Methods and apparatus to display localized process control objects

• US 9,207,666 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2010
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Nixon, Mark, Neitzel, Lee Allen, Zhou, Ling
• Primary Examiner(s): HUYNH, THU V
• Application Number:
  US12/872,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20120054599A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,925 Days
• Field of Search: 715/255, 715/200, 715/205, 715/210, 715/234, 715/236, 715/238, 715/264, 715/265
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32142 Define device, module description using xml format file
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/117 Tagging; Marking up details of markup languages G06F40/143; Designating a block; Setting of attributes style sheets, e.g. eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation [XSLT], G06F40/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

Example methods and apparatus to display localized process control objects. A disclosed example method includes receiving a request to view a process control object associated with a process control system, selecting a device description file based on the process control object, the device description file including a tag, selecting a set of locale templates based on a locale associated with the request, selecting a locale template from the set of locale templates based on the process control object, and processing the process control object for display by inserting portions of the selected locale template into the tag in the device description file.

Claims

1. A method to display localized process control objects, the method comprising:

in response to a request to monitor a process control object associated with a process control system, selecting a device description file based on the process control object, the device description file including a first tag and instructions for displaying information generated by the process control object;

selecting a set of locale templates based on a locale associated with the request, wherein each of the locale templates includes a reference to process control information;

selecting a locale template from the set of locale templates by;

determining which of the set of locale templates includes a second tag matching the first tag;

identifying a type of the process control object; and

matching the type to the locale template by identifying an indicator that specifies the locale template is configured to display the type of the process control object; and

processing, via a logic circuit, the process control object for display by inserting portions of the selected locale template into the first tag in the device description file.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising transmitting instructions for displaying the process control object according to the selected locale template to an application that transmitted the request.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, further comprising displaying via the application the process control object according to the selected locale template.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the request includes locale information including at least one of a language type, a numeric format, an Internet Protocol address, a data format, a country, a region, or a dialect.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein selecting the set of locale templates includes:

identifying the locale information associated with the request; and

matching the identified locale information to the set of locale templates.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the set of locale templates includes templates associated with a single locale.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

determining at least one resource associated with the process control object;

selecting the locale template based on a type of the at least one resource; and

processing the at least one resource for display within the selected locale template.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the at least one resource includes at least one of a process control value, a data value, an alarm, text, status information, diagnostic information, an error message, a parameter, an event, or a device identifier.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein processing the process control object for display includes rendering data related to the process control object.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the locale template is a locale resource file that includes translated information.

11. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising translating the locale template prior to processing the process control object for display.

12. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the locale template is at least one of an Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformation file or an Extensible Markup Language file.

13. A method as defined in claim 12, wherein processing the process control object for display includes converting the at least one of the Extensible Markup Language file or the Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformation into a HyperText Markup Language using the device description file for display via a web browsing application that initiated the request.

14. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the device description file is an Electronic Device Description Language file that includes a description of functionality associated with the process control object for at least one of general information, diagnostics, performance analysis, operational statistics, parameterization, range, simulation, override, calibration trim, monitoring, security, or reset.

15. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising identifying the locale based on a dialect of the request.

16. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising identifying the locale based on a numeric pattern in the request.

17. An apparatus to display localized process control objects, the apparatus comprising:

a device description file processor to select a device description file based on a request to monitor a process control object, the device description file including a first tag and instructions for displaying information generated by the process control object;

a template processor to;

select a set of locale templates based on a locale associated with the request, wherein each of the locale templates includes a reference to process control information; and

select a locale template from the set of locale templates by;

determining which of the set of locale templates includes a second tag matching the first tag;

identifying a type of the process control object; and

matching the type to the locale template by identifying an indicator that specifies the locale template is configured to display the type of the process control object; and

an object manager to process the process control object for display by combining the selected locale template with the device description file, wherein at least one of the device description file processor, the template processor or the object manager is implemented via a logic circuit.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the object manager is to combine the selected locale template with the device description file by:

matching portions of the selected locale template to the first tag in the device description file;

inserting the matching portions of the locale template into the first tag in the device description file; and

operating the device description file with the inserted portions of the locale template.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, further comprising an interface to receive the request to view the process control object from an application via a user interface.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 19, further comprising an application interface to transmit instructions for displaying the process control object according to the selected locale template via the application.

21. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the template processor is to select the set of locale templates by:

identifying locale information associated with the request; and

matching the identified locale information to the set of locale templates.

22. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the object manager is to:

determine at least one resource associated with the process control object;

access a controller for the at least one resource;

receive from the template processor the locale template based on a type of the at least one resource; and

process the at least one resource for display within the selected locale template.

23. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, further comprising a renderer to render data related to the process control object for display.

24. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, further comprising a translator to translate the locale template prior to processing the process control object for display.

25. A tangible machine readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

in response to a request to monitor a process control object associated with a process control system, select a device description file based on the process control object, the device description file including a first tag and instructions for displaying information generated by the process control object;

select a set of locale templates based on a locale associated with the request, wherein each of the locale templates includes a reference to process control information;

select a locale template from the set of locale templates by;

determining which of the set of locale templates includes a second tag matching the first tag;

identifying a type of the process control object; and

matching the type to the locale template by identifying an indicator that specifies the locale template is configured to display the type of the process control object; and

process the process control object for display by inserting portions of the selected locale template into the tag in the device description file.