System status visualization method and system

• US 20060070010A1
• Filed: 09/29/2004
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Retlich, Kevin A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,595,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/798
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and method for system status visualization. In one embodiment in accordance with the present techniques, an operating system may comprise an expandable component tree graphic. The expandable component tree graphic may comprise a plurality of parent icons and a plurality of child icons, wherein the plurality of parent icons are expandable to reveal respective child icons and at least one of the plurality of child icons is associated with a computer resource. Further, in some embodiments of the present techniques, a plurality of dynamic component graphics are associated with the plurality of parent icons and the plurality of child icons, wherein a set of related dynamic component graphics in the plurality of dynamic component graphics are adapted to change based on changes relating to a status of the computer resource. Additionally, in accordance with present techniques, a configurable sorting system may be adapted to pass a dynamic component graphic feature up the expandable component tree graphic from the at least one of the plurality of child icons to at least one of the plurality of parent icons based on a configuration of the sorting system.

Claims

1. An operating system, comprising:

an expandable component tree graphic, the expandable component tree graphic comprising a plurality of parent icons and a plurality of child icons, wherein the plurality of parent icons are expandable to reveal respective child icons and at least one of the plurality of child icons is associated with a computer resource;

a plurality of dynamic component graphics associated with the plurality of parent icons and the plurality of child icons, wherein a set of related dynamic component graphics in the plurality of dynamic component graphics are adapted to change based on changes relating to a status of the computer resource; and

a configurable sorting system adapted to pass a dynamic component graphic feature up the expandable component tree graphic from the at least one of the plurality of child icons to at least one of the plurality of parent icons based on a configuration of the sorting system.

2. The operating system of claim 1, wherein a second at least one of the plurality of child icons is also a one of the plurality of parent icons.

3. The operating system of claim 1, wherein the sorting system is user configurable.

4. The operating system of claim 1, wherein the operating system is adapted to associate the computer resource within the expandable component tree graphic using preprogrammed information in the computer resource.

5. The operating system of claim 1, wherein the expandable component tree graphic is adapted to illustrate a plurality of organizational views.

6. The operating system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of organizational views comprise a process view, an equipment view, and a network view.

7. The operating system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of dynamic component graphics are mapped to corresponding data in a database of component characteristics.

8. The operating system of claim 1, comprising a functional graphic that facilitates interaction with the computer resource.

9. The operating system of claim 8, wherein the functional graphic facilitates updating a version of the computer resource.

10. The operating system of claim 1, wherein the parent and child icons are adapted for graphical rearrangement by a user within the expandable component tree graphic.

11. The operating system of claim 1, wherein the configurable sorting system is adapted to pass a first dynamic component graphic up the expandable component tree graphic to a second dynamic component graphic associated with a related parent icon by replacing the second dynamic component graphic.

12. The operating system of claim 1, wherein the configurable sorting system is adapted to pass a first dynamic component graphic up the expandable component tree graphic to a second dynamic component graphic associated with a related parent icon by adding a feature of the first dynamic component graphic to the second dynamic component graphic.

18. The method of claim 1, comprising linking a functional graphic to the at least one of the plurality of child icons, the functional graphic adapted to facilitate interaction with the computer resource.

19. The method of claim 1, comprising passing a first dynamic graphic relating to a particular child icon up the expandable tree graphic to a second dynamic graphic associated with a particular parent icon by replacing a feature of the second dynamic graphic with a feature of the first dynamic graphic, where the particular parent icon expands to reveal the particular child icon.

13. A method of providing access to computer features, comprising:

populating an expandable component tree structure with a plurality of parent icons and a plurality of child icons, the plurality of parent icons being expandable to reveal related child icons,

mapping at least one of the plurality of child icons to a computer resource;

assigning a dynamic graphic representation of the computer resource to the at least one of the plurality of child icons, the dynamic graphic adapted to change graphic features based on a status relating to the computer resource; and

passing the dynamic graphic assigned to the at least one of the plurality of child icons to a parent dynamic graphic associated with at least one of the plurality of parent icons, the at least one of the plurality of parent icons being related to the at least one of the plurality of child icons.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising configuring a sorting system to organize the plurality of parent icons and the plurality of child icons in the expandable component tree structure according to a ranking.

15. The method of claim 13, comprising associating the computer resource to a particular child icon within the expandable component tree structure using preprogrammed information in the computer resource.

16. The method of claim 13, comprising rearranging the expandable component tree structure to illustrate a plurality of organizational views.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of organizational views comprise a process view, an equipment view, and a network view.

20. A system for providing access to computer features, comprising:

means for populating an expandable component tree structure with a plurality of parent icons and a plurality of child icons, the plurality of parent icons being expandable to reveal related child icons,

means for mapping at least one of the plurality of child icons to a computer resource;

means for assigning a dynamic graphic representation of the computer resource to the at least one of the plurality of child icons, the dynamic graphic adapted to change graphic features based on a status relating to the computer resource; and

means for passing the dynamic graphic assigned to the at least one of the plurality of child icons to a parent dynamic graphic associated with at least one of the plurality of parent icons, the at least one of the plurality of parent icons being related to the at least one of the plurality of child icons.