Industrial IDE Interface for Online and Offline Project States
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing industrial automation systems require separate configuration tools for different aspects, leading to a piecemeal design approach that complicates integration and debugging, and development interfaces are often cluttered, making it difficult for developers to locate necessary editing options.
Innovation Solution
An integrated development environment (IDE) system that uses a common design environment and data model to facilitate integrated, multi-discipline programming of control, visualization, and other aspects of the control system, with automation objects as building blocks, and provides a customizable development interface to reduce clutter and enhance workflow efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate configuration tools are used for different aspects of automation systems, then each tool can be specialized for its specific function, but the integration and debugging process becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate configuration tools into a single integrated configuration tool that can handle process control, visualization, and other automation aspects uniformly. This merging eliminates the need for separate tools while maintaining specialized functionality through a unified interface, thereby reducing integration complexity while preserving adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The configuration tool is designed with multi-functional capabilities to perform various configuration tasks across different automation disciplines through a single unified interface. This universality allows the tool to adapt to different configuration needs without requiring separate specialized tools, thus reducing integration complexity while maintaining versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If comprehensive editing options are provided in the development interface, then developers have access to all necessary functions, but the interface becomes cluttered and difficult to navigate
Solution Approach 1:
The development interface is segmented into multiple tabs, each dedicated to a specific configuration aspect or task. This segmentation organizes comprehensive editing options into discrete, manageable sections that can be accessed as needed, preventing interface clutter while maintaining access to all necessary functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface dynamically adapts its display based on the current configuration context, showing only the relevant editing options and controls for the specific task being performed. This dynamic behavior maintains interface simplicity while providing access to comprehensive functionality when needed.
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 also includes various graphical features that assist the user to easily discern the various online and offline stales of industrial control programs developed using the IDE system. Collaboration tools supported by the IDE system facilitate communicative and coordinated editing of control programs by multiple developers, and the IDE system conveys the resulting online and offline states of these programs using intuitive graphical indicators.