GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE FOR THE PROGRAMMING OF PROGRAMMABLE CONTROLLERS
First Claim
1. A graphical user interface for programming a programmable controller, comprising:
- a) a plurality of output interfaces;
b) a plurality of programming windows assigned respectively to each said output interface, whereby each particular one of said windows contains i) a base node as a first graphical operating element for said respective output interface of said particular programming window and ii) at least one additional node as an additional graphical operating element for an input interface or for a group of linked interfaces of the programmable controller, wherein said additional node comprises at least one output branch line having a free end which is actuable to be coupled to said base node or to a further additional node with a graphical operating means, wherein coupling the free end of the output branch line of said additional node to said base node or to the further additional node establishes both a graphical and a control-system linkage between the coupled nodes.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The user interface contains a project window (9, 90, FIGS.2, 3) for interfaces (clips) of a programmable controller and programming windows (20, FIGS. 4, 10, 13; 67, FIG. 16) for each output interface of the programmable controller. Each such programming window (20, 67) contains a base node as a first graphical operating element (21, FIG. 10; 68, FIG. 16) for the output interface of the particular programming window and at least one additional node which serves as a graphical operating element (35, 47, 49, 51, 53, FIG. 10) for another interface (clip) or for a group of linked interfaces of the programmable controller. Each node has an output branch line (44, 48, 50, 52, 54, FIG. 10), the end of which can be routed to the base node or to another node be means of an operating means, such as a mouse. After the end of the output branch line is deposited on a respective other node, both a graphical link between the nodes and a control-system link between the interfaces which the nodes represent (FIG. 11, 12, 13) are produced. The user interface renders it possible even for users who have no experience with planning and design of controllers to produce a control program in a simple and error-free manner.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A graphical user interface for programming a programmable controller, comprising:
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a) a plurality of output interfaces;
b) a plurality of programming windows assigned respectively to each said output interface, whereby each particular one of said windows contains i) a base node as a first graphical operating element for said respective output interface of said particular programming window and ii) at least one additional node as an additional graphical operating element for an input interface or for a group of linked interfaces of the programmable controller, wherein said additional node comprises at least one output branch line having a free end which is actuable to be coupled to said base node or to a further additional node with a graphical operating means, wherein coupling the free end of the output branch line of said additional node to said base node or to the further additional node establishes both a graphical and a control-system linkage between the coupled nodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method comprising the steps of:
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in a graphical user interface, assigning a programming window to each of a plurality of output interfaces of a programmable controller;
providing a base node as a first graphical operating element for each of the programming windows;
providing at least one additional node as an additional graphical operating element, the additional node having at least one output branch line;
establishing both a graphical link on the graphical user interface and a control-system link in the programmable controller between the base node and the additional node by connecting the output branch line to the base node.
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Specification