Patent Application
20120116542
The present disclosure generally relates to display units in supervisory control systems provided for technical processes. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method for enabling supervision of a technical system, a supervisory control system and computer program products that allow an operator to get an improved process control overview on a display unit also when there is a need for finding additional information.
Operators have the need to view information relating to an element in a supervisory control system for controlling a technical process such as the process of electrical power transmission. The information can include process control data values that are provided by process interface units to a process control system, where the supervisory control system visualizes the process control information in different views and windows. The process control system can be a SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) system and in particular a power grid control system. Such information can be presented in overview pictures.
However, an operator of the supervisory control system may need to also see further information in relation to the technical process while still observing such an overview picture.
Normally, power grid or other SCADA systems operators have to search for such further information in multiple “pages” or views of the process control system. Such windows are then often related to a certain aspect of an object. An operator may therefore need to open several such windows or scenes, even though only a limited amount of further information may actually be of interest.
It is thus possible that the operator has to keep many pages or views open, which in some cases may be displayed on multiple screens or display devices, in order to see just a few interesting pieces of information in each such view. This may make it hard for the operator to have an overview of the information being presented in the ordinary overview picture he or she is monitoring. Even if the number of additional windows being opened is small, the opening up of new views may distract the operator.
EP 1 331 536 discloses a guidance picture that can be displayed on a display in an overlapped state over a plant base layer picture, a process-based layer picture or a first layer picture. The guidance picture is associated with an alarm, which may be represented by a symbol on the display. The guidance picture is furthermore only displayed after clicking or activating the symbol of the alarm. This is thus done in order to display activities that can be made in relation to an alarm. It also seems like the guidance picture is not available unless an alarm is present.
In view of what has been described above, there exists different solutions for visualizing information for an operator of a supervisory control system. However, there is in this regard room for improvement, especially with regard to providing additional information while retaining the overview of a picture being presented.
An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a supervisory control system for supervising a technical system. The exemplary supervisory control system includes a display unit for displaying an overview picture of the technical system or part of the technical system, where the overview picture includes at least one object representing an entity of the technical system. The exemplary supervisory control system also includes a display view displaying the overview picture together with a detailed information view at least partly overlapping the overview picture, where the detailed information view is associated with the object and includes detailed information about the entity represented by the object. In addition, the exemplary supervisory control system includes means for receiving input signals indicating a selection of the object shown in the overview picture, and means for displaying a graphical symbol indicating the presence of the further information if the object is selected. Furthermore, the exemplary supervisory control system includes means for displaying, on the display unit, the detailed information view only if input signals are received indicating a selection of the graphical symbol.
An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for enabling supervision of a technical system, where the method is implemented in a supervisory control system including a display unit showing an overview picture of the technical system. The exemplary method includes the steps of: receiving input signals indicating a selection of at least one object of interest shown in the overview picture; displaying a graphical symbol indicating a presence of further information about an entity of the technical system represented by the object, if the object is selected; receiving input signals indicating a selection of the graphical symbol; and displaying, in response to receiving the input signals, a detailed information view at least partly overlapping the overview picture, where the detailed information view includes the further information of the object, to enable supervision of the technical system.
An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a computer program recorded thereon that is loadable by a processor of a computer of a supervisory control system and that causes the processor to carry out operations including: receiving input signals indicating a selection of at least one object of interest shown in the overview picture; displaying a graphical symbol indicating a presence of further information about an entity of the technical system represented by the object, if the object is selected; receiving input signals indicating a selection of the graphical symbol; and displaying, in response to receiving the input signals, a detailed information view at least partly overlapping the overview picture, where the detailed information view including the further information of the object, to enable supervision of the technical system.
Additional refinements, advantages and features of the present disclosure are described in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, in which:
The present disclosure provides an improved process control overview in a supervisory control system display unit which enables an operator to visualize information of the supervisory control system. The present disclosure is therefore directed towards solving the problem of improving user friendliness in relation to presentation of an overview picture on a display unit in a supervisory control system.
Accordingly, the present disclosure is based on the realization that there is a need for a better visualization of process control information when displaying an overview picture.
The present disclosure is therefore directed towards solving the problem of providing a better and more user-friendly visualization of process control information when an overview picture is displayed.
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure solve this problem by providing a supervisory control system for supervising a technical system. The supervisory control system includes a display unit for displaying an overview picture of the technical system or part of the technical system. The overview picture includes at least one object. The supervisory control system further includes a display view displaying the overview picture together with a detailed information view at least partly overlapping the overview picture, where the detailed information view is associated with the object and includes detailed information of the object.
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure also solve this problem by providing a method for enabling supervision of a technical system. The method is implemented in a supervisory control system comprising a display unit showing an overview picture of the technical system. The method includes the steps of: receiving input signals indicating a selection of at least one object of interest shown in the overview picture; and displaying, in response to receiving the input signals, a detailed information view at least partly overlapping the overview picture. The detailed information view is associated with the object and includes detailed information of the object, whereby supervision of the technical system is enabled.
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a program recorded thereon that causes a processor a computer processing device to implement the method.
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure eliminate the need of showing all the pages or views that contain information, including but not limited to real-time information, which the operator wants to view in addition to the overview picture. This is furthermore done in a simple way without the operator having to be distracted or perform other activities or switch to other pictures. This is furthermore also done without clogging the overview picture with a lot of additional information.
In the following, embodiments of the disclosure providing the above described functionality will be described.
In
The first server 16 receives measurements of the process via the process interface units and controls the process via the process interface units based on these measurements. It also stores historical process control data in the data base 18. The second server 17 receives measurements via the process interface units as well as status data concerning the operation of process interface units, and can generate alarm and event data that may be presented via the operator terminals 12 and 14. It can also shut down the process. Also, alarm and event data may be stored in the database 18.
In the example of
An operator terminal 12 and 14 in the process control system 10 provide each a user interface to the Network Manager system. In the following, the details of such an operator terminal are explained based on the example of operator terminal 12, shown in
Process control data values from the various process interface units can be collected and stored in the history data base 18 by the first server 16 as well as presented in real-time to an operator via the operator terminal display 34.
An operator terminal of the supervisory system shows process control elements and process control devices involved in the control of the technical process. These elements and devices are then often shown in a number of different windows, where a window may be provided for one hierarchical system level. It is furthermore possible with other types of windows, like windows depicting data according to data type. It is for instance possible to display the general outline of the system on a geographical overview picture, which picture may show power lines connected to substations. This is a system view at a first hierarchical level. Such an overview picture is schematically shown in
With all this information that can be shown in various windows on an operator terminal, an operator may need to open up a number of windows in parallel for obtaining information in relation to an object such as a substation. This may lead to an “overflow” of information, where it is impossible to discern important information from less important and above all to get a clear grasp of to which object in an overview picture such data is linked.
The present disclosure is provided for resolving this and other related problems.
One exemplary embodiment of the disclosure will therefore now be described with reference being made to
On the display unit 34 of the work station 12, there is shown an overview picture 1 of the technical process or a part of the technical process, which overview picture here shows a number of interconnected substations, which substations are interconnected with power lines. These are presented as a number of graphical objects on a geographical map, which objects thus represent a process control entity, for example, an entity involved in the control of the process. In this exemplary embodiment, the process control entity is furthermore a process control device. It is according to the disclosure possible to obtain further information about these objects.
This overview picture is just one type of overview picture with which the present disclosure can be used. It is for instance also possible to use the present disclosure in overview pictures on elements further down in the hierarchy, such as an overview picture of a substation or an overview picture of an element in a substation like a transformer. It is also possible to show overview pictures at higher levels. The overview picture need furthermore not be geographical but can be a logical overview picture such as an overview of the electrical interconnection of elements, like a single line diagram.
As is known in these types of systems, the work station also provides a pointing and selection tool for the operator, such as a cursor or pointer, in which various locations of the overview picture 1 can be selected or marked. In
In the following, an exemplary method will furthermore be described in relation to one such object on the overview picture. In this example, the object O1 is a graphical object representing a power control device that is a substation and here a substation named “Mapleton”. It should be realized that the method steps described below can be applied on other objects in the overview picture, like objects representing other substations or power lines. The method may be possible to perform in relation to all objects in an overview picture. However, it is also possible that it is limited to only some types of objects, for instance objects representing process interface devices or process interface units or objects representing other types of elements, such as elements used for transfer of power. It is for instance possible that the method steps to be described are only performed in relation to substations, but are not possible to perform in relation to other objects such as power lines. The method can also be performed on objects in lower hierarchical levels. It is for instance possible to perform the method steps for an object in an overview picture of a substation, for instance single line diagram, where an object may then for instance be a process interface unit comprising an element such as a transformer.
As the operator thus moves the pointer P on the screen 34 across the overview picture 1, the control unit 30 detects the movement of it, step 38. It then investigates if the pointer P is in the vicinity of the first object O1. This may be done through comparing the position of the pointer P with the position of the object O1. It can also be the comparison of the position of the pointer P with an area, like a rectangle, square, circle or ellipse surrounding the object O1. The tool P may then be found to be in the vicinity of the object O1, if the pointer P has the same position as the object O1 or is within the area surrounding the object O1. The situation that the pointer is in the vicinity of the object O1, is schematically shown in
If the pointer P is then found to have a position in the vicinity of the object, step 40, the control unit 30 determines that the object is selected, step 41. This is then followed by the control unit 30 displaying a graphical symbol indicating the presence of the further information. In this embodiment, the control unit 30 displays a further information icon I1 associated with the object on the display unit, step 42. However, if the pointer is not in the vicinity of the object, step 40, the movement is again detected, step 38. This means that if the position of the pointer P is the same as the position of the object O1 or inside the area surrounding the object O1, then the control unit 30 makes sure that the further information icon I1 is presented. The presenting of the icon I1 is shown in
In this way it is possible for the operator to see that there is further information in relation to an object without having the overview cluttered with a lot of further information and without blocking the overview picture with other windows and screens. This icon I1 provides an easily seen indicator to the operator that there exists further information about the object. The size of this indicator is furthermore small and therefore only occupies a small part of the screen and thus only provides a marginal disturbance of the overview.
It is then possible for the operator to see at least some of this further information in a detailed information view, which may be made possible through the operator moving the pointer P to the icon I1 and selecting this icon, which is schematically shown in
The presenting of the further information window W1 is schematically shown in
In this way, the overview picture is thus retained while the additional information is presented.
In the window W1 it may be possible to present a number of pieces of additional information such as information about what content is linked to the object. This additional information may be information originally appearing in several different other overview pictures. As an example,
It is here also possible that the window includes small sized displays of further “navigatable” pictures, for example, a set of miniaturized selectable overview pictures, which pictures are different from the overview picture currently displayed. These may here be selected and then the overview picture switched according to the selection. As an example, there is here shown a single line diagram of the station, an alarm list and a circuit diagram of an element in the station. All these various elements and diagrams can be selected in the detailed information view and then it is possible that the overview picture is replaced by a screen with the selected data or view. This means that the control unit can also be considered to include means for receiving input signals indicating a selection of a miniaturized overview picture and means for displaying the selected overview picture as a new overview picture.
The window W1 may here furthermore be customized to the operator, for instance include measurements, alarms and small sized views of favorite items of the operator. It may also be customized to the object type, so that all objects of the same type, for instance all substations, have the same type of additional information. It is also possible to adapt the content independently for an object. The presenting and selection of data can therefore be configured by the operator, perhaps subject to access rights to the information. This configuration can be made separately for each object as well as according to each object per object type and adapted according to power system state. This means that the occurrence of an alarm may determine what information should be provided in the window. Normally though the additional information window is always available to an operator, for example, it can always be selected independently of the system state. However, the content of the window may be depending on the system state. It is furthermore possible that the window can be “pinned” or provided as a permanent window on to the screen. The exemplifying widow is an opaque window. However, it is also possible that it is made transparent or half way transparent in order to allow the overview picture to be visible behind it.
It should also be realized that the further information icon need not be displayed. It may be possible to directly select the detailed information view from the object in the overview picture.
The present disclosure eliminates the need of showing all the pages or views that contain information, including but not limited to real-time information, which the operator wants to view in addition to the overview picture. This is furthermore done in a simple way without the operator having to be distracted or perform other activities or switch to other pictures. This is furthermore also done without clogging the overview picture with a lot of additional information.
The operator terminal may, as was previously described, be provided in the form of one or more processors together with computer program memory including computer program code for performing the present disclosure. This computer program code may also be provided on one or more data carriers which performs the functionality of the present disclosure when the program code thereon is being loaded in an operator terminal.
The disclosure may therefore also be provided as a computer program product loadable into a computer of the supervisory control system, including software code portions for carrying out the method according to the disclosure. It may also be provided as a computer program product (e.g., a computer program) tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium (e.g., a non-volatile memory), including computer readable program code means for causing a computer of a supervisory control system, to carry out the method of the present disclosure. Such a computer readable storage medium can be in the form of CD ROM disk 50 having recorded thereon such a computer program product in the form of computer program code 48 or software code portions is schematically shown in
Thus, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restricted. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and all changes that come within the meaning and range and equivalence thereof are intended to be embraced therein.
This application is a continuation application under 35 U.S.C. §120 of PCT/EP 2010/055214 filed as an International Application on Apr. 20, 2010 designating the U.S., which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119 of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/202,941 filed on Apr. 22, 2009, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61202941 | Apr 2009 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/EP2010/055214 | Apr 2010 | US |
| Child | 13280063 | US |
