Extensible manufacturing/process control information portal server
First Claim
1. A customer-configurable plant process observation portal server system for collecting plant process information, in accordance with a user designated set of plant information sources, the plant information sources comprising process control equipment, and for disseminating the information to users via network connections, the system comprising:
- a portal server comprising;
an extensible information source registry for storing at least identification information corresponding to an extensible set of plant information sources accessed via the portal server;
a portal server data interface, accessible via remote networked stations, providing user access to plant information associated with the set of designated plant information sources;
a portal configuration utility enabling a user to at least designate a new plant information source via a configuration interface, the new plant information source thereafter being added to the extensible set of plant information sources; and
a data access subsystem, interposed via network links between the portal server data interface and the extensible set of plant information sources, and wherein data from the extensible set of plant information sources is stored within the data access subsystem prior to forwarding to portal users via the portal server data interface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A manufacturing/process control system information access provider architecture is disclosed. Manufacturing/process control system data provider flexibility is achieved through a user-configurable manufacturing/process control information portal server that comprises multiple selectable data provides (sources) and/or data types that a particular data provider accommodates. A user configures the portal server to deliver manufacturing/process control information associated with a controlled process environment, such as a food processing plant floor or an oil refinery reactor, to the user via a browser client over the Internet or a corporate intranet. Furthermore, an extensible architecture is provided that enables adding new components to the portal server. Such extensions include new data sources and new data types/handlers. The new architecture enables a user to select particular ones of the available data handlers and then their associated data sources thereby facilitating customizing the configuration of the portal server to the particular needs/interests of the user.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A customer-configurable plant process observation portal server system for collecting plant process information, in accordance with a user designated set of plant information sources, the plant information sources comprising process control equipment, and for disseminating the information to users via network connections, the system comprising:
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a portal server comprising; an extensible information source registry for storing at least identification information corresponding to an extensible set of plant information sources accessed via the portal server; a portal server data interface, accessible via remote networked stations, providing user access to plant information associated with the set of designated plant information sources; a portal configuration utility enabling a user to at least designate a new plant information source via a configuration interface, the new plant information source thereafter being added to the extensible set of plant information sources; and a data access subsystem, interposed via network links between the portal server data interface and the extensible set of plant information sources, and wherein data from the extensible set of plant information sources is stored within the data access subsystem prior to forwarding to portal users via the portal server data interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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8. A customer-configurable plant process observation portal server system for collecting plant process information, including plant process information from process control equipment, in accordance with information source designations and for disseminating the information to users via network connections, the system comprising:
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a portal server comprising; an extensible set of data handlers for processing differing types of data from a set of plant information sources accessed via the portal server; a portal server data interface, accessible via remote networked stations, providing user access to plant information associated with the set of plant information sources; a portal configuration utility enabling a user to designate a new data handler via a configuration interface, the new data handler thereafter being added to the extensible set of data handlers; and a data access subsystem, interposed via network links between the portal server data interface and the extensible set of plant information sources, and wherein data from the extensible set of plant information sources is stored within the data access subsystem prior to forwarding to portal users via the portal server data interface. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A customer-configurable plant process observation portal server system for collecting plant process information, including plant process information from process control equipment, in accordance with user specified information source designations and for disseminating the information to users via network connections, the system comprising:
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a portal server comprising; an extensible information source registry for storing at least identification information corresponding to an extensible set of plant information sources accessed via the portal server; a user-configurable portal server data interface, accessible via remote networked stations, providing user access to plant information represented in the extensible set of plant information sources; a portal data interface configuration utility enabling a user to at least designate, via a configuration interface, a new user interface display element for presenting plant process information, the new user interface display element thereafter being added to the extensible set of plant information sources; and a data access subsystem, interposed via network links between the portal server data interface and the extensible set of plant information sources, and wherein data from the extensible set of plant information sources is stored within the data access subsystem prior to forwarding to portal users via the portal server data interface.
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14. A method for facilitating configuring a customer-configurable plant process observation portal server system to collect plant process information in accordance with user-specified plant information sources, the plant information sources comprising process control equipment, the method comprising the steps of:
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creating an extensible information source registry for storing at least identification information corresponding to an extensible set of plant information sources accessed via the portal server; generating a portal server data interface, accessible via remote networked stations, providing user access to plant information represented in the extensible set of plant information sources; providing a portal configuration utility enabling a user to at least designate a new plant information source via a configuration interface, the new plant information source thereafter being added to the extensible set of plant information sources; and providing a data access subsystem, interposed via network links between the portal server data interface and the extensible set of plant information sources, and wherein data from the extensible set of plant information sources is stored within the data access subsystem prior to forwarding to portal users via the portal server data interface.
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15. A method for configuring a plant process observation portal site, supported by a portal server system, to extend a set of plant information sources associated with the portal site, the plant information sources comprising process control equipment, the method comprising the steps of:
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accessing, via a browser, a configuration page associated with the portal site; first specifying, via a graphical user interface, a new source of plant information accessed via the portal server; second specifying, via the graphical user interface, how information associated with the new source of plant information is visually rendered on visual displays associated with the plant process observation portal site; and providing a data access subsystem, interposed via network links between the portal server data interface and the extensible set of plant information sources, and wherein data from the extensible set of plant information sources is stored within the data access subsystem prior to forwarding to portal users via the portal server data interface.
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Specification