Augmented reality human machine interface testing
AssigneeRockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
InventorsIan Mcgregor, Adam Davidson, David Dawkins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An industrial virtual reality (VR) system includes visualization processing capabilities that allow an augmented reality (AR) human-machine interface (HMI) application to be tested within a virtual representation of the plant environment. This approach can yield an interactable AR HMI that simulates, within the VR environment, what a wearer of an AR appliance will see while traversing the physical plant. In this way, proper operation of the AR HMI can be verified prior to commissioning of the physical system. This can include ensuring that graphics are tied to the correct data points, confirming correct and non-obtrusive locations of graphics within the user's field of view.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- a memory that stores executable components;
- and
- a processor, operatively coupled to the memory, that executes the executable components, the executable components comprising:
- a simulation component configured to execute a simulation of an automation system under control of an emulated industrial control program based on a digital model of the automation system;
- a user interface component configured to render a virtual reality presentation of an industrial environment that includes the automation system, wherein the virtual reality presentation animates a three-dimensional virtual representation of the automation system in accordance with the simulation;
- and
- an augmented reality human-machine interface (HMI) emulation component configured to:
- execute an augmented reality HMI application that is configured to render, in response to execution on an augmented reality presentation system, augmented reality presentation data on a client device over a field of view of the automation system, and
- overlay, in accordance with execution of the augmented reality HMI application, the augmented reality presentation data onto the virtual reality presentation based on a simulated user location and orientation within the virtual reality presentation of the industrial environment generated via user interaction with the virtual reality presentation.
A method, comprising:
- simulating, by a system comprising a processor, an industrial automation system under control of an emulated industrial control program based on a digital model of the industrial automation system;
- rendering, by the system, a virtual reality visualization of an industrial facility in which the industrial automation system operates, wherein the virtual reality visualization animates a three-dimensional virtual representation of the industrial automation system in accordance with the simulating;
- executing, by the system, an augmented reality human-machine interface (HMI) application that is executable on an augmented reality presentation system that renders, based on execution of the augmented reality HMI application, augmented reality data on a client device over a field of view of the industrial automation system;
- receiving, by the system, location and orientation data representing a simulated user location and orientation within the virtual reality visualization of the industrial facility;
- and
- layering, by the system, the augmented reality data onto the virtual reality visualization based on the user location and orientation data and the executing of the augmented reality HMI application.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, in response to execution, cause a system comprising a processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
- executing a simulation of an industrial automation system under control of an emulated industrial control program based on a digital model of the industrial automation system;
- rendering, based on the simulation, a virtual reality presentation of an industrial environment in which the industrial automation system operates, wherein the virtual reality presentation animates a three-dimensional virtual representation of the industrial automation system;
- executing an augmented reality human-machine interface (HMI) application that is configured to render, in response to execution on an augmented reality presentation system, augmented reality (AR) presentation data on a client device over a field of view of the industrial automation system;
- and
- layering the augmented reality presentation data onto the virtual reality presentation in accordance with the augmented reality HMI application and based on user location and orientation data representing a simulated user location and orientation within the virtual reality presentation of the industrial environment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.