Graphical interface for configuration of industrial automation systems

A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

• present, via a display, on a first pane of a development workspace, a plurality of graphical elements comprising a list of one or more controller hardware devices, wherein each of the one or more controller hardware devices is coupled to a plurality of input-output hardware devices, each having a plurality of input-output modules;
• upon selection, in the first pane, of a graphical element associated with a given controller hardware device from the plurality of presented graphical elements, determine a plurality of associated input-output hardware devices connected to the controller device;
• and
• generate, via the display, on a second pane of the development workspace, a visual representation of the selected controller device and the determined plurality of associated input-output hardware devices,
• wherein the visual representation comprises a first graphical element of the selected controller device and a second graphical element of each of the determined plurality of associated input-output hardware devices, wherein each of the second graphical element comprises a third graphical element for each input-output module associated with the input-output hardware device,
• wherein the development workspace comprises a second widget to enable a workspace for converting, on-the-fly, software configuration of the development workspace from auto-discovered device configuration, and wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
• receive input from a graphical user interface (GUI);
• in response to the GUI input coinciding with activation of the second widget, generate, via the display, on the second pane of the development workspace, a visual representation of a comparison between the hardware configuration and the software configuration of the given input-output hardware device, wherein the visual representation of the comparison comprises:
• i) a plurality of fifth graphical elements associated with a first matched or mismatched configuration state of the software configuration for the given input-output hardware device, and
• ii) a plurality of sixth graphical elements associated with a second matched or mismatched configuration state of the hardware configuration for the given input-output hardware device.

A system for configuring hardware devices in an industrial automation system, the system comprising:

• one or more controller hardware devices;
• a plurality of input-output hardware devices, each having a plurality of input-output modules;
• a display;
• and
• a processor, the processor configured to:
• present, via the display, on a first pane of a development workspace, a plurality of graphical elements comprising a list of the one or more controller hardware devices, wherein each of the one or more controller hardware devices is coupled to the plurality of input-output hardware devices;
• upon selection, in the first pane, of a graphical element associated with a given controller hardware device from the plurality of presented graphical elements, determine a plurality of associated input-output hardware devices connected to the controller device;
• and
• generate, via the display, on a second pane of the development workspace, a visual representation of the selected controller device and the determined plurality of associated input-output hardware devices,
• wherein the visual representation comprises a first graphical element of the selected controller device and a second graphical element of each of the determined plurality of associated input-output hardware devices, wherein each of the second graphical element comprises a third graphical element for each input-output module associated with the input-output hardware device,
• wherein the development workspace comprises a second widget to enable a workspace for converting, on-the-fly, software configuration of the development workspace from auto-discovered device configuration, the processor further configured to:
• receive input from a graphical user interface (GUI);
• in response to the GUI input coinciding with activation of the second widget, generate, via the display, on the second pane of the development workspace, a visual representation of a comparison between the hardware configuration and the software configuration of the given input-output hardware device, wherein the visual representation of the comparison comprises:
• i) a plurality of fifth graphical elements associated with a first matched or mismatched configuration state of the software configuration for the given input-output hardware device, and
• ii) a plurality of sixth graphical elements associated with a second matched or mismatched configuration state of the hardware configuration for the given input-output hardware device.