Process variable gauge interface and methods regarding same

• US 6,952,808 B1
• Filed: 07/01/1999
• Issued: 10/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Guerlain, Stephanie A. E., Jamieson, Gregory A., Bullemer, Peter T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Ba
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, MYLINH T
• Application Number:
  US09/346,412
• Time in Patent Office: 2,287 Days
• Field of Search: 345/440, 345/440.1, 345/440.2, 345/965, 345/970, 345/771, 345/764, 700/83, 702/127, 702/128
• US Class Current: 715/833
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/409 characterised by using manual data input [MDI] or by using control panel, e.g. controlling functions with the panel; characterised by control panel details or by setting parameters G05B19/408, G05B19/4093 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0235 based on a comparison with predetermined threshold or range, e.g. "classical methods", carried out during normal operation; threshold adaptation or choice; when or how to compare with the threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0267 Fault communication, e.g. human machine interface [HMI]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/965 for process control and configuration
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/97 Instrumentation and component modelling, e.g. interactive control panel

Abstract

A graphical user interface for providing real-time process information to a user with regard to a process that is operable under control of one or more process variables includes a scale extending along a gauge axis and one or more bars extending along the gauge axis. Each bar is representative of a set of high and low process limit values for a process variable. Further, the graphical user interface includes a graphical shape displayed along the gauge axis representative of a current value of the process variable. A computer implemented method for providing the graphical user interface is also provided.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface for providing real-time process information to a user with regard to a process that is operable under control of one or more process variables, the graphical user interface comprising:

a scale extending along a gauge axis;

one or more bars extending along the gauge axis with the scale, each bar representative of a set of high and low process limit values for a process variable, wherein the one or more bars extending along the gauge axis comprises;

a first bar extending along the gauge axis, wherein a first end of the first bar is representative of an user set engineering hard high limit for the process variable and a second end of the first bar is representative of an user set engineering hard low limit for the process variable, wherein the first end and second end of the first bar representative of the engineering hard high and hard low limits define a range in which operator set high and low limits are set; and

a second bar extending along the gauge axis, wherein a first end of the second bar is representative of the operator set high limit for the process variable and a second end of the second bar is representative of the operator set low limit for the process variable, wherein the first end and second end of the second bar representative of the operator set high and low limits define a range in which the process is free to operate, wherein each of the operator set high and low limits are adjustable so as to exert influence on the process; and

a graphical shape displayed along the gauge axis representative of a current value of the process variable.

2. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the second bar extending along the gauge axis representative of operator set high and low limits for the process variable extends along the gauge axis within the it bar representative of the engineering hard high and low limits for the process variable.

3. The graphical user interface of claim 2, wherein the one or more bars extending along the gauge axis further comprise a delta soft high region within the second bar and adjacent the first end thereof and a delta soft low region within the second bar and adjacent the second end thereof, and further wherein the delta soft high region and the delta soft low region are representative of a delta optimization range within the operator set high and low limits.

4. The graphical user interface of claim 3, wherein the delta soft high region and the delta soft low region overlap within the second bar to provide for optimization to a pseudo set point.

5. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises user manipulation elements movable to change one or more of the high and low process limit values.

6. The graphical user interface of claim 5, wherein the scale extending along the gauge axis is automatically adjustable as a function of the movement of the user manipulation elements.

7. The graphical user interface of claim 5, wherein the user manipulation elements comprise one or more manipulation pointer flags associated with operator set limits, the one or more manipulation pointer flags are draggable along the gauge axis to change such operator set limits.

8. The graphical user interface of claim 5, wherein the user manipulation elements comprise one or more manipulation pointer flags associated with the engineering hard limits, the one or more manipulation pointer flags ae draggable along the gauge axis to change such engineering hard limits.

9. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the graphical shape representative of the cent value of the process variable is a pointing device proximate to the scale.

10. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises at least one additional graphical shape displayed along the gauge axis representative of at least one additional value for the process variable.

11. The graphical user interface of claim 10, wherein the additional graphical shape representative of at least one additional value for the process variable has a color of a set of colors that reflects the state of the current value for the process variable relative to the set of high and low process limit values.

12. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the scale extending along the gauge axis is adjustable as a function of a current value of the process variable relative to the one or more process limits values.

13. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the graphical shape representative of the current value of the process variable has a color of a set of colors that reflects the state of the current value for the process variable relative to the set of high and low process limit values.

14. The graphical user interface of claim 13, wherein a color for the graphical shape represents one of a current value of the corresponding process variable being within the set of high and low process limit values, the current value of the corresponding process variable being within a certain percentage of a limit value of the set of high and low process limit values, and the current value of the corresponding process variable being outside of the set of high and low process limit values.

15. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein a background of a region adjacent the one or more bars along the gauge axis is of a color when the graphical shape representative of the current value of the process variable is outside of the high and low process limit values, and further wherein the region is representative of engineering physical limits of the process variable.

16. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a trend graph for the process variable.

17. The graphical user interface of claim 16, wherein the trend graph comprises at least one of a historical trend graph and a prediction trend graph for displaying trend information representative of process variable values.

18. The graphical user interface of claim 16, wherein the trend graph comprises at least one of a historical trend graph and a prediction trend graph for displaying trend information representative of process variable limits.

19. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the one or more process variables comprise a plurality of manipulated variables and a plurality of controlled variables of a continuous multivariable process.

20. A computer implemented method for providing a graphical user interface for providing real-time process information to a user for a process that is operable under control of one or more process variables, the method comprising:

displaying a scale extending along a gauge axis;

displaying one or more bars extending along the gauge axis with the scale each bar representative of a set of high and low process limit values for a process variable, wherein displaying one or more bars extending along the gauge axis comprises;

displaying a first bar extending along the gauge axis, wherein a first end of the first bar is representative of an user set engineering hard high limit for the process variable and a second end of the first bar is representative of an user set engineering hard low limit for the process variable; and

displaying a second bar extending along the gauge axis, wherein a first end of the second bar is representative of an operator set high limit for the process variable and a second end of the second bar is representative of an operator set low limit for the process variable;

providing data representative of at least the current value of the process variable;

displaying a graphical shape along the gauge axis representative of the current value of the process variable relative to the set of high and low press limit values; and

adjusting at least one of the high and low limits so as to exert influence on the process.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein displaying one or more bars extending along the gauge axis further comprises displaying a delta soft high region within the second bar and adjacent the first end thereof and a delta soft low region within the second bar and adjacent the second end thereof, and further wherein the delta soft high region and the delta soft low region are representative of a delta optimization range within the operator set high and low limits.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein displaying the one or more bars extending along the gauge axis comprises displaying the second bar extending along the gauge axis representative of the operator set high and low limits for the process variable within the first bar representative of engineering hard high and low limits for the process variable.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein displaying one or more bars extending along the gauge axis further comprises displaying a delta soft high region within the second bar and adjacent the first end thereof and a delta soft low region within the second bar and adjacent the second end thereof, and further wherein the delta soft high region and the delta soft low region are representative of a delta optimization range within the operator set high and low limits.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein displaying the delta soft high region within the second bar and adjacent the first end thereof and a delta soft low region within the second bar and adjacent the second end thereof comprises:

receiving user input representative of the delta values; and

displaying a delta soft high region and a delta soft low region that overlap providing for an optimization pseudo set point within the operator set high and low limits.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the optimization pseudo set point is proportional to the delta soft high region and delta soft low region.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying user manipulation elements movable to change one or more of the high and low process limit values;

moving such user manipulation elements to generate data representative of changed high or low process limit values; and

providing such data to a controller of the process.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the method further comprises rescaling the scale extending along the gauge axis as a function of the movement of the user manipulation elements.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein moving such user manipulation elements to generate data cores dragging one or more manipulation pointer flags associated with the operator set limits along the gauge axis to change such operator set limits.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein moving such user manipulation elements to generate data comprise dragging one or more manipulation pointer flags associated with the engineering hard limits along the gauge axis to change such engineering hard limits.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein moving such user manipulation elements to generate data comprises dragging one or more manipulation pointer flags associated with the delta soft limits along the gauge axis to change such delta soft limits.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the graphical shape representative of the current value of the process variable is a pointing device proximate to the scale extending along the gauge axis.

32. The method of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises displaying at least one additional graphical shape along the gauge axis representative of an additional value for the process variable.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein displaying the at least one additional graphical shape comprises displaying at least one additional pointing device proximate to the scale extending along the gauge axis.

34. The method of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises rescaling the scale extending along the gauge axis as a function of the current value of the process variable relative to the set of high and low process limit values.

35. The method of claim 20, wherein displaying the graphical shape representative of the current value of the process variable comprises:

determining a state of the current value of the process value relative to the set of high and low process limit values; and

displaying the graphical shape in a color of a set of colors that reflects the state of the current value for the process variable.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein determining the state of the current value of the process value relative to the set of high and low process limit values comprises determining whether the current value of the process variable is within the set of high and low process limit values, determining whether the current value of the process variable is within a certain percentage of a limit value of the set of high and low process limit values, and determining whether the current value of the process variable is a certain percentage outside of the set of high and low process limit values.

37. The method of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether the current value of the process variable is outside of the set of high and low process limit values; and

displaying a graphical element representative of engineering physical limits of the process variable when the current value of the process variable is outside the set of high and low process limit values.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein displaying a graphical element representative of engineering physical limits of the process variable comprises displaying a background region adjacent the one or more bars along the gauge axis in a particular color representative of engineering physical limits.

39. The method of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises displaying a trend graph for the process variable with the displayed scale one or more bars, and the graphical shape representative of the current value of the process variable.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein displaying the trend graph comprises displaying at least one of a historical trend graph and a prediction trend graph for the process variable representative of process variable values.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein displaying the trend graph comprises displaying at least one of a historical trend graph and a diction trend graph for the process variable representative of process variable limits.

42. A graphical user interface for providing real-time process information to a user with regard to a process that is operable under control of one or more process variables, the graphical user interface comprising:

a scale extending along a gauge axis;

one or more bars extending along the gauge axis, each bar representative of a set of high and low process limit values for a process variable, wherein the one or more bars extending along the gauge axis comprise a fist bar extending along the gauge axis, wherein a first end of the first bar is representative of an operator set high limit for the process variable and a second end of the first bar is representative of an operator set low limit for the process variable, and further wherein the one or more bars extending along the gauge axis further comprise a delta soft high region within the first bar and adjacent the first end thereof and a delta soft low region within the first bar and adjacent the second end thereof, and further wherein the delta soft high region and the delta soft low region are representative of a delta optimization range within the operator set high and low limits; and

a graphical shape displayed along the gauge axis representative of a current value of the process variable.

43. The graphical user interface of claim 42, wherein the one or more bars extending along the gauge axis further comprise a second bar extending along the gauge axis, wherein a first end of the second bar is representative of an engineering hard high limit for the process variable and a second end of the second bar is representative of an engineering hard low limit for the process variable.

44. The graphical user interface of claim 43, wherein the first bar extending along the gauge axis representative of operator set high and low limits for the process variable extends along the gauge axis within the second bar representative of the engineering hard high and low limits for the process variable.

45. The graphical user interface of claim 42, wherein the delta soft high region and the delta soft low region overlap within the first bar to provide for optimization to a pseudo set point.

46. A computer implemented method for providing a graphical user interface for providing real-time process information to a user for a process that is operable under control of one or more process variables, the method comprising:

displaying a scale extending along a gauge axis;

displaying one or more bars extending along the gauge axis, each bar representative of a set of high and low process limit values for a process variable, wherein displaying one or more bars extending along the gauge axis comprises displaying a first bar extending along the gauge axis, wherein a first end of the first bar is representative of an operator set high limit for the process variable and a second end of the first bar is representative of an operator set low limit for the process variable, and wherein displaying one or more bars extending along the gauge axis further comprises displaying a delta soft high region within the first bar and adjacent the first end thereof and a delta soft low region within the first bar and adjacent the second end thereof, and further wherein the delta soft high region and the delta soft low region are representative of a delta optimization range within the operator set high and low limits;

providing data representative of at least the current value of the process variable; and

displaying a graphical shape along the gauge axis representative of the current value of the process variable relative to the set of high and low process limit values.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein displaying one or more bars extending along the gauge axis comprises displaying a second bar extending along the gauge axis, wherein a first end of the second bar is representative of an engineering hard high limit for the process variable and a second end of the second bar is representative of an engineering hard low limit for the process variable.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein displaying the one or more bars extending along the gauge axis comprises displaying the first bar extending along the gauge axis representative of the operator set high and low limits for the process variable within the second bar representative of engineering hard high and low limits for the process variable.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein displaying the delta soft high region within the first bar and adjacent the first end thereof and a delta soft low region within the first bar and adjacent the second end thereof comprises:

receiving user input representative of the delta values; and

displaying a delta soft high region and a delta soft low region that overlap providing for an optimization pseudo set point within the operator set high and low limits.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the optimization pseudo set point is proportional to the delta soft high region and delta soft low region.

51. A graphical user interface for providing real-time process information to a user with regard to a process that is operable under control of one or more process variables, the graphical user interface comprising:

a scale extending along a gauge axis;

one or more bars extending along the gauge axis with the scale, each bar representative of a set of high and low process limit values for a process variable, wherein the one or more bars extending along the gauge axis comprise;

a first bar extending along the gauge axis, wherein a first end of the first bar is representative of user set engineering hard high limit for the process variable and a second end of the first bar is representative of an user set engineering hard low limit for the process variable;

wherein the first end and second end of the first bar representative of the engineering hard high and hard low limits define a range in which operator set high and low limits are set; and

a second bar extending along the gauge axis, wherein a first end of the second bar is representative of the operator set high limit for the process variable and a second end of the second bar is representative of an operator set low limit for the process variable, wherein the first end and second end of the second bar representative of the operator set high and low limits define a range in which the process is free to operate, wherein each of the operator set high and low limits are adjustable so as to exert influence on the process, and further wherein the second bar extends along the gauge axis within the first bar representative of the engineering hard high and low limits for the process variable;

a graphical shape displayed along the gauge axis representative of a current value of the process variable; and

user manipulation elements movable to change one or more of the high and low process limit values.