Visualization profiles and templates for auto-configuration of industrial automation systems

• US 9,557,899 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2014
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: McGreevy, Robert Joseph, Pantaleano, Michael John, Fuller, Bruce Gordon, Tooke, Ian Edward, Albert, Kevin John, Baier, John Joseph, Pingel, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Chuang, Jung-Mu
• Application Number:
  US14/186,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20140173472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 memory, communicatively coupled to a processor, the memory having stored therein executable instructions, comprising;

a runtime component that;

accesses a preconfigured visualization profile comprising a graphic update rate and a plurality of tag names, wherein the graphic update rate applies to all of the plurality of tag names and defines a first update rate at which to update respective tag names of the plurality of tag names in a visualization;

accesses a preconfigured visualization template associated with the visualization;

in response to a presence of a template update rate defined specifically for a tag name of the plurality of tag names in the preconfigured visualization template, wherein the template update rate defines a second update rate at which to update the tag name in the visualization, selects the second update rate as an update rate for the tag name in the visualization, and in response to the template update rate defined specifically for the tag name not being present in the preconfigured visualization template, selects the first update rate as the update rate for the tag name in the visualization;

generates an industrial automation visualization system readable binary image of the visualization based on the preconfigured visualization profile, preconfigured visualization template, and the update rate; and

transmits the industrial automation visualization system readable binary image of the visualization to a device to initiate commissioning of the visualization based on the industrial automation visualization system readable binary image including update of the tag name at the update rate.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a configuration component that enables modification of elements of at least one of the preconfigured visualization profile or the preconfigured visualization template, wherein the configuration component prevents 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 the tag data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the runtime component sends timer data to an industrial controller by interrogating the preconfigured visualization profile for the 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 a notification of the timer'"'"'s completion.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the runtime component sends counter data to an industrial controller by interrogating the preconfigured visualization profile for the 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 a notification of the counter'"'"'s completion.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the runtime component requests 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, further comprising a display component that generates a graphic image for the visualization 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 7, wherein the display component navigates 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 7, wherein the display component generates a list of preconfigured reports associated with each other for the visualization 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:

accessing, by a system including a processor, a preconfigured visualization profile comprising a graphic update rate and a plurality of tag names, wherein the graphic update rate applies to all of the plurality of tag names and defines a first update rate at which to update respective tag names of the plurality of tag names in a visualization;

accessing, by the system, a preconfigured visualization template associated with the visualization;

in response to a presence of a template update rate defined specifically for a tag name of the plurality of tag names in the preconfigured visualization template, wherein the template update rate defines a second update rate at which to update the tag name in the visualization, selecting, by the system, the second update rate as an update rate for the tag name in the visualization;

in response to the template update rate defined specifically for the tag name not being present in the preconfigured visualization template, selecting, by the system, first update rate as the update rate for the tag name in the visualization;

generating, by the system, an industrial automation visualization system readable binary image of the visualization based on the preconfigured visualization profile, preconfigured visualization template, and the update rate; and

transmitting, by the system, the industrial automation visualization system readable binary image of the visualization to a device to initiate commissioning of the visualization based on the industrial automation visualization system readable binary image including updating the tag name at the 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 the 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 the 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 a notification of the timer'"'"'s 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 a notification of the counter'"'"'s 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 generating, by the system, a list of preconfigured reports for the visualization 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 storage device having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution, cause a system including a processor to perform operations comprising:

obtaining, by a system including a processor, a preconfigured visualization profile comprising a graphic update rate and a plurality of tag names, wherein the graphic update rate applies to all of the plurality of tag names and defines a first update rate at which to update respective tag names of the plurality of tag names in a visualization;

obtaining, by the system, a preconfigured visualization template associated with the visualization;

in response to a presence of a template update rate defined specifically for a tag name of the plurality of tag names in the preconfigured visualization template, wherein the template update rate defines a second update rate at which to update the tag name in the visualization, selecting the second update rate as an update rate for the tag name in the visualization;

in response to the template update rate defined specifically for the tag name not being present in the preconfigured visualization template, selecting the first update rate as the update rate for the tag name in the visualization;

generating an industrial automation visualization system readable binary image of a preconfigured visualization system comprising the visualization based on the preconfigured visualization profile, preconfigured visualization template, and the update rate; and

transmitting, by the system, the industrial automation visualization system readable binary image to a device to initiate commissioning of the preconfigured visualization system based on the industrial automation visualization system readable binary image including updating the tag name at the update rate in the visualization.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device 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-modification of an element specified as non-modifiable.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device 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 the tag data.