Integrated HMI for Batch and Non-Batch Process Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The separation of batch and non-batch process control interfaces in industrial plants leads to inefficiencies, requiring operators to switch between distinct HMIs, which can be cumbersome and resource-intensive, especially as plants become more complex and require tighter integration of both types of operations.
Innovation Solution
An integrated human-machine interface (HMI) system that combines batch and non-batch process control views within a single application, utilizing self-contained software objects and a blackboard service to manage data exchange and context, allowing seamless switching and efficient data management without overburdening the system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate batch HMI and non-batch HMI applications are used, then each interface can be optimized for its specific process type, but operators must switch between applications which increases operational complexity and time consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges separate batch HMI and non-batch HMI applications into a single integrated HMI application. The system combines batch process interface views and continuous process interface views within one application, allowing operators to access both batch and non-batch process data without switching between separate applications. This is achieved through a unified architecture that integrates multiple interface types while maintaining their distinct functionalities.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated HMI application provides universal access to both batch and non-batch process controls through a single interface. The system is designed to handle multiple process types simultaneously, with the capability to display and control both batch processes (with batch-specific views like batch lists and event logs) and continuous processes (with traditional process control views) within the same application environment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate batch HMI and non-batch HMI applications are used, then each interface can maintain its specialized functionality, but the system requires multiple applications which increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple separate HMI applications into a single integrated application. The system combines batch process interface views and continuous process interface views within one application, reducing the number of separate software applications from two to one while preserving the specialized functionality of each interface type through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated HMI application uses self-contained software objects that are embedded within the non-batch process control interface application. These software objects represent modular, segmented functional units that can be independently developed, maintained, and executed. Each software object handles specific batch process interface views, allowing the system to maintain specialized functionality while reducing overall application complexity.
3Ease of operation
If multiple HMI applications are run simultaneously, then operators can access both batch and non-batch views, but system resources are overburdened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges batch HMI and non-batch HMI functionalities into a single integrated application, eliminating the need to run multiple separate applications simultaneously. This consolidation reduces system resource consumption by sharing common resources such as the underlying process control system connection, data processing infrastructure, and user interface framework, while still providing comprehensive access to both batch and non-batch process views.
4Adaptability or versatility
If operators switch between separate batch and non-batch HMI applications, then they can access specialized views, but contextual data consistency becomes difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated HMI application maintains a unified context across all interface views by consolidating batch and non-batch process data access within a single application environment. This ensures that contextual information such as current process state, active batches, and system configuration remains consistent across all views without requiring data synchronization between separate applications.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods for providing an integrated HMI application for monitoring and interacting with both batch and non-batch processes in a process plant are disclosed. A plurality of independent stand-alone software objects defining various batch process interface views are embedded within a non-batch process control interface application. A blackboard service is provided for storing batch control data used by the various stand alone software objects. The blackboard service may be adapted to communicate with a batch control server to receive batch control data for populating the various batch interface views with data relating to various batch processes being carried out in the process plant and to send instructions for controlling the various batches input by users via the various batch interface views. When executed by a processor, the stand alone software objects defining the various batch interface views read data from and write data to the blackboard service to communicate data between batch process interface views and preserve contextual information between interface views to allow efficient and intuitive navigation between batch process interface views.