Java graphical user interface for the supervision of Tore Supra

• Published in: Fusion engineering and design 2002-06, Vol.60 (3), p.415-420
• Main Authors: Utzel, Nadine, Guillerminet, Bernard, Leluyer, Mireille, Moulin, Danièle
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Computer aided diagnosis; Computer architecture; Controled nuclear fusion plants; Data acquisition; Distributed architecture; Distributed computer systems; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Graphical user interface; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; Java; Java programming language; Object oriented programming; Servers; Supervision of data acquisition; Web browsers
• ISSN: 0920-3796; 1873-7196
• DOI: 10.1016/S0920-3796(02)00041-8

The graphical user interface (GUI) for the supervision of Tore Supra is intended to supervise the start-up and the shut-down of the installation, to control general state (state of all diagnostics, state of the system and network) and to follow the pulse sequence. Implementation of a new multi-platform, modular GUI for Tore Supra is in progress. This provides not only a simpler, more structured view for the non-specialist user, but also is open-ended and adaptable to a wide variety of uses. The actual implementation of a GUI is a question of user-ergonomics. Hence, a user-directed study in 2000 produced a specification for the interface. The information is treated with a hierarchical order. At the top level, only the global state of the supervised elements appears, i.e. the general state of every diagnostics, the pulse sequence, the safety systems. If a problem occurs, the operator has access to the lower level detailed state of the concerned element, simply with a double-click. An event log also helps the operator to analyse the chronology of the alarms arising during the pulse. Although the GUI is mainly used in the control room on X terminals under Unix, it should also be accessible via a portable PC for the purpose of maintenance, or directly from any office to see how the physics program is progressing. The choice of Java, multi-platform object programming language was thus adopted with access via any web browser. The modularity of the GUI is made possible by a distributed architecture (remote method invocation) between the graphic client and different servers: one for the diagnostics and the sequence, one for the system and the network and one for the configuration database. All the components interact with each other in a very simple and standard way. This distributed architecture allows the progressive set up of the new interface. The first step, being produced for mid-2001 is the GUI for the supervision of diagnostics. This prototype will help us to validate all the concepts. The second step in mid-2002 will be the complete GUI to supervise and execute pulse sequences and maintenance operations.