Apparatus and method for fault-tolerant presentation of multiple graphical displays in a process control system
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- executing a plurality of first processes to generate a plurality of graphical displays, at least one of the graphical displays comprising a schematic associated with a controller in a process control system;
executing a second process to generate a window for presentation to an operator, the second process separate from the first processes;
executing a third process to provide a service for the process control system, the third process separate from the first processes and the second process;
executing a fourth process to control the first, second, and third processes, the fourth process separate from the first processes, the second process, and the third process, wherein the second, third, and fourth processes are part of a single framework, the framework including a prioritization of a first of the graphical displays over a second of the graphical displays;
executing at least one extension user interface (UI) process to insert the graphical displays into the window, each of the at least one extension UI processes comprising an extension view and a view host;
presenting the window with the graphical displays to the operator;
passing first data from the second process to one or more of the first processes;
passing second data from one or more of the first processes to the second process, the first and second data comprising operator inputs, the operator inputs being passed between the processes transparently to the operator;
controlling the graphical displays by different ones of the first processes such that a fault in one of the graphical displays in the window does not affect presenting another of the graphical displays in the window; and
upon a determination of inadequate system resources, assigning a greater amount of system resources for the first graphical display than for the second graphical display based on the prioritization.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method includes executing first processes to generate graphical displays. At least one graphical display includes a user interface associated with a process system. The method also includes executing a separate second process to generate a window for presentation to an operator. The method further includes inserting the graphical displays into the window and presenting the window with the graphical displays to the operator. The method could also include executing a separate third process to control the first and second processes. The third process could represent a watchdog that terminates and restarts processes in response to detecting a fault or that prioritizes the processes. The method could further include executing a separate fourth process to provide a service, which includes a function invoked on behalf of at least one of the first and second processes.
74 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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executing a plurality of first processes to generate a plurality of graphical displays, at least one of the graphical displays comprising a schematic associated with a controller in a process control system; executing a second process to generate a window for presentation to an operator, the second process separate from the first processes; executing a third process to provide a service for the process control system, the third process separate from the first processes and the second process; executing a fourth process to control the first, second, and third processes, the fourth process separate from the first processes, the second process, and the third process, wherein the second, third, and fourth processes are part of a single framework, the framework including a prioritization of a first of the graphical displays over a second of the graphical displays; executing at least one extension user interface (UI) process to insert the graphical displays into the window, each of the at least one extension UI processes comprising an extension view and a view host; presenting the window with the graphical displays to the operator; passing first data from the second process to one or more of the first processes; passing second data from one or more of the first processes to the second process, the first and second data comprising operator inputs, the operator inputs being passed between the processes transparently to the operator; controlling the graphical displays by different ones of the first processes such that a fault in one of the graphical displays in the window does not affect presenting another of the graphical displays in the window; and upon a determination of inadequate system resources, assigning a greater amount of system resources for the first graphical display than for the second graphical display based on the prioritization. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus comprising:
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at least one processor configured to; execute a plurality of first processes to generate a plurality of graphical displays, at least one of the graphical displays comprising a schematic associated with a controller in a process control system; execute a second process to generate a window that includes the graphical displays, the second process separate from the first processes; execute a third process to provide a service for the process control system, the third process separate from the first processes and the second process; and execute a fourth process to control the first, second, and third processes, the fourth process separate from the first processes, the second process, and the third process, wherein the second, third, and fourth processes are part of a single framework, the framework including a prioritization of a first of the graphical displays over a second of the graphical displays; execute at least one extension user interface (UI) process to insert the graphical displays into the window, each of the at least one extension UI processes comprising an extension view and a view host; and a display interface configured to provide the window with the graphical displays to a display device for presentation to an operator; wherein the graphical displays are controlled by different ones of the first processes such that a fault in one of the graphical displays in the window does not affect presenting another of the graphical displays in the window; and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to; pass first data from the second process to one or more of the first processes; pass second data from one or more of the first processes to the second process, the first and second data comprising operator inputs, the operator inputs being passed between the processes transparently to the operator; upon a determination of inadequate processor resources, assign a greater amount of processor resources for the first graphical display than for the second graphical display based on the prioritization. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a computer program, the computer program comprising:
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computer readable program code forming a plurality of first processes configured to generate a plurality of graphical displays, at least one of the graphical displays comprising a schematic associated with a controller in a process control system; computer readable program code forming a second process configured to generate a window that includes the graphical displays, the second process separate from the first processes; computer readable program code forming a third process configured to provide a service for the process control system, the third process separate from the first processes and the second process; computer readable program code forming a fourth process configured to control the first, second, and third processes, the fourth process separate from the first processes, the second process, and the third process, wherein the second, third, and fourth processes are part of a single framework, the framework including a prioritization of a first of the graphical displays over a second of the graphical displays; computer readable program code forming at least one extension user interface (UI) process to insert the graphical displays into the window, each of the at least one extension UI processes comprising an extension view and a view host; computer readable program code configured to output the window with the graphical displays; computer readable program code configured to pass first data from the second process to one or more of the first processes; and computer readable program code configured to pass second data from one or more of the first processes to the second process, the first and second data comprising operator inputs, the operator inputs being passed between the processes transparently to the operator; wherein the graphical displays are controlled by different ones of the first processes such that a fault in one of the graphical displays in the window does not affect presenting another of the graphical displays in the window; and wherein the computer program further comprises computer readable program code for, upon a determination of inadequate system resources, assigning a greater amount of system resources for the first graphical display than for the second graphical display based on the prioritization. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification