Retroactive HMI Diagnostic Tool for Industrial Process Assessment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional human-machine interfaces (HMIs) for industrial processes require simulated data for debugging and assessment, which may not accurately represent real-time conditions, limiting the effectiveness of diagnostic and debugging processes.
Innovation Solution
A diagnostic tool that feeds historical data to HMIs in a manner that mimics real-time data, allowing for true retroactive assessment and visualization of industrial processes, enabling process engineers to use actual data for debugging and training, and synchronizing data from multiple databases for comparative analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If simulated data is used for debugging and assessment in conventional HMI systems, then the diagnostic process can be performed, but the accuracy and realism of the assessment is compromised because simulated data may not accurately represent real-time conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a copy of the real-time HMI environment that can process historical data as if it were real-time data. This allows engineers to perform retroactive assessment using actual process data while maintaining the familiar HMI interface and operational workflow, thus improving accuracy without sacrificing ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary layer that sits between the historical data storage and the HMI interface. This intermediary translates historical data into formats compatible with real-time HMI processing, enabling accurate retroactive assessment while maintaining the simplicity of the existing HMI operational model
2Reliability
If historical data is fed to HMI for retroactive assessment, then accurate diagnostic analysis is enabled, but additional system complexity is introduced for data synchronization and playback control
Solution Approach 1:
The HMI system is enhanced to perform multiple functions: it can process both real-time data and historical data through the same interface and processing logic. This multi-functionality allows reliable retroactive assessment without requiring a completely separate diagnostic system, thus improving reliability while limiting the increase in complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares historical data in advance by storing it with appropriate time-stamping and metadata that enables later playback. This preliminary organization of data reduces the complexity of real-time data retrieval and synchronization during diagnostic operations
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple historical databases are synchronized for comparative analysis, then comprehensive process assessment is achieved, but data synchronization complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic time-stamping and structured data organization that enables efficient synchronization of multiple databases. By organizing data in periodic intervals with consistent time references, the system can quickly align and compare data from multiple sources without excessive processing time
Data Source
AI summary
An industrial control monitoring system provides visualization of historical data acquired from an industrial process in a manner that mimic real-time visualization of real-time data acquired from the industrial process. The monitoring system provides an operator interface that allows the operator to direct playback interactively, such as rewinding and forwarding of the playback.