Industrial Plant Graph Time Coordination for Process Data Review
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Solution Overview
Problem
In industrial plant monitoring control systems, displaying numerous pieces of process data on a single graph results in a narrow display range, making it difficult to grasp the state of the plant, and requires manual synchronization of multiple graphs, which is labor-intensive and time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A data reproduction device connected to a control network, featuring a process data acquisition unit, storage unit, graph display processing units, and a time coordination unit, automatically synchronizes the time ranges of multiple graphs, allowing for coordinated display of process data without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If numerous pieces of process data are displayed on one single graph, then the display capacity is improved, but the display range per one piece of process data becomes narrow, making it difficult to grasp the state of the industrial plant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the display system into multiple graphs (first graph, second graph, etc.), each dedicated to displaying specific process data with sufficient detail. This segmentation allows numerous process data to be displayed across multiple graphs while maintaining adequate display range for each data series, resolving the contradiction between quantity and information quality.
2Loss of information
If multiple graphs are displayed to confirm the necessary process data, then the display range per process data is improved, but the times of the multiple graphs must be manually brought into agreement, requiring much labor and time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automatic time coordination functionality that causes the times of multiple graphs to be automatically brought into agreement without manual intervention. The system self-adjusts the time alignment of multiple graphs, eliminating the labor and time previously required for manual synchronization while maintaining the benefit of multiple graphs for adequate display range.
3Loss of information
If multiple graphs are displayed to confirm the necessary process data, then the display range per process data is improved, but much labor and time have been necessitated for manual time coordination
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic time coordination feature makes the system self-sufficient in maintaining time alignment across multiple graphs. Operators no longer need to manually adjust time coordinates when switching between or configuring multiple graphs, significantly improving ease of operation while preserving the ability to display process data with adequate range across multiple graphs.
Data Source
AI summary
A first graph display processing unit displays, on a first graph, a temporal variation of first process data accumulated in a process data storage unit. A second graph display processing unit displays, on a second graph, a temporal variation of second process data accumulated in the process data storage unit, and moves a time range of the data displayed on the second graph in accordance with a change of the time pointed to by a second time cursor on the second graph. A time coordination unit stores the time Ta pointed to by a first time cursor and changes the time pointed to by the second time cursor to time Ta, and thereby causes second process data of the same time as that of the first process data displayed on the first graph to be displayed on the second graph.