Operator interface device for HMI system
First Claim
1. An operator interface device for a human-machine interface (HMI) system, comprising:
- a housing adapted for mounting at an operator workstation;
at least one signal device disposed on said housing;
a serial communication port disposed on said housing adapted for connection to a serial device at the operator workstation;
at least one Ethernet port disposed on said housing adapted for connection to a network, the network having a server running HMI software connected thereto; and
a microcontroller integrated circuit chip having embedded Ethernet and at least one serial communication interface disposed thereon, the at least one signal device, the serial communication port, and the at least one Ethernet port being connected to the microcontroller, the microcontroller being configured to communicate serial communications signals between the serial device and the HMI software by TCP/IP, and to interface the HMI software with the at least one signal device in order to communicate messages between the HMI software and a human operator at the operator workstation.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The operator interface device for an HMI system provides for generic, simple communication between Human-Machine Interface (HMI) software and an operator workstation. The device has at least one signaling device, at least one serial communication port, and an Ethernet port mounted on a housing. Disposed within the housing is electronic circuitry that includes a microcontroller having embedded Ethernet capability. The microcontroller is configured to pass serial data from a bar code reader, RFID receiver, or the like from the serial communication port via Ethernet by TCP/IP to the HMI software on a remote server, and to control driver(s) for the at least one signaling device, which may be a beacon, a light, a horn or other audio device, or a push button switch. The device may also include a power supply and miniconnector port for passing signals between a machine controller, such as a torque controller, and the HMI software.
20 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An operator interface device for a human-machine interface (HMI) system, comprising:
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a housing adapted for mounting at an operator workstation; at least one signal device disposed on said housing; a serial communication port disposed on said housing adapted for connection to a serial device at the operator workstation; at least one Ethernet port disposed on said housing adapted for connection to a network, the network having a server running HMI software connected thereto; and a microcontroller integrated circuit chip having embedded Ethernet and at least one serial communication interface disposed thereon, the at least one signal device, the serial communication port, and the at least one Ethernet port being connected to the microcontroller, the microcontroller being configured to communicate serial communications signals between the serial device and the HMI software by TCP/IP, and to interface the HMI software with the at least one signal device in order to communicate messages between the HMI software and a human operator at the operator workstation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An operator interface device for a human-machine interface (HMI) system, comprising:
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a housing adapted for mounting at an operator workstation; a beacon disposed on top of said housing; a plurality of signal lights disposed on a front face of said housing; a speaker disposed on said housing; an RS-232 connector disposed on said housing adapted for connection to a serial device at the operator workstation; at least one Ethernet port disposed on said housing adapted for connection to a network, the network having a server running HMI software connected thereto; a miniconnector disposed on said housing; a microcontroller integrated circuit chip having embedded Ethernet and at least one serial communication interface disposed thereon, the at least one Ethernet port being connected to the microcontroller, the microcontroller being configured to communicate serial communications signals between the serial device and the HMI software by TCP/IP; an RS-232 interface circuit disposed between the RS-232 connector and the microcontroller, the RS-232 circuit having an RS-232 transceiver; and a light and speaker circuit electrically connected between the microcontroller and the beacon, the plurality of light, and the speaker in order to communicate messages between the HMI software and a human operator at the operator workstation. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method for interfacing an operator workstation with human-machine interface (HMI) software, comprising the steps of:
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locating an operator interface device at the operator workstation, the device having an audio signaling device, a visual signaling device, a pushbutton switch, a serial communications port, and a microcontroller having embedded Ethernet and a serial communications interface, the microcontroller being configured to transmit a serial communications signal received at the serial communications port by Ethernet to the HMI software; connecting a serial device to the serial communications port; connecting the device to a network communicating by TCP/IP, the HMI software running on a server computer connected to the network; operating the serial device to generate a serial communications signal, the serial communications signal being automatically passed to the HMI software over the network, the HMI software automatically communicating with the microcontroller to generate a control signal in response thereto on the visual signaling device and, optionally, on the audio signaling device; performing work on a workpiece at the operator workstation in response to the control signal; and operating the push button in order to signal completion of the work on the workpiece to the HMI software. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification