Man machine interface

Allen et al. [45] Date of Patent: Feb. 11, 1986

[54] MAN MACHINE INTERFACE [561 References Cited

[76] Inventors: Bruce S. Allen, Willow St., East U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
Kmgswnt NH 033,27; Mlchael R- 3,971,000 7/1976 Cromwell ......... .. 364/189 x
D"l1al"°Y- 276 Hams Ava-1 4,001,307 1/1977 Dallimonti 364/189
Needham, Mass. 02192; Bruce A. 4,303,973 12/19131 Williamson, Jr. et 81. ....... .. 364/189
King, RED. 2, Bolton, Mass. 01740; 4,413,314 11/1983 Slater et a1. ....................... .. 364/188
Harold J. DuPrie, 57 High St., Apt. 4,443,861 4/19134 Slater ............................ .. 364/189 x

1B, Andover, Mass. 01810; Richard
E. Hudnall, 15 Juniper La., Nashua,
N.H. 03063; Stanely N. Lapidus, 44
Elk Dr.,Bedford, N.H. 03102; Daniel
R. Gilbert, 103 Horseshoe Rd.,
Dracut, Mass. 01826; Anne M.
Carlson, 31 Avon St., Wakefield,
Mass. 01880; Kiran Thakrar, 13
Tiffany Rd., Apt. 7 King's Ct.;

Primary Examiner—.Ioseph Ruggiero
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—-Robert H. Ware; Melvin 1.
-Stoltz; Alfred A. F ressola

[57] ABSTRACT

A man-machine interface for use with industrial processes is disclosed having the capability of design and configuration of the interrelationship of components forming an overall industrial process. The man-machine interface further provides operator use, including process monitoring and control, as well as alarm annunciation. Most user interaction with the man-machine interface is performed through a color CRT monitor having a touch panel on the surface of the CRT screen. Operator use may be limited to touch panel interaction while configurer and designer use normally further includes use of a keyboard.

The man-machine interface utilizes distributed processing and incorporates a high level graphic language. The graphic language facilitates real time graphic display implementation through use of dynamic and static variables. Variable types are dynamically associated with variable values so that variables can undergo type changes without detrimental effect. Video bit hangers and shifters further enhance the versatility and ease of implementing rapid modifications of graphic displays. The man-machine interface further incorporates a new bus structure including a new bus arbitration technique, a unidirectional memory boundary protection mechanism, an improved interrupt system, and an improved watchdog timer circuit.

43 Claims, 119 Drawing Figures

Microfiche Appendix Included (27 Microfiche, 1701 Pages)

5! 59
., _______ __g_ __
' 4|
‘ 4
III

PLOY
94
VIDEO
.3 R

in [(48 I48 ;5O PROGRAMMABLE PROGRAMMABLE DIGITAL ;? - CONTROLLER CONTROLLER DEVICE H 44 6-‘ _ _ _ _ /‘ _ _ _ _ E 54 ;5a ;59 COMPUTER PRINTER PLOTTER :1 I P‘ — — — — — — —-——--———-—-—-————-———L:———-—6———— -—§ —--1' ' 2|‘: /'06 /26 4| 80‘ —\ 6‘ 15 53 I \ /24 94 /(28 J’;—s O\ I CPU CPU MEMORY 65 VIDEO . VIDEO FLOPPY {I5 I MODULE MODULE 93 __ _ _ _T_ \[ cpu 83 RAM |_o_a_ -msx -,-5 I N0. 2 60 Q — MoDULE~._|67 CONTROL £54 (A I (RAM), \.\2|6 Jé-——-I g L-k CD .>"’I" TO B/W 64 \ : T33 33‘ I 9_3\ I ‘33 66 T MON|TOR<_",v71 33’ 30 Q ; I O | \.92 73/;:’____ __F_-:_—_‘—_-:_1'__l 1 -O I _ I OPTO-ISOLATED I 167 4” L562 3 | ERROR SIGNALS V I I 99 91 I I|O\1 (WDT ALARM) I ""n»._ | 69 I as 95 I 62 /_\ I ‘ supm pos // / /_ 6| : "U1 IPOIER / ' 5' 1 I u | SUPPLY "'>VDc eaj “"11 III 7° ' N ' " I__. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ~ _ ._ _l I I1, kuo 63 """‘ L \l

i

FIG. 1-2

/06
DIGITAL
DEVICE
"_ _________ __1§_—7a__Te _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ T _ _'4B_____4—z_
\ ‘A {F8 f I
1-——— P,-32 /(36
Q WINCHESTER GENERAL J34 LOCAL VIDEO VIDEO
' HARD PURPOSE AREA cpu RAM
,_ msx COMMUNICATION NETWORK N0. 2 N0. 2
g_ CONTROL £7 INTERFACE '56
I153.3. '1““\33 1*-33 331 64 13
A . 71
J85. /62
/05 J05 \88 MONiTOR
as
{Is I -76 76'
“F
OR 7 no DR 0 76.
76 75 ‘Me \\so

___._______ _-___._ _-.____ ___-____'_|