Unified HMI Architecture for Material Handling Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing material handling systems face challenges in scalability and user interface management, particularly when handling diverse user requirements and real-time data demands, leading to inefficiencies and increased overhead for machine automation controllers.

Innovation Solution

A unified architecture that includes a machine automation controller, a gateway system with a broker process, and a domain model to shape real-time data into staging objects, maintain cache objects, and provide data to client devices through both object-oriented and RESTful interfaces, ensuring efficient data dissemination and real-time control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a customized HMI is created for each specific material handling system, then the interface meets specific business process requirements, but the development time and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveHMI customization for specific business processesVSAvoidDevelopment time for HMI

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The HMI architecture is segmented into modular components including a presentation layer, business logic layer, and data access layer. This allows independent development and reuse of common interface elements across different material handling systems while maintaining customization capability for specific business processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A universal HMI framework is implemented that can serve multiple material handling system configurations through parameterized templates and configurable business logic. The same base interface can adapt to different customers' needs by configuring parameters rather than redesigning the entire interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If the machine automation controller responds directly to numerous client requests for real-time data, then real-time control is maintained, but the controller becomes overwhelmed with overhead

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveReal-time control responsivenessVSAvoidController processing capacity for control tasks

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

A message broker or intermediary component is introduced between the machine automation controller and multiple client devices. The broker receives, caches, and distributes real-time data to multiple clients, eliminating the need for the controller to directly respond to each client request individually while maintaining real-time control responsiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Real-time data is published and cached in advance by the intermediary component before client requests arrive. This preliminary action allows multiple clients to retrieve pre-prepared data without causing the controller to process repeated requests, reducing overhead while maintaining data freshness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple user platforms (tablets, smartphones) are supported, then user accessibility increases, but the complexity of providing diverse interface requirements increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveSupport for multiple user platformsVSAvoidHMI architecture complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The traditional mechanical approach of creating separate interface code for each platform is replaced with a standardized web-based interface layer that uses common protocols and data formats. This substitution allows multiple platforms to access the HMI through standardized web browsers, reducing architectural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS10708389B2Phased deployment of scalable real time web applications for material handling system

Publication Date: 2020.07.07 INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS LLC

AI summary

A system and method provides data reporting and real-time user interfaces to a client device of a material handling system according to a unified architecture. The method includes (i) receiving, by a machine automation controller, real-time data of one or more machine automation devices of a material handling system; (ii) controlling, by the machine automation controller, the one or more machine automation devices using the real-time data as feedback; (iii) shaping the real-time data according to a domain model into a staging object; (iv) maintaining a cache object that corresponds to the staging object in a broker process; and (v) responding to one or more client requests for a data item by transmitting at least a portion of data contained in the cache object to a client device for presenting in a user interface. The client device may also be collecting historical data or statistical data for reporting purposes.