Menu screen for an operation monitoring apparatus

• US 9,128,734 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2010
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Kataoka, Norikatsu, Satou, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Matt
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARRETT, RYAN S
• Application Number:
  US12/968,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20110145767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,728 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

An operation monitoring apparatus capable of displaying right click menus varying in configuration from each other according to a select object on an operation-monitoring screen is realized. The operation monitoring apparatus comprises an object file holding means for holding a plurality of individual menu definition files registered under object names, respectively, having menu items defined on an object-by-object basis, in an object displayed on an operation-monitoring screen, the object being a target for display on a right click menu screen, a retrieval means for acquiring information on the object name of the object subjected to right click on the operation-monitoring screen, and retrieving the object file holding means 300, thereby extracting the individual menu definition file registered under the object name, and a screen display means for acquiring information on the individual menu definition file as extracted, and displaying the right click menu screen on the operation-monitoring screen.

Claims

1. An operation monitoring apparatus of a process control system comprising:

an object file holding means for holding a plurality of individual menu definition files each separately registered under unique object names, respectively, each having menu items defined on an object-by-object basis, in an object displayed on an operation-monitoring screen, the object being a target for display on a right click menu screen;

a retrieval means for acquiring information on the object name of the object subjected to right click on the operation-monitoring screen, and retrieving the object file holding means, thereby extracting the individual menu definition file registered under the object name; and

a screen display means for acquiring information on the individual menu definition file as extracted, and displaying the right click menu screen on the operation-monitoring screen,

wherein the individual menu definition file is unique to the target object, and the target object is a data file,

wherein the object file holding means holds a common menu definition file in common with a plurality of objects as targets for display on the right click menu screen,

wherein the common menu definition file is registered under a file name that has a unique identification data, the file name is embedded and described in the individual menu definition file, and the retrieval means extracts the common menu definition file on the basis of the file name, and

wherein the right click menu screen is modifiable by editing the common menu definition file.

2. The operation monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the individual menu definition file, and the common menu definition file each are provided with a hierarchical structure for displaying submenus.

3. The operation monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the individual menu definition file, and the common menu definition file each are described in the form of a CSV file comprising three columns including hierarchy, menu display item, and execution command definition.

4. The operation monitoring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the CSV file is described in the form of a CSV extension being affixed to an object name, or identification data of a common menu definition file.

5. The operation monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein retrieval by the retrieval means is executed by use of a standard file system mounted on an operating system.

6. The operation monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein effectiveness of the individual menu definition file, and the common menu definition file, respectively, are checked according to a specified rule at the time of interpretation of menu definition.