Method and device for interactive control of a machine

• US 20060157880A1
• Filed: 07/23/2004
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karl Hehl
• Original Assignee: Karl Hehl
• Inventors: Hehl, Karl
• Granted Patent: US 7,890,880 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/40.100
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/7606 Controlling or regulating the display unit
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76648 Sequence, e.g. the order in which operations are conducted
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76913 Parameter setting
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/76 Measuring, controlling or regulating measuring in general G01; controlling or regulating in general G05

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for interactive control of a machine, whereby the operating parameters necessary for the working process of the machine are inputted into a data processing unit (12), for storing the operating parameters, using an input unit (10) with input fields in a form which guides the user. Working processes are thus carried out as a result of the inputs. A data set of the base rules for the working process of the machine is recorded in the data processing unit. A limited selection (11) of possible input choices is provided for the user by application of the data set based on the machine configuration and machine environment, which further comprise compatible parts for addition to the extant parts of a working process. Operator guidance is facilitated, whereby the user is provided with a limited selection (11), corresponding to the further parts of the process, on operating fields, by the input unit (10) on the surface (16) for manual input and/or for input using a manipulator (38).

Claims

1. Method for interactive control of a plastics material injection molding machine, where, via an input unit, which is provided with actuating fields, operating parameters necessary for an operating sequence of a machine are input, in a form which prompts an operator, into a data processing unit which stores these operating parameters, and subsequently one or more operating sequences are carried out in accordance with the stored operating parameters, wherein a data set covering basic rules of the operating sequence of the machine is recorded in the data processing unit and, by using the data set, as a result, the operator is provided on a surface with visualization of a selected choice of input possibilities, based on a machine configuration and a machine environment, for additional parts of the operating sequence that can be added in a compatible manner into existing parts of the operating sequence, wherein for manual input and/or for input by means of a manipulator, the input unit makes available to the operator on the surface a selected choice of actuating fields corresponding to the additional parts of the operating sequence and for navigation on a navigation surface statically arranged on the surface, wherein the navigation surface comprising at least three lines or three columns of actuating and input fields is hierarchical from line to line or column to column, and is represented on the surface with a plurality of navigation levels associated with one another.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the actuating fields are imaged as input fields.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the hierarchical navigation surface is represented with three lines.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein a parameter region is represented on the surface for numeric and/or graphic representation of operating parameters.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein in addition to the navigation levels, a sequence editor representing the operating sequence in a schematic manner is represented on the surface.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the operating sequence comprises sequence symbols and when a sequence symbol is tapped, parameter images associated with the sequence symbol are displayed on the respective navigation level.

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein the navigation levels comprise at least one top navigation level and at least one bottom navigation level and when three navigation levels are provided, the at least one top navigation level is represented symbolically in one line, whilst the at least one bottom navigation level is represented completely in the additional lines.

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein the operating sequence comprises sequence symbols and in the event of an alarm, the sequence symbols of the operating sequence relating to the alarm are identified and wherein tapping the sequence symbols leads to the representation of a relevant parameter region.

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein favorite fields are preset or are presettable on the surface by the user and when actuated the favorite fields lead to a jump, independent of the navigation, to a preset or presetable parameter group.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein when the favorite field is actuated, the parameter image edited last in the associated parameter group is displayed.

11. Method according to claim 1, wherein tables are represented on the surface for inputting operating parameters and wherein, from these, a preferably non-editable graphic representation of the required values converted therefrom is generated.

12. Method according to claim 1, wherein an editable input diagram is represented on the surface.

13. Method according to claim 12, wherein the representation of the input of the operating parameters for the various directions of axes displacement is effected in the direction of axes displacement.

14. Method according to one of the previous claim 1, wherein the method is carried out on a cyclically operating plastics material injection molding machine.

25. Data carriers having a program for the accomplishment of the method according to claim 1.

15. Apparatus for interactive control of a plastics material injection molding machine, having

a data processing unit,

an input unit with fields arranged on a surface for manual input and/or for input by means of a manipulator, by means of which fields, in a form which prompts an operator, operating parameters necessary for an operating sequence of the machine can be input into the data processing unit which stores the operating parameters for subsequently carrying out one or more operating sequences in accordance with the stored operating parameters, wherein the fields are actuating fields for navigation on a navigation surface statically arranged on the surface,

a data set recorded in the data processing unit and covering basic rules of the operating sequence of the machine,

using the data set and as a result, a selected choice, offered to the operator displayed on a surface, of possible input possibilities, based on machine configuration and machine environment, for additional parts of the operating sequence that can be added in a compatible manner into existing parts of the operating sequence,

wherein the navigation surface comprises at least three lines or at least three columns of actuating and input fields and is hierarchical from line to line or column to column and comprises a plurality of navigation levels associated with one another.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the actuating fields are imaged as input fields.

17. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the hierarchical navigation surface includes three lines.

18. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a parameter region is provided on the surface for numeric and/or graphic representation of the operating parameters.

19. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein in addition to the navigation levels, a sequence editor representing the operating sequence in a schematic manner is provided on the surface.

20. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein, the navigation levels comprise at least one top navigation level and at least one bottom navigation level and when three navigation levels are provided, sequence symbols for the at least one top navigation level is provided in one line, whilst elements of the at least one bottom navigation level where necessary are provided completely in the additional lines.

21. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein identification means are provided for identifying sequence symbols of the operating sequence related to an alarm

22. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein preset favorite fields or favorite fields that are presettable by the user are provided on the surface, said favorite fields being provided as jump keys for a jump independent of the navigation to a preset or presettable parameter group.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein a linking of the jump keys with a parameter image last edited within the associated parameter group is provided.

24. Apparatus according of claim 15, wherein a non-editable graphic representation of required values converted from the input parameters and/or an editable input diagram is provided on the surface.