Electronic Manual Browsing Apparatus for Program Copying

Solution Overview

Problem

In control apparatuses like programmable controllers, sample programs in digitized manuals cannot be easily copied and pasted into engineering tools, leading to time-consuming manual input and potential errors due to their complex language formats, such as ladder language.

Innovation Solution

An electronic-manual browsing apparatus with a program copy section that temporarily stores and pastes sample programs from electronic manuals onto a program creation screen in an editable format, allowing users to divert and edit the sample programs directly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If sample programs are provided in digitized manuals in complex language formats (such as ladder language), then the manuals can comprehensively describe control apparatus operations, but the sample programs cannot be easily copied and pasted into engineering tools, leading to time-consuming manual input

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of sample programVSAvoidmanual input time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables direct copying of sample programs from electronic manuals to engineering tools through integrated software. The system detects sample program regions in the electronic manual and allows users to copy them with a single operation, eliminating the need for manual re-typing and ensuring accurate reproduction of the original program code.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces integrated software that acts as an intermediary between the electronic manual and the engineering tool. This software includes a sample program extraction function that automatically extracts sample programs from the electronic manual and a paste function that transfers them to the engineering tool, facilitating seamless data transfer without manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If sample programs are provided in digitized manuals in complex language formats (such as ladder language), then the manuals can comprehensively describe control apparatus operations, but manual input is likely to cause input mistakes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of sample programVSAvoidease of copying sample program

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables direct copying of sample programs from electronic manuals to engineering tools through integrated software. The system detects sample program regions in the electronic manual and allows users to copy them with a single operation, eliminating the need for manual re-typing and ensuring accurate reproduction of the original program code.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The integrated software provides self-service functionality by automatically detecting sample program regions within the electronic manual and preparing them for copying. The system identifies and extracts the program code without requiring users to manually select or transcribe it, reducing the risk of input errors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If sample programs need to be manually input from electronic manuals, then users can obtain the programs, but the process is time-consuming and error-prone

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility of sample programVSAvoidprogram creation efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables direct copying of sample programs from electronic manuals to engineering tools through integrated software. The system detects sample program regions in the electronic manual and allows users to copy them with a single operation, eliminating the need for manual re-typing and ensuring accurate reproduction of the original program code.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The integrated software performs preliminary action by automatically detecting and extracting sample programs from the electronic manual before the user needs them. The sample program extraction function prepares the code in advance, making it readily available for pasting into the engineering tool without requiring manual transcription work.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10037234B2Electronic-manual browsing apparatus and system

Publication Date: 2018.07.31 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP

AI summary

An electronic-manual browsing apparatus includes an electronic-manual-display processing section that displays, on an electronic-manual display screen on a display section, an electronic manual including a sample program concerning a control apparatus, a program-creation-screen-display processing section that displays, on the display section, a program creation screen for creating a program used in the control apparatus, and a program copy section that copies the sample program in the electronic manual selected according to an instruction from a user and temporarily stores the sample program. The program-creation-screen-display processing section pastes the stored sample program in the program creation screen in a format editable on the program creation screen.