Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated

General Electric Company

Cognex Corporation

Rockwell Automation, Inc.

Robert F Lloyd

Joseph Francis Mann

Clinton Duane Britt

Steven Mark Cisler

Krista Kummerfeldt Mann

Christopher J Wilbricht

Christopher Anthony Kaminski

Steven Charles Walko

Thomas E Kennedy

Laurens Nunnink

Philip M Allen

Paul Shepherd

Shang Y Wu

In one embodiment, an industrial automation device having a visual component is provided that includes a user viewable screen displaying a visual representation of a first object, wherein the first object comprises a plurality of properties, connections, and text associated with the object, second object, wherein the second object comprises a plurality of properties, connections, and text, and wherein the output from the first object is coupled to the second object via a connection, wherein the output of the first object is converted from a first type to a second type. A method is also provided that includes receiving a signal into a first object, outputting data from the first object, wherein the data has a first type, converting the data into a second type, and receiving the data into a second object.

Weakly-typed dataflow infrastructure with standalone, configurable connections

A technique is disclosed for facilitating editing of editable code in an interface device or similar apparatus. Properties of device elements are enumerated by a general purpose engine resident on the interface device. The general purpose engine enumerates the properties in response to a query in a design-time environment. The device element includes a specific property type and editable code consistent with the property type. A server module on the device serves the editable code and an editing environment from the interface device to a configuration station. The code can be edited on the configuration station in the editing environment and restored to the interface device. The technique alleviates the need for separate editing software or storage of the editable code in any location other than on the interface device itself.

Universal web-based reprogramming method and system

A machine can be accessed and controlled with the help of an interface device. The customizable interface device contains device elements that define features relating to the external representation and internal functionality of the interface device, as linked to one or more machines. An operator can use a configuration station to implement single or reoccurring queries that interact with the interface device and corresponding machines. In particular, the queries target the configuration of device elements in the interface device. The process can include temporarily unloading unused features from active memory and mirroring property changes initialized by a source. An emulator can assist in the configuration process by providing a preliminary software representation of the interface device hardware. A user can develop, test, and reconfigure functions on the emulator before loading the finalized platform to the interface device.

Abstracted display building method and system

An event execution system comprises an ordering component that receives multiple events and dynamically organizes the multiple events based at least in part upon a predefined organization of devices affected by the multiple events. The system can additionally include an execution component that executes the multiple events with respect to the devices according to the organization of the multiple events.

Ordered execution of events in a data-driven architecture

This invention provides a 3D laser capture system, and method for employing the same, that avoids a shadow effect and allows for straightforward set-up and use of the system in imaging the surface profile of an object. A camera is provided with a head assembly that includes a lens configuration and a pair of mirrors that generate two simultaneous views, of opposite object sides. The two views are projected by the mirrors and lens configuration onto discrete portions of the camera's image sensor. The separate images captured on each of the two portions of the sensor are both analyzed by the systems vision system processor, thereby allowing the processor's profiling algorithm to analyze the surface from two different viewing angles concurrently. Portions of the laser blocked in one view are generally visible in the other view. Alternatively, a second lens can be employed to provide a second field of view.

Dual-view laser-based three-dimensional capture system and method for employing the same

The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or method that facilitates utilizing a human machine interface (HMI). An interface component can facilitate receipt of data. A human machine interface (HMI) component communicatively coupled to the interface component can include a device with a pre-programmed primitive the device employs a user-defined functionality via the received data.

HMI devices with integrated user-defined behavior

A technique is provided for configuring an interface device. Individual device elements are stored on the interface device and each element includes a functionality and a visual representation. A general purpose engine resident on the interface device enumerates properties of the device elements in response to a query in a design-time environment. Design-time environment may be served to a general purpose computer working as a configuration station. The general purpose engine is independent of the device elements enumerated. A user viewable screen is then generated for viewing in the design-time environment, with the potential for altering properties of the enumerated device elements. The viewable screen and design-time environment may be displayed in a general purpose viewer or browser by collecting the visual representations associated with the device elements.

Dynamic representation of component configuration method and system

A technique is disclosed for dynamically adjusting dimensions of characters, such as digits, displayed on a configurable display, such as in a human-machine interface. The height of the characters is fixed and the width is altered depending upon the number of characters to be displayed, resulting in changing aspect ratios for the characters. The width may be set to a predetermined maximum character width if all characters to be displayed will fit within the available space, or the width may be reduced to accommodate more characters. The technique may take into account cushion spaces for borders or frames, as well as spaces between characters. The resulting display allows for a change in the number of significant digits in a displayed numeral, while maintaining excellent readability.

Digital numeric display with adaptive character width

The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or method that facilitates utilizing a human machine interface (HMI). An interface component can facilitate receipt of data. A human machine interface (HMI) component communicatively coupled to the interface component can include a device with a pre-programmed primitive; the device employs a user-defined functionality via the received data.

An emulator is provided for an interface device. The emulator includes all functional software of the physical interface device, including configuration software, operating system, design-time environment, run-time engine, and so forth. Device elements, which may be standard COM elements objects, may be configured via the emulator, as may particular interface screens, applications, and so forth. The emulator may be used to try interface devices before their specification for a particular product. The emulator may also be used to develop software and interface screens that will be downloaded to interface device hardware prior to product introduction, thereby facilitating and improving time-market for new product introductions.

Growing community of inventors

Muskego, WI, United States of America

Robert F Lloyd