Intelligent device-configurable icons
AssigneeRockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
InventorWayne R. Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed for providing an icon for display by a user interface from an automation device that the icon depicts. Specifically, present embodiments are directed to methods and systems capable of detecting, with processing circuitry of an automation device, a shell program on a workstation via an automation control network. Further, embodiments are capable of providing icon configuration data to the shell program from the automation device, wherein the configuration data controls characteristics of an icon representative of the automation device for display in a visualization of the workstation.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- receiving, at a workstation, a shell program from one or more of a plurality of automation devices;
- broadcasting, by the shell program once instantiated on the workstation, a message to automation devices on a control network and awaiting a response;
- detecting, by the shell program instantiated on the workstation, automation devices connected to the control network based on the broadcast and responses;
- and
- receiving, at the shell program, an icon from a capable automation device among the detected automation devices for display in a visualization of the workstation, wherein each icon has its own unique configuration, and wherein the icon is configured by the corresponding capable automation device.
An automation system comprising a workstation and a plurality of automation devices, the workstation is configured to:
- receive a shell program from one or more of a plurality of automation devices;
- broadcast, by the shell program once instantiated on the workstation, a message to automation devices on a control network and awaiting a response;
- detect, by the shell program instantiated on the workstation, automation devices connected to the control network based on the broadcast and responses;
- and
- receive, at the shell program, an icon from a capable automation device among the detected automation devices for display in a visualization of the workstation, wherein each icon has its own unique configuration, and wherein the icon is configured by the corresponding capable automation device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.