Graphical and text based co-design editor for industrial automation projects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12493453-B2
Application number	US-202318337606-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2023
Priority date	Sep 21, 2021
Publication date	Dec 9, 2025
Grant date	Dec 9, 2025

Abstract

An industrial IDE supports development of control programming using an industrial domain-specific language (DSL) that allows control programming to be written using a scripted programming language having features catered to the industrial domain. The industrial DSL can simplify and streamline development of industrial control code relative to using conventional graphics-based control programming formats such as ladder logic, since a script-based industrial DSL can be used to write programming code using fewer mouse clicks relative to traditional control programming environments. Editing tools inherent to the industrial DSL can provide dynamic programming feedback that guides the developer through the process of developing control code. A development interface of the industrial IDE can comprises two editing windows that render the control program in a graphical format and in a text-based format simultaneously, allowing the user to edit the program in either format on the same interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system, comprising:
a memory that stores executable components; and a processor, operatively coupled to the memory, that executes the executable components, the executable components comprising:
a user interface component configured to render an integrated development environment (IDE) interface comprising a text editor window and a graphical editor window and to receive, via an interaction with either of the text editor window or the graphical editor window, a programming input that defines an industrial control program, wherein the text editor window renders the industrial control program in a text-based format and the graphical editor window renders the industrial control program in a graphical format; and
a project generation component configured to generate, based on the programming input, an executable control program file that, in response to execution on an industrial controller, causes the industrial controller to monitor and control an industrial automation system in accordance with the industrial control program,
wherein the user interface component is configured to, in response to a receipt of an edit to the industrial control program in either the text-based format via the interaction with the text editor window or the graphical format via the interaction with a graphical editor window, update a first view of the industrial control program in the text editor window and a second view of the industrial control program in the graphical editor window in accordance with the edit.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface component is further configured to, in response to the receipt, via the interaction with either of the graphical editor window or the text editor window, of a program navigation input requesting display of a selected portion of the industrial control program, simultaneously display the selected portion of the industrial control program in the graphical editor window in the graphical format and in the text editor window in the text-based format.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the graphical format is at least one of ladder logic, a sequential function chart, or a function block diagram.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface component is configured to receive at least a portion of the programming input as an industrial domain-specific language (DSL) and to render programming feedback in response to receipt of the programming input.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the programming feedback comprises at least one of an error highlighting, a syntax highlighting, a code snippet management feedback, one or more type-ahead recommendations, or one or more programming suggestions.

6 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising an editor definition component configured to receive a DSL definition input that defines one or more programming features of the industrial DSL and to configure at least one of the graphical editor window or the text editor window to support the programming features based on the DSL definition input.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the programming features comprise at least one of a syntax of the industrial DSL, one or more definitions of automation objects supported by the industrial DSL, one or more parent-child relationships between the automation objects, a namespace supported by the industrial DSL, or one or more types of the programming feedback rendered by the user interface component.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein
the graphical editor window and the text editor window support instantiation of one or more automation objects within the industrial control program, and the one or more automation objects represent respective one or more industrial assets including at least one of an industrial process, a controller, a control program, a tag within the control program, a machine, a motor, a motor drive, a telemetry device, a tank, a valve, a pump, an industrial safety device, an industrial robot, or an actuator.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein
the graphical editor window is configured to render an automation object, of a plurality of automation objects, in a graphical format, and the text editor window is configured to render the automation object as a text string.

10 . A method, comprising:
rendering, by a system comprising a processor, an integrated development environment (IDE) interface on a client device, the IDE interface comprising a text editor window that renders an industrial control program in a text-based representation and a graphical editor window that renders the industrial control program in a graphical representation; receiving, by the system via an interaction with either of the text editor window or the graphical editor window, a programming input that defines the industrial control program; in response to receiving, as a portion of the programming input, an edit to the industrial control program in either a text-based format via interaction with the text editor window or a graphical format via the interaction with the graphical editor window, updating, by the system, the text-based representation of the industrial control program in the text editor window and the graphical representation of the industrial control program in the graphical editor window in accordance with the edit; and generating, by the system based on the programming input, an executable control program file that, in response to execution on an industrial controller, causes the industrial controller to monitor and control an industrial machine in accordance with the industrial control program.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the rendering comprises, in response to a receipt, via interaction with either of a graphical editor window or a text editor window, of a program navigation input requesting display of a selected portion of the industrial control program, simultaneously displaying, by the system, the selected portion of the industrial control program in the graphical editor window in the graphical representation and in the text editor window in the text-based representation.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the graphical format is at least one of a ladder logic, a sequential function chart, or a function block diagram.

13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving, by the system, at least a subset of the programming input as an industrial domain-specific language (DSL), and rendering, by the system, programming feedback in response to a receipt of the programming input.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the programming feedback comprises at least one of an error highlighting, a syntax highlighting, a code snippet management feedback, type-ahead recommendations, or programming suggestions.

15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
receiving, by the system, the DSL definition input that defines one or more programming features of the industrial DSL; and configuring, by the system in response to receiving the DSL definition input, at least one of the graphical editor window or the text editor window to support the programming features defined by the DSL definition input.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more programming features comprise at least one of a syntax of the industrial DSL, one or more definitions of automation objects supported by the industrial DSL, one or more parent-child relationships between the automation objects, a namespace supported by the industrial DSL, or types of the programming feedback.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the graphical editor window

Assignees

• Rockwell Automation Tech Inc

Inventors

• Stump Andrew R
• Carrara Anthony
• Gregory Adam
• Majewski Lorenzo
• Srinivasan Eashwer
• Josipovic Srdjan
• Bahader Omar A
• Stanek Christopher Edward
• Coan Michael J
• Sumerauer Douglas B
• Dunn Ryan P

Classifications

• G06F2203/04803

  Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas · CPC title

• G06F8/36

  Software reuse · CPC title

• G06F8/34

  Graphical or visual programming · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G05B2219/23293

  Automated assembly of machine control software, reusable software components · CPC title