Graphic display configuration framework for unified process control system interface

• US 7,971,151 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2005
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Gilbert, Stephen, Lucas, J. Michael, Campney, Bruce, Beoughter, Ken J., Nixon, Mark J., Hammack, Stephen G.
• Primary Examiner(s): BARNES-BULLOCK, CRYSTAL JOY
• Application Number:
  US10/575,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20070211079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,246 Days
• Field of Search: 715733-740, 715/760, 715/761, 715/764, 715/765, 715/767, 715/768, 715/771, 715/778, 715/781, 715/788, 715/799, 715/800, 715/802, 715/803, 700/17, 700/19, 700/83, 700/95, 700/96, 345/619, 345/649, 345/650, 345/660, 345/661, 345/672, 345/676
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41885 characterised by modeling, simulation of the manufacturing system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23424 Select construction element from function library
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25067 Graphic configuration control system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25428 Field device
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31467 Display of operating conditions of machines, workcells, selected programs
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31469 Graphical display of process as function of detected alarm signals
• 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 2219/32128 Gui graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32342 Real time simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0267 Fault communication, e.g. human machine interface [HMI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/12 Symbolic schematics
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2113/14 Pipes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/12 characterised by design entry means specially adapted for CAD, e.g. graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for CAD
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4488 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 : Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/04 : Manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/00 : Animation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/4026 : Bus for use in automation systems
• 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 67/289 : Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 : Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 : Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 10/40 : Controlling or monitoring, e.g. of flood or hurricane; Forecasting, e.g. risk assessment or mapping
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/40 : Minimising material used in manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 : Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/30 : Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 : Management or planning
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/84 : Greenhouse gas [GHG] management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 : Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/965 : for process control and configuration

Abstract

A common process control graphical user interface plant operators, plant maintenance personnel, and management is disclosed which provides a real-time interface to both the process and the plant. The common interface is modular in design and is capable of supporting various specializations for each user type. Operator consoles are dedicated to each section of the plant and include additional functions such as maintenance, configuration, simulation and supervisory information. The unified for common graphical interface replaces control room displays filled with single case analog controllers, meters, and digital indicators. The common interface addresses the functions that previously were provided by the panel motor start/stop buttons and status indications, chart recorders, annunciator panels and subsystem interfaces. From a console, operators manage alarms, adjust the process by entering new setpoints or other parameters, “zoom in” on particular portions of the process for details, and utilize other specialized applications to work with their batch, advanced control, or business applications. The interface will run in both dedicated and non-dedicated modes, will run as a rich client or as part of a browser style interface utilizing web services and will run on workstations, laptops, tablet PC'"'"'s, handhelds, and smart phones.

Claims

1. An integrated graphical user interface for a process control environment, the integrated graphical user interface comprising:

a configuration environment;

a plurality of graphical element objects included in the configuration environment, each graphical element object corresponding to a data source in the process control environment and including;

a visualization defining a visual property of a graphical element corresponding to the each graphical element object when the each graphical element object is implemented in a run-time environment, and

at least one element binding defining an element interface between the each graphical element object and the data source in the run-time environment;

a plurality of graphical display objects included in the configuration environment, each graphical display object corresponding to a display view presented in the run-time environment and including;

an indication of one or more connecting graphical element objects, and

one or more display bindings defining a display interface between the each graphical display object and the display view in the run-time environment;

a resolution table including;

an indication of connections between element bindings and data sources in the process control environment, and

an indication of connections between display bindings and display views in the process control environment;

the runtime environment including a real-time interface to two or more functional areas of a process plant, the functional areas including operations, maintenance, configuration, and simulation;

two or more real-time displays provided by the real-time interface,

each of the two or more real-time displays corresponding to a different functional area of the process plant,

each of the two or more real-time displays being bound, using the resolution table and a respective display binding, to a respective graphical display object, and

each respective graphical display object corresponding to the each of the two or more real-time displays including an indication of a same graphical element object from the plurality of graphical element objects; and

a same graphical element corresponding to the same graphical element object, the same graphical element presented on each of the two or more real-time displays and bound, using the resolution table and a respective element binding, to a same data source in the run-time environment.

2. The integrated graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the two or more real-time displays include a display of at least one of:

a panel motor start/stop button, a status indication, a chart recorder, an annunciator panel, a subsystem interface, a maintenance request, a maintenance report, or a supervisory report.

3. The integrated graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the integrated graphical user interface supports an operator interface for performing one or more of:

alarm management, process parameter adjustment by entry of process parameters, zoom in viewing of portions of the process for enhanced detail viewing, or utilization of specialized applications related to the process.

4. The integrated graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the integrated graphical user interface can run in a dedicated mode and a non-dedicated mode, the dedicated mode comprising at least one of:

a mode including a fixed display arrangement or a mode corresponding to controlled access, and the non-dedicated mode for use by configuration personnel.

5. The integrated graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the same graphical element object is executable on one or more of a workstation, a laptop, a PDA (Personal Data Assistant), a display on multiple monitors, or a smart phone.

6. The integrated graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the integrated graphical user interface supports multiple user interface devices including at least one of a rich client, a web browser, a handheld, or a smart phone.

7. The integrated graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the integrated graphical user interface supports one or more of:

integrated voice and video;

real-time data services;

external data services;

XML files;

access to other service interfaces;

composite structure process graphics;

class-based control hierarchies;

integration of control, alarming, and abnormal situation management and prevention;

integrated batch operator interfaces;

integrated advanced control operator interfaces;

route management;

efficiency calculations;

optimizations;

mass and energy balances;

integration of third party applications;

multiple data collection systems (DCS), or combinations thereof.

8. The integrated graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the runtime environment further includes an instantiation process that binds, during runtime, the same graphical element object to the same data source in the process control environment.

9. The integrated graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the same graphical element object includes at least one of a parameter, a property, an action, or an animation.

10. The integrated graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the each graphical display object further includes at least one of:

a connector, an animation, an action, or a property.

11. The integrated graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the configuration environment further includes a graphical display editor for creating the plurality of graphical element objects and a graphic object database for storing the plurality of graphical element objects.

12. The integrated graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the same graphical element object is included in at least one of:

predictive control, predictive maintenance, or system level error detection in the process plant.

13. An integrated graphical interface providing integrated graphical displays for operation, maintenance, configuration, and simulation of a control system, the interface comprising:

a real-time user interface providing two or more real-time displays, each of the two or more real-time displays corresponding to a different functional level of a set of functional levels of the control system, the set of functional levels including an operations functional level, a maintenance functional level, a configuration functional level, and a simulation functional level;

two or more graphic display objects;

each corresponding to a respective one of the two or more real-time displays,

each bound, via a respective display binding and a resolution table, to the respective one of the two of more real-time displays, and

each including an indication of a same graphic element object and including the respective display binding defining a display interface between the each of the two or more graphic display objects and the respective one of the two or more real-time displays in a run-time environment;

a graphic element corresponding to the same graphic element object and included on each of the two or more real-time displays, the graphic element bound, via a respective element binding and the resolution table, to a data source in the process plant;

the same graphic element object including;

the respective element binding defining an element interface between the same graphic element object and the data source in the run-time environment;

a visualization defining a visual property of the graphic element when the same graphic element object is implemented in the run-time environment; and

at least one of an element parameter, an element property, an element action, or an element animation; and

the resolution table including indications of a plurality of connections between element bindings and data sources, and indications of a plurality of connections between display bindings and real-time displays.

14. The integrated graphical interface of claim 13, wherein at least one of the two or more graphic display objects further includes indications of at least two graphic element objects, a connector, and at least one of a display property, a display action, or a display animation.

15. The integrated graphical interface of claim 13, further comprising a graphic display editor for creating a new graphic element object, a graphic database for storing a set of graphic element objects that includes the new graphic element object and the same graphic element object, and an instantiation process that binds the same graphic element object to the data source via the element binding.

16. The integrated graphical interface of claim 13, wherein the real-time user interface is provided on at least one of:

a workstation, a laptop, a PDA (Personal Data Assistant), a display across multiple monitors, a multi-screen workstation, a rich client, a web browser, a handheld, or a smart phone.

17. A method, comprising:

providing an integrated graphical user interface for two or more functional areas of a process plant, the functional areas including operations, maintenance, configuration, and simulation;

providing two or more real-time displays in the integrated graphical user interface, each of the two or more real-time displays corresponding to a different functional area;

providing a set of graphical display objects including respective graphical display objects corresponding to the two or more real-time displays, each graphical display object of the set of graphical display objects corresponding to a respective real-time display and including;

an indication of one or more connecting graphical element objects, and

one or more display bindings defining a display interface between the each graphical display object and the respective real-time display in a run-time environment;

providing a set of graphical element objects including the one or more connecting graphical element objects, each graphical element object of the set of graphical element objects corresponding to a respective data source in the process plant and including;

a visualization defining a visual property of a graphical element corresponding to the each graphical element object when the each graphical element object is implemented in the run-time environment, and

at least one element binding defining an element interface between the each graphical element object and the respective data source in the run-time environment;

providing a resolution table including;

indications of connections between element bindings and data sources in the process plant, and

indications of connections between display bindings and real-time displays in the process plant;

binding, using respective display bindings and the resolution table, the two or more real-time displays to respective graphical display objects;

binding, using a respective element binding and the resolution table, a particular graphical element object to a particular data source; and

including, on each of the two or more real-time displays, a particular graphical element corresponding to the particular data source.