Visual Operator Interface Prioritization for Multi-Screen Alert Awareness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Operators in industrial control stations often miss urgent information on non-central screens due to cognitive overload, leading to delayed reaction times, especially during emergencies, as they become 'blind' to surrounding events while engaged in focused tasks.
Innovation Solution
A visual operator interface method that prioritizes monitoring areas by gradually reducing visibility of non-prioritized screens with visual cues guiding attention to critical information, using gaze tracking and conditional notifications to ensure operators focus on urgent tasks without abrupt stimuli.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple screens are arranged in the control station, then the operator can access more information simultaneously, but the operator cannot see all screens in the central visual field, leading to missed urgent information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies visual highlighting techniques where the prioritized monitoring area is displayed with enhanced visual characteristics (such as increased brightness, contrast, or color saturation) compared to other areas. This creates a visual distinction that guides the operator's attention to the most critical information without requiring physical movement or screen switching.
2Measurement precision
If the operator focuses on one screen at a time, then detailed information can be processed, but urgent information on other screens may be missed, increasing reaction time
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-identifies and visually prioritizes monitoring areas that are likely to contain urgent information based on predefined criteria (such as alarm status, system criticality, or operator-defined importance). This preliminary visualization prepares the operator to quickly locate critical information without needing to actively search through all screens when an emergency occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the visual highlighting of prioritized areas dynamically updates based on the current system state. When new urgent information appears or priorities change, the visual emphasis is automatically adjusted to guide the operator's attention to the most relevant information, creating a continuous feedback loop between system state and operator attention.
3Loss of time
If visual highlighting is applied to guide attention, then reaction time to urgent information improves, but the operator's current task may be disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies visual highlighting selectively to specific local areas (monitoring regions) within the overall interface rather than uniformly across all screens. This localized approach ensures that only the most critical information receives enhanced visual attention, allowing the operator to maintain context and continuity with less critical tasks while still being alerted to urgent matters.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of controlling a visual operator interface having a plurality of predefined areas, which include one or more monitoring areas configured to display visual elements representing a current state of a technical system. According to the method, it is determined that one of the monitoring areas is to be prioritized; and an incomplete visibility decrease in at least one other area of the visual operator interface is initiated, wherein the prioritized monitoring area is unaffected by the visibility decrease.