METHOD FOR INITIATING OR RESUMING A MOBILE CONTROL SESSION IN A PROCESS PLANT

• US 20140277618A1
• Filed: 09/17/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Nixon, Mark J., Beoughter, Ken J., Christensen, Daniel D., Moore, James H. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 10,649,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 11/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

User interface sessions in a user interface device are initiated or resumed according to a device type and a target session. A session request is received from a first client device. A device type associated with the session request is determined, and a graphical user interface configuration is identified according to the device type. A target session associated with the session request is identified and a new session is configured for the first client device according to the identified graphical user interface configuration and the identified target session. Data associated with the new session are transmitted to the first client device.

Claims

1. A method of initiating a user interface session on a first client device for controlling a process plant, the method comprising:

receiving from the first client device a session request;

determining a device type associated with the session request;

identifying a graphical user interface configuration according to the device type;

identifying a target session associated with the session request;

configuring for the first client device a new session according to the identified graphical user interface configuration and the identified target session;

transmitting to the first client device data associated with the new session.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein receiving from the first client device a session request comprises receiving (1) a target session identifier and (2) a device type.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein configuring for the first client device a new session according to the identified graphical user interface configuration and the identified target session comprises:

identifying as session data one or more of a process area, an equipment resource, or a set of process data monitored or controlled in the target session; and

configuring the new session to monitor or control the identified session data according to constraints associated with the identified graphical user interface configuration.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein configuring for the first client device a new session according to the identified graphical user interface configuration and the identified target session comprises identifying context data associated with the session request.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein identifying context data associated with the session request comprises:

(a) identifying location of the first client device in the process plant;

(b) identifying a user type or a user identifier associated with the session request;

(c) identifying a user type or a user identifier associated with the first client device;

(d) identifying one or more process control devices within a predetermined distance from the first client device;

(e) identifying a function being performed on a second user interface device associated with the target session;

or

(f) identifying a user identifier associated with a second user interface device associated with the target session.