Configurable user displays in a process control system
First Claim
1. A user display configuration system for a process plant, comprising:
- a tangible non-transitory computer readable medium that stores;
a first library that includes one or more executable graphical elements, each of the one or more executable graphical elements including (i) informational indicia, and (ii) one or more links to data related to the informational indicia within a process control system such that the informational indicia is displayed with respectively linked data in accordance with the one or more links; and
a second library that includes one or more executable user interface display forms, at least one of the executable user interface display forms defining a display region for a user display device, the display region comprising one or more non-modifiable regions and one or more modifiable sub-regions, the one or more modifiable sub-regions operable to receive the one or more executable graphical elements of the first library; and
one or more processors configured to execute a display application that;
receives user input to configure the one or more executable user interface display forms and the one of the executable graphical elements by (i) specifying a location of at least one of the modifiable sub-regions within the display region of the one of the executable user interface display forms, and (ii) specifying the one or more links to data within the process control system used by the one of the executable graphical elements, andcreates a link between the one of the executable graphical elements and the one of the modifiable sub-regions of the one of the executable user interface display forms upon a user specifying the link by dragging and dropping an indication of the one of the executable graphical display elements to a region on a user display associated with the one of the modifiable sub-regions of the one of the executable user interface display forms,wherein, upon configuring the one of the executable user interface display forms in accordance with an initial configuration, at least one of the one or more modifiable sub-regions is selectively associated with a first executable graphical element that is used to present information within the display region,wherein each of the one or more executable user interface display forms includes a link between each of the one or more of the modifiable sub-regions of a respective executable user interface form and an executable graphical element, andwherein, during runtime execution of the one of the executable user interface display forms via the display application and in response to a user selection, the initial configuration of the one of the executable user interface display forms is modified such that the at least one of the one or more modifiable sub-regions is then (i) occupied by a second executable graphical element that is different than the first executable graphical element, or (ii) no longer occupied by an executable graphical element.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A display configuration system enables plant operators to create their own process displays called dashboards during run-time of the plant and in the same interface that these operators use to view operation of the process plant. This display configuration system makes the operators more productive because the operators can quickly create and implement their own specialized dashboards, as these operators determine these dashboards are needed. Each dashboard has a defined layout specifying locations or regions at which display elements can be shown in the dashboard, and this layout is operator modifiable. Operators can easily create content on their own dashboards using predefined but configurable display building blocks called gadgets, which can be pre-stored in a library and can be made available for the operator during dashboard creation activities. A gadget can be dragged and dropped onto a dashboard at one of the regions or locations of the dashboard to be installed in that region or location of the dashboard. The display configuration system may automatically size the gadgets based on the selected dashboard layout, and operators can modify an existing dashboard by adding, modifying, moving, minimizing or deleting gadgets on the dashboard.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A user display configuration system for a process plant, comprising:
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a tangible non-transitory computer readable medium that stores; a first library that includes one or more executable graphical elements, each of the one or more executable graphical elements including (i) informational indicia, and (ii) one or more links to data related to the informational indicia within a process control system such that the informational indicia is displayed with respectively linked data in accordance with the one or more links; and a second library that includes one or more executable user interface display forms, at least one of the executable user interface display forms defining a display region for a user display device, the display region comprising one or more non-modifiable regions and one or more modifiable sub-regions, the one or more modifiable sub-regions operable to receive the one or more executable graphical elements of the first library; and one or more processors configured to execute a display application that; receives user input to configure the one or more executable user interface display forms and the one of the executable graphical elements by (i) specifying a location of at least one of the modifiable sub-regions within the display region of the one of the executable user interface display forms, and (ii) specifying the one or more links to data within the process control system used by the one of the executable graphical elements, and creates a link between the one of the executable graphical elements and the one of the modifiable sub-regions of the one of the executable user interface display forms upon a user specifying the link by dragging and dropping an indication of the one of the executable graphical display elements to a region on a user display associated with the one of the modifiable sub-regions of the one of the executable user interface display forms, wherein, upon configuring the one of the executable user interface display forms in accordance with an initial configuration, at least one of the one or more modifiable sub-regions is selectively associated with a first executable graphical element that is used to present information within the display region, wherein each of the one or more executable user interface display forms includes a link between each of the one or more of the modifiable sub-regions of a respective executable user interface form and an executable graphical element, and wherein, during runtime execution of the one of the executable user interface display forms via the display application and in response to a user selection, the initial configuration of the one of the executable user interface display forms is modified such that the at least one of the one or more modifiable sub-regions is then (i) occupied by a second executable graphical element that is different than the first executable graphical element, or (ii) no longer occupied by an executable graphical element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 28, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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12. A user display system for use in a process plant that includes process control devices connected to control a process, comprising:
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a user interface device including a processor; a tangible non-transitory computer readable medium storing; a first library database that includes one or more executable graphical elements, each of the one or more executable graphical elements including (i) informational indicia, and (ii) one or more links to data related to the informational indicia within a process control system such that the informational indicia is displayed with respectively linked data in accordance with the one or more links; and a second library database that includes one or more executable user interface displays forms, at least one of the one or more executable user interface display forms defining a display region for a user display device, the display region comprising one or more non-modifiable regions and one or more modifiable sub-regions, the one or more modifiable sub-regions operable to receive the one or more executable graphical elements of the first library; and a user display engine that executes on a processor communicatively coupled to (i) the user interface device, (ii) the first and second libraries, and (iii) one or more of the process control devices, the user display engine being configured to; receive user input to configure the one or more executable user interface display forms and the one of the executable graphical elements by (i) specifying a location of at least one of the modifiable sub-regions within the display region of the one of the executable user interface display forms, and (ii) specifying the one or more links to data within the process control system used by the one of the executable graphical elements, and create a link between the one of the executable graphical elements and the one of the modifiable sub-regions of the one of the executable user interface display forms upon a user specifying the link by dragging and dropping an indication of the one of the executable graphical display elements to a region on a user display associated with the one of the modifiable sub-regions of the one of the executable user interface display forms, wherein, upon configuring the one of the executable user interface display forms in accordance with an initial configuration, at least one of the one or more modifiable sub-regions is selectively associated with a first executable graphical element that is to be used to present information within the display region, wherein each of the one or more executable user interface display forms includes a link between each of the one or more of the modifiable sub-regions of a respective executable user interface form and an executable graphical element, and wherein, during runtime execution of the one of the executable user interface display forms via the user display engine and in response to a user selection, the initial configuration of the one of the executable user interface display form is modified such that the at least one of the one or more modifiable sub-regions is then (i) occupied by a second executable graphical element that is different than the first executable graphical element, or (ii) no longer occupied by an executable graphical element. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification