Method for the Simplified Modification of Application Programs for Controlling an Industrial Plant

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the simplified modification of application programs (2<sb/>, 3<sb/>) of an industrial plant (1<sb/>), comprising the following steps: (a) providing at least one application program (2<sb />, 3<sb/>) in an industrial plant (1), wherein the at least one application program (2<sb/>3<sb/>) has a plurality of program points (P1 to P5<sb />); (b) providing at least one graphical representation (101<sb/> to 103<sb/>), wherein the at least one graphical representation (101<sb /> to 103</>) shows at least one system state of the industrial plant (1<sb/>), wherein the system state corresponds to a program point (P1 to P5<sb/>) and the graphical representation (101 to 103) is linked to at least one program point (P1<sb/> to P5<sb/>) of the at least one application program (2<sb/>, 3<sb/>); (c) executing the application program (2<sb/>, 3<sb/>) and, if the application program stops, performing the fo11owing steps: (d) comparing the current system state of the industrial plant (1<sb/>) with the at least one graphical representation (101<sb/> to 103<sb/>) and (e) following a link between the graphical representation and a program point in order to modify the application program.

Claims

1. A method for the simplified modification of application programs (2, 3) of an industrial plant (1), comprising the following method steps: a) providing at least one application program (2, 3) on an industrial plant (1), wherein the at least one application program (2, 3) has a plurality of program points (P1 to P5); b) providing at least one graphical representation (101 to 103; 200), wherein the at least one graphical representation (101 to 103; 200) shows at least one system state of the industrial plant (1), wherein the system state corresponds to a program point (P1 to P5) and the graphical representation (101 to 103) is linked with at least one program point (P1 to P5) of the at least one application program (2, 3); c) executing the application program (2, 3) and, if the application program stops, executing the following method steps: d) displaying the at least one graphical representation, and e) finding a program point (P1 to P5) with which the graphical representation (101 to 103) is linked, using a link between the graphical representation (101 to 103) and a program point (P1 to P5).

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, after displaying the at least one graphical representation, a past and/or the current system state of the industrial plant (1) are/is compared with the at least one graphical representation (101 to 103; 200) and a link is selected.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one graphical representation (101 to 103; 200) provided is linked with at least one program point (P1-P5) of the at least one application program (2, 3) by means of the following method steps: executing the at least one application program (2, 3) step by step, wherein the at least one application program (2, 3) is at least partly executable, wherein each execution step preferably begins or ends at a program point (P1 to P5); creating at least one graphical representation (101 to 103; 200) of at least one part of the industrial plant (1) directly before, during or after the execution of an execution step; linking the graphical representation (101 to 103; 200) created with the corresponding program point (P1 to P5) of the application program.

4. The method as claimed in, claim 1, wherein at least one region (251 to 253; 256) of a graphical representation (101 to 103; 200) is allocated a link with the corresponding program point (P1 to P5) of the application program (2, 3), which region can be selected in order to follow the link.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein allocating a link to a region (251 to 253; 256) of a graphical representation (101 to 103; 200) is carried out by manual selection of the region, and wherein the manual selection is preferably carried out by means of a drag-and-drop operation of a selectable button.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein allocating a link to a region (251 to 253; 256) of a graphical representation (101 to 103; 200) is carried out automatically, wherein during the capture of the at least one graphical representation (101 to 103; 200), image marks (241, 242, 243) are concomitantly captured, and wherein the image marks (241, 242, 243) are fixedly assigned to a coordinate system of the industrial plant (1), such that the captured graphical representation (101 to 103; 200) can be brought to congruence with the coordinate system of the industrial plant (1).

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one graphical representation (101 to 103; 200) is a photograph of the industrial plant (1).

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one graphical representation (101 to 103; 200) is a moving graphical representation of the industrial plant (1), wherein the moving graphical representation comprises a time axis, and wherein the moving graphical representation (101 to 103; 200) is linked with at least one program point (P1 to P5) of the at least one application program (2, 3) via a point in time on the time axis.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two graphical representations (101 to 103; 200) are provided, and wherein the at least two graphical representations (101 to 103; 200) are displayed in a list, which is preferably scrollable.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the application program (2, 3) stops if a stop is forced manually and/or if a safety device of the industrial plant (1) issues a stop command.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein finding a program point (P1 to P5), using a link between the graphical representation (101 to 103) and a program point (P1 to P5), enables a modification of the at least one application program (2, 3) by virtue of the fact that for an operator a user interface is displayed, wherein parameters of the application program (2, 3) can be modified by means of the user interface.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein finding a program point (P1 to P5), using a link between the graphical representation (101 to 103) and a program point (P1 to P5), enables a modification of the at least one application program (2, 3) by virtue of the fact that for an operator an editor is displayed, wherein the editor preferably comprises a graphical model of the application program (2, 3), and wherein modifications in the application program (2, 3) can be performed by means of the editor.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one link of the at least one graphical representation (101 to 103; 200) with the corresponding program point (P1 to P5) and/or the allocated region (251 to 253) are/is updated automatically, in accordance with the modification of parameters of the application program (2, 3) and/or in accordance with the modifications of the application program (2, 3).

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the industrial plant (1) comprises at least one manipulator (30).

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one graphical representation (101 to 103; 200) is displayed on a control device of the industrial plant, wherein the control device is preferably a handheld control device, such as a tablet computer or a smartphone.

16. A computer program for the simplified modification of application programs (2, 3) of an industrial plant (1), comprising: at least one interface to at least one application program (2, 3) of an industrial plant (1), wherein the at least one application program (2, 3) has a plurality of program points (P1 to P5); at least one graphical representation (101 to 103; 200), wherein the at least one graphical representation (101 to 103; 200) shows at least one system state of the industrial plant (1), wherein the system state corresponds to a program point (P1 to P5) and the graphical representation (101 to 103) is linked with at least one program point (P1 to P5) of the at least one application program (2, 3); wherein the computer program comprises instructions which, when they are executed by a computer device or a computer system comprising a memory and a processor, cause the computer device or the computer system to execute the following steps: displaying the at least one graphical representation (101 to 103; 200) for the purpose of comparing the current system state of the industrial plant (1) with the at least one graphical representation (101 to 103; 200), and receiving a user input for selecting a graphical representation or a link between a graphical representation (101 to 103) and a program point (P1 to P5); following the link between the selected graphical representation (101 to 103) and a program point (P1 to P5) or the selected link between a graphical representation (101 to 103) and a program point (P1 to P5) in order to enable the user to modify the application program (2, 3).

17. The computer program as claimed in claim 16, furthermore comprising: instructions for executing the at least one application program (2, 3) step by step, wherein the at least one application program (2, 3) is at least partly executable, wherein each execution step preferably begins or ends at a program point (P1 to P5); instructions for capturing and storing at least one graphical representation (101 to 103; 200) of at least one part of the industrial plant (1) directly before or after the execution of an execution step; instructions for linking the graphical representation (101 to 103; 200) captured with the corresponding program point (P1 to P5) of the application program.

18. (canceled)

19. A computer device or computer system comprising a memory and a processor, configured for executing the computer program as claimed in claim 16.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to the appended figures, in which:

[0056] FIG. 1 shows an industrial plant;

[0057] FIG. 2 shows a model of the application program for controlling the industrial plant;

[0058] FIG. 3 shows a further model of the application program for controlling the industrial plant;

[0059] FIG. 4 shows a graphical representation of the industrial plant according to FIG. 1;

[0060] FIG. 5A shows a flow diagram of a method for linking a program point with a graphical representation, and

[0061] FIG. 5B shows a flow diagram of a method for the simplified modification of application programs for controlling an industrial plant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0062] In particular, FIG. 1 shows an industrial plant 1 comprising a control device 10 configured to control the industrial plant 1. The industrial plant 1 is assigned a manipulator 30, for example, which is configured to process the workpiece 40. A recording device, such as a camera 20, for example, is configured to create graphical representations of the industrial plant or of parts of the industrial plant. An optical display device 50 is assigned to the control device 10 of the industrial plant 1.

[0063] The graphical representations mentioned in method claim 1 can be displayed on the optical display 50, which is for example a tablet computer or a smartphone. Likewise, the modifications of the application program of the industrial plant 1 can preferably be carried out on the graphical display 50. To that end, the optical display 50 can have a touch-sensitive screen or be provided with an external input device, such as a keyboard, for example. The image marks 41, 42, 43 make it possible to assign graphical representations captured by the camera 20 to the coordinate system of the industrial plant 1 via a projection matrix. Individual characteristic points of e.g. the workpiece 40 can thus be assigned to specific program points.

[0064] FIG. 2 shows a program model 2 of an application program for controlling an industrial plant 1. The individual execution steps are represented by arrows having a solid line. They are bounded by program points P1-P5. In the model shown in the present case, the program begins for example at program point P1 and ends at program point P5. By way of example, a manipulator can measure a workpiece at program point P1, begin the processing of the workpiece at program point P2 and conclude said processing at program point P3. Depending on the successful implementation, the program can be ended at P5 or the previous processing (see P1 to P3) can be corrected in execution steps via program point P4. Graphical representations 101, 102, 103 are assigned to the program points P1 to P3 and linked therewith. In principle, a dedicated graphical representation can be assigned to each program point. It is likewise possible for individual program points to be linked with no graphical representation or for a graphical representation to be linked with a plurality of program points. Regions enabling the program point to be unambiguously linked with the region of the graphical representation are preferably defined in this case.

[0065] FIG. 3 shows the application program that was represented in FIG. 2 in a different representation. The reference signs correspond to one another. The representations shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 can be displayed in an editor, for example, if modifications to the application program are intended to be made.

[0066] FIG. 4 shows a graphical representation 200 of an industrial plant. In particular, a part of the industrial plant which comprises a manipulator 230 and a workpiece 240 is represented. Specific regions of the graphical representation 251, 252, 253 are linked with the individual program points P1, P2, P3 of an application program. The image marks 241, 242, 243 enable the assignment of the graphical representation to a coordinate system of the manipulator. The region 256 can be linked for example with a further program point P6.

[0067] FIG. 5A shows a method for linking a program point with a graphical representation. In this case, in method step 501, the application program is executed step by step. In method step 502, at least one graphical representation of the industrial plant is captured and, in step 503, the captured graphical representation is linked with the corresponding program point of the application program. The method is preferably repeated until the application program has ended and a graphical representation has been assigned to each program point provided.

[0068] FIG. 5B shows a flow diagram of a method for the simplified modification of application programs for controlling industrial plants. In a first method step 511, at least one application program is provided on an industrial plant. In a second method step 512, at least one graphical representation is provided, wherein the at least one graphical representation shows at least one system state of the industrial plant. In execution step 513, the application program is executed and, if the latter stops, method steps 514 and 515 are executed. In method step 514, the current system state of the industrial plant is compared with the at least one graphical representation. In method step 515, the link between the graphical representation and a program point can be followed in order to modify the application program.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0069] 1 Industrial plant

[0070] 10 Control device

[0071] 20 Camera

[0072] 30 Manipulator

[0073] 40 Workpiece

[0074] 50 Graphical display

[0075] 41,42,43 Image marks

[0076] P1-P5 Program point

[0077] 101,102,103,200 Graphical representations

[0078] 230 Manipulator

[0079] 240 Workpiece

[0080] 241,242,243 Image marks

[0081] 251,252,253,256 Regions, linked with program point

[0082] 501 Executing the at least one application program step by step

[0083] 502 Capturing at least one graphical representation

[0084] 503 Linking the captured graphical representation with the corresponding program point

[0085] 511 Providing at least one application program

[0086] 512 Providing at least one graphical representation

[0087] 513 Executing the application program

[0088] 514 Comparing the current system state with the at least one graphical representation

[0089] 515 Following a link between the graphical representation and a program point