Industrial IDE Workspace Curation for Task-Based Tool Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face challenges due to the piecemeal design approach requiring separate configuration and programming of different system aspects, leading to inefficiencies and difficulties in integrating disparate programming efforts, and cluttered development workspaces that hinder effective project development.
Innovation Solution
An integrated development environment (IDE) that facilitates integrated, multi-discipline programming of control, visualization, and other aspects of the control system, using a common design environment and data model, with automation objects as building blocks, and automated tool filtering based on the current project development task.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate configuration and programming approaches are used for different system aspects, then each aspect can be developed independently, but the integration of disparate programming efforts becomes difficult and the development workspace becomes cluttered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges separate configuration and programming environments into a single integrated development environment (IDE) that provides unified access to control logic, visualization, and configuration tools. This consolidation eliminates the need to switch between multiple disparate tools and reduces workspace clutter while maintaining the ability to work on different system aspects independently through organized project structures and tabs.
Solution Approach 2:
The IDE implements multi-functionality by providing a single platform that handles control logic programming, visualization design, configuration management, and project organization simultaneously. This universal environment allows users to perform multiple development tasks without leaving the application, thereby integrating disparate programming efforts while maintaining independence through structured project management.
2Adaptability or versatility
If all programming tools and options are always available in the development workspace, then users have access to every feature needed, but the workspace becomes cluttered and harder to navigate
Solution Approach 1:
The IDE dynamically adapts the development workspace by automatically filtering and displaying only the programming tools, panels, and options relevant to the current project development task. This dynamic adjustment occurs based on the active context (e.g., control logic editing, visualization design, configuration), ensuring all necessary features remain accessible while clutter is eliminated through context-aware interface customization.
3Reliability
If multiple configuration tools and programming environments are used simultaneously, then comprehensive system coverage is achieved, but integration efficiency decreases and development time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple configuration tools and programming environments into a single integrated IDE that provides unified project management. This merging maintains comprehensive system coverage by including control logic, visualization, and configuration capabilities while significantly improving development efficiency through seamless integration and elimination of context-switching between separate tools.
Data Source
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AI summary
An industrial integrated development environment (IDE) comprises a development interface that affords a user a great deal of control over the editing tools, workspace canvases, and project information rendered at a given time. The industrial IDE system automatically filters the tools, panels, and information available for selection based on a current project development task, such that a focused subset of editing tools relevant to a current development task or context are made available for selection while other tools are hidden. The development interface also allows the user to selectively render or hide selected tools or information from among the relevant, filtered set of tools. This can reduce or eliminate unnecessary clutter and aid in quickly and easily locating and selecting a desired editing function. The IDE's development interface can also conform to a structured organization of workspace canvases and panels that facilitates intuitive workflow.