Vortex Flowmeter Menu Navigation Engine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vortex flowmeters face inefficiencies and error-proneness in configuration due to the need to navigate through numerous unused menu settings, which increases the number of keystrokes required and memory usage.
Innovation Solution
A simplified menu navigation engine that reduces the number of information items displayed based on specific application use cases, allowing users to configure the flowmeter by generating a formatted hierarchical tree of configuration nodes associated with the selected use case, thereby minimizing user interface interactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a complete hierarchical menu tree with all configuration settings is provided, then the flowmeter supports all possible applications and configurations, but the number of keystrokes required to navigate the menu increases and the configuration process becomes more error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The complete hierarchical menu tree is segmented into multiple use case categories (e.g., general purpose, process control, batch control, safety applications). Each use case represents a distinct segment with its own optimized configuration menu, allowing users to navigate only the relevant portion for their specific application rather than traversing the entire menu structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The menu structure dynamically adapts based on the selected use case. When a user selects a specific use case, the system dynamically generates and displays only the configuration menu items relevant to that use case, changing the menu presentation in real-time based on user input rather than presenting a static complete menu tree.
2Adaptability or versatility
If all configuration settings are displayed in the menu, then users can access any configuration option, but the number of information items to navigate increases and flash memory requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Configuration settings are extracted and organized into use case-specific groups. Only the configuration items relevant to the selected use case are displayed and made accessible to the user, while other settings are temporarily hidden or grouped under different use cases. This extraction approach reduces the visible menu size and associated memory requirements for menu display buffers without losing access to any configuration options.
3Ease of operation
If a simplified menu structure is used, then the number of keystrokes and memory usage are reduced, but the ability to support specific application configurations may be limited
Solution Approach 1:
The use case selection mechanism serves multiple functions simultaneously: it simplifies the menu structure for efficient navigation, organizes configuration settings by application type, and ensures all necessary configuration options are available for each specific application. A single use case selection triggers the display of a customized menu that is both simplified and application-specific, achieving both goals through one mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
A menu navigation engine that enables user configuration of a vortex flowmeter. The vortex flowmeter includes a memory device and a processor, among other hardware components. Software instructions stored on the memory device and executable by the processor implement the menu navigation engine by displaying use case identifiers on the user interface, receiving selections of use case identifiers via the user interface, generating a formatted hierarchical tree of vortex flowmeter configuration nodes associated with the selected use case, and displaying the generated tree on the user interface.