XML Workflow Engine for Plant Floor Data Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automated workflow processing systems lack flexibility in workflow definition and require special-purpose programs, limiting their ability to interface with diverse hardware and software devices and applications, and fail to provide comprehensive data distribution and visibility across different areas of a plant floor and enterprise.
Innovation Solution
The system allows for user-defined workflows with graphical editing, enabling the combination of tasks for direct or conditional processing, including branching and looping, and supports third-party software applications through an API, with enhanced data handling and messaging using XML and XSL for improved communication and data visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional automated workflow processing systems are used, then basic workflow automation is achieved, but flexibility in workflow definition and ability to interface with diverse hardware and software devices is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal workflow engine that can execute workflows defined in standard XML format across diverse hardware and software platforms. The system uses a standardized interface that allows different devices and applications to participate in workflow processing without requiring platform-specific programs, thereby achieving multi-functionality and broad adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs XML-based workflow definitions where workflow parameters, tasks, and conditions are defined as configurable elements within the XML structure. This allows flexible modification of workflow behavior by changing XML parameters rather than requiring complex programming, enabling adaptable workflow definition through parameter changes.
2Loss of information
If conventional interface capabilities are used, then specific hardware devices and software applications can be accessed, but data distribution and visibility across different areas of the plant floor and enterprise are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments data distribution into hierarchical levels including plant floor devices, control systems, and enterprise applications. Each level can publish and subscribe to relevant data events independently through the standardized interface, enabling broad data visibility without requiring complex point-to-point connections between all systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a standardized interface layer that acts as an intermediary between diverse hardware devices and software applications. This interface layer handles data translation, event routing, and communication protocols, enabling data distribution and visibility across different areas without requiring direct integration between each pair of systems.
3Productivity
If rudimentary workflow definition capabilities are used, then basic automation tasks can be performed, but complex plant operations modeling requires special-purpose programs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables complex workflow definition through XML parameters that can be configured without specialized programming. Workflow tasks, conditions, branches, and loops are defined as configurable XML elements, allowing complex plant operations to be modeled by setting parameters rather than writing special-purpose programs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service workflow definition capabilities where users can create and modify workflows using standardized XML templates and configuration tools. The system provides built-in functionality for defining complex workflows without requiring external special-purpose programming tools, enabling users to independently configure sophisticated automation scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides improved methods and apparatus for workflow editing. Such methods and apparatus permit, for example, user-defined and/or other tasks to be combined in any combination or combinations to specify a workflow. The tasks can be linked for direct, serial processing and/or for conditional processing that includes branching and/or looping. The invention also improved methods and apparatus of workflow definition and processing with extensible actions. The invention provides, further, improved methods and apparatus for workflow definition and processing which utilize workflow variables for communication of data and control information among tasks within a workflow. The invention provides, still further, improved methods and apparatus of workflow definition and processing with enhanced messaging. The invention provides, still yet further, improved methods and apparatus for workflow definition and processing which permit definition of hierarchically enumerated data types and for definition of “plans” to collect, e.g., for storage, data such as the aforementioned hierarchical data types.