DOI: 10.17587/prin.9.109-122
Adaptive User Interface For Computer-Aided Control System Design
M. F. Stepanov, mfstepanov@mail.ru, Institute of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering of Yury Gagarin State Technical University of Saratov, Saratov, 410054, Russian Federation, A. M. Stepanov, amstepanov@mail.ru, Institute of Precision Mechanics and Control of Russian Academy of Sciences, Saratov, 410028, Russian Federation
Corresponding author: Stepanov Mikhail F., Professor, Institute of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering of Yury Gagarin State Technical University of Saratov, Saratov, 410054, Russian Federation, E-mail: mfstepanov@mail.ru
Received on November 21, 2017
Accepted on January 09, 2018
The problem of the variety of various types and forms of mathematical models of control systems components is considered. This problem creates additional difficulties in the development of open systems for automation of control tasks. The aim of the work is to develop a method and means for implementing the openness of automation systems for solving problems, both in the types of mathematical models used and in the composition of the set of design operations used in solving problems. We will achieve this goal through the implementation of an adaptive interface that automatically adjusts to tasks, types of mathematical models using user-preferred designations.
For achievement of a goal, we need to solve the following tasks:
- developing a declarative representation of mathematical models of control theory concepts;
- developing universal dynamic data structures of the internal representation of mathematical models;
- developing a procedural means for interpreting the internal representation of mathematical models, including the automatic creation of the user interface.
An approach to solving the problem is proposed based on the principle of separating the declarative description of mathematical models of the components of control systems and their procedural interpretation. The basis of the approach is a model of a formalized representation of knowledge of the subject domain of automatic control in the form of a triad of "predmets — actions — relations". The predmets represent models of concepts of control theory, the actions are operations on them, and the relations determine the connections between them, set requirements for the results of solving problems. The declarative component of the model uses the frame representation of knowledge. To describe the components of the knowledge representation model used, the formal INSTRUMENT-P language was developed. The procedural component complements the description of actions and relations by software implementation in the form of functions of the traditional programming language.
In the GAMMA-3 system, to provide flexibility, automatic adjustment (adaptability) of the user interface, universal dynamic structures of the internal data representation are developed in the form of a system of interconnected classes of the C++ language. Their formation is performed automatically by the built-in translator according to the descriptions given by the user in the INSTRUMENT-P language. Thanks to this, the user helps the system to adapt the human-machine interface to its own preferences. Essentially, based on a user-defined declarative description, the system determines the users preferences by the classes of tasks to be solved, the types of mathematical models of the control system components used, taking into account the preferred designations.
Particularly it should be noted that it is possible to specify a mathematical representation of mathematical models for subsequent display on the screen forms of the user interface. For this goal we use a record of mathematical expressions in the language of LaTeX, for which a special translator is designed.
Next, the user interface is created automatically. Thus, the proposed approach makes it possible to realize the adaptability of the user interface, as well as the openness of the GAMMA-3 system to extensions. This is done through the automated connection to the system of dynamic load libraries, including software implementations of new design operations (actions) of the control theory domain model to enable the solution of new tasks.
Further work is aimed at simplifying the creation of new design operations. The user does not need to access the software development tools. In the further based on algorithm set by the user, creation of the software of design operations will be carried out by means of system GAMMA-3.
The idea of creation of the computer-aided control system design software for engineers-designers belongs to Professor Albert Georgievich Aleksandrov, the Great Teacher and the Person. Grateful disciples conduct researches in the given direction now. To memory of the professor Aleksandrovs it is devoted.
Keywords: computer-aided control system design, presentation of data and knowledge, linguistic data providing, automatic creation of user interface
pp. 109–122
For citation:
Stepanov M. F., Stepanov A. M. Adaptive User Interface For Computer-Aided Control System Design, Programmnaya Ingeneria, 2018, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 109—122.
