Transparency augmented industrial automation display

Abstract

An industrial automation display is provided. The industrial automation display in one example includes a transparent display panel affixable to a movable panel and comprising a light-control layer. The industrial automation display also includes a display controller coupled to the light-control layer and configured to generate industrial automation display data based on industrial automation data related to an industrial automation process portion and display the industrial automation display data on the light-control layer of the transparent display panel and in a display orientation based on an input from an open/close sensor configured to sense a position of the movable panel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An industrial automation display comprising:
 a transparent display panel affixable to a movable panel and comprising a light-control layer; and   a display controller coupled to the light-control layer and configured to:
 generate industrial automation display data based on industrial automation data related to an industrial automation process portion; and 
 display the industrial automation display data on the light-control layer of the transparent display panel and in a display orientation based on an input from an open/close sensor configured to sense a position of the movable panel. 
   
     
     
         2 . The industrial automation display of  claim 1  further comprising a touch panel formed on two sides of the transparent display panel and configured to receive a touch input from an operator; and
 wherein the display controller is further configured to switch an active side of the transparent display panel based on which of the two sides receives an operator touch interaction. 
 
     
     
         3 . The industrial automation display of  claim 1 , wherein the industrial automation process portion is viewable through the transparent display panel; and
 wherein the industrial automation display data is viewable in conjunction with the industrial automation process portion.   
     
     
         4 . The industrial automation display of  claim 1 , wherein the display controller is further configured to overlay the industrial automation display data over the industrial automation process portion. 
     
     
         5 . The industrial automation display of  claim 1 , wherein the display controller is further configured to actuate the light-control layer to partially or fully obscure predetermined regions of the transparent display panel. 
     
     
         6 . The industrial automation display of  claim 1 , wherein the light-control layer is configured to selectively block, filter, or transmit impinging light. 
     
     
         7 . The industrial automation display of  claim 1 , wherein the display controller is further configured to:
 display a component display item comprising a representation of the industrial automation process portion; and   display the component display item in one or more positions that follow the industrial automation process portion.   
     
     
         8 . An industrial automation system, comprising:
 a cabinet comprising a movable door;   an industrial automation device positioned within the cabinet;   a transparent display panel attached to the movable door, the transparent display panel having a first side and a second side and comprising a light-control layer;   a door position sensor configured to sense an orientation position of the movable door, wherein the orientation position comprises open position and a closed position; and   a display controller coupled to the light-control layer and configured to:
 receive industrial automation data related to the industrial automation device; 
 receive the orientation position of the movable door from the door position sensor; 
 generate industrial automation display data based on the industrial automation data; 
 display the industrial automation display data on the light-control layer of the transparent display panel; and 
 orient the display of the industrial automation display data in a first display orientation in response to the orientation position corresponding with the open position and in a second display orientation in response to the orientation position corresponding with the closed position. 
   
     
     
         9 . The industrial automation display of  claim 8 , further comprising a touch panel formed as part of the transparent display panel on the first and second sides of the transparent display panel and configured to receive a touch input from an operator; and
 wherein the display controller is further configured to orient the display of the at least a portion of the industrial automation display data in a first display orientation in response to a touch input interaction with the touch panel on the first side and in a second display orientation in response to a touch input interaction with the touch panel on the second side;   
     
     
         10 . The industrial automation display of  claim 8 , wherein the industrial automation display data comprises ones of symbols, text, graphical representations, and other information derived from the industrial automation data. 
     
     
         11 . The industrial automation display of  claim 8 , wherein the industrial automation display data is viewable in conjunction with the industrial automation device; and
 wherein the display controller is further configured to overlay the industrial automation display data over the industrial automation device.   
     
     
         12 . The industrial automation display of  claim 8 , comprising the display controller configured to actuate the light-control layer to partially or fully obscure predetermined regions of the transparent display panel. 
     
     
         13 . The industrial automation display of  claim 8 , comprising the light-control layer configured to selectively block, filter, or transmit impinging light. 
     
     
         14 . An industrial automation display method, comprising:
 in a display controller coupled to a light-control layer of a door-mounted transparent display panel associated with and in view of an industrial automation process portion, receiving industrial automation data related to the industrial automation process portion;   in the display controller, generating industrial automation display data using at least a portion of the industrial automation data;   in the display controller, receiving, from a door position sensor, an orientation position of a movable door to which the door-mounted transparent display is coupled;   in the display controller, displaying the industrial automation display data on the light-control layer of the transparent display panel in a display orientation based on the orientation position of the movable door;   wherein the orientation position of the movable door comprises a door open orientation and a door closed orientation; and   wherein the industrial automation display data is viewable in conjunction with the industrial automation process portion.   
     
     
         15 . The industrial automation display method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 in a transparent touch panel coupled to the transparent display panel on a first side and a second side of the transparent display panel, receiving a touch input from an operator on one of the first side and the second side;   in the display controller, displaying the industrial automation display data on the light-control layer of the transparent display panel in a display orientation based on which of the first side and the second side received the touch input.   
     
     
         16 . The industrial automation display method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 in the display controller, switching an active side of the transparent display panel based on an input from a door open/close sensor.   
     
     
         17 . The industrial automation display method of  claim 15 , wherein the display orientation causes the industrial automation display data to be readable from the first side or the second side that received the touch input. 
     
     
         18 . The industrial automation display method of  claim 14 , comprising the display controller configured to overlay the industrial automation display data over the industrial automation process portion. 
     
     
         19 . The industrial automation display method of  claim 14 , comprising the display controller configured to actuate the light-control layer to partially or fully obscure predetermined regions of the transparent display panel. 
     
     
         20 . The industrial automation display method of  claim 14 , comprising the light-control layer is configured to selectively block, filter, or transmit impinging light.