Open-API Industrial IDE for Custom Automation Workflows
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face challenges due to the need for separate configuration tools for disparate aspects of automation, leading to a piecemeal design approach that requires significant testing and debugging, and limited user interfaces that offer a fixed experience, hindering integrated programming and configuration of control, visualization, and other system aspects.
Innovation Solution
An integrated development environment (IDE) platform that provides a common design environment and data model for designing, programming, and configuring industrial automation systems, supporting features across the automation lifecycle, and enabling end users to customize views and functionality through open APIs, allowing for integrated, multi-discipline programming and configuration of control, visualization, and other aspects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate configuration tools are used for disparate aspects of automation, then each tool can be specialized for its specific function, but the overall system requires significant testing and debugging due to integration complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate configuration tools into a single integrated development environment (IDE) that provides unified access to control programming, visualization design, and device configuration. This merging eliminates the need for users to switch between disparate tools and reduces integration complexity while maintaining specialized functionality through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The IDE is designed as a universal platform that performs multiple functions including control code development, HMI/SCADA visualization design, device configuration, and system debugging. This multi-functionality allows a single tool to replace several specialized tools while maintaining the ability to perform each specific function effectively.
2Reliability
If separate configuration tools are used for each aspect of automation, then each tool can maintain fixed functionality, but the overall development process requires significant testing and debugging
Solution Approach 1:
By merging control programming, visualization design, and device configuration into a single IDE, the patent enables unified project management where all components are developed and tested together. This reduces the time required for integration testing and debugging while maintaining functional stability through consistent project-wide configuration.
3Ease of operation
If user interfaces are fixed and limited, then the interface design can be simple and consistent, but the IDE cannot be customized to meet different user needs
Solution Approach 1:
The IDE implements dynamic user interfaces that can be customized based on user needs, project requirements, and preferred workflows. Users can modify the interface layout, toolbars, and functionality to adapt to different tasks while maintaining a consistent base design that ensures ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows users to change interface parameters such as displayed tools, panel configurations, and functional preferences to suit different working scenarios. These parameter changes enable customization without compromising the fundamental simplicity and consistency of the interface design.
Data Source
AI summary
An industrial integrated development environment (IDE) supports open or extensible application programming interfaces (APIs) that enable end users (e.g., plant asset owners, original equipment manufacturers (OEM), system integrators, etc.) to build upon the IDE's development platform to create custom views or to code custom functionality. This can include, for example, defining a control programming syntax supported by the industrial IDE, customizing a development environment view afforded by the IDE's interface, modifying or creating project editing functions, defining customized programming guardrails designed to guide compliance with in-house programming standards, or other such IDE customizations.