Method for Displaying Data in an Industrial Control System

• US 20080275971A1
• Filed: 11/14/2005
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Research Ltd. (ABB Ltd.)
• Inventors: Mathiesen, Mogens, Pretlove, John, Svensson, Stefan, Oberg, Pierre
• Granted Patent: US 8,126,964 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/222
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31198 VPN virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

A method for distribute or share data provided by a server process of an industrial control system to a client process running on a first machine of a first user, with a client process running on a machine of a second user. The server session is logged by the server process. It is determined that the first user makes a selection to distribute or share a client process with at least one second user. An address is retrieved for the at least one other user, and a channel is opened thus providing the same data provided to the client process running on the first machine to a client process running on a second machine of at least one second user. Also system, a human-machine interface and a computer program for carrying out the method.

Claims

1. A method for displaying data provided by a server process of an industrial control system to a client process running on a machine of a first user, which session is logged by said server process, the method comprising:

determining that said first user makes a selection to distribute or share said data of said client process with at least one second user,

retrieving an address for the at least one other user, and

opening a channel and providing the same said data from said client process to at least one second user.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

formatting or re-formatting the data of said client process according to a formatting requirement of the at least one other user or their machine, and

providing the data to the at least one other user in a form compatible with the format required.

3. The A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

formatting said data of said client process according to known read/write privileges of the at least one other user and then providing said data to the at least one other user.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

formatting said data of said client process according to a privilege for technical and/or operational authority of the at least one other user, and

providing the data in a form compatible with the format and privileges necessary for the at least one other user.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving and/or storing at least part of said data and providing at least part of said from a first logged session with said first user to the at least one other user or their machine.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

storing at least part of said data from a session with said client process of said first user in a memory storage means.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

retrieving part of said data from a memory storage of an industrial data network arranged for supervision and/or control.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving by means of an indication or selection of a request to share a said data of a current session of a said server process and providing to the requestor means to input, select, record or otherwise indicate an identity for at least one second user.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

receiving the identity for at least one second user and sending an invitation to the or each at least one second user to share said information.

10. The A method according to claim 9, further comprising:

receiving an affirmative answer from the at least one second user to share said data from a session with said first user.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

a server process receiving a share request from a client of said first user and determining that the client is currently in a shared session.

12. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

registering an indication by the first user for technical assistance in respect of a device or process identifiable to said industrial control system, and

sending from the server to the first user a computer program means for the first user to request a shared session with at least one second user.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

determining from the identity for at least one second user and/or from the current logged session and/or a stored logged session a document format or formats required by the at least one second user or their user machine.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

determining that the client is currently in a shared session, and,

by formatting said data as a document according to a privilege or format for the at least one second user or user machine indicated in the information of a logged session and/or indicated in a database comprising details for technical requirements of each user.

15. The A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

opening a new channel for a client of the at least one second user, and

sending to the client of the second user an update command and a format for a document for a new page or pages.

16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing the status or condition of an industrial device or system by means of the said data shown by a display means by means of a text display and/or a graphical user interface running on any processor-equipped device from the list of;

workstation, controller, portable computer, personal digital assistant, mobile phone, mobile computing device.

17. A computer program for displaying data stored by a server, wherein information about a session with a client of a first user is stored by said server, said program comprising software code portions or computer code to cause a computer or processor to carry out the steps of a method according claim 1.

18. A computer program product recorded on a computer readable medium which when read into a computer or processor will cause the computer or processor to carry out a method according to claim 1.

19. A graphical user interface for displaying data provided by a server process of an industrial control system to a client process running on a machine of a first user, which session is logged by said server process, the graphical user interface comprising:

a GUI member arranged with a text function or graphical user interface functions for activating a sharing action.

20. The graphical user interface according to claim 19, further comprising:

a text function or GUI function for configuring an identity of a second user with whom or which to share said information.

21. The graphical user interface according to claim 20, wherein the text function or GUI function for configuring a second user to share said data comprises graphic or text procedures to specify read or read/write privileges for one or more second users.

22. The graphical user interface according to claim 20, wherein the text means or GUI member for configuring a second user to share said data comprises a graphic or text procedure to specify a technical authority or privilege for one or more second users.

23. A system for displaying data provided by a server process of an industrial control system to a client process running on a machine of a first user, which session is logged by said server process, the system comprising:

at least one application which may be a server process which application is additionally arranged with one or more programs or procedures for

determining that said first user selects to distribute and share said data of said client process with at least one other user, and

retrieving an address for the at least one other user machine, and for opening a channel and providing the same said data from said client process to user machine.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the server application is arranged to provide, on request, at least part of said data from the logged session of said first user to at least one second user.

25. The system according to claim 23, further comprising:

two or more client applications each comprising a function for recognizing a communication from a server or web server about sharing stored data.

26. The system according to claim 23, further comprising:

document format data and procedures for formatting or re-formatting said data to any of a plurality of document display formats suitable for display on any of a plurality of different types of computer-equipped devices.

36. Use of a system according to claim 23 to monitor, maintain, diagnose and/or control an industrial process or equipment such as any from the list of:

a chemical or petrochemical process, an oil and/or gas installation, mine equipment, a technical system, industrial process control equipment, industrial production equipment, industrial automation equipment, industrial robot equipment.

37. Use of a system according to claim 23 to monitor, maintain, diagnose and/or control equipment for any from the list of:

electricity generation, electricity transmission, electricity distribution, electricity conversion.

27. A software application for displaying data provided by a server process of an industrial control system to a client process running on a machine of a first user, which session is logged by said server process, the application comprising procedures to:

determine that said first user selects to distribute and share said data of said client process with at least one other user,

retrieve an address for the at least one other user machine and

cause a channel to be opened to provide the same said data from said client process to the at least one other user.

28. The software application according to claim 27, further comprising procedures to:

determine that said first user has selected a requirement to distribute and share with at least one other user, and

retrieve an address for the at least one other user dependent on an identity for the at least one other user indicated by said first user.

29. The software application according to claim 27, further comprising procedures to:

format or re-format said data of said client process according to a format requirements of the at least one other user and/or their machine.

30. The software application according to claim 27, further comprising procedures to:

retrieve and/or store at least part of said data and provide at least part of said data from a first logged session with said first user to the at least one other user and/or their machine.

31. The software application according to claim 27, further comprising running one or more procedures on a real or virtual machine running on any of a:

node, gateway, hub, router, data server.

32. The software application according to claim 27, wherein a program executing locally runs one or more procedures on a real or virtual machine running on a machine of the at least one other user.

33. The software application according to claim 27, further comprising procedures to:

provide, on request, a text display or a graphical user interface or other means for recording a requirement of said first user to distribute or share the formatted data of said client process with at least one other user.

34. The software application according to claim 27, further comprising one or more procedures to:

record an identity and/or address for the indicated at least one other user.

35. The software application according to claim 27, further comprising one or more procedures to:

record privileges of the at least one other user.

38. An industrial control system for displaying data provided by a server process of a said industrial control system to a client process running on a machine of a first user, which session is logged by said server process, the system comprising:

at least one application which may be a server process which application is additionally arranged with one or more programs or procedures for providing the same said data from said client process running on a first user machine to at least one second user machine, and

at least one second user machine with a display on which text and/or graphics of a client process may be displayed.