Graphical Industrial Controller Configuration Without PLC Programming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional industrial control systems require specialized programming skills and are difficult to reconfigure, making them impractical for small manufacturing plants where personnel with such skills may not be available.
Innovation Solution
An industrial controller device with input and output ports, a processor, and a display device that allows users to configure monitoring and control through a graphical user interface, eliminating the need for programming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional industrial control systems use preplanned wiring and programming, then the system reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to requiring specialized programming skills
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical wiring and programming system with a graphical configuration system. Instead of requiring physical rewiring and code writing, users configure control systems through graphical interfaces where control logic is defined by connecting graphical elements representing inputs, outputs, and processing functions. This substitution maintains system reliability through structured configuration while dramatically improving ease of operation by eliminating the need for specialized programming skills.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a graphical configuration interface as an intermediary between the user and the control system. This intermediary layer translates user-friendly graphical selections into the underlying control logic and wiring configurations, allowing users to configure systems without directly manipulating code or physical connections, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
2Manufacturing precision
If industrial control systems require specialized programming skills, then the manufacturing precision is improved through proper system setup, but the loss of time increases due to difficulty in reconfiguration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the control system dynamically reconfigurable through graphical interfaces. Users can modify control logic by dynamically adding, removing, or reconfiguring graphical elements without time-consuming rewiring or code rewriting. This dynamic configuration capability maintains manufacturing precision through proper system setup while minimizing loss of time during reconfiguration activities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent provides pre-configured graphical templates and elements for common control functions. These preliminary configurations allow users to quickly deploy standard control logic without starting from scratch, maintaining manufacturing precision through proven configurations while reducing the time required for system setup and reconfiguration.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional systems use code-based programming, then the adaptability is improved through custom solutions, but the device complexity increases requiring specialized personnel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control system into modular graphical elements representing different functions (inputs, outputs, processing blocks, etc.). Each element can be independently configured and combined to create customized control logic. This segmentation provides adaptability for custom solutions while reducing device complexity by breaking down the programming task into simple, visual building blocks that don't require specialized knowledge.
Data Source
AI summary
An industrial controller device includes input ports configured to couple with sensors and output ports configured to couple with industrial output devices. The industrial controller device also includes a display device configured to display a graphical user interface to a user. The industrial controller device additionally includes a processor configured to obtain sensor information regarding a sensor coupled with an input port of the industrial controller device. The sensor information may be provided by the user via the graphical user interface. The sensor may be configured to measure a parameter of an industrial output device. The processor is also configured to acquire sensor signals from the sensor via the input port, to generate sensor measurement data based on the sensor information and the sensor signals, and to perform at least one action with respect to the sensor measurement data.