Pointer Object Visualization in Automation Control Programs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automation systems face challenges in providing users with a clear and understandable representation of program objects, particularly pointer variables, as the memory address of a pointer variable does not directly indicate the referenced object, making it difficult to display meaningful information about the automation process.
Innovation Solution
A method is implemented where the controller determines the pointer address and checks if it is within the program state or stack memory area, using address offsets to identify the referenced program object and display its fully qualified name, enabling direct understanding of the program objects and their relationships.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If memory addresses are displayed as pointer variable values, then the exact memory location is identified, but the user cannot immediately understand which object is referenced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary translation mechanism that converts raw memory addresses into meaningful object references. The system acts as a mediator between the low-level memory address space and the high-level object model, translating hexadecimal addresses into fully qualified object names that users can understand while preserving the precise address information in the background.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a symbolic copy or representation of the memory address information in a more human-readable form. Instead of displaying the actual memory address directly, the system generates a copy of the address information in the form of fully qualified object names that preserve the identification function while improving readability and understandability.
2Ease of operation
If fully qualified names are used for all program objects, then user understanding is improved, but the system complexity increases due to name resolution requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary organization of object references during program compilation or initialization. The fully qualified names and their corresponding memory addresses are pre-resolved and stored in a lookup structure, so that during runtime, the system only needs to perform simple table lookups rather than complex name resolution, thereby reducing operational complexity while maintaining display clarity.
3Loss of information
If pointer variables display memory addresses, then precise location tracking is achieved, but meaningful information about the referenced object is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple pieces of information into a unified display format. The fully qualified object name combines the pointer variable name, the referenced object's fully qualified name, and implicitly the memory address information into a single comprehensive representation that provides both precise location tracking and meaningful object identification without increasing display volume significantly.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method (100) for controlling an automation system (200) with visualisation of program objects of a control program of an automation system (200), the method comprising: • ascertaining a pointer address (ZA) of the pointer element in a pointer address determination step (103); • determining a first address offset (A01) of the pointer address (ZA) of the pointer element; • identifying a program object (PO), which, in accordance with the arrangement structure of the program state (PZ), is distanced by the first address offset (A01) to the first memory point of the program state (PZ), as a first program object (P01), the memory address of which in the first memory region (SP1) corresponds to the pointer address (ZA) of the pointer element; • identifying the first program object with the pointer object (ZO) referenced by the pointer element; • determining a fully qualified name of the identified pointer element; and • displaying the fully qualified name of the pointer object (ZO) referenced by the pointer element on a display element connected to the controller. The invention furthermore relates to an automation system (200) for carrying out the method (100).