Glasses-Based Controller Display for Secure Machine Operation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing control systems for industrial machines often expose confidential information to unauthorized personnel, either by displaying it on a numerical controller's display unit or requiring operators to view it on an external terminal, which can lead to security breaches and operational inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

A control system that combines a numerical controller with a glasses-type display device, allowing confidential information to be displayed on a transmissive glasses display unit worn by authorized personnel, while non-confidential information is shown on the controller's display unit, enabling secure access to machine states and operations without exposing sensitive data to others.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If confidential information is displayed on the controller display unit, then the related person can easily access and view it, but surrounding people may see the confidential information causing security issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to confidential informationVSAvoidunauthorized viewing of confidential information

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The display system is segmented into two separate display paths: one for confidential information (glasses-type display device) and one for non-confidential information (controller display unit). This segmentation allows confidential information to be viewed only by authorized personnel through the glasses-type display device, while preventing unauthorized viewing by surrounding people.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The glasses-type display device acts as an intermediary between the controller and the related person's eyes. It receives information from the controller and displays it in a way that is only visible to the wearer, thereby mediating the access to confidential information and preventing unauthorized viewing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If confidential information is output to an external terminal, then unauthorized viewing is reduced, but the related person cannot operate the controller while checking the confidential information, taking more time and effort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveunauthorized viewing of confidential informationVSAvoidtime to check confidential information while operating controller

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The glasses-type display device merges the functionality of viewing confidential information with the controller operation interface. The related person can wear the glasses and view confidential information while standing at the controller, combining the benefits of secure display with convenient access during operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The display of confidential information is moved from a two-dimensional external terminal screen to a three-dimensional space around the wearer's field of view through the glasses-type display device. This allows the related person to view confidential information naturally while operating the controller without needing to physically move to check an external terminal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Adaptability or versatility

If a glasses-type display device is combined with each of multiple controllers, then each controller can have customized display settings, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomized display for each controllerVSAvoidsystem configuration with multiple controllers and glasses devices

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The glasses-type display device is designed with universal functionality to work with multiple different controllers. It can acquire specific information for specifying different controllers and adapt its display accordingly, allowing one glasses device to serve multiple controllers without requiring separate customized devices for each.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11480940B2Control system

Publication Date: 2022.10.25 FANUC LTD

AI summary

A control system controls an industrial machine, and each of controllers includes a screen generation unit which generates a controller screen that is displayed on a controller display unit and which generates a glasses screen that is displayed on s glasses-type display device based on a variation in an internal state of the controller screen and the glasses-type display device includes: a transmissive glasses display unit which is arranged so as to correspond to the positions of the eyes of a wearer and which can display the generated glasses screen; a glasses side transmission/reception unit which acquires specific information for specifying the controller that is connected; and a display control unit which displays the glasses screen and the specific information on the glasses display unit.