APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DEFINING AND CONTROLLING GRAPHICAL FACEPLATES IN A PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20090157200A1
• Filed: 02/12/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Hams, Colin
• Granted Patent: US 8,001,480 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31435 Paging support with display board, status monitoring and report compiling
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31474 Icon display for quick access of detailed information
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0267 Fault communication, e.g. human machine interface [HMI]

Abstract

A method includes receiving information identifying one or more elements to be presented in a first faceplate. The first faceplate is associated with control of a process system. The method also includes receiving information identifying an auto-selection behavior associated with the first faceplate. The method further includes displaying the first faceplate to an operator and automatically selecting one of the elements in the first faceplate based on the received information. A centralized component (like a faceplate controller) automatically selects elements in multiple faceplates, including the first faceplate. The centralized component could automatically select the element to receive focus in the first faceplate. The centralized component could also identify a specified element associated with a command to be executed, even when the specified element does not have focus in the first faceplate.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving information identifying one or more elements to be presented in a first faceplate, the first faceplate associated with control of a process system;

receiving information identifying an auto-selection behavior associated with the first faceplate;

displaying the first faceplate to an operator; and

automatically selecting one of the elements in the first faceplate based on the received information, wherein a centralized component automatically selects elements in multiple faceplates including the first faceplate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information identifying the one or more elements comprises information identifying at least one of:

a setpoint element, an output element, and a mode element associated with the first faceplate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the information identifying the auto-selection behavior comprises an identification of an element to receive focus in the first faceplate; and

automatically selecting one of the elements comprises automatically placing focus on the element in the displayed first faceplate.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the element that receives focus in the displayed first faceplate comprises at least one of:

a setpoint element or an output element, the setpoint element receiving focus when a mode element has a first value, the output element receiving focus when the mode element has a second value; and

a user-specified element.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the setpoint element or the output element receives focus in the displayed first faceplate in response to at least one of;

an invocation of the first faceplate, a re-invocation of the first faceplate, and a change in the mode element initiated by the operator; and

the user-specified element receives focus in the displayed first faceplate in response to at least one of;

the invocation of the first faceplate and the re-invocation of the first faceplate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information identifying the auto-selection behavior comprises an identification of a specified element associated with a command to be executed.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein automatically selecting one of the elements comprises executing the command in association with the specified element, even when the specified element does not have focus in the displayed first faceplate.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the information identifying the one or more elements and receiving the information identifying the auto-selection behavior comprises receiving the information at the centralized component through a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface presenting information and settings related to configuration of multiple types of graphical displays.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first faceplate is associated with a piece of industrial equipment that is controlled by a process control system, the operator adjusting the control of the piece of industrial equipment using the first faceplate.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store;

information identifying one or more elements to be presented in each of multiple faceplates, the faceplates associated with control of a process system; and

information identifying an auto-selection behavior associated with the each of the faceplates; and

a faceplate controller configured to automatically select one of the elements in a first of the faceplates in accordance with the auto-selection behavior associated with the first faceplate when the first faceplate is displayed to an operator.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the faceplate controller is further configured to automatically select one of the elements in a second of the faceplates in accordance with the auto-selection behavior associated with the second faceplate when the second faceplate is displayed to the operator.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the information identifying the auto-selection behavior comprises an identification of an element to receive focus in the first faceplate; and

the faceplate controller is configured to automatically select one of the elements by automatically placing focus on the element in the first faceplate.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the element that receives focus in the first faceplate comprises at least one or:

a setpoint element or an output element, the setpoint element receiving focus when a mode element has a first value, the output element receiving focus when the mode element has a second value; and

a user-specified element.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the faceplate controller is further configured to determine when the operator places focus on a graphical display other than the first faceplate before focus is placed on the element in the first faceplate and to not place focus on the element in the first faceplate in response to the determination.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the information identifying the auto-selection behavior comprises an identification of a specified element associated with a command to be executed.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the faceplate controller is configured to automatically select one of the elements by invoking execution of the command in association with the specified element, even when the specified element does not have focus in the first faceplate.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the faceplate controller is configured to receive the information identifying the one or more elements of the faceplates and the information identifying the auto-selection behavior of the faceplates through a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface presenting information and settings related to configuration of multiple types of graphical displays.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first faceplate is associated with a piece of industrial equipment that is controlled by a process control system, the operator adjusting the control of the piece of industrial equipment using the first faceplate.

19. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program comprising:

computer readable program code for receiving information identifying one or more elements to be presented in each of multiple faceplates, the faceplates associated with control of a process system;

computer readable program code for receiving information identifying an auto-selection behavior associated with the each of the faceplates; and

computer readable program code for (i) automatically selecting one of the elements in a first of the faceplates in accordance with the auto-selection behavior associated with the first faceplate when the first faceplate is displayed to an operator and (ii) automatically selecting one of the elements in a second of the faceplates in accordance with the auto-selection behavior associated with the second faceplate when the second faceplate is displayed to the operator.

20. The computer program of claim 19, wherein the computer readable program code for receiving the information identifying the one or more elements of the faceplates and the computer readable program code for receiving the information identifying the auto-selection behavior of the faceplates comprises computer readable program code for presenting a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface presenting information and settings related to configuration of multiple types of graphical displays.