Binding Graphic Elements to Controller Data Types
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional industrial control systems face challenges in efficiently configuring operator interfaces to consume control data, as the process is highly manual, time-consuming, and often requires significant human resources, especially due to the complexity of equipment and processes, lack of support for structured data types, and limited bi-directional interactions.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for providing bi-directional binding between graphic elements and industrial automation data types, enabling flexible type mappings and automatic generation of human machine interface (HMI) elements based on controller content, allowing for dynamic display and modification of HMI content as the controller program evolves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual configuration process is used for operator interfaces, then flexibility and customization are improved, but time consumption and human resources increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically generating HMI screens and graphic elements from controller program data before the operator needs to use them. The controller program data is analyzed and used to pre-configure the operator interface, eliminating the need for manual configuration and reducing setup time while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates copies of controller program data structures to generate corresponding HMI graphic elements. By copying the hierarchical structure and data relationships from the controller program, the system automatically generates accurate representations that can be displayed and interacted with, reducing manual configuration effort.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual configuration process is used for operator interfaces, then precision and control over interface details are improved, but human resources and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically generating HMI configurations from controller program data without requiring manual intervention. The controller program data contains all necessary information about equipment hierarchy, data relationships, and operational parameters, which the system uses to self-configure the operator interface, maintaining precision while reducing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the mechanical manual configuration process with an automated information processing mechanism. Instead of operators manually creating and configuring HMI elements, the system uses computer algorithms to automatically generate the configuration from controller program data, reducing human resources and process complexity while maintaining or improving precision.
3Device complexity
If traditional HMI systems are used that do not support structured data types, then simplicity is maintained, but functionality and data handling capability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces dynamics by enabling the HMI to adapt its structure and behavior based on the controller program data it processes. The generated HMI screens and graphic elements dynamically reflect the hierarchical relationships and data types from the controller program, allowing the system to handle structured data types while maintaining simplicity through automated generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of data type support by incorporating structured data type handling capabilities into the HMI generation process. By analyzing controller program data that includes structured types and using this information to generate corresponding HMI elements, the system expands data handling capability without significantly increasing perceived complexity for users.
Data Source
AI summary
Graphic element definitions are bound to industrial automation data types in an industrial control system. Moreover, a system provides automatic data searching and filtering of an item based on user interactions with either the graphic element definition or a controller data type. Further, a graphic element definition is associated with a data source type information, to simplify configuration of an instance of that graphic element and populate suitable data source fields based on instances of the associated data source type. In addition, a system to automatically generate the graphic element based on data from a logic controller is provided. Moreover, the graphic element can be updated to reflect a change in the data, without a manual refresh.