VISUALIZATION PROFILES AND TEMPLATES FOR AUTO-CONFIGURATION OF INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION SYSTEMS

• US 20130265315A1
• Filed: 06/03/2013
• Published: 10/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: McGreevy, Robert Joseph, Pantaleano, Michael John, Fuller, Bruce Gordon, Tooke, Ian Edward, Albert, Kevin John, Baier, John Joseph, Pingel, Jan
• Granted Patent: US 8,689,120 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/409 characterised by using manual data input [MDI] or by using control panel, e.g. controlling functions with the panel; characterised by control panel details or by setting parameters G05B19/408, G05B19/4093 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32128 Gui graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

A visualization system utilizing pre-configured visualization profiles and templates to reduce the level of effort and time required to commission an industrial automation visualization system. The preconfigured visualization profiles and templates include graphic displays, informational reports and data sampling and collection strategies appropriate for the specific sector of manufacturing or industry.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor, communicatively coupled to a memory that stores computer-executable components, that executes or facilitates execution of the computer-executable components, comprising;

a runtime component configured to generate an industrial automation visualization from at least one of a preconfigured visualization profile having or a preconfigured visualization template and

a display component configured to;

interrogate the at least one of the preconfigured visualization profile or the preconfigured visualization template to determine a graphic update rate for a tag name of the industrial automation visualization, wherein in response to the presence of the preconfigured visualization template having a first graphic update rate for the tag name that takes precedence over a second graphic update rate for the tag name in the preconfigured visualization profile, select the first graphic update rate as the graphic update rate for the tag name, and in response to the preconfigured visualization template not being present, select the second graphic update rate as the graphic update rate for the tag name; and

instruct the runtime component to employ the determined graphic update rate.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a configuration component configured to enable modification of elements of at least one of the preconfigured visualization profile or the preconfigured visualization template, wherein the configuration component is further configured to prevent modification of an element specified as non-modifiable.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the elements of the preconfigured visualization profile that can be modified comprise at least one of:

a rate to archive tag data to a data store;

or

a rate to update a graphic display with tag data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the runtime component is further configured to send timer data to an industrial controller by interrogating the preconfigured visualization profile for timer data, wherein the timer data comprises:

a timer preset value for defining a timing period;

a timer address for determining the timer'"'"'s location in the industrial controller; and

a timer action for facilitating notification of timer completion.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the runtime component is further configured to send counter data to an industrial controller by interrogating the preconfigured visualization profile for counter data, wherein the counter data comprises:

a counter preset value for defining a counting limit;

a counter address for determining the counter'"'"'s location in the industrial controller; and

a counter action for facilitating notification of counter completion.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein runtime component is further configured to request tag data from an industrial controller by interrogating a preconfigured visualization profile tag database comprising at least one tag, wherein the at least one tag comprises:

an address in the industrial controller;

a tag name representing the address in the industrial controller; and

a type of tag data represented at the address in the industrial controller.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the display component is further configured to display a graphic image by interrogating the preconfigured visualization template for a list of template shapes respectively comprising:

a shape color;

a shape value; and

a shape fill.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the display component is further configured to navigate a list of preconfigured visualization templates associated with each other based on at least one of industry type, production line type, and unit operation type by interrogating a template chain list included within the preconfigured visualization template.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the display component is further configured to generate a list of preconfigured reports associated with each other based on at least one of industry type, production line type, and unit operation type by interrogating a report chain list included within the preconfigured visualization template.

10. A method, comprising:

generating, by a system including a processor, an industrial automation visualization from at least one of a preconfigured visualization profile or a preconfigured visualization template and

examine, by the system, the at least one of the preconfigured visualization profile or the preconfigured visualization template to determine a graphic update rate for a tag name of the industrial automation visualization, wherein in response to the presence of the preconfigured visualization template having a first graphic update rate for the tag name that takes precedence over a second graphic update rate for the tag name in the preconfigured visualization profile, selecting the first graphic update rate as the graphic update rate for the tag name, and in response to the preconfigured visualization template not being present, selecting the second graphic update rate as the graphic update rate for the tag name; and

employing, by the system, the determined graphic update rate.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising enabling, by the system, modification of elements of at least one of the preconfigured visualization profile or the preconfigured visualization template, and preventing, by the system, modification of an element specified as non-modifiable.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the elements of the preconfigured visualization profile that can be modified comprise at least one of:

a rate to archive tag data to a data store;

or

a rate to update a graphic display with tag data.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising sending, by the system, timer data to an industrial controller by interrogating the preconfigured visualization profile for timer data, wherein the timer data comprises:

a timer preset value for defining a timing period;

a timer address for determining the timer'"'"'s location in the industrial controller; and

a timer action for facilitating notification of timer completion.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising sending, by the system, counter data to an industrial controller by interrogating the preconfigured visualization profile for counter data, wherein the counter data comprises:

a counter preset value for defining a counting limit;

a counter address for determining the counter'"'"'s location in the industrial controller; and

a counter action for facilitating notification of counter completion.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising requesting, by the system, tag data from an industrial controller by interrogating a preconfigured visualization profile tag database comprising at least one tag, wherein the at least one tag comprises:

an address in the industrial controller;

a tag name representing the address in the industrial controller; and

a type of tag data represented at the address in the industrial controller.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising navigating, by the system, a list of preconfigured visualization templates associated with each other based on at least one of industry type, production line type, and unit operation type by interrogating a template chain list included within the preconfigured visualization template.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising navigating, by the system, generate a list of preconfigured reports associated with each other based on at least one of industry type, production line type, and unit operation type by interrogating a report chain list included within the preconfigured visualization template.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution, cause a system including a processor to perform operations comprising:

generating an industrial automation visualization from at least one of a preconfigured visualization profile or a preconfigured visualization template and

inspecting the at least one of the preconfigured visualization profile or the preconfigured visualization template to determine a graphic update rate for a tag name of the industrial automation visualization, wherein in response to the presence of the preconfigured visualization template having a first graphic update rate for the tag name that takes precedence over a second graphic update rate for the tag name in the preconfigured visualization profile, selecting the first graphic update rate as the graphic update rate for the tag name, and in response to the preconfigured visualization template not being present, selecting the second graphic update rate as the graphic update rate for the tag name; and

employing the determined graphic update rate.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, the operations further comprising enabling modification of elements of at least one of the preconfigured visualization profile or the preconfigured visualization template, and preventing, by the system, modification of an element specified as non-modifiable.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the elements of the preconfigured visualization profile that can be modified comprise at least one of:

a rate to archive tag data to a data store;

or

a rate to update a graphic display with tag data.