Industrial IDE Device Profile Creation for Unified Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing industrial automation systems require separate configuration tools for programming and configuring different aspects, leading to a piecemeal design approach and increased testing and debugging efforts.
Innovation Solution
An integrated development environment (IDE) is provided that supports the design, programming, and configuration of multiple aspects of an industrial automation system using a common design environment and data model, including device profile creation tools for setting device configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If separate configuration tools are used for programming and configuring different aspects of industrial automation systems, then each tool can be specialized for its specific function, but the overall system complexity increases and requires more testing and debugging efforts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate configuration tools into a single integrated development environment (IDE) that provides both programming and configuration capabilities in one unified system. This merging eliminates the need for engineers to switch between multiple specialized tools, reducing system complexity while maintaining the specialized functions through modular architecture within the IDE.
Solution Approach 2:
The IDE is designed as a universal platform that performs multiple functions including programming, device configuration, and profile management. By making the configuration tool universal rather than specialized for single tasks, the system reduces overall complexity while maintaining ease of manufacture through standardized interfaces and workflows.
2Ease of manufacture
If separate configuration tools are used for different aspects of industrial automation systems, then each tool can focus on specific functions, but testing and debugging efforts increase
Solution Approach 1:
By merging programming and configuration tools into one IDE, the patent enables unified testing and debugging across all system aspects. Engineers can test and debug both program logic and device configuration parameters within the same environment, eliminating the need for separate testing phases and reducing overall testing and debugging time.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated environment allows continuous development workflow where programming, configuration, testing, and debugging can occur in sequence without interrupting the workflow by switching tools. This continuity maintains specialized configuration capabilities while reducing the time loss associated with tool transitions and repeated testing.
3Productivity
If a common design environment is used for multiple aspects of industrial automation systems, then development efficiency and consistency improve, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the integrated development environment into distinct modules for different functions (programming, configuration, device profile management). This segmentation allows the IDE to provide unified development efficiency while managing complexity through modular architecture, where each module handles specific tasks independently but integrates seamlessly with others.
Solution Approach 2:
The common design environment provides universal interfaces and data models that work across multiple aspects of industrial automation systems. This universality improves development efficiency and consistency by using standardized approaches throughout, while the underlying modular structure manages the inherent complexity of the integrated system.
4Manufacturing precision
If specialized device configuration software is used for each device type, then precise configuration control is achieved, but the overall system complexity and integration effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal device profile management system within the IDE that can handle multiple device types through standardized profile templates. This universal approach maintains configuration precision for each device type while reducing integration complexity by providing consistent configuration methods across all devices, eliminating the need for separate specialized software for each device type.
Data Source
AI summary
An industrial integrated development environment (IDE) is extended to support creation of device profiles using an intuitive graphical development environment. The environment comprises a device profile development interface that allows a user to select device profile views to be included in a device profile for an industrial device, and to submit edits to the underlying code for the selected device profile views. The system can then generate a new device profile from the modified device profile code. The device profile can be registered with the industrial IDE and used to view and edit device parameters of a corresponding industrial device. The device profile development environment also supports dynamic validation of profile view edits, rendering of graphical previews of the modified device profile view, and submission of both code-based and graphical profile view edits.