynamically adjusting the width of characters in a display area based on the number of characters and the available width, allowing for optimal legibility by setting the character width and maintaining a constant height, which can also incorporate a preferred maximum width to ensure all data fits within the allocated space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If display areas are configured to display the largest expected data or value, then the complete display of large values is achieved, but the legibility and space utilization for smaller values deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The character width is made dynamically adjustable based on the actual data being displayed. Instead of using a fixed character width designed for the largest possible value, the system calculates and applies an optimal character width that fits the current number of digits, thereby maintaining both complete display of large values and optimal legibility for smaller values.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of character width according to the number of digits in the value to be displayed. By adjusting this parameter dynamically, the display area is optimally utilized for each specific data size, preventing both truncation of large values and wasted space that would reduce legibility of smaller values.
2Device complexity
If fixed character width is used to ensure consistent formatting, then alignment and formatting are simplified, but the display area cannot accommodate values exceeding the allocated space
Solution Approach 1:
The character width transitions from a static fixed value to a dynamic value that adapts to the data. The system calculates the appropriate character width based on the number of digits, allowing the display to accommodate varying data sizes while maintaining proper formatting and alignment through the calculation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The character width parameter is changed based on the data size. When the number of digits increases, the character width is adjusted to accommodate the larger values, and when fewer digits are present, the width is reduced to optimize space utilization, thereby achieving both adaptability and formatting consistency.
3Area of stationary object
If display area size is reduced to fit more elements on screen, then space utilization improves, but the minimum legibility requirements may not be met
Solution Approach 1:
The character width parameter is dynamically adjusted to optimize the use of display area. By calculating the appropriate width based on the number of digits and available space, the system ensures that characters are large enough to meet legibility requirements while maximizing the number of elements that can be displayed on the screen.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a uniform character width across all display scenarios, the system applies locally optimized character widths specific to each data size and display context. This allows each character to be sized appropriately for its specific situation, ensuring legibility while maximizing space utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
A technique is disclosed for dynamically adjusting dimensions of characters, such as digits, displayed on a configurable display, such as in a human-machine interface. The height of the characters is fixed and the width is altered depending upon the number of characters to be displayed, resulting in changing aspect ratios for the characters. The width may be set to a predetermined maximum character width if all characters to be displayed will fit within the available space, or the width may be reduced to accommodate more characters. The technique may take into account cushion spaces for borders or frames, as well as spaces between characters. The resulting display allows for a change in the number of significant digits in a displayed numeral, while maintaining excellent readability.