Method and system for animating graphical user interface elements via a manufacturing/process control portal server

• US 20020101431A1
• Filed: 09/14/2001
• Published: 08/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric Software, LLC (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Invensys Systems Incorporated (Invensys PLC)
• Inventors: Miller, Todd, Forney, Paul W., Mody, Rashesh, Neff, David, Nguyen, Kimson Q., Trieu, Chau Bich
• Granted Patent: US 7,728,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/582
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for rendering animated graphics on a browser client based upon a stream of runtime data from a manufacturing/process control system. The graphics animation is based upon an animated graphic display object specification and runtime data from a portal server affecting an appearance trait of the animated graphic display object. The client browser receives an animated graphics description from the portal server specifying an animation behavior for an identified graphical display object. The client creates a data exchange connection between an animated display object, corresponding to the animated graphics description, and a source of runtime data from the portal server affecting display of the animated display object. Thereafter, the client applies runtime data received from the source of runtime data to the animated display object to render an animated graphic display object.

Claims

1. A method for generating and displaying animated graphics on a browser client based upon an animated graphic display object specification and runtime data from a portal server affecting an appearance trait of the animated graphic display object, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, by the browser client, an animated graphics description from the portal server, the description specifying an animation behavior for an identified graphical display object;

creating a connection between an animated display object, corresponding to the animated graphics description, and a source of runtime data from the portal server affecting display of the animated display object; and

applying runtime data received from the source of runtime data to the animated display object to render an animated graphic display object.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the animated graphics description is rendered at least in part in a generic programming format.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the generic programming format is XML.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the runtime data comprises manufacturing/process control system status information.