Spreadsheet Visualization for Industrial Process Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tank inventory systems for industrial processes require significant development and maintenance efforts due to the need for custom GUI design and limited customization options, necessitating programming skills and being inflexible for customer-specific needs.
Innovation Solution
A data processing and visualization system architecture that includes a cross software platform layer with a data acquisition add-in, calculation add-in, and visualization algorithm, allowing for flexible data acquisition, calculation, and visualization using a spreadsheet-based approach, eliminating the need for complex GUI design and enabling user customization without programming skills.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional tank inventory system with custom GUI design is used, then the system can provide comprehensive tank monitoring functionality, but the development and maintenance efforts become significant and require experienced programmers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses spreadsheet applications (Excel) as a copy of traditional GUI interfaces to display tank inventory data. Instead of developing custom GUI applications, the system copies the familiar spreadsheet interface paradigm into the industrial monitoring context, allowing users to interact with complex tank data through simple spreadsheet views that can be customized without programming
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal platform where a single spreadsheet-based interface can serve multiple tank inventory monitoring functions. The system provides a common framework that handles data acquisition, calculation, and visualization across different tank configurations and customer requirements, eliminating the need for separate custom GUI development for each application
2Reliability
If a conventional tank inventory system with dedicated GUI application is used, then the system can provide standardized tank monitoring, but the customization options for customer-specific needs are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic customization of the monitoring interface by allowing users to modify spreadsheet layouts, formulas, and data sources according to their specific needs. The system transitions from static pre-configured GUIs to dynamic spreadsheets that can be adapted in real-time without requiring system reconfiguration or programming expertise
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the tank inventory system into modular components where data acquisition, calculation, and visualization are separated. This allows customers to customize individual aspects of the monitoring system (such as specific tank parameters or calculation methods) while maintaining the standardized core functionality, with each spreadsheet tab or section able to be independently configured
3Productivity
If a conventional tank inventory system requiring programming skills is used, then the system can provide robust data processing, but the ease of operation for users without programming expertise deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables users to perform data processing and customization themselves without requiring external programming expertise. By using spreadsheet applications, end-users can directly modify data processing logic through familiar spreadsheet formulas and functions, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating the need for specialized programming support
Data Source
AI summary
A data processing system for controlling an industrial process includes a cross software platform layer including a data acquisition (DA) add-in and calculation add-in coupled to receive measured field data from a field layer including a process data link or Communication Interface Unit (CIU) coupled to processing equipment in the plant having associated field devices including sensors for providing measured field data and actuators configured to run the industrial process. A processor implements a DA algorithm to provide the DA add-in, a calculation algorithm to provide the calculation add-in, and a visualization algorithm all stored in a memory associated with the processor. The DA add-in acquires the measured field data from the field devices, the calculation add-in generates calculated data from the measured field data, and an application layer is for applying the visualization algorithm to the calculated data to populate cells of a spreadsheet.