Cross-Domain Automation Objects for Unified Control and HMI
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Solution Overview
Problem
In industrial automation, modifications to hardware components often require separate changes to controller code and HMI code, leading to synchronization issues and increased processing, storage, and resource costs due to the need for multiple software objects for each hardware component.
Innovation Solution
An object library is maintained with objects that have shared properties for both industrial control and HMI applications, allowing a single object to integrate control logic and generate graphical representations, eliminating the need for separate software objects and enabling automatic deployment of changes across both domains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate software objects are used for controller code and HMI code for each hardware component, then control functionality and HMI display can be independently developed, but synchronization issues arise and processing/storage/resource costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges separate controller software objects and HMI software objects into a single unified software object that represents a hardware component. This unified object contains both control logic and HMI display information, eliminating the need for separate objects and reducing synchronization complexity while maintaining independent development capabilities through modular object design.
Solution Approach 2:
The unified software object serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both a controller software object for executing control logic and an HMI software object for generating display elements. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of software objects needed while preserving the ability to independently modify control and display aspects through the object's integrated structure.
2Ease of manufacture
If separate software objects are maintained for controller and HMI, then each domain can be modified independently, but manual editing of multiple application types is required increasing end-user time
Solution Approach 1:
By combining controller and HMI software objects into a single unified object, the patent enables modifications to be made once and automatically propagated to both control and HMI domains. This eliminates the time-consuming process of manually editing multiple separate application types while preserving the ability to independently configure control logic and display properties within the unified object structure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate software objects are used for each hardware component, then comprehensive control and display functionality is achieved, but storage costs and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces the quantity of software objects by merging separate controller and HMI software objects into a single unified software object per hardware component. This consolidation maintains comprehensive control and display functionality within the unified object while reducing storage requirements and processing overhead associated with managing multiple separate objects.
Solution Approach 2:
The unified software object is designed to perform both control and HMI display functions simultaneously, reducing the total number of software objects needed in the system. This multi-functional approach preserves full functionality while minimizing the quantity of software objects that need to be stored, managed, and processed.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to systems, methods and devices for facilitating object-based cross-domain industrial automation control. An object library comprising a plurality of objects may be maintained. One or more of the objects may represent physical counterparts for use in an industrial automation process. Each object of the plurality of objects in the object library may have at least one property that an automated control device operation can be programmed to act on. Each object of the plurality of objects may also have at least one property that a human machine interface component can utilize in generating display elements corresponding to the objects for display on the human machine interface. When modifications to objects in the object library are received, those modifications may be automatically deployed and incorporated in controller logic and HMI graphics and control.