Aaction-Check Pane

The Action/Check pane shows details of the current Action/Check in format of success logic tree. Notice that inter relations among Action/Checks are drawn in flowchart, whereas intra relations within an Action/Check are shown in success logic tree. A success logic tree consists of leaf nodes, and operator with n out of m.

A node has one of three states: True, False, and Unknown. As the value of the node changes after its execution, the color of the node changes according to the value.

The nodes of the tree are related by n-out-of-m logic operator. If number of True nodes is more than n, the logic operator becomes True. This logic tree can be nested, but not cyclic. It is powerful enough to write procedure rules with.

As far as the success logic tree is concerned, the user interfaces for both action and check are the same. The consistent user interface is one of ultimate goals of MMI. The only difference lies in the leaf interfaces.

The first picture is an Action interface. The leaf nodes of Action includes Message, Set, Finish, Input, Initiate, and Caution. Each instruction has different combination of text, button and input field according to its characteristics. Initiates is linked with procedure switching dialog. Set is not only connected with control system but also fed back with process database. Finish is coupled with the menu "Close current". Input is related to the process database of ImPRO server etc. When action instructions make either plant or CBP in their targets, the actions become True.

If the root of action tree is either Unknown or False, a user can't go to the next Action/Check. Strictly speaking, the "Nxt" button is disabled and the permissive arrow in the flowchart does not appear. This is the reason why action symbol of flowchart has an output arrow despite 3 states.

The second is a success logic tree for Check. Check includes Autocheck, Manual check and Caution. Users can judge manual statement, and observe the computer evaluation. An animation symbol differentiates autocheck from manual check.

The equation for automatic check is expressed in powerful extended Boolean expression, which includes process parameters, constants, functions, logical and arithmetic operators. Automatic evaluation helps users carry out procedure correctly and fast. Users,however, can override automatic evaluation after freezing the animation symbol. If computers cannot evaluate the equation for any reason, it throws Unknown status.

While the root of Check is Unknown, users can't move to next Action-Check. Users, however, can change the next Action/Check through the toggle buttons beside "Nxt".

The "Prvs" button is to go backward. The "Nxt" button is to move to the next Action-Check according to the current result. A slide appears for continuously applied Checks in order to change Don't-Care Time. Finally "Rtrn" button of temporal track provides a return passage to the main track.

The main and side tracks are introduced to give easy access to any Action/Check with keeping continuity of procedure execution.

Flowchart, Action/Check, and Process information show the same context but in different formats and in different depth of level.

A comment dialog is a popup window that shows relevant notes(Comment) for the current Action/Check. The content is formatted in HTML instead of in simple text in order to improve readability. Since the text is written more freely than the logic tree, any kind of explanation for the Action/Check can be supplemented. Whenever the current Action/Check has a comment, the comment button is enabled for users to access.