Hierarchical data binding for industrial control systems

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer program instructions executable by one or more processors of a system to perform steps comprising:

• establishing a data binding between a first source data model and a subtree of a first property tree, the first source data model associated with a first source selected from a plurality of sources and comprising data values from the first source structured in a source hierarchy, the subtree of the first property tree comprising a set of nodes with associated component properties configured in component hierarchy that matches the structure of the source hierarchy of the first source data model;
• receiving an updated configuration corresponding to a change in the configuration of the first source data model such that the first source data model is structured in an updated source hierarchy;
• in response to receiving the updated configuration of the first source data model:
• identifying the subtree of the first property tree associated with the first source data model by accessing a stored set of data bindings including the established data binding;
• and
• updating the structure of the subtree of the first property tree to match the updated source hierarchy of the first source data model.

A computer-implemented method for updating a structure of a set of data bindings comprising:

• establishing a binding between a first source data model and a subtree of a first property tree, wherein the first source data model is associated with a programmable logic controller and comprises data values each comprising a tuple including a value, a quality value, and a timestamp value and organized in a source hierarchy based on output values that can be received from the programmable logic controller, the subtree of the first property tree comprising a set of nodes having property values associated with a user interface component, the nodes configured in a component hierarchy that matches the source hierarchy of the first source data model, wherein a data source associated with the first source data model is one of:
• a programmable logic controller, an Application Programming Interface, a function, an expression, a database, and a subtree of a second property tree;
• receiving an updated data value from the programmable logic controller;
• identifying, within the first subtree of the property tree, a property value corresponding to the updated data value, the identification based on the established binding;
• updating the identified property value to match the received updated data value;
• receiving an updated version of the first source data model, the updated version of the first source data model organized into a different source hierarchy;
• identifying the subtree of the first property tree associated with the first source data model, the identification based on the established binding;
• and
• updating the component hierarchy of the subtree of the first property tree to match the different source hierarchy of the updated version of the first source data model.