IDE Device Profile Creation with Unified Validation and Preview
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
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 integrated, multi-discipline programming of control, visualization, and other aspects of industrial automation systems using a common design environment and data model, including device profile creation tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate configuration tools are used for programming and configuring different aspects, then specialized functionality is achieved, but device complexity and development time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate configuration tools into a single integrated development environment that provides unified access to device profile creation, visualization programming, and system configuration through a common interface and shared data model.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated development environment serves multiple functions including device profile management, visualization programming, system configuration, and debugging within a single platform, eliminating the need for multiple specialized tools.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate configuration tools are used for different aspects, then specialized configuration is possible, but testing and debugging efforts increase
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of configuration, programming, and debugging functions into a single environment allows for unified testing and debugging across all system aspects, reducing the time and effort required compared to switching between separate tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The environment performs preliminary validation and consistency checks during the configuration and programming phases, identifying potential issues before they require separate debugging efforts later in the development process.
3Ease of manufacture
If piecemeal design approach is used with separate tools, then modular configuration is achieved, but development time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple configuration tasks into a single integrated workflow, allowing developers to accomplish in one continuous session what previously required switching between multiple tools and restarting different applications.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate tools are used, then specific functionality is maintained, but consistency across the system decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated development environment provides a universal data model and configuration approach that ensures consistency across all system aspects while maintaining the ability to configure specific device functionalities through standardized interfaces.
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.