Method for controlling time based signals to indicate a time range free of an end time

• US 8,239,703 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2009
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Corsini, Giorgio, Cloutot, Laurent
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Raymond
• Application Number:
  US12/538,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20100037083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 713500-503, 713330-340, 702187-188, 703 1- 8, 700/28, 700/110
• US Class Current: 713/502
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35512 Display entered, measured values with bargraph
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0272 Presentation of monitored results, e.g. selection of status reports to be displayed; Filtering information to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/12 in graphical form

Abstract

A method controls time based signals that are outputted from at least two processes of unit. A first signal is converted into a first signal value and indicates over a first time range of a first process with a first defined start time and a defined end time, in which present time is signalized by a spatially extensible and uniformly highlighted portion of the first time range defined between the first start time and the present time. A second signal is converted into a second signal value and indicates over a second time range of a second process with a second defined start time and free of an end time, in which the present time is signalized by a spatially extensible portion of the second time range onto which a variably highlighted and superposed section is overlaid, the section being defined between the second start time and the present time.

Claims

1. A method for controlling time based signals that are outputted from at least two processes of a unit, which comprises the steps of:

converting at least one first signal into a first signal value and indicating over a first time range of a first process with a first defined start time and a defined end time, in which a present time is signalized by a spatially extensible and uniformly highlighted portion of the first time range defined between the first start time and at least the present time; and

converting at least one second signal into a second signal value and indicating over a second time range of a second process with a second defined start time and free of an end time, in which the present time is signalized by a spatially extensible portion of the second time range onto which a variably highlighted and superposed section is overlaid, the variably highlighted and superposed section being defined between the second start time and the present time.

2. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises providing the variably highlighted and superposed section by means of a gradually faded portion of the second time range.

3. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises providing a blinking module for switching the variably highlighted and superposed section between a first state and a second state, whereby a first and a second brightness value is applied to the first state and to the second state respectively.

4. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises embedding multiple signals into at least one single time chart, by means of bar forms associated with one of:

each bar form'"'"'s respective time range and a common time range for the bar forms.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein a modulator provides a first actualizable highlight value associated with the second start time and a second actualizable highlight value associated with the present time.

6. The method according to claim 4, which further comprises generating the time chart as a part of a software application that is stored on a non-transitory machine for monitoring processing signals that are inputted in the machine from at least one process unit over an interface of the machine.

7. The method according to claim 5, which further comprises providing the modulator for calculating a fading ratio for the variably highlighted and superposed section based on the first signal value, on the second signal value and on a time period elapsed between the second start time and the present time.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the modulator applies the fading ratio to the variably highlighted and superposed section and periodically updates the portion.