Automated operator interface generation in a control system

Abstract

System(s), device(s), and method(s) provide automated configuration of operator interface(s) in an industrial control system, the automated configuration is based at least on control logic that regulates a process and associated equipment in an industrial environment. A terminal that renders control data can acquire the control logic and associate a set of control data structures therein to one or more display objects, which can be retained in a set of libraries stored in the terminal. Based at least on the association, the terminal automatically generates a rendering project that can render an operator interface that conveys control data according to the control logic. A mapping enables association amongst a control data structure and a display object; the mapping can include relationships amongst display objects for numerous domains of industrial control. The operator interface can be refined autonomously or through external data received at the terminal and associated with predetermined event(s).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device, comprising:
 at least one processor configured to execute computer-executable components retained in at least one memory, the computer-executable components comprising:
 a display component configured to display a human-machine interface that renders data retrieved from an industrial controller; 
 an acquisition component configured to read a control instruction defined in an industrial control program executing on the industrial controller; 
   an association component configured to select a display object, from a set of display objects, based on mapping definition information that defines respective mappings between a set of control instructions, including the control instruction, and the set of display objects, wherein the mapping definition information defines an association between a type of the control instruction and the display object based on a security clearance level associated with the device; and
 a rendering constructor component configured to add the display object to the human-machine interface in response to the control instruction being read by the acquisition component based at least on the mapping definition information, wherein the human-machine interface renders control data associated with the control instruction via the display object. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the mapping definition information defines additional mappings between a set of data structures that define respective input/output (I/O) modules and the set of display objects, and the association component is further configured to select, based on the mapping definition information, another display object from the set of display objects corresponding to a data structure defining an I/O module read from the industrial control program by the acquisition component. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the mapping definition information defines the mappings to be specific to at least one of a control domain, a location of the device, or a state of equipment controlled by the industrial controller in accordance with the industrial control program. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the mapping definition information further defines the association between the type of the control instruction and the display object based on a location of the control instruction within the industrial control program, and the association component is further configured to select the display object based on the location of the control instruction within the industrial control program. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the location is at least one of a logical block of the industrial control program, a subroutine of the industrial control program, or a program module of the industrial control program. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the rendering constructor component is further configured to locate the display object at a position within the human-machine interface selected based on the location of the control instruction within the industrial control program. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the acquisition component is further configured to read the control instruction in response to detection of a modification to the industrial control program during a runtime mode of the industrial controller. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the rendering constructor component is further configured to select a placement of the display object in the human-machine interface based at least on historical data relating to at least one of previously accepted human-machine interfaces or previously modified human-machine interfaces that include the display object. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the mapping definition information defines the respective mappings to be a function of a control domain to which the industrial control program relates, the control domain comprising at least one of manufacturing, packaging, or testing. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the mapping definition information defines the respective mappings to be a function of a market to which the industrial control program relates, the market comprising at least one of food and beverage, pharmaceutical, vehicular, oil and gas, mineral, electric, or telecommunications. 
     
     
         11 . A method, comprising:
 rendering, by a system including a processor, data read from an industrial controller on a human-machine interface;   detecting, by the system, a control instruction comprising a portion of a control program executing on the industrial controller;   identifying, by the system, a defined association between the control instruction and a display object as a function of a security clearance level associated with the system based on mapping information that defines respective associations between a plurality of control instructions and a plurality of display objects, wherein the mapping information defines the respective associations as a function of security clearance level;   generating, by the system, an instance of the display object on the human-machine interface based at least on the defined association; and   rendering, by the system, control data associated with the control instruction via the display object.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 detecting, by the system, a data structure that defines an input/output (I/O) module associated with the industrial controller; and   identifying, by the system, a defined association between the data structure and another display object based on the mapping information, wherein the mapping information defines additional associations between the plurality of display objects and a plurality of data structures, including the data structure, that define respective I/O modules.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the identifying comprises identifying the defined association between the control instruction and the display object as a function of at least one of a control domain, a location of the system, or a state of equipment controlled by the industrial controller in accordance with the control program. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the identifying comprises identifying the defined association between the control instruction and the display object as a function of a location of the control instruction within the control program, the location comprising at least one of a logical block of the control program, a subroutine of the control program, or a program module of the control program. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the rendering comprises rendering the control data via the display object at a position within the human-machine interface selected based on the location of the control instruction within the control program. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising selecting, by the system, a placement of the display object within the human-machine interface based on historical data that identifies at least one of previously accepted human-machine interfaces or previously modified human-machine interfaces that include the display object. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the detecting comprises detecting the control instruction in response to detecting a modification to the control program during a runtime mode of the industrial controller. 
     
     
         18 . A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-readable instructions that, in response to execution, cause a system comprising at least one processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 displaying a human machine-interface that renders data retrieved from an industrial controller;   identifying a control instruction defined in an industrial control program that executes on the industrial controller;   determining an association between the control instruction, a security level associated with the system, and a display object based on mapping information that defines respective linkages between a set of control instructions, including the control instruction, and a set of display objects, including the display object, as a function of security level;   rendering the display object on the human-machine interface based at least on the association; and   displaying control data associated with the control instruction via the display object.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the rendering comprises rendering the display object at a location within the human-machine interface selected based on a determined location of the control instruction within the industrial control program. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the rendering comprises selecting a location within the human-machine interface at which to place the display object based on historical data that identifies at least one of previously accepted human-machine interfaces or previously modified human-machine interfaces that include the display object.