Automation Interface Cursor Hover for Real-Time Point Value Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
In building automation systems, users face challenges in accessing and displaying real-time values of point variables within control programs, which is essential for accurate testing and debugging but is not efficiently supported by existing systems.
Innovation Solution
The system allows users to identify and display point values for variables by hovering over them in a user interface, enabling real-time value retrieval and display through a network connection, using a method that involves detecting cursor location, requesting point values, and displaying them in the interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If users manually check point values through separate monitoring interfaces, then system reliability is maintained, but productivity decreases due to time-consuming debugging processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the code viewing interface and point value monitoring interface into a single integrated display. When users view control program code, point values are automatically displayed alongside the code without requiring separate monitoring actions, thus merging two previously separate functions into one unified interface that improves debugging efficiency while eliminating time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically retrieves and displays point values without requiring users to manually query or switch to monitoring interfaces. The interface serves itself by automatically populating point value data in the background while users focus on code review, eliminating the need for separate manual checking operations and significantly reducing time loss.
2Measurement precision
If the system displays comprehensive point values for all variables, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity increases due to additional interface elements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by displaying point values specifically at the locations where they are most needed - adjacent to or near the corresponding code elements being viewed. Rather than uniformly displaying all point values everywhere, the interface selectively presents relevant point values in context with the code, providing measurement precision where required while avoiding unnecessary interface complexity in other areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds point value information in a new dimensional space alongside the code structure, rather than requiring separate monitoring screens or complex navigation. By integrating point values as a parallel layer of information that appears contextually within the code viewing interface, the system achieves comprehensive visibility without significantly increasing perceived interface complexity.
3Loss of information
If real-time point values are continuously updated and displayed, then information availability improves for debugging, but use of energy increases due to continuous data retrieval and display updates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic action by updating point values at specific intervals or triggered by code navigation events rather than continuously polling. Point values are refreshed when users navigate to different code sections or at predetermined time intervals, providing real-time information availability during active debugging while reducing unnecessary continuous data retrieval and associated energy consumption during periods of inactivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-loading or caching point value data when code sections are first accessed, so that subsequent viewing of the same code does not require repeated real-time data retrieval. This preliminary data preparation ensures information is immediately available when needed while reducing the frequency of energy-intensive network communications for the same data.
Data Source
AI summary
Automation systems, methods, and mediums. A method includes displaying, in a user interface, a portion of code associated with a process running in the automation system. The process is associated with a point variable in the automation system. The portion of code includes the point variable. The method further includes identifying a location of a cursor in a user interface in response to detecting the cursor in the location associated with the user interface for a period of time. The method includes requesting the point value of the point variable in the portion of code and associated with the location of the cursor. The method includes receiving the value associated with the variable over a network connection. The method includes displaying the point value in the user interface in association with the point variable.