Turning to Fast Cycle

Reprinted by special permission from Appliance Manufacturer. April 1999

ControlWorks™ Software expedites design and programming of appliance control systems

Speedier and more efficient creation of appliance controls is the goal of a new design and development tool called ControlWorks™ that Siebe engineers have had in development during the past 24 months. The tool, now in operation at Beta test sites, allows users to design control panels and underlying components much faster than ever before. Market research can be conducted among consumers, and controls can be hardware tested without the costly and time-consuming step of building prototypes. Designers can pick and change the size, shape, position, color, or any other aspect of an appliance control or display, indicator, gauge, and labeling in real time. Moreover, complex algorithms can be programmed in infinite variations utilizing a spreadsheet format.

With this software, a designer can, for example, set and change any phase of any washing or cooking cycle by means of custom editors that allow the functional operation of an appliance to be defined. The software can then be downloaded to a standardized hardware SmartModule™ microcircuit which becomes part of the PCB links to peripheral devices that actually make the appliance heat, wash, cool, dry, etc.

The tool is a Windows-based application, and maintains the same look and feel as common Windows programs using tool bar, icons, and buttons. Users are required to log into the system by using a user name and password. All underlying wash or cook chart data is protected by this password mechanism. In this way, users can view only their own appliance behavior models, and proprietary algorithms remain protected.

Once a user has logged on, he is presented with a project selection screen. In this dialog the user may open, add to, copy, modify, or delete projects. The user can then specify the type of appliance, which, for this discussion, will be a clothes washer. A user might then begin by selecting an existing project. This is accomplished by highlighting the desired project, and pressing the “open” button. The wash chart selection dialog would then appear along with a wash chart model that had previously been created.

The wash chart selection dialog is similar to the project selection dialog, and allows the user management of all wash charts associated with a given project. As in the project selection dialog, the user may add, delete or open wash chart designs. When the open button is pressed, the panel editor and wash chart menus appear, and the user can then choose to create or revise the appliance panel or the appliance behavior.

Perhaps the user wishes to create a new visual appearance of a control panel. The panel editor software will be selected, and the user will employ the graphical design capabilities to create a new panel, including colors, placement of buttons and dials, and so forth. He can select from a library of panel objects, which includes a variety of buttons, indicators, displays, and knobs. All that is required is to drag out one of these, and drop it into the desired position. Each available item has a number of configurable properties which are easily accessible through custom menus. These properties are used to define the objects in terms of size, shape and color. They are displayed in three-dimensional appearance along with text labels.

Once an object has been customized to the designer's liking, it can simply be copied and placed in other areas or positions. Text labels for each copy easily can be changed as appropriate.

At various stages in the development cycle, a panel design might be shown to others in the organization, or to targeted consumers, in order to obtain feedback. To facilitate this, animation effects are available that simulate reality. As a button is “pressed,” for example, it appears to move. Indicators light up or switch off to simulate reality.

Each control on the panel will have a function assigned to it, and these functions are stored in panel’s profile, which can also easily be modified. For example, suppose the customer has suggested an additional function, such as a gentle wash cycle, for the washer being designed. To accommodate this change, the designer may need to add a new button to the control panel. Since the ON/OFF button has the appearance he wants, he can use the “copy and paste” capability to add a new button. He copies the existing button, pastes it onto the panel, and moves it to the desired location. He then might rename the button, “Gentle Wash.” Now that the desired visual appearance has been created, it is necessary to assign this button to the gentle wash function. Using the Windows-type program, the new button is selected, and all functions available for this button are displayed. The “fragile textile” function can be chosen and “assigned.” Once the redesign of the panel display is completed, it should be saved before other tasks are undertaken, such as the modification of a wash program.

Wash chart editors allow a wash chart to be constructed in the windows environment. The first step is to access the rhythm editor, which is used to define all wash rhythms that may be needed in the application. The user might begin with a normal rhythm defined by a time “on” and “off,” a speed, and a preferred motor direction. Using the editor, it is a simple task to modify this. A second editor is used to define spinning profiles, which in reality are a succession of elementary functions. This are listed in the column labeled “primitives,” and are defined by a set of parameters such as time, motor speed, drum direction, acceleration, unbalance detection and rhythms previously defined. A third editor is used to build the complete wash chart, which is composed of different programs. An example might be a program that has been constructed for washing cotton. The wash program consists of a succession of functions that can be affected by the use of options.

When the wash chart is completed, the information is put into a format that the target hardware and embedded software can understand. To do this, the designer “compiles” the model. This creates an executable code that can be downloaded into the memory of the target hardware. After compiling has been completed, a message box informs the designer of the status of the compile, and the new appliance database (ADB) can be used to program the appliance memory by selecting the “Download ADB” menu item and the appropriate file.

The target hardware to be employed can be the appliance control hardware, or it can be an electronic timer developed with the SmartModule. The data is downloaded into the appliance control hardware, which can then be connected to a prototype of the appliance.

Once this is complete, it is appropriate to return to the panel editor to run the appliance. The application menu is opened, and the appliance is started. This initiates communication with the appliance. The wash dial is turned to “cotton,” and the “on” button pressed. The washing machine then begins functioning, and the steps previously recorded in the wash chart are executed.

On the front panel of the appliance control hardware are LED displays that are linked to the input signals and output controls. This is a standard interface that is configurable by software. It has been developed with enough inputs/outputs to control complex washer and dryer applications. If new technology is developed, or new sensors are required in the future, it will be necessary only to develop an appropriate interface board and insert it into an empty slot that has been allowed for this purpose.

In the control board of the appliance control hardware is the same SmartModule that has been employed in the final electronic timer. It has the same software embedded. This means that a user can begin testing prototype appliances before a big commitment is made to a particular design because it is not necessary to build a prototype control. Wash performances can be checked, as well as energy consumption, motor heating, speed control behavior and unbalance detection. The same performance will be experienced in the final product. In a second step, the ADB can be downloaded directly into the final product. Moreover, during the execution of the wash chart with the appliance control hardware, feedback data from the appliance has been recorded by the Data Monitor function of the ControlWorks software. This data will be used to check the appliance behavior, according to the execution of the wash chart, in order to optimize it.

This new design tool allows the development time of appliances to be reduced dramatically because variations can be visualized, prototyped and tested in little more time than it takes to think of them. Moreover, in the future, the SmartModule can become the foundation upon which networked, interactive homes are built. Because the different appliances, as well as HVAC, sprinkler, security and fire-alarm systems within the home can have this module as their basic operating system, all will be capable of interactive communication. This could enable homeowners to run appliances or systems from a central or a even a remote location, and it could serve as an interface device that will allow service technicians to diagnose problems and make software repairs over the Internet. Another important benefit is that it can be reprogrammed at anytime, permitting last-minute, production line customization for climate, water conditions, upgrades, and the like, before finished products leave the factory. It will even be possible to offer customers upgrades to appliances. This might be in the form of new or additional features and performance, which are made available to them for downloading over the Internet.

- Tim Matt