Patent Application
20090089402
The invention is related to the field of human-machine interfaces, and in particular, to a system that provides user-selected graphical displays that are generated by a human-machine interface through a user-selected communication device.
Industrial environments include automobile manufacturing factories, food processing plants, and microprocessor fabrication facilities. The typical industrial environment includes various machines, such as pumps, motors, and robots. These machines continually produce data that indicates the current status of the machines, such as the machine's pressure, temperature, or speed.
The typical industrial environment also includes a Human-Machine Interface (HMI). The HMI receives and processes the status data from the machines to generate various graphical displays. The graphical displays indicate the current and historical status of the machines. For example, an HMI graphical display might indicate the pressure of a pump, the speed of a motor, or the output of a robot. The HMI may also control the machines. For example, the HMI might turn on a pump, speed-up a motor, or stop a robot.
The HMI may allow a user to remotely access a graphical display. The user operates a communication device to retrieve a graphical display from the HMI over a communication network. Unfortunately, the user must operate the communication device to connect to the HMI and then navigate through HMI menus to obtain the selected graphical display. This connection and navigation may be too complex and cumbersome for some users.
A graphical display system comprises a Human-Machine Interface (HMI) system and a communication device. The HMI system is configured to process status data from a plurality of machine systems to generate graphical displays indicating status of the machine systems. The HMI system is configured to receive user information indicating the communication device and a selected set of the graphical displays. The HMI system is configured to transfer HMI interface software based on the selection information. The communication device is configured to receive and process the HMI interface software to transfer a display request for the selected set of the graphical displays. The HMI system is configured to receive and process the display request to transfer the selected set of the graphical displays. The communication device is configured to receive and display the selected set of the graphical displays.
In some examples, the communication device is configured to display the selected set of the graphical displays as a series of thumbnail displays.
In some examples, the communication device is configured to receive a user selection of one of the thumbnail displays and display the one of the graphical displays associated with the selected one of the thumbnail displays.
In some examples, the communication device is configured to receive a scroll command to move through the series of the thumbnail displays to the selected one of the thumbnail displays.
In some examples, the communication device is configured to process the HMI interface software to periodically transfer additional display requests for the selected set of the graphical displays. The HMI system is configured to process the additional display requests to transfer updated versions of the selected set of the graphical displays. The communication device is configured to receive and display the updated versions of the selected set of the graphical displays.
In some examples, the communication device is configured to display the updated versions of the selected set of the graphical displays as a series of thumbnail displays, receive a scroll command to move through the series of the thumbnail displays to a selected one of the thumbnail displays, and display the updated version of the one of the graphical displays associated with the selected one of the thumbnail displays.
In some examples, the communication device comprises a wireless Internet-access communication device.
A method provides graphical displays that indicate status of a plurality of machine systems, where an HMI system processes status data from the machine systems to generate the graphical displays. The method comprises, in the HMI system, receiving selection information indicating a selected communication device and a selected set of the graphical displays and transferring HMI interface software from the HMI system based on the selection information. The method comprises, in the communication device, receiving and processing the HMI interface software to transfer a display request for the selected set of the graphical displays. The method comprises, in the HMI system, receiving and processing the display request to transfer the selected set of the graphical displays. The method comprises, in the communication device, receiving and displaying the selected set of the graphical displays.
A software product provides graphical displays that indicate status of a plurality of machine systems, where an HMI system processes status data from the machine systems to generate the graphical displays. The software product comprises HMI operation software, HMI interface software, and a memory device that stores the HMI operation software and the HMI interface software. The HMI operation software is configured to direct HMI system processing circuitry to receive selection information indicating a selected communication device and a selected set of the graphical displays and transfer HMI interface software from the HMI system based on the selection information. The HMI interface software is configured to direct communication device processing circuitry to transfer a display request for the selected set of the graphical displays. The HMI operation software is configured to direct the HMI system processing circuitry to receive and process the display request to transfer the selected set of the graphical displays. The HMI interface software is configured to direct the communication device processing circuitry to receive and display the selected set of the graphical displays.
Industrial environment 110 includes machine systems 101-103, HMI system 104, and communication system 105. Industrial environment 110 comprises an automobile manufacturing factory, food processing plant, microprocessor fabrication facility, or some other type of industrial enterprise. Machine systems 101-103 comprise pumps, motors, robots, or some other mechanical apparatus, including their associated control systems. Machine systems 101-103 continually produce status data over time. The status data indicates the current status of machine systems 101-103, such as pressure, temperature, speed, or some other status metrics. Machine systems 101-103 continually transfer the status data to HMI system 104 over communication system 105. Communication system 105 could be a local area network, wide area network, or some other data network.
HMI system 104 comprises computer and communication equipment and software. HMI system 104 continually receives the status data from machine systems 101-103. HMI system 104 processes the status data to generate various graphical displays indicating the current and historical status of machine systems 101-103. For example, an HMI graphical display might indicate the pressure of a pump, the speed of a motor, the output of a robot, or some other status metric. HMI system 104 also controls machine systems 101-103. For example, HMI system 104 might turn on a pump, speed-up a motor, stop a robot, or perform some other type of machine control. An example of an HMI system that could be adapted in accord with this description is RSView™ supplied by Rockwell Automation.
Communication network 115 uses the internet protocol, Ethernet, telephony, or some other communication protocol, including combinations thereof. Communication network 115 uses wireless links, metallic links, optical links, or some other communication link, including combinations thereof. Communication network 115 comprises the Internet, a private network, a telephone network, or some other communication network, including combinations thereof.
Communication device 120 comprises a telephone, wireless transceiver, computer, digital assistant, Internet appliance, or some other communication apparatus. Communication device 120 retrieves selected graphical displays from HMI system 104. Communication device 120 displays the selected graphical displays.
Machine interface 201 comprises communication circuitry and equipment that communicates with machine systems 101-103 over communication system 105. Processing circuitry 202 comprises microprocessors or other logic circuitry that retrieves and executes HMI operating software 211. Communication interface 203 comprises communication circuitry and equipment that communicates with communication devices over communication network 115. User interface 205 comprises a keyboard, mouse, voice recognition interface, touch screen, or some other user device. Display device 207 comprises a liquid crystal display, cathode ray tube display, or some other graphical display mechanism. Storage device 204 comprises a disk, integrated circuit, flash drive, or some other memory device. Communication system 206 comprises a bus, local area network, or some other communication apparatus. The above-described components (201-206) of HMI system 104 may be integrated together or distributed among multiple devices.
HMI software 211-212 comprises an application program, firmware, or some other form of machine-readable processing instructions. HMI operating software 211 may include an operating system, utilities, drivers, networking, and applications. When executed by processing circuitry 202, HMI operating software 211 directs HMI system 104 to operate as described herein. HMI interface software 211 comprises an application.
Communication interface 301 comprises communication circuitry and equipment that communicates with HMI system 104 over communication network 115. Processing circuitry 302 comprises microprocessors or other logic circuitry that retrieves and executes communication device software 311 and HMI interface software 212. Storage device 303 comprises a disk, integrated circuit, flash drive, or some other memory device. User interface 304 comprises a keyboard, mouse, voice recognition interface, touch screen, or some other user device. User interface 304 may also include a touch pad, wheel, or some other mechanism that allows a user to input a scroll command. Display device 306 comprises a liquid crystal display, cathode ray tube display, or some other graphical display mechanism. Communication system 305 comprises a bus, communication circuitry, or some other communication apparatus. The above-described components (301-305) of communication device 120 may be integrated together or distributed among multiple devices.
Communication device software 311 comprises an application program, firmware, or some other form of machine-readable processing instructions. Communication device software 311 may include an operating system, utilities, drivers, networking, and applications. When executed by processing circuitry 302, HMI interface software 212 and communication device software 311 direct communication system 120 to operate as described herein.
The user desires to conveniently access a selected set of the graphical displays from a remote communication device. The user operates HMI system 104 to select the specific graphical displays and the communication device for remote access. In response to the user selections, HMI system 104 generates HMI interface software 212 including the identity of the selected displays. The displays could be identified by file name, uniform resource locator, or some other display identifier. HMI system 104 transfers HMI interface software 212 to the selected communication device—communication device 120 in this example.
The user then operates communication device 120 to start HMI interface software 212. In response, communication device 120 transfers a request for the selected displays to HMI system 104. HMI system 104 transfers the selected graphical displays to communication device 120. Communication device 120 displays the selected displays in a series of thumbnail displays. Thumbnail displays are relatively small (thumbnail or smaller) versions of the graphical displays that are sized to fit several of the thumbnail displays on display device 306.
The user operates communication device 120 to scroll through the thumbnail displays to a selected one of the thumbnail displays. In response, communication device 120 displays the graphical display represented by the selected thumbnail display. The resulting graphical display is typically several times larger than the selected thumbnail display. The user may then operate communication device 120 to again scroll through the thumbnail displays to another one of the thumbnail displays. In response, communication device 120 displays the other graphical display that is represented by the other thumbnail display.
Note that HMI system 104 may be configured to detect a specified condition and issue a corresponding alarm. For example, HMI system 104 may issue an alarm if a motor exceeds a given temperature. HMI system 104 may also be configured to indicate the alarm on some of the graphical displays. For example, HMI system 104 could blink a graphical display red in response to an alarm related to the display. Advantageously, graphical display system 100 promptly informs a remote user of the alarm, since the thumbnail display on the user's communication device would also indicate the alarm—possibly by blinking red. The user could then quickly scroll to the blinking thumbnail display to investigate the alarm from their remote location.
Advantageously, the user is able to easily select a set of displays from HMI system 104 for display on a user-selected communication device. The user is also able to see many or all of the selected displays on the communication device in a thumbnail representation. The user may then conveniently scroll to a selected thumbnail display to have the corresponding graphical display rendered on the communication device screen. In addition, the communication device continually updates the displays and provides alarms. Thus, the user may conveniently establish and obtain a remote and current view of their desired HMI graphical displays.
The above description and associated figures teach the best mode of the invention. The following claims specify the scope of the invention. Note that some aspects of the best mode may not fall within the scope of the invention as specified by the claims. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the features described above can be combined in various ways to form multiple variations of the invention. As a result, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but only by the following claims and their equivalents.
