Graphical Hardware Signal Interconnection via Drag and Drop
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users without prior knowledge of address conventions face difficulties in programming automation systems, especially when transitioning between different systems, due to the need to manually and correctly enter hardware signal addresses, leading to errors and malfunctions.
Innovation Solution
A graphical user interface system allowing users to logically link hardware signals to program elements using drag & drop functionality, with schematic visualization of device terminals and program elements, enabling users to learn the address convention without prior knowledge, through a processor unit connected with a keyboard, mouse, and display device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users manually enter hardware signal addresses using address conventions, then the programming can be completed, but the complexity of operation increases and errors occur due to lack of knowledge about address conventions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a graphical user interface as an intermediary between the user and the hardware signal addressing system. Instead of directly entering addresses according to conventions, users interact with visual representations of terminals and devices. The system automatically handles the address convention translation, mediating between the simple graphical selection and the complex address formatting requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates visual copies or representations of hardware terminals and devices in the graphical interface. These graphical representations mirror the physical device structure, allowing users to select terminals visually rather than dealing with abstract address codes. The system then maps these graphical selections to the appropriate address conventions automatically.
2Reliability
If users are required to know address conventions to program the system, then correct hardware signal referencing is achieved, but the learning curve increases and usability deteriorates for beginners and migrating users
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic address generation and validation based on the graphical selections made by the user. The software itself services the address convention requirements by automatically formatting addresses according to the selected device and terminal, eliminating the need for the user to manually service or understand the address convention rules.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-configures and displays all valid addresses and terminal mappings in the graphical interface before the user makes selections. By presenting the complete address space and terminal relationships in visual form beforehand, the system ensures that only valid combinations can be selected, preventing errors before they occur rather than requiring users to know the conventions in advance.
3Ease of operation
If symbolic names are allocated to addresses, then meaningful naming is achieved, but the mapping complexity (symbol→address→hardware signal) increases and understanding becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the symbol naming functionality directly into the graphical terminal representations. Instead of separate symbol tables and address mappings that create complex multi-layer relationships, the system combines terminal visualization, symbol assignment, and address generation into a unified graphical interface where all three functions are integrated and visually connected.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and a method for graphical interconnection of hardware signals of a device, (e.g., a controller device) are provided. The graphical interconnection can now be implemented in a simple manner so that a user can perform this function intuitively and without knowledge of the address convention used in the engineering system. This may be achieved by the inventive system and by the inventive method by the hardware signals being interconnected graphically with program elements of a programming environment using drag & drop features in a graphical user interface.