Programmable gravimetric measuring instrument, method for creating an application software, system with a programmable gravimetric measuring instrument, and software for executing the method for creating an application software

• US 7,376,934 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2003
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mettler Toledo GmbH
• Original Assignee: Mettler-Toledo AG (Mettler-Toledo International Inc.)
• Inventors: Gluvakov, Slegfried, Steinrisser, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): KENDALL, CHUCK O
• Application Number:
  US10/458,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20030233633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,805 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/109
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 11/086 of the loss-in-weight feeding type
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/00 Auxiliary devices for weighing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3735 using a digital network
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23255 Object oriented programming, OOP
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23258 GUI graphical user interface, icon, function bloc editor, labview
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23363 Barcode
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23389 Modular program, each process has corresponding program module
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25022 LAN local area network for controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25186 Bluetooth

Abstract

System with a computer for computer-aided creation of an application program, wherein the computer contains a software module, a display device, and an input device. The system has a gravimetric measuring instrument for execution of the application program, and a communications link. The computer executes the following steps:

• • Representation, selection, and linkage of several application modules on the display device;
  • Conversion of the selected application modules and the link into an invalidated application program;
  • Validation of the application program by applying a prescribed rule-set, wherein
  • i) the application program is released for use if the validation is completed successfully, or
  • ii) computer-aided adaptation of the application program with renewed computer-aided validation is made possible if the validation was not successful.

Claims

1. Method for computer-aided creation of an application program which is executable on a gravimetric measuring instrument, wherein for creating the application program use is made of a computer which contains a display device and an input device, and wherein the method comprises:

representation of several application modules on the display device;

selection of a first application module by means of the input device;

selection of a second application module by means of the input device;

linking the first application module to the second application module by means of the input device to define a link which determines a chronological sequence of the first application module and the second application module;

computer-aided conversion of the selected first and second application modules and the link into an application program; and

computer-aided validation of the application program by application of a prescribed rule-set, wherein;

the application program is released for use if the validation is successfully completed;

or

computer-aided adaptation of the application program with renewed computer-aided validation is performed if the validation was not successful.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein on the display device a graphical user interface is represented which contains a worktop by which application modules, represented as graphical elements, can be moved and positioned by means of the input device.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein for transferring or readying data, at least one of the first and second application modules has an interface, which is graphically represented as an interface on a corresponding graphical element of the at least one application module.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the linking includes linking the graphically represented interface to another graphically represented interface, or to another graphical element, by means of a pointing device.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the rule-set is an implementation of a standard, or of a legal regulation.

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein the legal regulation is from a United States Code of Federal Regulations, or an adaptation thereof.

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein the validation is executed such that only application programs that fulfill the rule-set are released for use.

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein an application program which is released for use is provided to the gravimetric measuring instrument via a data carrier or a network.

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein parameters for at least one of the application modules are definable which have an influence on an operation and/or function of the at least one application module.

10. Method according to claim 1, comprising:

execution of the application program;

monitoring of the application program while it is executed;

verifying whether execution of the application program takes place according to the prescribed rule-set; and

interruption or branching of execution of the application program when a violation of a rule of the prescribed rule-set, or a non-compliance with the prescribed rule-set, is detected.

11. Method according to claim 10, wherein the method contains one of:

documentation, when a violation of a rule of the prescribed rule-set, or a non-compliance with the prescribed rule-set, is detected;

recording the execution of the application program.

12. Method according to claim 10 comprising, while monitoring the application program during execution:

repeated monitoring of whether the link between application modules is present or interrupted; and

when such a link is interrupted,

execution of a recovery attempt, or

interruption of execution of the application program until the link is present again.

13. System comprising:

a software module;

a computer for computer-aided creation of an application program, wherein the computer contains the software module, a display device, and an input device;

a gravimetric measuring instrument for execution of the application program;

a communications link via which the computer can be linked to the measuring instrument, wherein during execution of the software module, the computer;

represents plural application modules on the display device;

aids selection of a first application module by means of the input device;

aids selection of a second application module by means of the input device;

aids linking the first application module to the second application module by means of the input device to define a link which determines a chronological sequence of the first application module and the second application module;

converts the selected first and second application modules and the link into an application program; and

validates the application program by application of a prescribed rule-set, wherein;

the application program is released for use when the validation is successfully completed;

or

computer-aided adaptation of the application program with renewed computer-aided validation is performed when the validation was not successful.

14. System according to claim 13, wherein the software module represents, on the display device, a graphical user interface which contains a worktop by which the first and second application modules are represented as graphical elements, to be moved and positioned by means of the input device.

15. System according to claims 14, wherein the computer can be linked to a memory in which the rule-set is prescribed, wherein the rule-set is an implementation of a standard, or of a legal regulation.

16. System according to claim 15, wherein the legal regulation is a United States Code of Federal Regulations, or an adaptation thereof.

17. System according to claim 13, wherein the validation is executable such that only an application program that fulfills the rule-set is released for use.

18. System according to claim 17, wherein an application program which is released for use can be provided to the gravimetric measuring instrument via a data carrier or via the communications link.

19. System according to claim 13, wherein the system contains verification means to:

monitor execution of the application program;

verify during execution of the application program whether execution of the application program takes place according to the prescribed rule-set; and

initiate interruption or branching of the execution of the application program when a violation of rules of the prescribed rule-set, or a non-compliance with the prescribed rule-set, is detected.

20. System according to claim 13, comprising:

means of documentation for documentation when a violation of a rule of the prescribed rule-set, or a non-compliance with the prescribed rule-set, is detected.

21. System according to claim 20, comprising:

further means of documentation, which permanently record execution of the application program.

22. System according to claim 13, comprising:

means of verification to monitor repeatedly whether the link between the first and second application modules is present or interrupted, and when the link is interrupted, to trigger execution of an attempt at recovery, or to interrupt further execution of the application program until the link is again present.

23. System according to claim 13, comprising:

means of storage which is connectable with the measuring instrument, wherein the means of storage serves as a medium for recording information which is associated with the execution of the application program in a relational database.

24. System according to claim 13, wherein the communications link is a secure link.

25. Gravimetric measuring instrument comprising:

a network interface for establishment of a communications link to a computer, or with an interface for establishment of a direct link to a computer;

a memory for storage of an application program;

a processor for execution of the application program; and

means which enable the computer to;

monitor the execution of the application program;

verify during execution of the application program whether execution of the application program takes place according to a prescribed rule-set; and

interrupt execution of the application program when a violation of a rule of the prescribed rule-set, or a non-compliance with the prescribed rule-set, is detected.

26. Measuring instrument according to claim 25, wherein the rule-set is an implementation of a standard, or of a legal regulation.

27. Measuring instrument according to claim 26, wherein the legal regulation is a United States Code of Federal Regulations, or an adaptation thereof.

28. Measuring instrument according to claim 27, comprising:

means of validation which ensure that only application programs are executable which fulfill the rule-set and/or are released by the computer for use.

29. Measuring instrument according to claim 25, wherein the application program is an application or an applet.

30. Measuring instrument according to claim 25, wherein the application program is defined as a measurement process which can be executed on the measuring instrument.

31. Software embodied in a machine readable medium for use in a computer to enable creation of an application program which is executable on a gravimetric measuring instrument, wherein the computer when executing the software aids execution of the following steps:

representation of several application modules on a display device;

selection of a first application module;

selection of a second application module;

linking the first application module to the second application module to define a link which determines a chronological sequence of the first application module and of the second application module;

conversion of the selected first and second application modules and of the link into an application program; and

validation of the application program by application of a prescribed rule-set, wherein

the application program is released for use when validation is successfully completed, or

computer-aided adaptation of the application program with renewed computer-aided validation is performed when the validation was not successful.

32. Software according to claim 31, which represents, on a display device of the computer, a graphical user interface which contains a worktop by which the first and second application modules can be moved and positioned by means of an input device, wherein the application modules are represented as graphical elements.

33. Software according to claim 32, wherein the rule-set is an implementation of a standard, or of a legal regulation.

34. Software according to claim 33, wherein the legal regulation is a United States Code of Federal Regulations or an adaptation thereof.

35. Software according to claim 31, wherein the validation is executed such that only an application program that fulfills the rule-set is released for use.

36. Software according to claim 31, wherein the software provides to the gravimetric measuring instrument, via a data carrier or a network, an application program which is released for use.