Embedded Web Browser Layout for Customizable Process Graphics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current operator Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs) in industrial process control systems are challenging to design and maintain due to increased complexity and customization requirements, especially with the expansion of operator responsibilities and the need for real-time monitoring of hundreds of process graphics.
Innovation Solution
A graphical display configuration and usage system that includes a graphical display configuration application and a centralized configuration database, allowing for the creation, definition, and customization of operator HMIs without halting execution, and enabling independent customization by each operator workstation without communicating with the configuration environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If operator HMIs are highly customized to meet individual operator needs and complex monitoring requirements, then adaptability and versatility improve, but device complexity and difficulty of maintenance increase
Solution Approach 1:
The HMI system is segmented into independent template objects that can be individually configured and combined. Each template represents a discrete functional unit (e.g., process graphics, alarms, trends) that can be customized without affecting other parts of the system, thereby enabling high adaptability while managing complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
Pre-defined template objects are copied and instantiated multiple times across different HMI configurations. Instead of creating custom HMI elements from scratch for each operator station, the system uses templates that can be selectively instantiated and configured, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining customization capability
2Ease of operation
If HMI configuration changes are made during runtime operations, then ease of operation and responsiveness improve, but system stability and reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
HMI configuration changes are prepared and validated in advance before being applied to the running system. Templates and configuration parameters are pre-configured and tested, allowing safe deployment during runtime without compromising system stability, as the preliminary preparation ensures compatibility and correctness
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms that monitor configuration changes during runtime and ensure system stability. Change validation and confirmation processes provide feedback to operators, allowing them to verify changes before full deployment, thereby maintaining reliability while enabling operational flexibility
3Manufacturing precision
If centralized configuration management is used to ensure consistency across all workstations, then manufacturing precision and uniformity improve, but ease of operation and operator independence decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows local customization of HMI configurations at each workstation while maintaining overall consistency through templates. Operators can configure local parameters and select from available templates according to their specific needs, achieving both local adaptability and global consistency without requiring centralized control for every change
Solution Approach 2:
Template objects are designed to be universal and multi-functional, serving as the basis for multiple different HMI configurations across various workstation types. A single template can be instantiated with different parameters to serve multiple purposes, ensuring configuration consistency while enabling operator independence and local customization
Data Source
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AI summary
Techniques for embedding a web browser in a graphical display view of a process plant include presenting a graphical display view including (i) indications of one or more process control elements, such as a control module, a function block, a process plant entity, or a process section of the process plant, and (ii) a web browser having web content from a source address. The web browser is presented according to one or several presentation parameters, such as such as a size and position of the web browser within the display view. Furthermore, the presentation parameters include restrictions on functions performed within the web browser, such as a sandbox or sandbox attributes. The presentation parameters also include a source whitelist that specifies web addresses which are allowed to be set as the source address for presenting web content.