Dynamically Linked Graphical Messages for Process Control Systems

• US 20110072382A1
• Filed: 09/16/2010
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Caldwell, John M., Scott, Cindy A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,683,317 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/772
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31472 Graphical display of process
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31474 Icon display for quick access of detailed information
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0216 Human interface functionality, e.g. monitoring system providing help to the user in the selection of tests or in its configuration

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing dynamically linked graphical messages in a process control system are disclosed. A dynamically linked graphical message may include a hyperlink and an electronic sticky note image. At run-time of a display view, the hyperlink may be established between contents of the electronic sticky note image and a process control object, and the electronic sticky note image may be displayed proximate to a representation of the process control object. The electronic sticky note image may automatically be displayed on any display view (displayed on any computing device in communication with the process control system) that includes a representation of the process control object or corresponding sub-class object. The contents of the electronic sticky note image may be stored separately from configurations of the process control object and the display view. User interfaces for administering and displaying properties of dynamically linked graphical messages are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A dynamically linked graphical messaging system for use in a process control system of a process control plant, the dynamically linked graphical messaging system comprising:

a computing device in communication with the process control system, the computing device having a processor, a memory and a display;

computer-executable instructions for a dynamically linked graphical message provider, the computer-executable instructions stored on the memory of the computing device and executable by the processor to;

create a dynamically linked graphical message, the dynamically linked graphical message including a hyperlink and an electronic sticky note image, the electronic sticky note image including a field;

store a content of the field of the electronic sticky note image in an entry of a centralized database that is accessible to the process control system;

associate the content of the field of the electronic sticky note image with a process control object that is configured in the process control system;

establish, during a run-time of a display view on the display, the hyperlink between the content of the field and the process control object, the display view including a representation of the process control object; and

present, in conjunction with the representation of the process control object on the display view, the electronic sticky note image including the content of the field.

2. The dynamically linked graphical messaging system of claim 1, wherein:

the computing device is a first computing device, the display view is a first display view, the display is a first display, and the computer-executable instructions are first computer-executable instructions;

the dynamically linked graphical messaging system further comprises a second computing device in communication with the process control system; and

the second computing device includes second computer-executable instructions stored on a memory of the second computing device and executable by a processor of the second computing device to;

establish, during a run-time of a second display view on a second display of the second computing device, the hyperlink between the content of the field and the process control object; and

present, in conjunction with the representation of the process control object on the second display view, the electronic sticky note image including the content of the field.

3. The dynamically linked graphical messaging system of claim 1, wherein the process control object is a process control class object, and wherein the dynamically linked graphical message further includes a set of additional hyperlinks corresponding to sub-class objects of the process control class object, wherein the computer-executable instructions for the dynamically linked graphical message provider are further executable to:

associate the content of the field of the electronic sticky note image with a sub-class object;

establish, during a run-time of a particular display view that includes a representation of the sub-class object, an additional hyperlink between the content of the field and the sub-class object; and

present, in conjunction with the representation of the sub-class object, the electronic sticky note image including the content of the field.

4. The dynamically linked graphical messaging system of claim 1, wherein the entry of the centralized database comprises an indication that the entry of the centralized database corresponds to the dynamically linked graphical message.

5. The dynamically linked graphical messaging system of claim 1, wherein the centralized database is at least one of:

an electronic logbook, a historian database, an event database, or a knowledge object database.

6. The dynamically linked graphical messaging system of claim 1, wherein the content of the field of the electronic sticky note image is stored across more than one centralized database.

7. The dynamically linked graphical messaging system of claim 1, further comprising:

a dynamically linked graphical message database that is logically independent from the centralized database;

an entry in the dynamically linked graphical message database corresponding to the dynamically linked graphical message; and

a user interface to the dynamically linked graphical message database,

wherein the computer-executable instructions are further executable to establish the hyperlink based on the entry in the dynamically linked graphical message database corresponding to the dynamically linked graphical message.

8. The dynamically linked graphical messaging system of claim 7, wherein the entry the dynamically linked graphical message database corresponding to the dynamically linked graphical message includes at least one of:

an identification of the dynamically linked graphical message;

a creation time;

an expiration period;

an indication of the process control object;

an indication of the centralized database;

an indication of an author, a category or type of the dynamically linked graphical message;

an indication of a visibility corresponding to an authorization level of a user or group of users;

or an additional information field.

9. The dynamically linked graphical messaging system of claim 8, wherein after the expiration period expires or after a deletion of the dynamically linked graphical message, the electronic sticky note image is removed from the display view, the hyperlink is disabled, the entry in the dynamically linked graphical message database is deleted, and the content is maintained in the centralized database.

10. The dynamically linked graphical messaging system of claim 1, wherein the display view includes a dynamically linked graphical message visibility indicator signifying that at least one dynamically linked graphical message is defined but not visible.

11. The dynamically linked graphical messaging system of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions for the dynamically linked graphical message provider are further executable by the processor to provide a set of dynamically linked graphical message administrative operations including at least one of:

create, modify, link, search, set permissions, or delete.

12. The dynamically linked graphical messaging system of claim 11, wherein the set of dynamically linked graphical message administrative operations is accessible via at least one of:

a user interface for the centralized database, a user interface for the process control object, or a user interface for the display view.

13. The dynamically linked graphical messaging system of claim 12, wherein the modify dynamically linked graphical message administrative operation comprises at least one of:

modifying a content of a selected dynamically linked graphical message, or modifying an appearance of a particular electronic sticky note image corresponding to the selected dynamically linked graphical message,

wherein modifying the appearance of the electronic sticky note image comprises modifying at least one of;

a shape, a color, a size, a dynamic visual characteristic, a location, or a font.

14. The dynamically linked graphical messaging system of claim 1, wherein the electronic sticky note image is at least one of:

re-sizeable;

able to be moved to a different location on the display;

able to be brought to a foreground of the display or sent to a background of the display;

able to be hidden and unhidden;

or

scalable in proportion to a size of the display.

15. The dynamically linked graphical messaging system of claim 1, wherein:

the dynamically linked graphical message provider further displays a window in response to a user-initiated action corresponding to the electronic sticky note image presented on the display view;

the window includes the content of the field and at least one additional database field of the entry of the centralized database;

the at least one additional database field includes at least one of;

an author field, a creation date field, a title field, a message detail field, and an expiration field; and

the user-initiated action comprises one of a user-initiated mouse action, a user-initiated cursor action, a voice command, or a user-initiated touch-screen action.

16. The dynamically linked graphical messaging system of claim 1, wherein

the electronic sticky note image has a visual characteristic, the visual characteristic being at least one of:

a color, a shape, a font, a size, or a dynamic attribute; and

the visual characteristic corresponds to at least one of;

a dynamically linked graphical message type, a user identification, a physical location in the process control plant, a process control object class, or a priority of the dynamically linked graphical message.

17. The dynamically linked graphical messaging system of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions for the dynamically linked graphical message provider are further executable to filter a visibility of available dynamically linked graphical messages on the display based on at least one of:

an authorization level associated with a user, a physical area of the process control plant, or a user-specified criteria.

18. A dynamically linked graphical message for use in a process control system of a process control plant, comprising:

an electronic sticky note image presented in conjunction with a representation of a process control object of the process control system, the electronic sticky note image and the representation of the process control object presented on a display view on a display of a computing device, the computing device in communication with the process control system, the process control object configured in the process control system, and the electronic sticky note image including a field;

a hyperlink established at run-time of the display view, the hyperlink linking a content of the field of the electronic sticky note image to the process control object, the content of the field being stored in an entry in at least one centralized database of the process control system; and

an entry in a dynamically linked graphical message database including an indication of the dynamically linked graphical message, an indication of the process control object, and an indication of the at least one centralized database, the dynamically linked graphical message database being logically independent of the at least one centralized database; and

the entry excluding a configuration of the process control object and a configuration of the display view.

19. The dynamically linked graphical message of claim 18, wherein:

the entry in the dynamically linked graphical message database further includes at least one additional database field selected from;

a title field, an author field, a message detail field, a creation date field, an expiration field, and a second hyperlink to a second process control object configured in the process control system,

the at least one additional database field is displayed in a window that appears on the display view in response to a user-initiated action corresponding to the dynamically linked graphical message, and

the user-initiated action comprises one of a user-initiated mouse action, a user-initiated cursor action, a user-initiated voice activation, or a user-initiated touch-screen action.

20. The dynamically linked graphical message of claim 18, wherein the at least one centralized database comprises two or more centralized databases.

21. The dynamically linked graphical message of claim 18, wherein the electronic sticky note image is at least one of:

re-sizeable;

able to be moved to a different location on the display;

able to be brought to a foreground of the display or sent to a background of the display;

able to be hidden and unhidden;

or

scalable in proportion to a size of the display.

22. The dynamically linked graphical message of claim 18, wherein the dynamically linked graphical message appears in conjunction with the representation of the process control object on each of two or more display views, wherein each of the two or more display views is presented on a different computing device in communication with the process control system.

23. The dynamically linked graphical message of claim 18, wherein:

the process control object is a class object;

the dynamically linked graphical message further includes a set of additional hyperlinks with each additional hyperlink linking the content of the field to a different sub-class object of the class object; and

the each additional hyperlink is established at run-time of a particular display view that includes a representation of the different sub-class object.

24. The dynamically linked graphical message of claim 18, wherein the dynamically linked graphical message is at least one of:

created, viewed, modified, or deleted by a user.

25. The dynamically linked graphical message of claim 24, wherein the dynamically linked graphical message is at least one of:

created, viewed, modified, or deleted by the user based on an authorization level.

26. The dynamically linked graphical message of claim 24, wherein the dynamically linked graphical message is at least one of:

created, viewed, modified, or deleted by the user via at least one of;

a user interface for the at least one centralized database, a user interface for the display view, or a user interface for the process control object.

27. The dynamically linked graphical message of claim 18, wherein the dynamically linked graphical message is deleted after a time expiration.

28. The dynamically linked graphical message of claim 18, wherein

the electronic sticky note image has a visual characteristic, the visual characteristic being at least one of:

a color, a shape, a font, or a dynamic attribute; and

the visual characteristic corresponds to at least one of;

a type of the dynamically linked graphical message, an authorization level of a user, a physical location in the process control plant, a priority of the dynamically linked graphical message, or a user-specified criteria.

29. The dynamically linked graphical message of claim 28, wherein the visual characteristic is at least one of selectable or modifiable.

30. A method for providing dynamically linked graphical messages in a process control system of a process control plant, comprising:

creating a dynamically linked graphical message, the dynamically linked graphical message including a hyperlink and an electronic sticky note image, the electronic sticky note image including a field;

storing a content of the field of the electronic sticky note image in an entry of a centralized database accessible to the process control system;

associating the content of the field with a process control object configured in the process control system;

establishing, during a run-time of a display view on a display of a computing device in communication with the process control system, the hyperlink between the content of the field and the process control object, the display view including a representation of the process control object; and

presenting on the display view, in conjunction with the representation of the process control object, the electronic sticky note image including the content of the field.

31. The method of claim 30:

wherein the display view is a first display view, the display is a first display, and the computing device is a first computing device; and

the method further comprises;

establishing, during a run-time of a second display view on a second display of a second computing device in communication with the process control system, the hyperlink between the content of the field and the process control object, the second display view including the representation of the process control object; and

presenting on the second display view, in conjunction with the representation of the process control object, the electronic sticky note image including the content of the field.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising providing a set of administrative operations for dynamically linked graphical messages, the set of administrative operations including at least one of:

create message, modify message, delete message, set permissions for message, or link message.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising providing the set of administrative operations via at least one of:

a user interface for the display view, a user interface for the centralized database, or a user interface for administrating process control objects in the process control system.

34. The method of claim 30:

wherein associating the content of the field with the process control object comprises associating the content of the field with a process control class object; and

the method further comprises;

associating the content of the field of the electronic sticky note image with a sub-class object of the process control class object;

establishing, during a run-time of a particular display view that includes a representation of the sub-class object, an additional hyperlink between the content of the field and the sub-class object; and

presenting on the particular display view, in conjunction with the representation of the sub-class object, the electronic sticky note image including the content of the field.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein establishing the hyperlink comprises retrieving the content of the field from the centralized database, and wherein the centralized database is at least one of:

an electronic logbook, a historian database, an event database, or a knowledge object database.

36. The method of claim 30, further comprising providing an indication signifying that the entry of the centralized database in which the content is stored corresponds to one or more dynamically linked graphical messages.

37. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

providing a dynamically linked graphical message database including an entry of the that corresponds to the dynamically linked graphical message, and wherein the dynamically linked graphical message database excludes a configuration of the process control object and excludes a configuration of the display view; and

providing a user interface to the dynamically linked graphical message database including a set of database administration functions and a search capability.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising providing one or more fields in the entry of the dynamically linked graphical message database corresponding to the dynamically linked graphical message, wherein the one or more fields each correspond to one of:

an identification of the dynamically linked graphical message;

a creation time;

an expiration time;

an indication of the process control object;

an indication of the centralized database;

an indication of an author, a category or type;

an indication of a visibility corresponding to an autorization level of a user or group of users;

or an additional information field.

39. The method of claim 38, further including comprising deleting the dynamically linked graphical message based on at least one of a user command or a timer expiration, including:

removing the electronic sticky note image from the display view;

disabling the hyperlink;

deleting the entry from the dynamically linked graphical message database corresponding to the dynamically linked graphical message; and

maintaining the content of the field in the centralized database.

40. The method of claim 30, further comprising providing a visibility indicator on the display view, the visibility indicator indicating that at least one dynamically linked graphical message is active but not visible on the display view.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

filtering a set of active dynamically linked graphical messages associated with the display view; and

displaying a set of electronic sticky note images corresponding to one of the filtered set or an inverse of the filtered set on the display view, wherein

the filtering is based on at least one of;

an authorization level associated with a user, a physical area of the process control plant, or a user-specified criteria.