Methods and apparatus for controlling object appearance in a process control configuration system

• US 6,754,885 B1
• Filed: 11/23/1999
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Invensys Systems Incorporated (Invensys PLC)
• Original Assignee: Invensys Systems Incorporated (Invensys PLC)
• Inventors: Volk, Scott, Meskonis, Paul, Hall, Robert, Johnson, Mark, Dardinski, Steven, Eldridge, Keith, MacKay, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): INGBERG, TODD D
• Application Number:
  US09/448,845
• Time in Patent Office: 1,673 Days
• Field of Search: 717/113
• US Class Current: 717/113
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41845 characterised by system universality, reconfigurability, modularity
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23258 GUI graphical user interface, icon, function bloc editor, labview
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23261 Use control template library
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24055 Trace, store a working, operation history
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24167 Encryption, password, user access privileges
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25428 Field device
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31104 Remote configuration of parameters of controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33125 System configuration, reconfiguration, customization, automatic
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

The invention provides improved apparatus for configuring process, environmental, industrial and other control systems. Such apparatus employs “appearance” objects (or other data and/or programming constructs) defining the appearance of configurable system components in graphical editors or other views in which the components may be depicted. “Placeholder” objects (or other constructs) persist the location, size, color, or other aspects of appearance defined by an appearance object for a configurable component in views in which it is actually depicted. By way of example, a process control configuration apparatus according to this aspect of the invention uses “configurable” objects to define blocks, loops and other components of a process control system. Appearance objects provide (or reference) icons or representations indicating how the configurable objects are to be depicted, e.g., in a configuration editor. Placeholder objects are created for each configurable object that is placed in a configuration using that editor. The placeholder objects identify the sizes, locations, colors, etc., of the icons used in the editor to represent the configurable objects.

Claims

1. Apparatus for configuring a control system, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of objects (“

configurable”

objects) each defining a configurable entity, where each configurable object is associated with a specified object type,

one or more objects (“

appearance”

objects) that identity an appearance of one or more types of configurable objects in one or more views in which those types of configurable objects may be depicted, where each view is associated with a specified view type,

a plurality of objects (“

placeholder type”

objects) that, together, define valid combinations of object types and view types, where each placeholder type object defines an appearance of objects of a specified object type in views of a specified view type in which objects of object type can be displayed,

a plurality of persistent documents, each representing a configuration of configurable objects in accord with a selected one of a plurality of views in which configurable objects may be depicted, the persistent document including one or more objects (“

placeholder”

objects), each placeholder object identifying the location and appearance of a respective configurable object in the selected view to which that persistent document pertains, each placeholder object identifying the appearance object for that respective configurable object identifying the appearance of that configurable object in that selected view,

logic that responds to a selected one of the persistent documents by depicting configurable objects whose configuration is represented in that selected persistent document in accord with locations identified by placeholder objects included in that persistent document and with appearances identified by the respective appearance objects identified by those placeholder objects.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a configuration editor that invokes the logic to depict a configuration represented by the persistent document.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an appearance object identifies a graphical representation of a configurable object.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an appearance object identifies an icon representing a configurable object.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an appearance object identifies textual information for a configurable object.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the textual information includes any of a name and a type of configurable object.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an appearance object includes one or more macros identifying any of a graphical representation and textual information for a configurable object.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the macros have values obtained from the corresponding configurable object.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an object represents an entity within any of (i) a controlled system, (ii) the control system, (iii) a control level hierarchy, and (iv) the apparatus for configuring the control system.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein an entity includes any of a field device, control processor, block, loop, compound, historian, object type category, object connection, parameter connection, display placeholder, graphical display entity, and report.

11. Apparatus for configuring a process control system, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of objects (“

configurable”

objects) each defining a configurable entity in any of (i) a controlled process, (ii) the process control system, (iii) a control level hierarchy, and (iv) the apparatus for configuring the control system, where each configurable object is associated with a specified object type,

each configurable object being associated with one or more further objects (“

appearance”

objects) that identify an appearance of one or more types of configurable object in one or more views in which those types of configurable objects may be depicted, where each view is associated with a specified view type,

a plurality of objects (“

placeholder type”

objects) that, together, define valid combinations of object types and view types, where each placeholder type object defines an appearance of objects of a specified object type in views of a specified view type in which objects of object type can be displayed,

each configurable object being associated with one or more still further objects (“

placeholder”

objects), each identifying the location and appearance of a respective configurable object in a selected one of a plurality of views in which that configurable object may be depicted, each placeholder object identifying the appearance object for the associated configurable object for that selected view,

logic that responds to a placeholder object by depicting the associated configurable object in accord with the appearance identified by associated appearance object and in accord with any of the location, size, color and other aspect thereof identified by associated placeholder object.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, comprising a persistent document representing a configuration of configurable objects in accord with a selected view, the persistent document including one or more placeholder objects.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, comprising a configuration editor that invokes the logic to depict a configuration represented by the persistent document.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein an entity includes any of a liquid device, control processor, block, loop, compound, historian, object type category, object connection, parameter connection, display placeholder, graphical display entity, and report.

15. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein an appearance object identifies an icon representing a configurable object.

16. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein an appearance object identifies textual information for a configurable object.

17. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein an appearance object includes one or more macros identifying any of a graphical representation and textual information for a configurable object.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the macros have values obtained from the corresponding configurable object.

19. Apparatus for configuring a control system, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of objects (“

configurable”

objects) each defining a configurable entity, where each configurable object is associated with a specified object type,

one or more objects (“

appearance”

objects) that identity an appearance of one or more types of configurable objects in one or more views in which those types of configurable objects may be depicted, where each view is associated with a specified view type,

a plurality of objects (“

placeholder type”

objects) that, together, define valid combinations of object types and view types, where each placeholder type object defines an appearance of objects of a specified object type in views of a specified view type in which objects of object type can be displayed,

a plurality of persistent documents representing a configuration of configurable objects in accord with a one of a plurality of selected views in which configurable objects may be depicted, the persistent document comprising

one or more objects (“

placeholder”

objects), each placeholder object identifying the location and appearance of a respective configurable object in the selected view to which that persistent document pertains, each placeholder object identifying the appearance object for that respective configurable object identifying the appearance of that configurable object in that selected view,

one or more connector graphics depicting relationships between configurable objects,

logic that responds to a selected one of the persistent document by depicting configurable objects whose configuration is represented in that selected persistent document in accord with locations identified by placeholder objects included in that persistent document and with appearances identified by the respective appearance objects identified by those placeholder objects.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19, comprising at least one object (“

connection”

object) identifying any of a parent/child relationship, a source/sink relationship, and other relationship between configurable objects.

21. Apparatus according to claim 20, wherein each connector graphic depicts a relationship identified by an associated connection object.

22. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein each configurable object is associated with one or more parameters, each parameter identifying appearance objects associated with that configurable object.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein at least one object (“

descendant”

object) is defined as a descendant of another object (“

ancestor”

object) and is associated with one or more parameters of the ancestor object.

24. Apparatus according to claim 23, including functionality that facilitates definition, during configuration, of an object as a descendant of another object.

25. Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein a change during configuration to a parameter of an ancestor object being effective as to a descendant object with which that parameter is associated.

26. Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein a descendant object is associated with the parameters of the ancestor object from which it descends, and is associated with further parameters as consequence one or more parameters definitions contained in, or associated with, the descendant object.

27. Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein a parameter identifies information for maintaining the appearance of a configurable object in a persistent document.

28. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein a parameter identifies a graphical representation of a configurable object.

29. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein a parameter identifies an icon representing a configurable object.

30. Apparatus according to claim 29, wherein a parameter identifies textual information for a configurable object.

31. Apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the textual information includes any of a name and type of a configurable object.

32. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein a parameter includes one or more macros identifying any of a graphical representation and textual information for a configurable object.

33. Apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the macros have values obtained from the corresponding configurable object.

34. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein a parameter represents an entity within any of (i) a controlled system, (ii) the control system, (iii) a control level hierarchy, and (iv) the apparatus for configuring the control system.

35. Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein an entity includes any of a field device, control processor, block, loop, compound, historian, object type category, object connection, parameter connection, display placeholder, graphical display entity, and report.

36. A method for configuring a control system, the method comprising:

establishing a plurality of objects (“

configurable”

objects) each defining a configurable entity, where each configurable object is associated with a specified object type,

establishing one or more objects (“

appearance”

objects) that identity an appearance of one or more types of configurable objects in one or more views in which those types of configurable objects may be depicted, where each view is associated with a specified view type,

a plurality of objects (“

placeholder type”

objects) that, together, define valid combinations of object types and view types, where each placeholder type object defines an appearance of objects of a specified object type in views of a specified view type in which objects of object type can be displayed,

defining a plurality of persistent documents, each representing a configuration of configurable objects in accord with a selected one of a plurality of views in which configurable objects may be depicted, the persistent document including one or more objects (“

placeholder”

objects), each placeholder object identifying the location and appearance of a respective configurable object in the selected view to which that persistent document pertains, each placeholder object identifying the appearance object for that respective configurable object defining the appearance of that configurable object in that selected view,

invoking logic that responds to a selected one of the persistent documents by depicting configurable objects whose configuration is represented in that selected persistent document in accord with locations identified by placeholder objects included in that persistent document and with appearances identified by the respective appearance objects identified by those placeholder objects.

37. A method according to claim 36, comprising invoking the logic from a configuration editor in order to depict a configuration represented by the persistent document.

38. A method according to claim 36, comprising including in an appearance object a graphical representation of a configurable object.

39. A method according to claim 36, comprising including in an appearance object an icon representing a configurable object.

40. A method according to claim 39, comprising including in an appearance object textual information for a configurable object.

41. A method according to claim 40, wherein the textual information includes any of a name and a type of a configurable object.

42. A method according to claim 36, comprising including in an appearance object one or more macros identifying any of a graphical representation and textual information for a configurable object.

43. A method according to claim 42, comprising obtaining values for the macros from the corresponding configurable object.

44. A method according to claim 36, wherein an object represents an entity within any of (i) a controlled system, (ii) the control system, (iii) a control level hierarchy, and (iv) the method for configuring the control system.

45. A method according to claim 44, wherein an entity includes any of a field device, control processor, block, loop, compound, historian, object type category, object connection, parameter connection, display placeholder, graphical display entity, and report.

46. A method for configuring a process a control system, the method comprising:

establishing a plurality of objects (“

configurable”

objects) each defining a configurable entity in any of (i) a controlled process, (ii) the process control system, (iii) a control level hierarchy, and (iv) the method for configuring the control system, where each configurable object is associated with a specified object type,

associating each configurable object with one or more further types of objects (“

appearance”

objects) that identify an appearance of the associated configurable object in one or more views in which the configurable object may be depicted, where each view is associated with a specified view type,

a plurality of objects (“

placeholder type”

objects) that, together, define valid combinations of object types and view types, where each placeholder type object defines an appearance of objects of a specified object type in views of a specified view type in which objects of object type can be displayed,

associated each configurable object with one or more still further objects (“

placeholder”

objects), each identifying the location and appearance of a respective configurable object in a selected one of a plurality of views in which that configurable object may be depicted, each placeholder object identifying the appearance object for the associated configurable object for that selected view,

invoking logic that responds to a placeholder object by depicting the associated configurable object in accord with the appearance identified by associated appearance object and in accord with any of the location, size, color and other aspect thereof identified by associated placeholder object.

47. A method according to claim 46, comprising defining a persistent document representing a configuration of configurable objects in accord with a selected view, the persistent document including one or more placeholder objects.

48. A method according to claim 47, comprising invoking the logic from a configuration editor in order to depict a configuration represented by the persistent document.

49. A method according to claim 48, wherein an entity includes any of a field device, control processor, block, loop, compound, historian, object type category, object connection, parameter connection, display placeholder, graphical display entity, and report.

50. A method according to claim 49, comprising including in an appearance object textual information for a configurable object.

51. A method according to claim 48, comprising including in an appearance object an icon representing a configurable object.

52. A method according claim 48, comprising including in an appearance object one or more macros identifying any of a graphical representation and textual information for a configurable object.

53. A method according to claim 52, comprising obtaining values for the macros from the corresponding configurable object.

54. A method for configuring a control system, the method comprising:

establishing a plurality of objects (“

configurable”

objects) each defining a configurable entity, where each configurable object is associated with a specified object type,

establishing one or more objects (“

appearance”

objects) that identity an appearance of one or more types of configurable objects in one or more views in which those types of configurable objects may be depicted, where each view is associated with a specified view type,

a plurality of objects (“

placeholder type”

objects) that, together, define valid combinations of object types and view types, where each placeholder type object defines an appearance of objects of a specified object type in views of a specified view type in which objects of object type can be displayed,

defining a plurality of persistent documents representing a configuration of configurable objects in accord with a one of a plurality of selected views in which configurable objects may be depicted, the persistent document comprising

one or more objects (“

placeholder”

objects), each placeholder object identifying the location and appearance of a respective configurable object in the selected view to which that persistent document pertains, each placeholder object identifying the appearance object for that respective configurable object identifying the appearance of that configurable object in that selected view,

one or more connector graphics depicting relationships between configurable objects,

invoking logic that responds to a selected one of the persistent documents by depicting configurable objects whose configuration is represented in that selected persistent document in accord with locations identified by placeholder objects included in that persistent document and with appearances identified by the respective appearance objects identified by those placeholder objects.

55. A method according to claim 54, comprising at least one object (“

connection”

object) identifying any of a parent/child relationship, a source/sink relationship, and other relationship between configurable objects.

56. A method according to claim 55, wherein each connector graphic depicts a relationship identified by an associated connection object.

57. A method according to claim 54, wherein each configurable object is associated with one or more parameters, each parameter identifying appearance objects associated with that configurable object.

58. A method according to claim 57, wherein at least one object (“

descendant”

object) is defined as a descendant of another object (“

ancestor”

object) and is associated with one or more parameters o the ancestor object.

59. A method according to claim 58, including functionality that facilitates definition, during configuration, of an object as a descendant of another object.

60. A method according to claim 58, wherein a change during configuration to a parameter of an ancestor object being effective as to a descendant object with which that parameter is associated.

61. A method according to claim 58, wherein a descendant object associated with the parameters of the ancestor object from which it descends, and is associated with further parameters as consequence one or more parameters definitions contained in, or associated with, the descendant object.

62. A method according to claim 58, comprising including in a parameter information for maintaining the appearance of a configurable object in a persistent document.

63. A method according to claim 62, comprising including in a parameter information that identifies a graphical representation of a configurable object.

64. A method according to claim 62, comprising including in a parameter information that identifies an icon representing a configurable object.

65. A method according to claim 64, comprising including in a parameter information that identifies textual information for a configurable object.

66. A method according to claim 65, wherein the textual information includes any of a name and a type of a configurable object.

67. A method according to claim 62, wherein a parameter includes one or more macros identifying any of a graphical representation and textual information for a configurable object.

68. A method according to claim 67, comprising obtaining values for the macros from the corresponding configurable object.

69. A method according to claim 62, wherein a parameter represents an entity within any of (i) a controlled system, (ii) the control system, (iii) a control level hierarchy, and (iv) the method for configuring the control system.

70. A method according to claim 69, wherein an entity includes any of a field device, control processor, block, loop, compound, historian, object type category, object connection, parameter connection, display placeholder, graphical display entity, and report.