HUMAN-MACHINE INTERFACE HAVING MULTIPLE TOUCH COMBINATORIAL INPUT

• US 20100079386A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Scott, Steven J., Nguyen, Thong T., Cieslak, Greggory, Klein, Pete J., Dotson, Gary Dan, Heidebrecht, Thomas Lloyd
• Application Number:
  US12/242,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20100079386A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A Human-Machine Interface (HMI) system comprises a user interface, a processing system, and a machine interface. The user interface displays a multi-state enable option graphic selectable by a first touch from a user, that, when the first touch is maintained, enables a multi-state mode of a state option graphic having a plurality of modes comprising a single-state mode and the multi-state mode, displays the state option graphic selectable by a second touch from the user, and receives the second touch from the user selecting the state option graphic. If the state option graphic is in the multi-state mode when selected, the processing system processes the second touch to select a state option from a plurality of state options corresponding to a plurality of operation states of a machine. If the state option graphic is in the single-state mode when selected, the processing system processes the second touch to select the state option from a single state option corresponding to a single operation state of the machine. The machine interface transfers a control instruction to operate the machine in an operation state corresponding to the state option.

Claims

1. A method of operating a Human-Machine Interface (HMI) system, the method comprising:

displaying on a user interface a multi-state enable option graphic selectable by a first touch from a user, that, when the first touch is maintained, enables a multi-state mode of a state option graphic having a plurality of modes comprising a single-state mode and the multi-state mode;

displaying on the user interface the state option graphic selectable by a second touch from the user;

receiving the second touch from the user selecting the state option graphic;

if the state option graphic is in the multi-state mode when selected, processing the second touch to select a state option from a plurality of state options corresponding to a plurality of operation states of a machine;

if the state option graphic is in the single-state mode when selected, processing the second touch to select the state option from a single state option corresponding to a single operation state of the machine; and

transferring a control instruction to operate the machine in an operation state corresponding to the state option.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the operation state is one of the plurality of operation states of the machine.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the operation state is the single operation state of the machine.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the operation state comprises a rate of operating the machine.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-state enable option graphic and the state option graphic comprise interlocked momentary push buttons operable to cause a jog operation of the machine.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the operation state comprises a movement of the machine.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the user interface comprises a multi-touch screen.

8. A Human-Machine Interface (HMI) system comprising:

a user interface configured to display a multi-state enable option graphic selectable by a first touch from a user, that, when the first touch is maintained, enables a multi-state mode of a state option graphic having a plurality of modes comprising a single-state mode and the multi-state mode, display the state option graphic selectable by a second touch from the user, and receive the second touch from the user selecting the state option graphic;

if the state option graphic is in the multi-state mode when selected, a processing system configured to process the second touch to select a state option from a plurality of state options corresponding to a plurality of operation states of a machine;

if the state option graphic is in the single-state mode when selected, the processing system configured to process the second touch to select the state option from a single state option corresponding to a single operation state of the machine; and

a machine interface configured to transfer a control instruction to operate the machine in an operation state corresponding to the state option.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the operation state is one of the plurality of operation states of the machine.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the operation state is the single operation state of the machine.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the operation state comprises a rate of operating the machine.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the operation state comprises a jog operation of the machine.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the operation state comprises a movement of the machine.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the user interface comprises a multi-touch screen.

15. A software product configured to operate a Human-Machine Interface (HMI) system, the software product comprising:

HMI interface software configured to direct a user interface to display a multi-state enable option graphic selectable by a first touch from a user, that, when the first touch is maintained, enables a multi-state mode of a state option graphic having a plurality of modes comprising a single-state mode and the multi-state mode, display the state option graphic selectable by a second touch from the user, and receive the second touch from the user selecting the state option graphic;

if the state option graphic is in the multi-state mode when selected, HMI operation software configured to direct a processing system to process the second touch to select a state option from a plurality of state options corresponding to a plurality of operation states of a machine;

if the state option graphic is in the single-state mode when selected, the HMI operation software configured to direct the processing system to process the second touch to select the state option from a single state option corresponding to a single operation state of the machine;

the HMI interface software configured to direct a machine interface to transfer a control instruction to operate the machine in an operation state corresponding to the state option; and

a storage system that stores the HMI operation software and the HMI interface software.

16. The software product of claim 15 wherein the operation state is one of the plurality of operation states of the machine.

17. The software product of claim 15 wherein the operation state is the single operation state of the machine.

18. The software product of claim 15 wherein the operation state comprises a rate of operating the machine.

19. The software product of claim 15 wherein the multi-state enable option graphic and the state option graphic comprise interlocked momentary push buttons operable to cause a jog operation of the machine.

20. The software product of claim 15 wherein the operation state comprises a movement of the machine.