Unified Graphic Display Editor for Process Control Animation Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In process control systems, configuring animations and event handler scripts for graphical items in process control plants is cumbersome due to the need to access multiple dialog windows individually, making it difficult to manage and visualize the configuration of all events and animations associated with a graphical item or display.
Innovation Solution
A graphic display editor provides a cohesive, hierarchical view of graphical item properties, allowing users to group, order, and filter configurations within a single display, eliminating the need to open and close multiple dialog windows for each configuration task, and facilitating the completion of animation and event configuration tasks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple dialog windows are used to configure animations and events for graphical items, then comprehensive configuration capability is achieved, but operation complexity and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate dialog windows (animation configuration dialog and event configuration dialog) into a single integrated configuration dialog. This unified dialog displays both animation properties and event handler scripts simultaneously, allowing operators to configure both aspects without switching between multiple windows, thereby reducing operation complexity and time consumption while maintaining comprehensive configuration capability
Solution Approach 2:
The configuration dialog is designed to serve multiple functions within a single interface: it can configure animation properties, configure event handler scripts, and display hierarchical relationships of graphical items. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate specialized dialogs for each configuration task, improving ease of operation without sacrificing configuration completeness
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple dialog windows are used for configuration, then detailed configuration options are available, but device complexity and difficulty of management increase
Solution Approach 1:
The unified configuration dialog is organized into distinct sections or tabs for different configuration aspects (animation properties, event handler scripts, hierarchical structure). This segmentation allows the interface to present detailed configuration options in an organized manner without overwhelming the operator, maintaining configuration flexibility while reducing perceived complexity through structured presentation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hierarchical view dimension that organizes graphical items and their properties in a tree structure or layered display. This additional organizational dimension allows complex configuration options to be accessed systematically through hierarchy levels rather than presenting all options simultaneously, reducing interface complexity while preserving comprehensive configuration capability
3Manufacturing precision
If individual dialog windows are accessed for each configuration task, then precise control over configuration is achieved, but productivity and efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The unified configuration dialog pre-organizes all configuration options (animation and events) in a single accessible interface before the operator begins configuration. This preliminary organization eliminates the need to sequentially open and close multiple dialogs, allowing operators to plan and execute configurations more efficiently while maintaining precise control over each parameter through dedicated input fields and controls within the unified interface
Data Source
AI summary
A graphical editor for creating operator displays and configuring control strategies in a process control plant or system may present a coherent view for the multiple graphical or control strategy items depicted within or associated with the display and strategy. For each graphical item, the view may hierarchically show default and modified values, animation expressions, and event handler scripts. The view may allow a configuration engineer to group, order, and filter various graphical or control strategy items within a single display to present a cohesive view of how the multiple items within the display are capable of being configured for events, animations, and control strategies within the operator display. Providing this cohesive view may allow the user to view and configure graphical items and control strategies without having to open and dismiss dialogs for each configuration task.