Drive Device Screen Generation Using Information Model Templates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for generating display screens that visually represent the state of drive devices in factory automation systems require significant design effort and programming, making it time-consuming and inefficient to create and modify these screens.
Innovation Solution
A display device that receives an information model defining variables in a standard format and a display rule associating display objects with their definitions, allowing for automatic generation and updating of screen displays without needing to worry about variable formats, enabling users to select and monitor variables intuitively and store screen histories for later retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a designer manually programs and compiles screen generation according to device configuration, then the screen can accurately represent the drive device state, but the design process requires significant time and effort
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses templates that define display objects and their associations with variables in advance. Instead of manually programming each screen element, the display device automatically generates screens by copying and instantiating these predefined templates based on the information model, significantly reducing design time while maintaining accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
Templates are prepared in advance with pre-defined display objects, variable associations, and screen layouts. This preliminary preparation allows the system to automatically generate accurate screens without requiring manual programming during the actual screen creation process
2Extent of automation
If the designer defines display objects and associations for all variables, then screen generation becomes automated, but the initial setup requires understanding of variable formats and types
Solution Approach 1:
The template system is designed to be universal and format-agnostic. Templates define display objects and associations in a standardized way that works with any variable format or type from different drive devices. The system automatically handles variable interpretation based on the information model, making the template configuration process simpler and more versatile
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an information model as an intermediary layer between the controller variables and the display templates. This intermediary standardizes the variable representation, allowing templates to work with any variable format without requiring complex configuration, thus reducing template configuration complexity while maintaining high automation
3Productivity
If the display device generates screens automatically based on templates, then design efficiency improves, but flexibility in handling different variable formats may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The template system is designed with universal compatibility to handle multiple variable formats and types. Templates define display objects in a format-agnostic manner, and the system automatically adapts to different variable structures based on the information model, maintaining both high productivity and format adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts parameter interpretation based on the variable type and format specified in the information model. The template engine can change how parameters are processed and displayed according to the specific variable characteristics, enabling automatic screen generation that adapts to different formats without sacrificing productivity
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a technique of being capable of reducing design man-hours of a screen visually representing a state of a drive device than before. A display device receives an information model representing a state of drive device and defining a plurality of variables defined in a predetermined standard, and a display rule relating to screen. In display rule, a kind of a display object visually representing a value of the variable and a display definition relating to display of the display object are associated with each other with respect to a part or all of the plurality of variables. Display device acquires the display object and display definition corresponding to each variable of a display target included in information model from display rule, and disposes each of the display objects on screen according to the corresponding display definition.