Method in a process control system and a process control system

• US 20020054107A1
• Filed: 06/05/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Metso Automation Networks OY
• Original Assignee: Metso Automation Networks OY
• Inventors: Paunonen, Hannu
• Application Number:
  US09/874,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20020054107A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0272 Presentation of monitored results, e.g. selection of status reports to be displayed; Filtering information to the user

Abstract

In a process control system, a terminal (4) displays symbols illustrating parts of a process and information about the status of the process, related to concrete places in the operating environment of the process, such as actuators, pumps, measuring devices, process equipment parts, or the like. Corresponding graphic images (6) are allotted to said concrete places, indicating the location of the place in the process, and these images can be displayed in the operating environment of the process control system when the process is running. The image can be processed when it is displayed, for example in such a way that a 3-dimensional image can be turned in different angles of viewing and/or it can be enlarged.

Claims

1. A method in a process control system, in which a terminal displays symbols illustrating parts of a process and information about the status of the process, related to concrete places in the operating environment of the process, such as actuators, pumps, measuring devices, process equipment parts, or the like, characterized in that corresponding graphic images are allotted to said concrete places, indicating the location of the place in the process, and these graphic images can be displayed in the operating environment of the process control system when the process is running.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the graphic image is displayed by activating with an input device of the terminal the representation corresponding to a desired concrete place and displayed on the display device of the terminal, such as a symbol, text, or the like that indicates said concrete place.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a separate graphic image is provided for each of a plurality of concrete places.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least some of the concrete places are illustrated in the same graphic image and the place whose virtual image can be displayed as a graphic image of its own, is shown in the graphic image in a distinguished manner, such as by circling, by changed background, by a symbol, or in a corresponding manner.

5. The method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the graphic image can be displayed with the display device in parallel with corresponding information indicating the status of the process, particularly together with information related to the place being displayed, for example in such a way that the information is displayed ready within the retrieved graphic image or otherwise linked to it in such a way that it can be retrieved.

6. The method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the terminal, which comprises the display device and the input device, is portable or wearable and it is in a wireless data transmission connection with the process control system.

7. The method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the graphic image comprises one or several portions which can be displayed as a separate graphic image of its own, preferably in a more detailed view and/or provided with additional data.

8. The method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the graphic image can be processed when it is displayed, for example in such a way that a 3-dimensional graphic image can be turned in different angles of viewing and/or it can be enlarged.

9. The method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the graphic image is a virtual image corresponding to a 3-dimensional view of the concrete place.

10. A process control system, comprising

a terminal (4) having a display device (4a) and an input device (4b),

a user interface software (3) connected to the terminal and to a process,

in the user interface software (3), several process graphic images (5), each containing symbols or representations of concrete places of a plant where the process to be controlled takes place,

in the user interface software (3), several images (6) that correspond to respective symbols or representations of at least one of said process graphic diagram (5),

connected to the input device (4b), means for visualizing an image (6) upon activating a corresponding symbol or representation in said process graphic diagram (5).