HMI reconfiguration method and system

• US 20060095855A1
• Filed: 11/03/2004
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mann, Joseph Francis, Britt, Clinton Duane, Cisler, Steven Mark, Mann, Krista, Lloyd, Robert F.
• Application Number:
  US10/980,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20060095855A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/760
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2206 Microprocessor for display and parameter input, link to control microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24084 Remote and local monitoring, local result to remote, remote takes action
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25428 Field device
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32142 Define device, module description using xml format file
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and method of reconfiguring a human-machine interface. In accordance with embodiments of the present techniques, a plurality of control objects may be accessed from a human-machine interface via a configuration station. The control objects may include properties for accessing inputs via an industrial control and monitoring network, performing a function based on the inputs, and outputting a signal to a remote device via the industrial control and monitoring network. Additionally, a display page may be configured on the configuration station using Web page creation software, including links to the control objects, to create a display file in accordance with the present techniques. Further, the display file may be downloaded to the human-machine interface for display of the display page and execution of the links to the control objects.

Claims

1. A configurable human-machine interface comprising:

an input device;

a set of functional modules stored within the human-machine interface for generating configurable views to be displayed on a display, for interpreting inputs received via the input device, for processing parameter signals received from remote devices and for generating output signals, the set of functional protocols adapted for uploading to a remote configuration station; and

a set of screen instructions defined in a markup language for generating the configurable views and calling upon the functional modules based upon inputs received via the input device.

2. The interface of claim 1, comprising an Internet protocol interface for remotely addressing the human-machine interface to permit reconfiguration of the functional modules and the screen instructions via an Internet protocol.

3. The interface of claim 1, comprising a network interface configured to receive the parameter signals and send the output signals in an industrial data exchange protocol.

4. The interface of claim 1, comprising a viewable display.

5. The interface of claim 4, wherein the configuration tool permits adding of new functional modules to the human-machine interface.

6. The interface of claim 3, wherein the industrial data exchange protocol is an open industrial exchange protocol.

7. The interface of claim 1, wherein the configurable views include a static view and dynamic elements, the dynamic elements being altered in appearance based upon the parameter signals received by the human-machine interface.

8. The interface of claim 7, wherein the dynamic elements include parameter values of networked components.

9. The interface of claim 7, wherein the dynamic elements include an operative state of a networked component.

10. The interface of claim 1, wherein the markup language is HTML.

11. A configurable human-machine interface (HMI) system comprising:

an HMI including a set of functional modules stored within a human-machine interface for generating configurable views to be displayed on a display, for interpreting inputs received via an input device, for processing parameter signals received from remote devices and for generating output signals for reporting to or controlling remote devices, the set of functional modules adapted for uploading to a configuration station, and a set of screen instructions for generating the configurable views and calling upon the functional modules based upon inputs received via the input device;

a network interface configured to receive the parameter values and send the output signals in an industrial data exchange protocol; and

a configuration tool for accessing the functional modules and the screen instructions from the HMI, and for reconfiguring the screen instructions and the functional modules to create a reconfigured display file including the reconfigured screen instructions and functional modules, and for reloading the reconfigured display file to the HMI.

12. The configurable human-machine interface system of claim 11, wherein the screen instructions are defined in a markup language.

13. The configurable human-machine interface system of claim 11, wherein the configuration tool is adapted for accessing and reconfiguring the functional modules and the screen instructions via an Internet protocol interface.

14. A configurable human-machine interface system comprising:

a set of functional modules stored within the human-machine interface for generating configurable views to be displayed on a display, for interpreting inputs received via an input device, for processing parameter signals received from remote devices and for generating output signals for reporting to or controlling remote devices, the set of functional modules adapted for uploading to a configuration station;

a set of screen instructions for generating the configurable views and calling upon the functional modules based upon inputs received via the input device;

a network interface configured to receive the parameter values and send the output signals in an industrial data exchange protocol; and

a web-based reconfiguration tool for accessing the functional modules and the screen instructions directly from the human-machine interface and for reconfiguring the modules and screen instructions for storage on the human-interface module.

15. The configurable human-machine interface system of claim 14, wherein the screen instructions are defined in a markup language.

16. The configurable human-machine interface system of claim 14, wherein the configuration tool is stored in the configuration station.

17. A method for reconfiguring a human-machine interface, the method comprising:

accessing functional modules and a set of screen instructions in the human-machine interface via a web-based reconfiguration tool, the functional modules being configured for generating configurable views to be displayed on a display, for interpreting inputs received via an input device, for processing parameter signals received from remote devices and for generating output signals for reporting to or controlling remote devices, the screen instructions being configured for generating the configurable views and calling upon the functional modules based upon inputs received via the input device;

reconfiguring either the functional modules or the screen instructions via reconfiguration tool to create a reconfigured display file; and

storing the reconfigured display file on the human-machine interface.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising uploading the functional modules and the set of screen instructions from the human-machine interface to a configuration station.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the screen instructions are in HTML.

20. The method of claim 17, comprising downloading the reconfigured functional modules or screen instructions from the configuration station to the human-machine interface.

21. A method for reconfiguring a human-machine interface comprising:

accessing a plurality of control objects from a human-machine interface via a configuration station;

configuring a display page on the configuration station, including links to the control objects to create a display file; and

downloading the display file to the human-machine interface for display of the display page and execution of the links to the control objects.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising reconfiguring at least one of the control objects on the configuration station.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising accessing an additional control object from a control object library, linking the additional control object to the display page, and downloading the additional control object to the human-machine interface.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the display page is defined by computer code written in a markup language.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the control objects include properties for accessing inputs via an industrial control and monitoring network, performing a function based on the inputs, and outputting a signal to a remote device via the industrial control and monitoring network.

26. A method for reconfiguring a human-machine interface comprising:

accessing a plurality of control objects from a human-machine interface via a configuration station, the control objects including properties for accessing inputs via an industrial control and monitoring network, performing a function based on the inputs, and outputting a signal to a remote device via the industrial control and monitoring network;

configuring a display page on the configuration station, including links to the control objects, to create a display file; and

downloading the display file to the human-machine interface for display of the display page and execution of the links to the control objects.