Offloading human-machine-interaction tasks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016299796-A1
Application number	US-201415038051-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 8, 2014
Priority date	Nov 26, 2013
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In an industrial automation environment, a three-tier architecture is used to offload human-machine-interaction (HMI) automation tasks to local mobile devices and then the cloud, to take advantage of distributed computing and processing resources and to add new features to the HMI panel system. A scheduling algorithm based on the characteristics of the HMI tasks distributes these tasks intelligently among the local HMI panel, mobile devices and the cloud, to best utilize the merits of each tier.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for offloading human-machine-interaction tasks from a human-machine-interaction panel in an industrial automation system, the method comprising:
classifying each human-machine-interaction task into one of at least a high-priority task type and a second task type according to real-time computing requirements; by the human-machine-interaction panel, computing a schedule for execution by the human-machine-interaction panel of the high-priority human-machine-interaction tasks; by the human-machine-interaction panel, executing the high-priority human-machine-interaction tasks according to the schedule; identifying offload destination resources available to the human-machine interaction panel; by the human-machine interaction panel, offloading the human-machine-interaction tasks of the second task type to the offload destination resources for execution by the offload destination resources; and periodically communicating with the offload destination resources to check a status of the offloaded human-machine-interaction tasks.

2 . A method as in claim 1 , wherein classifying the plurality of human-machine-interaction tasks is further according to data transmission costs.

3 . A method as in claim 1 , wherein the human-machine-interaction tasks of the high-priority task type are hard real-time tasks that cannot miss a deadline.

4 . A method as in claim 1 , wherein the human-machine-interaction tasks of the second task type comprise soft real-time tasks having a penalty for finishing after a deadline; and firm real-time tasks having a reward for finishing before a deadline.

5 . A method as in claim 4 , wherein the penalty for finishing after a deadline is an increasing function of a time by which an execution time exceeds the deadline.

6 . A method as in claim 4 , wherein the reward for finishing before a deadline is an increasing function of a time by which an execution time precedes the deadline.

7 . A method as in claim 1 , wherein the human-machine-interaction tasks of the second task type comprise soft real-time tasks and firm real-time tasks, and wherein offloading the human-machine-interaction tasks of the second task type to the offload destination resources for execution by the offload destination resources further comprises:
by the human-machine-interaction panel, computing a second schedule for execution of the soft real-time tasks by intelligent communication devices of the offload destination resources; by the human-machine-interaction panel, offloading the soft real-time tasks to the intelligent communication devices for execution by the intelligent communication devices according to the second schedule; by the human-machine-interaction panel, computing a third schedule for execution of the firm real-time tasks by a cloud computing environment of the offload destination resources; and by the human-machine-interaction panel, offloading the firm real-time tasks for execution by the cloud computing environment according to the third schedule.

8 . A method as in claim 7 , wherein the second and third schedules prioritize the soft real-time tasks and the firm real-time tasks according to performance characteristics of the offload destination resources, communication delays between the human-machine-interaction panel and the offload destination resources, and existing loads on the offload destination resources.

9 . A method as in claim 7 , wherein offloading the firm real-time tasks for execution by the cloud computing environment further comprises offloading the firm real-time tasks to at least one of the intelligent communication devices for execution by the cloud computing environment.

10 . A method as in claim 7 , wherein offloading the firm real-time tasks for execution by the cloud computing environment further comprises offloading the firm real-time tasks directly to the cloud computing environment.

11 . A method as in claim 1 , wherein the status of the offloaded human-machine-interaction tasks indicates that an offloaded human-machine-interaction task has been dropped, the method further comprising:
by the human-machine-interaction panel, preempting the dropped offloaded human-machine-interaction task by executing the task locally.

12 . A method as in claim 1 , further comprising:
by the human-machine-interaction panel, receiving an alarm notification; and for each offload destination resource, by the human-machine-interaction panel:
determining whether user credentials of the resource have access rights to the alarm; and
only if the offload destination resource has access rights, transmitting the alarm from the human-machine-interaction panel to the offload destination resource.

13 . A human-machine-interaction panel for interacting with industrial automation equipment, comprising:
a processor; an input/output module connected to the processor and connectable for communication with the industrial automation equipment; a network communications module connected to the processor and connectable for communication with offload destination resources; a non-transitory computer-usable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations for offloading human-machine-interaction tasks from the processor, the operations comprising:
classifying each human-machine-interaction task into one of at least a high-priority task type and a second task type according to real-time computing requirements;
computing a schedule for execution by the human-machine-interaction panel of the high-priority human-machine-interaction tasks;
executing the high-priority human-machine-interaction tasks according to the schedule;
identifying offload destination resources available to communicate via the network communications module with the human-machine interaction panel;
offloading the human-machine-interaction tasks of the second task type via the network communications module to the offload destination resources for execution by the offload destination resources; and
periodically communicating via the network communications module with the offload destination resources to check a status of the offloaded human-machine-interaction tasks.

14 . A human-machine-interaction panel as in claim 13 , wherein categorizing the plurality of human-machine-interaction tasks is further according to data transmission costs.

15 . A human-machine-interaction panel as in claim 13 , wherein the human-machine-interaction tasks of the high-priority category are hard real-time task that cannot miss a deadline.

16 . A human-machine-interaction panel as in claim 13 , wherein the human-machine-interaction tasks of the second task type comprise soft real-time tasks having a penalty for finishing after a deadline; and firm real-time tasks having a reward for finishing before a deadline.

17 . A human-machine-interaction panel as in claim 16 , wherein the penalty for finishing after a deadline is an increasing function of a time by which an execution time exceeds the deadline.

18 . A human-machine-interaction panel as in claim 16 , wherein the reward for finishing before a deadline is an increasing function of a time by which an execution time precedes the deadline.

19 . A human-machine-interaction panel as in claim 13 , wherein the human-machine-interaction tasks of the second task type comprise soft real-time tasks and firm real-time tasks, and wherein offloading the human-machine-interaction tasks of the s

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Wang Lingyun
• Martinez Canedo Arquimedes
• Strobel Holger

Classifications

• G06F9/5088 Primary

  involving task migration · CPC title

• G05B2219/31264

  Control, autonomous self learn knowledge, rearrange task, reallocate resources · CPC title

• G05B19/41835

  characterised by program execution · CPC title

• G05B2219/23149

  Dual, two displays · CPC title

• G05B19/409 Primary

  characterised by using manual data input [MDI] or by using control panel, e.g. controlling functions with the panel; characterised by control panel details or by setting parameters (G05B19/408, G05B19/4093 take precedence) · CPC title